Windows 8 is the current eye candy of technology savvies. But on top of its amazing features, there lies one minor downside of using it: launching the metro app entails switching back to the Start Screen, locating the app using the search box, and launching it. While this is no major problem, it often becomes the peeve of the users. Let’s take look at how to create keyboard shortcuts for Metro Apps on the Windows 8 desktop:
As most tech junkies know, the newly-launched Windows 8 does not accommodate the pinning of metro apps on the taskbar. It also does not allow the creation of default app shortcuts. In contrast to its predecessors, Windows 8 requires the help of third-party freeware coined as MetroApp to have the shortcut icons of the apps displayed on the desktop.
What is MetroApp?
It is imperative to note that Windows 8 is created to be compatible with tablets and smartphones. As such, most of the software may not able to run the Metro interface. Though Microsoft touted Metro-enabled apps, these are tailored to be opened and run on tablets. This is why desktop users need to click on the Start button using the Metro interface to access them. It is virtually not possible to open the apps using keyboard shortcuts (tablets don’t have keyboards).
The presence of MetroApp, however, made it possible for users to make a desktop shortcut for Windows 8 Metro apps. It is nifty software that can create both icon and keyboard shortcuts through the MetroApp link.
Many users are downloading this tool to organize the apps installed on their systems to make maximize usage. MetroApp also allows them to bridge the long steps of locating the app from the Start screen, by assigning their own keyboard shortcuts. As such, this tool becomes a crowd favorite for giving users faster access to metro apps. Plus, it allows them to customize the hotkeys.
How to use MetroApp
All that users have to do is download MetroApp and run it. It provides a list of all the metro apps present in a computer, which are installed by Microsoft in a default setting. Click the corresponding shortcut button of the icons, and it appears on the Desktop immediately.
After the shortcut icon appears on the desktop, right-click on the app and select properties. Click the Shortcut tab and assign a keyboard shortcut.
Limitations of the Metro App
The speed and ease of use make it a viable must-have for desktop-using fans of Windows 8. Nonetheless, some gripe about its dimensions. Some of the apps may not be displayed because of the limited height and width of the MetroApp link.
Some users are clamoring for enhancements to the function to make it useful in creating a shortcut for apps bought from the store. By now, at least it provides a faster way to open and run the metro apps without necessarily clicking on the Start Screen.
Windows 8 is the essence of a complete surrender of your identity to Microsoft. From the fact that it forces you to register at their site to their intrusion into your Skype account it is designed to pass all your information to vendors who will pay for your information all the way to governments who only need ask to get all your records, sites visited, software on your system, emails and passwords. Once you use it or any of the apps you give up your rights to privacy on those programs.
Microsoft also built in a kill switch for those who try to skirt the issues and install programs Microsoft do not like. After all you only have their limited license which allows them to take it even while you are in the middle of an article or if you bought the software or not.
There is almost nothing that will run on the system that you used to use unless you pay huge upgrade fees, eg; outlook, word, access, photoshop, etc.
It will not install itself as a 64 bit system if you were running NT at 32 bit – which a majority of people have. To get the advantage (if any) of 64 bit you have to upgrade to the 32 bit, do a whole bunch of gyrations for several hours, then spend another several hours reinstalling it and any applications that still may run or not.
The system is in constant touch with Microsoft recording your every keystroke and sending that information on to companies they partner with and governments who merely have to watch a screen fed by Microsoft for information they might find “interesting.” They will store that data for 5 years even if you install other operating systems. Try unplugging your Internet and see what it does.
With Windows8 Microsoft, vendors and governments know who you are, who you bank with, how you move around, and what you are doing all the time, all in the name of making shopping much easier for you. Is that what you want your desktop operating system to do?