10-17-2006, 02:45 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Spb Insight 1.0 Released
"Spb Software House, the leading Pocket PC software developer, releases Spb Insight - a new Pocket PC News Reader which provides full-text articles with pictures for handy and fast offline reading. Throughout the day we all have those many periods of time that are too short to be useful but too long to be wasted. Examples could be standing in line or waiting at the airport. A Pocket PC can be used to fill these intervals of time with reading books, or playing small games, etc. How about the news? Typical news web pages aren't designed for small Pocket PC screens and can take minutes to download. RSS readers help in this situation, but usually provide only summaries and links to original articles, which bring us back to online browsing. Spb Insight was designed to overcome these shortcomings. Besides being a powerful Pocket PC RSS reader, Spb Insight provides full article texts instead of typical RSS article summaries. Original article web pages are specifically optimized for Pocket PC screens using unique Spb Insight channel technology."
Spb Software House has just released Insight, a RSS/Atom news reader with full text capabilities. We have a review that is set to appear in around fifteen minutes, so keep your eyes on the front-page for an insight (excuse the pun). 
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10-17-2006, 07:22 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 49
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Bit pricey for a RSS reader.
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10-17-2006, 07:49 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,389
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It is not actually an RSS reader. I would compair it more to a pumped up Avantgo. Spb Insight is a channel reader.
Channels are basically special version of full websites. So you can have a channel of a site that does not have an RSS feed. It just seemed to be a nice option to also support RSS.
There are hundreds of pre-made channels provided by Spb as well as documentation on how to make your own channel. (Trying to find that again)
Channels are kind of XML templates to pull content from real websites, format it for your device and store it localy for offline viewing. RSS is just an added bonus.
Strait from Spb FAQ:
1. What's the difference between Spb Insight channels and usual RSS channels?
You will find the difference significant. Usual RSS channels contain only headers and links to articles. Spb Insight supports channels, which provide full text article reading. You will not have to visit links and wait till your article is loaded. You have all your favorite channels content right in your pocket!
I hope this will shed some light on what Spb Insight was actually developed for. It was never intended to be just an RSS reader.
Edit: More info about Spb Insight can be found here:
http://www.spbinsight.com/
The developer link has inforation about creating custom channels.
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10-17-2006, 08:50 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 77
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Wow! Good stuff...I currently use Newsbreak from Ilium Software which is basically one of the most used apps for me.
I must take this for a test drive.
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Regards,Matt
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10-17-2006, 08:55 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 77
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hmm...I see, so they have a list of "channels" that can be subscribed to. Only the "channels" have full text. Otherwise, it's a typical RSS reader. Please let me know if I'm mistaken.
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Regards,Matt
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10-17-2006, 09:08 PM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,389
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by mattbugz
hmm...I see, so they have a list of "channels" that can be subscribed to. Only the "channels" have full text. Otherwise, it's a typical RSS reader. Please let me know if I'm mistaken.
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That is correct. It is a channel reader that happens to support RSS also. So you can mix and match both to get the content you want. 
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10-17-2006, 09:18 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 77
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Lee
That is correct. It is a channel reader that happens to support RSS also. So you can mix and match both to get the content you want. |
The program is still pretty amazing...worth the $20! Interesting that PPC Thoughts is atop the 50 most popular! :wink:
__________________
Regards,Matt
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10-18-2006, 12:16 AM
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Theorist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 307
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by mattbugz
hmm...I see, so they have a list of "channels" that can be subscribed to. Only the "channels" have full text. Otherwise, it's a typical RSS reader. Please let me know if I'm mistaken.
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exactly. i don't think it's a great rss reader, although that could change, and knowing spb, that's possible.
it's strength are the channels, no browsers needed to read your article. and i believe users can post channels they create or you can create your channels if you know html? is that true?
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10-18-2006, 05:07 AM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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I've been holding off paying for NewsGator Mobile in anticipation of this. Now it looks like I may be buying both. What I would really like, though, is for this to support NewsGator subscriptions in future versions, if NG would open things up to Spb.
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iPhone 4! ☠☠☠ Mid-2010 15" MacBook Pro! ☠☠☠ Gateway LT2102h! ☠☠☠ Dell XPS M1210!
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10-18-2006, 05:11 AM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ctmagnus
I've been holding off paying for NewsGator Mobile in anticipation of this. Now it looks like I may be buying both. What I would really like, though, is for this to support NewsGator subscriptions in future versions, if NG would open things up to Spb.
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I've found NewsGator Mobile to be awfully buggy and slow. I think it has room to grow. Yes, that unintentionally rhymes.
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