Tafasa has released a cool new application called LaunchPad. If you have ever wanted a quick way to create a launcher for your favorite websites, this is the application to do it. Currently supported on devices running 4.6+ OS, Launchpad allows you to create a launcher right from your device and it will even try and grab an icon (favicon) from whatever website it is that you are trying to make a launcher for. If it can't find one you can use your own image, or use any of the icons included with the application. Personally, I just use the BlackBerry Launchers website or make my own but I can see how many people would prefer this method as well as it is quick and dead simple. LaunchPad is available now in the CrackBerry App Store for only $0.99 until August 15th when the price will go to $1.99. Now if RIM would only include this functionality natively in the BlackBerry OS....
Reader comments
LaunchPad - Create Your Own Website Launchers On Your BlackBerry Smartphone
Can't go wrong @ $0.99! I'll give it a shot.
Once again, no love for the 4.5 OS :(
Like having a Curve 8310 is wrong..
Brilliant stuff, works no problems :) Loads of custom launchers here we come.....
I got it for free yesterday, with the code for the first 30 people.
I must say, it is a great idea but I want something I can add several bookmarks to from a drop down on the main screen. Like QuickLaunch.
theiphoneblog.com :-)
You Tafisa guys have a sense of humor
Is there any way to then export/copy the launchers from the device to put them online for others? Would be a great way to create launchers to put on web sites for others to download.
Any way to choose a third-party browser to open these shortcuts? I use Bolt almost exclusively, so these shortcuts won't help if they'll open only in the native BB browser. That's what I dislike about creating links using QuickLaunch.
That's not possible at the moment with LaunchPad. These third party applications would need to expose a way for shortcut applications to open them to a specific site, which we aren't aware of at the moment. We will look into this possibility.
Great application, and will be very useful, but I've found a couple of niggles on the Storm (148), when implementing Launcher icons into a theme:
1. Plasmic Theme Builder removes all Web Launcher icons when installing an updated theme.
2. When deleting one Launcher icon, the website name is lost on all of the remaining ones, which just turn to "WebLauncher".
Both of these glitches mean that all of the Launchers have to be recreated. Not a great big deal, but it would be good if this could be rectified in future versions.
The issue where the names revert to "Web Launcher" occurs when your homescreen updates its layout due to a removed application or a theme change. For some reason the BlackBerry forgets the name that LaunchPad sets. This automatically resolves itself by restarting your device, or you can open LaunchPad and select "Refresh Launchers" from the menu (which is our current workaround until we find a better way to overcome this BlackBerry issue)
Thanks, didn't know about the "Refresh Launchers" thing.
Just need resolve the Theme Builder issue now - does it work for that too? I don't really want to try it until I have to. :)
Since you are saying the Theme Builder actually removes the icons rather than reverting their name, then the "Refresh Launchers" menu item will not resolve that issue.
No, I've found out that it doesn't. Theme Builder reports Launchers as 'unrecognised modules', and insists on removing them whenever you update a theme.
And there's a 25 launcher max. When you try to create launcher 26 it says to delete one of the first 25.
Great program, you got my buck!!!
Does this program create stand-alone launchers or is it strictly a front end, pulling from a database? The program name leads me to believe it’s the latter and that it must be running in the background in order for the launchers to work. I imagine the program loads with each reboot automatically, similar to MeterBerry and others. Can someone who has this installed respond?
Still, it sounds handy (fun even) for those who do not mind running additional background apps.
It is a mix of the two things, however there are no applications running in the background. LaunchPad will create standalone icons on your homescreen without requiring anything to run in the background all the time. However, these icons require information from the LaunchPad application at launch time, so you cannot remove them and put them on any other device.
Sounds even better now!
I have been waiting for something like this for a long time. It exceeds my expectations. THANK YOU!!!!
i can get it to work on 5.0 anyone else?
It was nice while it lasted!
-UPDATE-
Redownload the software from the App Store and it works just fine.
The program works great except if you want to create a LaunchPad for a https:// address.
The author adds http:// to addresses. When I created a LaunchPad for the https:// address, it timed out and showed that the address that it was trying to locate was http://https//xxxxxx.com.
There is no way to edit the address to remove the http://.
All non secured sites were created perfectly.
Issue resolved with the latest update (version 1.0.1.0)
I just installed a new app using Desktop Manger. During the install process it deleted all LaunchPad apps. They are not visible in the list of apps available in Desktop.
Now all the Icons will have to be rebuilt. Is there a way to save the WebLaunch files so that they can be reinstalled when using Desktop Manager?
The web launchers should be visible in Desktop Manager after the latest update (version 1.0.1.0)
i would like to try this out....
Where do you go to get the update? Or am I just missing it?
I dont normally pay for apps. I prefer the free ones BUT, this app is WELL worth $2.99. FREAKIN AWESOME!!! If you enjoy using shortcut as opposed to the bookmarks......