Awhile back, I discussed Fantastical – a smart calendar that provides easy access to your events and reminders from the menu bar (which is also part of the MacLegion Holiday Apps bundle). I was subsequently delighted to discover a similar type of application for my Apple contacts called Cobook.

Like Fantastical, Cobook resides in menu bar and is invoked either by clicking its icon or from a simple keyboard shortcut. What I like most about this app is that you can add new contacts or edit existing contacts without having to touch the mouse.

For instance, you press the keystroke combination Shift + Control + Space to bring up the application’s window. To create a new record, type in the name of your new contact and press Return. Then, continue to type in the contact’s information. Cobook recognizes the format of the information you enter (phone, email, address, company) and automatically places the information in the appropriate fields.

Cobook syncs with either your Apple contacts or Google contacts, and if you so choose, you can connect it to your Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn account, importing your contact’s information from those services. The application also brings in your Apple or Google groups/tags which you can then view or edit from Cobook using hashtags (#business, #bowling league, etc.)

Searching for a contact is lightning fast. Invoke the application and begin typing the name of the contact. As you type, a list of matching contacts appears with the most closely matched contact’s info pane appearing in its own window. Press ⌘ + L to edit the active contact.

If you’re looking for an alternative to Apple’s Contacts application or are simply would like quick access to your contact list, then Cobook is definitely worth checking out. As of now, the app is free but it may not be in the future. You can view of short video highlighting the app’s feature on Cobook’s Website.

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