Channels App Puts All Your Shortcuts In One Place
May 26, 2011
A new app allows the creation of one-touch shortcuts for easy access on an iPhone/iPod touch. Channels, which arrived in the App Store this week, allows you to link to other apps and services including phone calls, FaceTime, messages, email, maps, websites, RSS Feeds, YouTube Videos, Twitter feeds, and Skype.
Created by OctoDax, the app displays 16 separate icons, each which looks like an old-style television screen right down to its snowy picture. On the first row are four sample “channels,” each which can be easily deleted.
Adding new channels is a four-step process, which begins by clicking the “Edit” button at the top right. From there, select an unused television screen that will be used for your new channel.
The Four Steps
First, choose a channel type; each is represented by an icon. These include: URLs, maps, email, FaceTime, phone calls, messages, RSS feeds, YouTube videos, Twitter, or Skype.
Next, enter the required details or choose from your contacts.
For example, contacting Mom on her cell phone via a shortcut requires the manual entry of her number or you may add it automatically using your Contacts app. Conversely, to add a shortcut to your favorite Twitter feed requires entry of a username.
The next step is to enter a name for the channel (Mom, Joe’s Tweets, etc.)
Finally, the app generates an icon or you may choose one from your photo album.
Although the free app initially supports up to 32 channels, in-app purchases are also available. Additional blocks of 16 channels may be added for $.99. Ads can be removed for $.99.
Channels is an interesting app with a stylish interface. We definitely encourage you to download it and check it out.
What do you think? Leave your comments below.