New Desktop Homescreen Editor from Sunnysoft

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=1646' target='_blank'>http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=1646</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Sunnysoft Home Screen Editor for SmartPhones is a unique desktop PC application that lets you edit the home screen in your SmartPhone and customize it according to your personal preferences."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Temporale-20050908-SunnySoftHomescreen.gif" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />It looks like there is some new competition for Ruttensoft's <a href="http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=870">Homescreen Designer.</a> In much the same manner as Ruttensoft, this application is designed to allow you to create and customize your Smartphones homescreen from the comfort of your desktop computer. It's a little confusing to use at first, but it seems pretty powerful. I wish it had the drag and drop support for positioning controls on your homescreen. :( You can download the trial version or purchase a license for $25 from our <a href="http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=1646">affiliate store.</a>

[Jerry Raia]

What is the problem with MS not coming up with a useful tool to do this? They came up with that anemic home screen tool years back and haven't changed it since. :?

BTW with the trial version you need to add .zip to the end of the file name after you get it. Whoever named it got tired before they finished.

[gambit]

'What is the problem with MS not coming up with a useful tool to do this?'

i believe they are trying to sell to OEMs. so they write the apps that they NEED to have as a minimum that most OEMs want, then after that they want the 3rd party software community to fill in the gaps. that allows an eco system to build up - and we all know that is a Good Thing. One could look at backup as an example - is was NEEDED for WM 2kx, and in the beginning no one else was doing it, so they did it, but now it's not NEEDED, and third parties have strong offerings, so they are pulling out of it.

So anything that other people arn't doing, or need standardising that make the platform more compelling they do, otherwise they leave it to 'us' 3rd party developers.

At least thats my take on it.

&lt;scarcasm>
But it's a larf that sunnysoft are doing the homescreen designer, i wonder where/why they decided on that....
&lt;/scarcasm>

Riki

[Mike Temporale]

&lt;scarcasm>
But it's a larf that sunnysoft are doing the homescreen designer, i wonder where/why they decided on that....
&lt;/scarcasm>

larf?? That's a new one for me. What's that mean - joke? surprise?

[Sven Johannsen]

Maybe I'm just to dumb to find it, but neither of these programs have one feature that I'm looking for.

I would like it to be able to get my current HomeScreen and parse out the various plugins on it, so I can use them in a HomeScreen layout of my choice.

As it is, when you install some things like Facade or MSN Mobile, they add their own HomeScreen, which is then selectable and includes the plugin, but doesn't neccessarily inlude other plugins. What I'd like to see is the HomeScreen app be able to snag the XML code for each of these, and offer them to me in the menu to use as I wish.

Ruttensoft does that with some pre-determined third party plugins, but I'd like to see it suck in plugins you have on you phone.

Yes, I am obviously xml challenged, but I expect I am not alone. I haven't played with this program much, but have played with Ruttensoft's and it is wonderful to be able to arrange the screen how i want it and with what i want on it. I'm just missing a bit or two.