Windows: We've discussed some great ways to bring the Start Menu back in Windows 8, but Pokki doesn't just offer a good-looking, feature-packed start menu replacement, it also offers its own app store, packed with mini-apps you can install with a single click and use right from the taskbar, no additional windows or fancy tiles required.


The last time we discussed Pokki, it only had a few apps to its catalog, and while it offered great one-click taskbar apps like Gmail, Facebook, and Twitter, it still had some growing to do. With Windows 8, Pokki has come into its own. There are hundreds of Pokki apps to choose from, from games to webapps to productivity tools. The Gmail Pokki app, for example, gives you real-time notifications and the option to check your inbox without opening a browser. The Instagrille app lets you keep up with your Instagram friends right from the taskbar, and the Tweeki app alerts you to DMs and lets you read your stream without opening a new app at all.


In addition to its app catalog, Pokki brings back the start menu, and also offers quick access to your Pokki apps, your favorite desktop apps, system-wide search, your commonly-used folders, and system settings—everything you would expect from a Start Menu replacement. Pokki is completely free and available now. If you're looking for a start menu replacement that adds some useful features and apps of its own to your Windows 8 install, give it a try.

Pokki