Review: SpeedDock for Mac
I have a love / hate relationship with the Dock in macOS. I love it because it’s useful to have access to all my open applications and files. I hate it because the Dock becomes highly cluttered during normal use.
And that’s where SpeedDock comes in.
SpeedDock is a macOS utility ($3.99) that lets users create customizable “docks” that can be tailored as needed. I have two such SpeedDocks on my desktop (see below). One dock runs horizontally, and gives me quick access to folders I use on a regular basis. The other, which runs vertically, contains the specific hard drive volumes I access frequently. I have the regular macOS dock hidden.
SpeedDock lets users mix and match between files, folders, applications, Safari bookmarks and drives. Each element can be customized in SpeedDock, including the size of the Dock, the spacing of the elements, opacity of the dock, as well as whether or not you want to see labels underneath each icon. The latest version of SpeedDock lets users assign custom key shortcuts for quick access to folders / drives etc. What I like most about SpeedDock is that it always floats above of my other windows. (You can change this behavior if need be.)
Much of SpeedDock’s functionality reminds me of the late, lamented DragThing, by James Thomson. For example, SpeedDock lets you keep a trash can on your desktop, just like DragThing. You can also customize the size of the trash can. It’s a nice nod, both to DragThing and the classic Mac OS.
Unlike DragThing, you can’t anchor Docks into tabs. And SpeedDock’s customizability is more limited. While there are some customization options for SpeedDock, I would welcome the ability to change the color of my docks and also have a slider to tune the border radius of the dock’s rounded edges.
I’ve only run into one strange problem with SpeedDock. Despite the fact that I have it set to automatically start at login, it does not. I reached out to the developer via the Mac App Store and he suggested that I include SpeedDock in my login items in System Preferences. Sadly, the issue persists.
All in all, I find SpeedDock to be a very useful utility in my day to day workflow. It’s bargain priced at under $4. If you like the ability to customize your dock, or if you miss using DragThing, SpeedDock just might fit the bill. Highly recommended.
-Krishna
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