Filed under: Software, Productivity
Valet - a flexible application launcher with Parallels integration
Valet is a new kind of application launcher that brings some interesting innovations to the table. First, upon activation it offers a heads-up display containing application icons, organized into categories of your choosing. This is a rich visual departure from competition like LaunchBar and Quicksilver. Second, Valet is heavy on voice control, though you apparently still need to activate it with a hotkey.
Perhaps most interesting is Valet's ability to also open Windows applications inside of a Parallels virtual machine. That's right: you can create a category containing Windows apps like Internet Explorer, Access or even shortcuts to Control Panel items. Calling these things from Valet will start Parallels, open your virtual machine and fire up the Windows app of your choosing. Does anyone else see the line between OSes getting thinner with new apps like this?
Valet doesn't stop there though; other tricks up its sleeve include Growl support and automatic detection of new apps. If you want to see Valet in action, its developers have put together a nice demo (QuickTime link) of the voice activation and heads-up display features.
Valet is a Universal Binary. Licenses are $25, and volume licensing options are available upon request.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Zack kitzmiller said 9:53AM on 2-02-2007
It's interesting to note, that in that screencast, Window's boots EXTREMELY fast, and everything else seems to move very choppily.
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Patrick Gage said 10:10AM on 2-02-2007
How is this different from Overflow http://www.stuntsoftware.com/Overflow/ except that Overflow is both cheaper, and seems to be better.
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Dave Chartier said 10:45AM on 2-02-2007
#1: I noticed that too; I figured they simply cut out the booting part. After all, who wants to sit and watch an OS or app boot during a screencast?
#2: Valet is voice controlled and it can start Windows apps inside Parallels (keep in mind I'm a mostly-satisfied Overflow user). Did you read the post and/or watch the screencast? Different tools for different users with different needs.
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Kyle Johnson said 11:23AM on 2-02-2007
You can launch Windows apps via Parallels and Quicksilver already one of two ways. You can either add ~/Library/Parallels to the list of things Parallels catalogs (Windows apps you've launched are in [virutal machine name]/Windows Applications) or you can add an alias from some of those apps and put them in your applications folder (which Quicksilver already catalogs). Now I can use Quicksilver to launch IE7 (among other things). It is a little freaky.
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Graham said 12:03PM on 2-02-2007
Shame apple's voice recognition doesn't work propperly for a british accent. It works fine when I put on an american accent though!
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Matthew Presley said 12:29PM on 2-02-2007
I can already launch Windows apps from the Apple dock using Parallels coherence mode. Just launch Parallels, launch the Windows app you want, and you'll notice the running icon in your dock. Right-click and choose keep in dock. Done.
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(01) said 1:14PM on 2-02-2007
I guess I'll be the first to comment on the seeming streamlining of OS's... I, for one, think it's great. I don't personally use parallels or any like app, but don't have to work to hard to imagine an office situation where this would be a lifesaver This allows for the use of all the best apps of both OS's without the need to restart or even the need to confine the apps of Vista/XP in one window. Seamless integration really is what it's all about....
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Stu said 2:00PM on 2-02-2007
I'm trying out Coverflow as a dock replacment, does seem like something I'd expect Apple to eventually include in the OS.
The only thing with Coverflow I can find that I'd like, is the ability to Quit applications from it, like you would from the Dock by ctrl+clicking, right clicking or clicking and holding.
Other than that it seems very slick, and more 'mac' like than Quicksilver.
" How is this different from Overflow http://www.stuntsoftware.com/Overflow/ except that Overflow is both cheaper, and seems to be better.
Posted at 10:10AM on Feb 2nd 2007 by Patrick Gage"
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Herv S. said 2:40PM on 2-02-2007
There is also the free Todos, http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22275
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Graham Fluet said 1:52PM on 2-03-2007
"Shame apple's voice recognition doesn't work propperly for a british accent. It works fine when I put on an american accent though!"
Speech has some calibration features, just a note.
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Jim said 1:53PM on 2-03-2007
Forgive my ignorance but last I checked Coverflow was an itunes plugin or app that Apple acquired for itunes 7. Is there some sort of launcher called Coverflow that I'm unaware of or is someone confused here? Maybe they mean Overflow? ;)
BTW, from my use, Overflow is only useful for a few apps for it to launch. I could care less about being more Maclike. I want something that works efficiently. Too many apps in Overflow demands more maintenance and more mouse actions to get to something.
I've not tried this Valet out but it looks like it might have potential for those who are more mouse oriented. I'm a quicksilver fan myself but am always open to a good mouse based launcher. Too bad it's $25 though. Even if I like it, I refuse to pay that much for a launcher. $10 or less makes sense. Anymore than that is ridiculous.
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Stu said 3:29PM on 2-04-2007
pst I meant Overflow of course. There's too much flow.
By being more mac like i meant, 'it just works'
There are a number of things I'd like to see in Overflow as well as being able to quit is the ability to add the Finder to the list, and an indication as to which applications are open.
I don't think having more apps in it creates any more 'maintenance' than the dock does.
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