Simplify Repetitive Tasks Using Gestures with LiveEdge

When I realize that the worst drudgery I will be able to tell my kids about is the fact that the browser's Back button was hard to reach, I hang my head in shame. Even so, it's handy to find ways to simplify common tasks in Windows. LiveEdge lets you assign keyboard shortcuts to eight positions around the edge of the screen.

That means, for example, that you can go "back" in your Web browser simply by moving the mouse to the upper left corner of the screen. Or, since you can assign a keyboard shortcut to any program in Windows 7, you can launch Word by moving the mouse to the lower right corner.

The problem with any gesture app like this is the danger of false positives -- starting an app or navigating around in your browser because you accidentally moved the mouse to the edge of the screen. Because there are eight contact points, though, LiveEdge givers you enough granularity to only enable specific parts of the screen. And you can disable the program easily from the System Tray.

On the downside, LiveEdge is a pain in the neck to configure. You can't mimic the keyboard shortcut to enter it in the LiveEdge config: You have to type it in, precisely, using the LiveEdge help file as a guide for syntax. Ugh.