Superhero-style Texting
The SMS capabilities of Windows Mobile devices have come a long way since first being introduced as part of the Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC Phone Edition, but power users like me find that a handful of nifty features are still missing.
Trinket Software’s first Windows Mobile application, PowerSMS, is bound to change this by giving you new tools to play with and making your life easier.
First impressions
When you first fire up PowerSMS, you will be greeted by its straight-to-the-point interface. You have exactly eight options (if you count the buttons) to choose from - and they are finger friendly!
I would like to believe that the options are sorted by usefulness, at least, I ended up texting myself more often (as a reminder) than scheduling a new message.
Post-It® - SMS style
PowerSMS includes a handy feature that lets you send yourself text messages with the tap of a button.
Especially for users with unlimited text messaging plans, this feature is a real godsend, allowing you to jot down your thoughts in the middle of the night,
For users with unlimited messaging packages, this is a real godsend, especially if you, like me, have the greatest ideas of the day in the middle of nowhere, with no WiFi or 3G available.
Advanced Herd Management
When you find yourself spending more and more time with your family, friends or colleagues and you want to inform them all at the same time that you wont be making it, you will love PowerSMS’ group SMS feature.
Start out by setting up your group: for example: your closest friends who you are planning to meet for a get-together on Friday, to discuss the recent wave of layoffs and how to combat unemployment amongst your group.
Then, after you have added their numbers, tap the group name and Pocket Outlook will open, with all the numbers already filled in, waiting for you to text away.
Text-based secretary
PowerSMS includes a feature that allows you to auto-reply to incoming calls with a text-message. You get to set-up who you want to reply to, how long you have to defuse the process and after that, your secretary takes over:
Superhero Memory
Let’s go into Dr. Phil mode here for a minute and evaluate the one thing our significant others complain about the most: attention. Sure, you were texting her / him lovely messages in the beginning of your relationship all the time, but as weeks, months and years went by, you scaled back - life got in the way and all.
Now, with PowerSMS, you can fire up your relationship again and pre-schedule small bits of love to be sent to your partner on, seemingly, random dates.
Set-up a few messages when you have a minute or two to spare and reap your rewards as time comes. Effective? Most certainly and it could even be considered morally just if you subscribe to the ideology that Everything is Fair in Love and War.
You can, also, use this feature to remind your colleagues that a certain meeting up is coming up or to tell your secretary to get a bottle of that really good wine for the boss’ birthday - the possibilities are really endless.
Statistical Resources
If there is one thing that most power-users love, it must be statistics, outlining how efficiently they work. PowerSMS answers this craving by including a large number of easy-to-digest statistics, telling you who you message the most, when your peak hours are and the likes:
And to quote Jason Langridge:
These aren’t my SMS stats BTW as mine are scarily higher and I’m embarrassed to put them on my blog :)
Import / Export business
Last but not least, PowerSMS includes a backup feature, allowing you to import and export your messages to a proprietary format as well as a comma-separated values file, thereby enabling you to do myriad things with it.
After you have completed your backup, you can import it on another device and either remove all current messages or combine them with the import and, best of all: PowerSMS offers you a possibility to instantly email the file to yourself, for safe keeping.
In closing:
At $9.95, PowerSMS is definitely worth it in the long run: True power-users will love the distribution lists as well as the scheduled messages feature and what’s more: you also get nifty statistics and the ability to export your messages to XML or CSV files (and possibly: import them again, on another device) or on Treasuremytext.
Ramping up the air time
Approximately eight years ago, a company called Neversoft released a title that would shake up the sports game market. Aiming for a new audience with their game, Neversoft hired Tony Hawk and tried to bring the excitement and fun of skateboarding to the living room, while at the same removing the injuries-factor from the equation and thereby keeping parents happy.
After immense success, a follow-up tittle was released, called Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (THPS2) and now, in 2007, released a mobile version.
Ever since I was first exposed to this game by my host family during my first stay in the US of A, I have been in love with this franchise and as such, I expect quite a lot from the Pocket PC version.
Trucks and Wheels
When I first started THPS2, I was greeted with that familiar look and in fact, the whole interface feels and looks like its bigger (and older) brother.
The game provides you with a variety of options, such as a very entertaining Career Mode with which you can unlock levels that can then be played in both the Single Session mode as well as the Free Skate mode.
Other than the various game types, the main menu also provides you with access to the Create-a-Skater tool and you can even build your own skate parks.
Naturally, the first thought that you might have is “great! a nice way of extending the game” but let me shatter your dreams right here, right now. Building a skate park is no easy feat and trust me, I have tried on both the Playstation version and on the Pocket PC version.
Nonetheless, I should note that actually interacting with the park editor is quite easy. The buttons are set up in an easy to understand way and you have access to just about every item from the game itself.
Sophisticated crate scooters
THPS2 provides the user with a variety of unlockable options such as new board designs, which really only serve a visual purpose, but the money you earn by completing various goals can also be used to buy stats and tricks.
When you upgrade your skater’s stats, you gain a range of new skills - such as more balance while grinding or longer airtime, which, in turn, means that you can earn more points, combined with a few new high-value tricks, you will be hitting those high scores in no time.
Slides and Grinds
Both the PC and the Playstation version of THPS supported joypads and in general, you needed one to be able to carry out all those amazing jumps and not get wiped out because you did not turn fast enough. The Pocket PC on the other hand does not support a joypad, simply because Windows Mobile is not set up for that.
The guys from Aspyr solved this problem by creating a hybrid control system where you utilize both your hardware buttons and three on-screen buttons for flip, grab, grind as well as a larger button for jumping.
Depending on how you set up your game, the right part of the screen will either be blacked out and only display the buttons, or, if you crank up the graphics a little, you will see the buttons as an overlay of the environment, similar to this:
The system, in either configuration, works so well that you will be able to hit off huge combos with lots of points easily, although, you should probably not take my skills as an indicator for this.
One thing that is identical to the PC / PSX version however, is the amount of levels - THPS includes each and every (default) level that was also present in the original version, no kidding.
The only thing that is missing, as far as I know, are the bonus levels, but apart from that, you can enjoy every skater, every trick, every board design and loads of great music in the Pocket PC edition.
Skateboard Showroom
For a Pocket PC game, THPS2 has awesome graphics if you ask me, most of all because it is 3D and and you can interact with the environment in a number of ways - you can knock over things, crash right through them, grind on rails and try to play catch-up with vehicles.
I believe that THPS2 is one of those games you have to see to understand the beauty of it really, so I created a three minute clip that showcases a run through the first level. All you have to do is (left) click on this link and a new window will open with the video in it. A note of advice: the clip is 23mb in size, so you might not want to do this on a mobile connection unless you really are dying to see THPS2 in action.
Tail guards
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 for Pocket PC is one of the best, if not the best, port of a PC-to-PPC game I have ever played. The control functions were ported in a very creative, yet usable, way and the game includes just about everything the original Playstation version included.
If you are looking for a (nearly) free roaming experience combined with a great sport, great graphics, the $20 you could spend on this game will seem a steal, considering the amount of joy you will get out of this title.
A thank you goes out to Kevin van Beers for volunteering his skating skills so I could record the clip.
Pest Infestation
More than 130 years ago, a revolution occurred: The first Pinball machine was released to the public. It would take another half century before these machines would turn into a commercial success, but once they hit - they hit hard.
These days, there are only a handful pinball table manufacturers left, some reports even say that there really is just one company still in the business of providing the populace with this kind of entertainment.
Anno 2007, people do not seem to have lost interest in those games, but finding good ones gets harder and harder - sure, you could use the Pinball Locator to find one and waste your money on that, or … you could read this review about Maggot Attack, a pinball simulation from PDAmill.
Good ol’ Times
When you first start Maggot Attack, you will most probably feel like you are going to play a Starship Troopers branded pinball game: the splash screen shows a huge, definitely dead, maggot and a soldier with a high powered rifle.
The main menu itself looks like one of those old dot matrix displays and gives you access to the various options of the game, such as a high score listing, a basic explanation on how to play the game and a button mapping feature.
The mapping feature actually deserves a short mentioning: I tried the game both on my HTC Blueangel (slide-out keyboard) and on my O2 XDA Flame. While I could map just about any key on the Blueangel’s keyboard / button array, I find that on the Flame, I can only map the D-pad and the camera / connection manager buttons.
Technically speaking, you can still use a stylus to activate the flippers and that way, it is actually a tad faster, but I still would not mind being able to use all the buttons.
Multi-Ball
Very much like Bowling for Burgers, the story in this game serves purely as a theme and even though there are a couple of missions that are related to the name, the main objective is to have a lot of fun.
Maggot Attack features one mode and a number of special areas that let you rack up your score.
For example, the eggs at the top center of the playfield are the entry to a high-speed egg destroying mission, which can get you anywhere from 50k to 250k points. Whereas the area that is located top left of the field will, most certainly, give you bonuses in the millions - the only thing is that actually getting there requires an amount of skill I do not have (yet).
The better you are, the more sophisticated your weapon (located dead center) will get and the more sophisticated it gets, the more special missions you get. You can see my attempt at upgrading if you compare the previous screenshot to this one:
Replay
Maggot Attack is retro-gaming at its best. With no learning curve at all and a number of nice little extras, this game is a real no-brainer.
Not only because you can get it at a very affordable $15, but also because Maggot Attack requires little to no mental effort to fully enjoy it and makes for a great filler for those short down-times when you have to wait somewhere.
I hope that, in the future, PDAmill will release more pinball games and my guess is that, if they do, these games will feature space themes (Anthelion, Flux) as well as a medieval setting as can be seen in the Arvale Franchise.
Base, we have a 10-78
For a long time now, the guys (and, of course, gals) from Sprite Mobile have protected your data. As the veteran developers that created Symantec Ghost, this company has all the knowledge in-house that is needed to create a working backup solution.
The Goold Old Days
Right from the start, Sprite Backup has presented itself as a powerful, yet easy to use solution. Sprite Backup stems from a time when there was no Persistent Storage available and OEMs included a (good) backup solution with every device.
These days, Pocket PCs come without any backup solutions; neither Active Sync 4.x nor Windows Mobile Device Center include any kind of backup facility and while Persistent Storage is capable of backing up (most of) your PIM data, for most users, this simply is not enough.
Enter Sprite Backup 6, a no-nonsense solution to backing up and (later) restoring your data.
Four, Five steps to safety
The Pocket PC version features an easy to use interface with items listed in order of importance. Starting out with backup and restore, the lesser needed items such as schedule and options are located on the second row.
The creation of a backup is very straight forward: first you select the data you want to backup. Logic dictates that, the more you backup, the bigger your backup will be and the longer your backup will take to finish.
While there is nothing wrong with going with the default settings, it is always a good idea to have a look through the various items and check / uncheck those that are unneeded in a backup.
The second step involves some basic (meta) information. By default, Sprite Backup creates files with a naming scheme of “Backup_
In order to create a backup, Sprite Backup restarts your device. This is done to clean up the RAM of your device and remove any temporary files. Once the backup starts, you will see a timer and some more status information.
Part of that information is the size of the backup and while that information is certainly useful, it would be better if users would be presented with that information prior to starting a backup. The reason for that is that, should you choose a location without sufficient free memory, you will get an error message and will have to start over.
With today’s storage cards, this should not be a real problem, but it would nonetheless be nice to be presented with this information prior to actually starting the whole process.
After completion, Sprite Backup once again presents the user with various bits of information. Unless your backup fails, this information is really just statistical data without too much value.
Operation: Restore Hope
The idea of making a backup is to have access to important data if (and when) disaster strikes. Time is money they say and so it only makes sense to be able to get to your data quickly.
Sprite Backup offers you the option to create self-running backups, which means that, even if you do not have Sprite Backup installed (for example: after a hard-reset), you can still use the backup file and get your data back.
Once the correct backup file is selected, you are given access to a selection screen which allows you to selectively restore data. The application reboots and proceeds with restoring your data. The amount of time that is needed to (fully) restore your device is largely dependent on the amount of data your backup contains as well as the compression level that was used.
Consider your options
Even though Sprite Backup 6 is powerful enough by default, there is a good chance that you are missing out on an array of great extras if you do not take the time to go through the various options.
For the lazy (or overly cautious?) users, Sprite Backup includes a feature that lets you schedule backups; in combination with the Desktop version, these backups can be stored on a (non-Pocket) PC and provide you with a selection of restoration options in case the need arises.
The scheduled backup option is especially handy when you are too busy to backup data yourself. Once set, your device will continue to create backups at the pre-set times and you will always have access to your latest data - a great fire-and-forget solution.
Another thoughtful feature are the options to limit the amount of space that is used for backup files as well as limiting the amount of individual backup files.
In case you are one of those users that needs to restore their device often, the Backup Card function is something you should take a look at. With it enabled, an autorun setup will be created on your storage card of choice which will automagically start Sprite Backup whenever the card is inserted.
There are a couple more options which definetely are worth looking at, such as encrypting the backup or selecting the upgrade mode, but these items are outside the scope of this article.
One option that is, however, worth mentioning is the Phone SIM Unlock option. The way Sprite Backup is set up requires your device to be restarted at least twice during a backup process and if you are on a Pocket PC Phone Edition device, that means entering your PIN multiple times. With the Phone SIM Unlock option, you can store your PIN and have Sprite Backup enter the PIN for you.
This feature is particularly handy when you use scheduled backups and do not want to come back to a device that did reboot but was not able to sign in to a mobile phone network.
Upgrades and Updates
Mobile Devices have become disposable products to many people. In general, a life-cycle lasts between 14 and 18 months and moreover, during this time, there will be at least one ROM update for your device.
Usually, when you create a backup on one device and then either replace said device or upgrade your ROM, your backup will be useless. Sprite Backup 6 however, includes a feature that will allow you to keep using your backup, no matter what. The feature in itself looks very simple, but the looks are deceiving. Luckily, there is a good explanation in the help section.
Location independent data
A wise man once said that only wimps use backups, real men just upload their important stuff to a FTP server and let the rest of the world mirror it. While I neither agree with the first, nor second statement, there is some truth in mirroring your data off-site.
Sprite Backup 6 offers you just that; the new version includes a built-in FTP backup option which is very easy to use. Considering that every ISP offers a bit of webspace with every subscription and many people have dedicated webspace, this is a great way of making sure that your data stays safe.
The great thing about this options is that, no matter how your FTP server is set up, you will be able to use the FTP backup option because of the high customizability.
On a related note: storing backup data in a different geographical location is one of the best ways to ensure that you still have access to whatever files your backup includes, even if disaster strikes.
One More Thing
… that deserves to be mentioned is the very detailed help file. For example, the functionality of the Phone SIM Unlock feature might not be obvious to someone right from the start, so take a minute to read through the included help file and you will understand the feature a lot better.
The cost of data
Good things don’t come for free, but they most assuredly come at a very affordable and seemingly unchangeable price. In fact, the price of Sprite Backup has not changed since as long as I can remember and that goes back to 2003.
Starting at $20, you can get your hands on the Lite version, which has all the above mentioned features except for the Desktop conduit.
For $10 more, you will get the full(er) version, which includes the Desktop conduit and excludes some extra sorrow on your part by means of automatic, off-device backups.
For the curious: the title of this post refers to the police radio code for “backup / assistance” needed.
Carry or roll?
We have all been there: Minigolf courses that looked great from the outside and plainly disappointed when you actually had to play on them. In the digital age, you do not have to put up with these things because you can just grab yourself a game of Minigolf for your Pocket PC.
In fact, there are so many different Minigolf games for Pocket PCs available, that I decided to do a head-to-head review of the two that impressed me the most: Super Putt Xtreme (SPX) and Pocket Mini Golf 2 (PMG2).
Tee off!
Minigolf is often called a lighthearted approach at the all-too-serious sport of Golf and both games seem to continue this idea in their respective visual style.
Both games are using what is referred to as an isometric perspective, which means that 3D objects are represented in a 2D manner. Technical terms aside, both developers did a great job at designing their respective titles.
PMG2’s setting looks clean and crisp, with the occasional comic’esque item such as a rattlesnake or a shark that swims on by, whereas SPX’ style is just plain cute. Huge heads and funny character animations make this game equally enjoyable to both minors and adults.
Golf Teams
Contrary to PMG2, SPX’s characters are just funny, while the various avatars in PMG2 each have a different strength or weakness and may be better suites for one course than another.
SPX tries to make up for that by providing the player with extras, such as sneak peaks at the balls trajectory or homing balls that magically move toward the hole once the ball stops.
While the extras are a nice addition, I find the character system to be more enjoyable, because choosing a character really impacts the way you score and may make or break your way towards a trophy.
Game Intermission
In order to showcase a scene from each game, I created two short clips that show you how the game looks like in full swing. If your PC has the Flash Player installed, just click on either of the following links and an inline window will show you the clip.
As you can see from the clips, both games utilize a very similar way of aiming your ball. The process is as simple as tapping and dragging your stylus to where the ball goes. Both titles allow you to adjust the strength of the swing to make the most of your points.
Once you made your first swing, your character is placed near the ball so you can continue the game. So as to not obstruct your view, SPX utilizes a semi-transparent character if you are aiming in a certain direction, PMG2 on the other hand, lets you rotate the whole view in four steps.
On Par
With games like these, it is always fun to see some data on how well (or bad) you perform. While SPX goes for the simple listing of points per level, PMG2 decided to make a statement:
The game includes a metrics feature that shows you the scores per player (character) per course per weather per difficulty and as if that was not enough to satisfy you, PMG2 also has an online leaderboard where you can submit your scores to see how good you are on a global scale.
Green Fee
Casual gamers looking for a fun mini golf experience with four different characters, 72 levels and a couple of extras can get their swing on for a mere $10 with SPX.
Twice that money will get you a highly customizable mini golf game with 60 levels, six characters, various weather conditions and an online leaderboard.
the verdict
It is said that there are only so many ways of realizing an idea and it holds true with both of these games. Both Super Putt Xtreme and Pocket Mini Golf 2 have a great selection of features but in the end, one has to carry and one has to roll
In this head-to-head review, Pocket Mini Golf 2 takes home the trophy because of the five expansion packs that give you access to a whole new set of levels that will increase the replayability factor by a lot.
For $35, you can get your hands on both the main game and three expansion packs, thereby, basically, getting one of the expansion packs for free.
Fat Wallet
Ever since the release of mobile storage devices, people have repurposed their gadgets to store important, often even confidential data on them. While there is nothing wrong with that per se, many users seem to forget the various security issues that could arise if someone were to get a hold of your Pocket PC and its unencrypted content.
Thanks to Ilium Software however, there is an application you can use to get the best of both worlds: carry your important data with you, wherever you go and still keep it safe and protected behind a layer that is as difficult to break as your password.
Wallet Size
On last count, my eWallet storage was 226 cards big (or does that count as huge already?). These cards are made up of roughly 120 logins for various things, software license keys, two dozen of personal items such as drivers license, SSN and all those other numbers you cannot ever remember but still need all the time and also a few select items such as “doing CPR the right way” and other medical items. Yes, believe it or not, that is what I use eWallet for, too.
I consider myself an eWallet power user and as such, I would like to share a hint with you: take a bit of time to analyze the data you use the most inside your eWallet database(s). I have four main categories, in the root of the wallet file and nothing else, no stray cards, no nothing.
Every one of these categories is prefixed with a number so if I have the SIP open or am on a PC, I can just type the number to jump to the category. The naming of the categories is a scheme that is similar to one that I use for email folders and groups in my chat application. This way, I already know the basic structure of the data underneath.
eWallet’s category feature is as simple as it is powerful. Set up the right way, it will save you a lot of time, but if you are not specific enough, you might end up wasting time as opposed to saving it.
Wallet Buddies
Ilium Software’s eWallet is one of those applications that you can use on just about every mobile device you use, including Pocket PCs, Smartphones, Palmtops and even on U3 drives.
The Desktop version of eWallet also includes SyncPro, which handles the various syncing tasks. Besides the standard device-to-device syncing, eWallet also lets you sync your wallet file with a Windows Share, FTP server or iOmega.
To answer a question of paranoid users: yes, the FTP syncing feature is plain FTP, which means that someone could sniff out your password. This does not, however compromise the data stored within your wallet file. That data is protected by a 256 bit encryption, which is twice as much encryption as most banks offer.
Wallet Chain
Apart from the main application and the syncing conduit, there are also two versions of PassBuilder, one that is installed on your device and one that is available online. PassBuilder, as the name suggests, is used to generate secure passwords.
A number of options enable you to generate the kind of password you can remember best, be that in the form of a mnemonic sentence or as part of a dictionary word.
Wallet Design
To visually enhance your listing, eWallet includes a feature that lets you select an icon to represent the content of the card. This works amazingly well with software license cards and even can be used to include a Favicon for a website login.
Besides icons, eWallet also lets you add sounds and (background) images that are played / displayed whenever a specific card is accessed. If you feel like customizing your wallet file even more, you might want to read about a long lost feature on Ilium Software’s blog.
Wallet Shop
In case the message still is not obvious, I love eWallet. I have been using it for years now and you should be using it too. eWallet is as great as it sounds; it protects your data and works across a huge group of different devices (and platforms).
For approximately $30, you can get the professional suite, which makes a lot more sense than just buying the Pocket PC (or Smartphone) version, because once you are hooked on storing data in eWallet, you will not want to be creating your cards on a small slide-out keyboard.
your mobile phone booth, secretary included
Pocket PCs with phone functionality are great, but out-of-the-box, Pocket PC Phones miss a couple of useful, sometimes even essential, applications. There are a couple of software packages available, all with their various advantages and disadvantages. Today, I will be looking at Spb’s Phone Suite.
Off the hook
Right from the start, you can tell that Spb’s Phone suite means business. As the name implies, this is more than a simple application, it is a full fledged suite, containing photo dialing capabilities and a notification system, mixed with black / white listing functions, and topped off with both a manager for profiles and a manager for connections. Finally, the mix gets sprinkled with a few extra enhancements to complete the whole thing.
Much of the functionality that is included in the suite, is available from the Today plugin, which has two main purposes:
Besides from supplying you with important information in the form of showing you missed calls and messages (SMS, MMS, email) the Today plugin also gives you one-tap access to a connection manager and a profile switcher.
Visual Call Indicator
By default, the second row features the photo dialing function, which in itself is very extensive and contains an array of enhancements that make it a lot more useful than comparable photo dialing applications. For users that would rather have a bit more privacy (or simply save some more screen space), you can change the display mode of the photo dialing function to be drop down activated. This will add a third icon, right after the profile icon, but will still provide you with the same functionality.
In its most simple form, the Photo Speed Dial function requires you to select a contact and it will be displayed on your Today screen. In today’s age and time, many people have more than one number they can be reached on, so Spb Phone Suite lets you select the (primary) number you want to call.
To make the photo dialing even more useful, Spb Software House includes a whole set of avatars, but you can always use your own pictures. Either way, the photo speed dial function is that Phone Suite hooks into the Outlook contacts and does not require you to re-create your photo contacts database, contrary to other applications.
Once you have selected a handful of contacts, they will be displayed on your Today screen.
Tap the name, and you will be asked to confirm the calling, one might argue that this could save some calling cost…
Distilling your calls
Apart from providing you with picture dialing capabilities, Spb Phone Suite also includes a black / white list module. While the available options are rather limited, the function in itself is powerful enough to keep pesky, unwanted callers from getting through at inappropriate times.
Profiling your needs
Besides the Today screen integration, which provides you with quick access to a couple of your profiles, there is a second, much bigger part of the actual profile part of the Phone Suite:
Every profile contains a host of settings, such as changing Bluetooth, WiFi and cellphone connectivity as well as adjusting backlight and, of course, ring and speaker volume.
By default, Spb Phone Suite includes a diverse set of profiles that will most probably fit most users without a need for adjustments.
extended services
Next to a host of big features, the suite also includes a number of small, but useful enhancements:
The Phone Notification feature will continuously remind you that you missed a call or text message using whatever method you like.
The Dialer Extension displays pictures (if available) in your call history as well as adds the possibility to quickly reply to a rejected call with a short message.
Hang up
While I could probably go on explaining why SPB Phone Suite is useful, it would make more sense if you would just go and download the trial version from the SPB Softwarehouse website..
For $20, this application provides you with a toolset that should actually have been included by default. SPB Phone Suite, once again does what it is supposed to do and does those things the right way. This application is a no-nonsense way of enhancing the way you communicate with and via your device.
Shell of choice
After more than seven years since it’s first release, six full releases and lots of time to improve, the default Windows Mobile setup still looks a bit bland. Even though there are thousands of themes, extended themes and a handful of Flash themes, the overall look and usage of these devices has not changed all that much.
Shell shock
If you have never heard of Spb Mobile Shell, you might be wondering why (and probably if) you would need it. Let me preface this review by stating that the Pocket PC interface, per se, is not bad, but I think we can all agree that a lot of stuff is missing.
Officially, Spb Mobile Shell is categorized as an UI enhancement tool. Many Windows users are already familiar with this kind of tools and might be reluctant to try it out, due to bad experiences with memory usage. Contrary to its bigger brethren however, Spb Mobile shell is very memory conscious and does not delay the execution of applications at all.
Shell in
The first thing you will notice after installing Spb Mobile Shell is the beautiful main screen. All the icons are big enough to be used with your fingers, but you can also use your stylus or your D-pad and buttons.
The content of the various menus is highly dynamic and depends on the applications you have installed, however, it is also filled with various enhancements from Spb Mobile Shell:
Some of the functions that are visible in the main screen are shortcuts to previously installed applications and some of the icons lead you directly to important PIM functions:
Spb Mobile Shell also contains a small camera utility that even works if you do not have the camera software that originally came with your device installed.
It should be noted that on my XDA Flame, the camera application always selected the front side camera and I had no way of switching cameras. This maybe related to the lack of an original camera software though.
The time is Now
The feature you will see the most, unless you change the settings, is Spb Mobile Shell’s Now Screen. The Now Screen provides you with all the information you need at a quick glance:
The top most row contains battery information, signal strength and the name of your MNO. Below that is a bar that displays the latest weather information, your missed calls as well as your unread text messages and emails. The last icon in the listing is a shortcut to your profile settings.
If you have multiple Spb applications, you will appreciate the work that the Spb Mobile Shell development team has put into various integration features:
For example, if you have Spb Weather, the weather forecasts will contain a lot more information. If you use Spb’s Phone Suite, you will be provided with a couple of extra options too. The same integration is also available for Spb Time and Spb Diary and, in fact, virtually any other Spb product.
Feels like Today
Not unlike Spb Pocket Plus, Spb Mobile Shell adds a couple of tabs to your today screen.
The primary row contains information about your battery, the current time, a weather forecast as well as a picture dialing extension that works with or without Spb Phone Suite.
The various tabs themselves contain additional information, such as a listing of recently used applications for the battery tab or World Time in three different cities, which can be selected from a huge listing.
I personally found no need to change the order or content, however if you need to alter the information that is displayed, Spb Mobile Shell provides you with an extensive menu with various functions. The only thing missing is a way to delete a tab.
By default. the bar auto-collapses and thereby saves a lot of space. If you need it, just tap one of the big icons and the linked menu will pop up.
Other than modifications to the Today screen and the addition of a Now Screen, Spb Mobile Shell also provides a way for you to change the color scheme of your device. A very simple feature, but if you are not looking to create your own Themes, this is a nice alternative.
Shell-in-a-box
If you are looking to beef up your device with a collection of useful tools, Spb Mobile Shell is the application you want. Even thoughh Spb Mobile shell is not particularly cheap, at $30, the various features definitely justify the price.
Spb Mobile shell provides great enhancements and little overhead. Every function in this software is done the right way with no half-hearted attempts at adding extra functionality at the cost of usability. Spb Software House is known for their solid applications and Spb Mobile Shell is no different.
Repurposed Silicone
When the first Pocket PCs and Smartphones hit the market, it was obvious that they were targeted at managers and other professionals that needed to have access to a mobile computing platform that was not as cumbersome to carry around as a notebook. It was obvious because of the price that was attached to the devices and because of the type of cases that were available…
Cowhides versus cosmetic surgery left-overs
Managers and the likes often have leather briefcases, leather wallets and would, obviously, also be looking for leather cases for their mobile devices. And since most markets are willing to adopt the demand and supply basics, you will be able to find a great amount of eTailers and retailers with the best in leather cases.
Me, personally, I am not much of a leather guy and as such, I would rather see my device covered in some high tech material as opposed to a piece of dead animal. While searching for an adequate case for my XDA Flame, I came across Proporta’s Silicone Case.
mostly-identical twins
The first thing you notice when you open the package from Proporta, is the complimentary English Breakfast Tea. A small but nonetheless kind gesture if you ask me and also one of the reason I keep ordering stuff at Proporta.
Installing the case is very easy. In fact, Proporta considers the installation so easy, that they did not even include a manual. While making a remark about that, I was told that “even a baby could install it without a manual” and I guess that that is true, but still, a short leaflet with some basic information on how to install and care for an installed case would have been great.
From left to right, the case has the exact same visual layout as the device itself. The case itself comes in a black that matches the device very well, but also has a slight downside: other than the D-pad, you will not be able to see the back light of the buttons, so operating your device during low light conditions might be harder, especially if you have trouble remembering the button layout. Other silicone cases from Proporta come in a white-to-transparent color and with those cases, the back lit keys make more sense.
XDA Flame, meet James Bond
On a brighter point (no pun intended), the case features all the cut outs you will need to keep using your device. As you can see here and here, Proporta did a great job on re-creating the whole layout, both with the buttons, as well as with the cut outs.
However, the cut outs do not stop at the various ports or camera openings, but also include the two locks to the left and right (mostly used for car holders, I believe), the stylus as well as the front-side camera and status LEDs. You can sync and charge your device and even use the IR port while it is in the case with no problem at all.
See me, feel me
The silicone case feels good and I am sure that this is not related to the fact that I am male, but rather to the texture of the whole product. The case sits in your palm nicely and will not slide out unless you loosen your grip on it.
The Pocket PC inside the case is protected from all sides, except for the screen. While this is not really a downside of the case itself, I would still recommend getting a screen protector for your device, to make the protection complete.
Proporta calls that case “a way to protect your device from dust and scratches” and after a week of putting my device in some dusty, though not dirty, places, I can vouch for this claim.
Hot or not?
Considering all, the Proporta XDA Flame Silicone case is a great product. For $20, this product will protect your device from (soft) impacts and scratches. You will end up with a Pocket PC that, in essence, still looks the same and has the same usability as before, only that now it is protected in a stylish silicone case.
Mini Review: La Fonera+ and La Fontenna
Like the original La Fonera, the La Fonera+ is very easy to install: unpack, plug in, link up. The first La Fonera included a CD for those that needed additional help, the La Fonera+ does not even need that anymore. Simplicity by design, very nice.
The looks are fairly similar, the main difference is that the La Fonera+ includes a professional looking logo on the top side, while the original version included a more, well, let me call itoutgoing logo. The back side of the La Fonera+ also includes an additional Ethernet port, which means you can most probably get rid of the second router you have.
The La Fonera+, like its older brother, sends out two WiFi signals. One is the public signal that is your contribution to the FON community, the other is your private signal that only you can access. All in all, for $50, this is a fairly solid router, based on the very efficient OpenWRT firmware.
While the signal of both the La Fonera and La Fonera+ are fairly strong, you can enhance the signal a lot by using the La Fontenna. For an additional $2 with either a La Fonera or La Fonera+, this is a real no-brainer. Not only because this way, you will be able to enjoy your WiFi in even the furthest reaches of your house, garden and even a couple of streets down the road, but also because the La Fontenna is suited for outdoor use.
[Mini Reviews are short articles that discuss the most essential things you need to know about an item. These articles are not meant to be longer than a few sentences and are a quick way to decide if something is worth your money or not. ]