Friday, August 20, 2010

Clean Up Windows Desktop With Zum


Zum is an awesome application launcher which can also be considered a piece of art. The application is beautiful, have an eye-candy look, is easier to use, and the interface is minimalist. Combine the great look of the app with usability, it is unlike other application launchers, beautifully executed and a tool that users will actually want.

We have come across all sorts of application launchers before, some give too much attention to the look while forgetting the features, some care about functionality but leave the user experience in the dark. Zum is an application launcher which is balanced between look and ease-of-use.
It can be best used to clean up all the cluttered applications on the desktop and add them to the Zum database.

zum desktop

To begin, you need to first open the Application Center and add the programs in the desired category. For now there are six categories; Communication, Graphics – Video – Programming, Office, Games, Players, Web, and Other.

Hit Add a Program, select the category where you want to add the program in the new dialog window, give the program a name, select it’s location, enter the command (if any) and hit Add.

Once the program is added to the list, you will find it in Zum context menu (see first screenshot). Even thought the program is in version 0.1 beta, at the moment, it is very stable.
By default it will start during startup but the option can always be changed by visiting the Settings window. You can also choose the opacity, which is set at Medium by default.

It comes in five different skins, you will need to set the opacity at low to enjoy them since the application will be much more clearer.

zun yellow zum lost zum minimilist zum default zum red
All-in-all, the developer has made an awesome application launcher in the first release. Even though many new features are planned in the next release, it has become a part of my favorite tools. We would however love to see the portable version with a portable database making it easier for users to use it while on the go.

Download Zum

It works on all versions of Windows, including the latest Windows 7.


For Further Reading,
Softwares, Window 7 Tweaks

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