SkyeQuiKey by Skyestream
It’s no mystery that I’m a big fan of Skyestream due simply to the fact that they develop outstanding applications, but I’m not exaggerating when I say that their latest offering blew me away. After only a few minutes with this app Skyestream’s stock catapulted to the top of my “app portfolio” and I don’t think that I could possibly own a phone without this app. If by the end of this review you don’t agree with me, then I clearly haven’t done my job.
SkyeQuiKey in a nutshell allows you to quickly and easily access contacts, apps, web bookmarks and messaging center elements from your standby screen. When I say ‘quickly’ I mean that it literally couldn’t be easier. This app instantly replaced about five other applications that I have on my N95! Enough build up… This app speaks for itself.
Essentially this app gives you an ‘always-on’ search utility that is accessible from your standby screen. In its current form it searches for four types of content: Contacts, apps, browser bookmarks and messaging center. Once you find what you’re looking for, the app allows you to launch it (app/bookmark) or initiate communications with it (contact) quickly and easily. To search from your standby screen you simply start typing (T9 style) and the app automatically and instantly comes to the foreground. In the example below I wanted to call my fiancee Melissa, so I simply typed “M, E, L” in T9 and there she is. I then pressed [send] and SkyeQuiKey allows me to chose on of her numbers and then connects the call. If there is one number that is dialed most often you can also set it as the default number and the [send] key will simply connect the call to that number.
If I had chosen to do so, I could have also initiated an SMS, MMS or email to Melissa or even opened up her contact entry using SkyeQuiKey. In fact within the app options you can configure shortcuts for [right] and [left] presses on the directional pad. So for example I can highlight Melissa and press [left] to open a new email addressed to her or [right] to send an MMS! Also note that you can search by first name, surname or company when looking for contacts.
So that’s contacts, but SkyeQuiKey goes further than that. What if you want to launch an application or game? Why should you have to dig through my menus to find it? Well using this app you don’t! Simply start typing the name of the app and press the center directional pad key to launch it.
The same goes for browser bookmarks. Don’t bother opening your browser and scrolling through your bookmarks, that’s for Windows Mobile users. ;) Just start typing out a bookmark name from your standby screen and select it from the SkyeQuiKey list to launch it in your S60 Browser.
Last but not least is your Messaging Center. Simply start typing out “Inbox”/”Outbox”/”Sent”/”Drafts” and the app gives you instant access to the relevant messaging folder. You can also type “new” for fast and easy access to a blank new SMS/MMS/Email.
Now I know exactly what you’re thinking at this point; if SkyeQuiKey is initiated when I start pressing keys what happens if i want to just dial a number and make a call? Don’t worry about it! Simply dial the full number as you would if SkyeQuiKey wasn’t even there. When you’re done dialing press [send] just like you would normally and your call is completed just as it always would be.
The app interface itself is merely a few simple settings that help determine some options that you have when interfacing with the app. Of course SkyeQuiKey autostarts but here you can disable the app and it won’t appear again until you enable it. You can also change the display order of contact names (first, last or last, first) and configure your right and left shortcuts as I described above. “Screen size” allows you to toggle normal (as seen above) and full screen modes. Full screen mode lists your search results from top to bottom as opposed to having the app icon/battery/signal/etc at the top of the screen. The last setting option here is your search history. You can set the app to remember your last 10, 20 or 30 searches, or no history at all.
SkyeQuiKey is compatible with a huge range of S60 3rd devices and it should be noted that it works slightly differently on full-keyboard devices. On qwerty keyboards you must press a button to bring the app to the foreground before you start typing your search, but clearly SkyeQuiKey is equally as useful on 1-9 and on full keyboards. As much as I love the app now I know that Skyestream already has a few very interesting items in the development pipeline and believe me when I tell you that SkyeQuiKey is going to get better and better. As always, Skyestream provides a brief free trial period with this app because no one likes to pay before they play. My advice? Click over to their site and start playing as soon as you can. Act soon and you can even take advantage of their limited time 25% off offer that surely won’t be around for very long.
Note: Thanks to SiMo readers, a few bugs have been identified in this version. Skyestream will have an updated version released by the end of this week (barring Symbian Signing) and I’ll post an update once it’s available.
UPDATE: Version 1.01 is now available here and should resolve the issues found in the comments below. Wow that was fast!
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As for speed, it's tough for me to say because I'm using it on my N95-3 where memory and bogging are hardly issues anymore. I can say that there's absolutely no leg in searching on the N95-3 though, and apps launch just as fast as when they're launched through the menu. Let me know how it works for you though and which device you try it on.
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Too bad, cause it seems to be a killer app.
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I've emailed the developers, as I agree this is one SWEEET app. and I'd love for it to work correctly.
I also have the problem that when e.g. viewing a contact and then exiting to the standby screen SkyeQuiKey is no longer catching my input so I get the normal numbers instead.
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It seems it may be because I'm not using English as my system language.
There is a quick workaround when your softkeys disappear:
just press the * or # key followed by "C" (backspace)
Hopefully they will have it fixed soon - it's a very cool app.
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Regarding how long the app will be on sale, my guess is not very long. This is going to be quite a desirable app as info continues to trickle out and there's no reasons to leave something on sale when it's in high demand. ;)
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The bug mentioned above seems to be only on phones not using English as their language.
I have received a new test version which fixes the problem, but unfortunately introduces another one :-(
I am in dialogue with the developers, so I expect them to fix it quite soon (the other problem was fixed in less than 24 hrs), so expect a working version any day.
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I agree that they're plenty fast so definitely let us know how the next build goes!
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I have also created a Danish translation for him, so I assume the next version will also include Danish as an option for those who live here. (meaning you will be able to use the danish terms for "New SMS", "New MMS" etc. when searching).
Pending Symbian Signing the new version (probably 1.01) will be out around mid next week (i.e. Nov. 7).
I agree that this is really a must have program!
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Definitely looking forward to the revision although I have to say that in my case the bug hasn't resurfaced since the first two times I saw it.
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One note though, if I press the green call key, like you stated, it will automatically call the default phone call number set in Contacts. So it CAN detect defaults settings.
What I would like the devs to do is create 2 options: default number sms AND sms (the latter which, like now, lets me choose between all numbers, so if someone has 2 numbers on which i can sms them, it'll let me pick). Just like for calls now, if you press the green key you get the default call, but if you press the center navigation key you get the general call with all numbers.
Oh and while they are at it, wouldn't it be nice if they added the option to configure the center key and the green key?
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Rest assured that Skyestream is monitoring these comments and will definitely make note of your post. I knew that defaults were supported for calling but I didn't know that they weren't supported for SMS. I don't think it should be too hard for the app to bypass the number-selector pop up if it sees that the default number is set to the mobile category...
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http://dotsisx.blogspot.com/2007/11/skyequikey-...
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I can assure you that the Skyestream folks will see it and in just the quick preliminary browsing that I gave it a second ago I saw a bunch of great info there!
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@cbeckstein I'm in the process of just starting to test v1.01 myself (I've been busy) but I think you might get the best results if you completely uninstall all three of the items that SkyeQuiKey installs and then rebott and start with a fresh installation. That's what I've tried this morning so I'll report my findings soon.
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I did already completely uninstall 1.00 and then install 1.01 followed by entering the reg code: starting with 1.01 Skyequickey silently swallows the first key press and starts with the second key press to work as it did for the first with version 1.00
again, this ia a German E90 with latest 7.40.1.2 FW
Cheers
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I have a Nokia E70. It flips folds out to a full qwerty keypad. So here's what I've found:
9 out of 10 times, if using the phone in regular fashion, I press 5 since that is also J for Jared. The app pops up and shows a '5', now I continue typing the next key '2' for 'a' in JAred, which gives me an A. So now it reads '5A' in the entry field. So now it's searching for 5A, not JA or even 52. Only the first keypress is a number, all others will be letters.
NOW... if I flip open my phone to the keypad, pressing a letter sends me to a note entry, as is the norm with the phone. BUT if I press 5 on the keyboard, Jared is listed in the results. Basically, my search results using the qwerty pad and the phone pad are completely different. Very odd behavior. Clearly a glitch unless I'm missing some detail.
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@cbeckstein If I'm not mistaken, this is actually proper function for full keyboard devices like the E90. I know that this was the original usage model for full keyboard devices - You should press any key to invoke the app, then start typing your search.
@TapeWurm I'm actually very glad you explained this to me, because I'm having the exact same problem while testing a new alternative entry method app that will be reviewed here on SiMo early next week. Now that I know you're experiencing the same thing with standard entry, I have to report it to Skyestream!
In the meantime, here's how I get around the bug and it should work for you as well. When you press the first key normally, it properly appears as a number. For the second and third keys, press and hold each one and they will also be entered as numbers. Now, you will notice that SkyQuiKey is no longer searching while you type. After you have 3 or 4 numbers entered, simply press the down key on your d-pad. This instantly invoke the search and you'll see your drilled down results.
Of course this isn't ideal, but it should make the app very usable and tide you over until they fix the issue. After all, long-pressing 2 or 3 buttons is still much easier than digging through your menu... ;)
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your idea caused me to do some more tests on my German E90
SkyQuickey 1.01 behaves as a first keytype swallower in active standby when used from the OUTER standard keypad of my E90 (and version 1.0 did not do that, so it is not for technical reasons); and since the outer keypad is a regular phone keypad I do not see any reason at all whysa it should do that
on the INNER large E90 keyboard SkyQAuickey 1.01 behaves fine, like 1.00 did: No first key swallowing (only strange thing is that the second and all following keys are shifted automatically, but I can live with that)
so something is definitely wrong here
CHeers
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