iPhone App Turns Notifications into Quick-Launch Shortcuts

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Techland

Last week, we showed you how to add quick-launch shortcuts to the iPhone home screen. Now, an app called App Switcher adds similar capabilities to the Notification Center in iOS.

App Switcher costs $1 and is kind of a pain to set up, but once you’ve done the work, you’ll be able to quickly phone home, send a message to your spouse, visit a favorite website or open a favorite app by swiping down from the top of the iPhone screen and selecting the shortcut you want.

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Here’s how to set it up:

  1. Download App Switcher from the App Store.
  2. Go into iPhone Settings, then into Notifications, and select Switcher. Then, choose “5 recent items,” set the alert style to “None” and turn off Badge App Icon and Sounds.
  3. Open App Switcher.
  4. On the Quick Launch page, hit the “+” button. From here, you’ll see options for phone call, e-mail, SMS and URL.
  5. Select call, e-mail or SMS, then choose a contact, and you’ll have a quick way to reach that person through the iPhone’s Notification Center. Adding a URL is easy, too. Just enter the web address you want to visit, and give it a name.
  6. You can also add shortcuts to apps. Go to the add URL screen, and tap “SWITCHER EASY ADD SCHEMES.” You’ll get options for opening a Google search in Safari, changing system settings and opening the Kindle app, among others.
  7. Once you’ve set up these shortcuts, you must then add them to Notification Center. Tap on Setup in App Switcher, then tap on the “+” icons next to each item. You’ll be able to add the shortcuts you just set up through the Quick Launch page.

Your quick launch options should now appear in Notification Center. Although Apple is reportedly removing settings shortcuts in the upcoming iOS 5.1 update, shortcuts to contacts and URLs will still work, according to MyGreatiPhone. So if you need a quick way to call, text or e-mail someone, App Switcher is definitely worth a buck.

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