ShortcutMe for Blackberry [Review] – Free licenses [Update]

**Update: All licenses gone

If you are the type of peson who finds the Blackberry shortcuts merely adequate or even insufficient for your needs, you my friend have an addiction.  An addiction that modern science and medicine cannot cure.  So what is a person to do?  You could always set time limits for your Berry usage.  You could give it up all together (thought that is a bit extreme).  Lastly and more importantly, you can make use of a great little tool…”ShortcutMe”, an amazing, easy to use shortcut application that allows you to set practically limitless (as there aren’t /that/ many BB apps) shortcuts. So what exactly can you do with shortcut me?  How can this shorcut app make your life with your Berry even more productive and easier?

Previously, ShortcutMe went be the name ShortcutBerry. However due to RIM now wanting any app in App World to have “Berry” in the name, Fonware changed the title in order to gain RIM’s approval. Moving on to the program itself, ShortcutMe comes with a ton of preset shortcuts for just about every single program you can think of.  On top of keyboard shortcuts, an even cooler way to customize your Berry shortcuts comes by way of convenience key shortcuts. While RIM already gives you the ability to assign one app per key for any app of your choice, I can think of so many more things that I’d like to give side key functionality to.  That is perhaps my favorite part of ShortcutMe as the app gives you double, tripple, and even quad click options to your side keys allowing you to now set up to eight applications on you side keys.

If the shorcut of your choice is not already present, adding a custom shortcut is a cinch.  All you have to do is add the application name under the “Common Configuration” menu, as an “Extra Application”.  On top of the wide range of keyboard shortcuts, you can build further upon those shortcuts by adding the  ”Alt” key for even more shortcut combinations. Further still, there’s  an even cooler way to customize your Berry shortcuts which comes by way of convenience key shortcuts (as previously touched upon).

Going further, certain functions can be set to shortcuts and keys such as a WiFi toggle making that once what seemed million step process into a now more palatable /one/ step process.  ShortcutMe also serves as a way to keep you organized in terms of knowing which applications you use most and have install on your device.

To give you a general all around idea of what this wonderful application can do, I am the type of individual that is always on the run and always trying to find an easier way to just get things done in a more reliable and efficient way for my daily needs.  Instead of typing out a full phone number taking on average 10 digits/key presses or more, or even by pulling up the phone book the old fashion way (navigating to Menu>Contacts>Scroll Trackball to name/typing the first letter to jump to name….which is already 3 to 4 key presses on its own) you can now easily and quickly set such tasks to a quick button combo such as ^mb (for message brian).  With ShortcutMe you can now set your most used phone numbers entries into the program and use only 1 to 2 key presses.  Setting keyboard shortcuts and convenience key shortcuts is now down solely with ShortcutMe replacing the Berry’s limited shortcut customization abilities.   Another example: click on either side keys, weather you’re  left or right handed and then type your key combination. In my case “CM” abbreviated to Call Mom which connects me almost instantly.  Even more, let’s say you enter “TM”, abbreviated for “Text Mom”, which will bring up the composition screen to just write your text and send away literally in seconds.

If I had to find fault with such a useful program, it would have to be based solely on physical appearance. While I realize looks aren’t everything and don’t want come off as too Apple-esque in eschweing function and letting form take over, neutering the program in regards to functionality.  Still, a little TLC and added attention in the design department would make all ready great app even better.  Also, with the influx of more eye candy loving consumers who are finding out about the wonderful world of Blackberry for the first time, with them will come an increased importance in not only functionality, but appearance as well. Being successful in this thriving and changing market will take function /and/ form.

After using ShortcutMe for several days now, I can say that I don’t think I could continue my co-existance on earth with my Berry and not have ShortcutMe installed on my Crack device.  I’m sure after a few days with it on your own, you will come to the same conclusion as well.

Contest Rules: As promised, Fonware is being kind enough to give you, the lucky readers of Gadgetsteria a special opportunity.  They are giving 10 Gadgetsteria readers a free licensed copy of ShortcutMe in order to maker 10 of your lives easier and more efficient.  All you have to do is leave a comment below with your Blackberry PIN number, Blackberry Device, Blackberry OS version number, and email address.  At the end of the day I will select 10 readers at random and forward the information to Fonware at which point they’ll contact you further and provide you with the license keys.  So go ahead, leave a comment, make me laugh, doing so might just get you free goodies!

Take a gander through the gallery below provided by Yase, my good Crackberry friend.