Spb Full Screen Keyboard 2.0 Released

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=4847&associateid=204' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketgear.com/software_...associateid=204</a><br /><br /></div>Spb has just released v2 of their popular full-screen keyboard SIP. They've revamped the codebase (hopefully eliminating driver loading issues for PPC2k2 users), and have added a number of features, including an easier ability to switch from a regular-sized keyboard to the full-screen version, word completion (a la regular SIPs -- but with custom words remembered), sound profiles and new skins. Looks very cool! (Upgrades for existing owners, BTW, is half price.) [affiliate]<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20030715-spb-fsk.jpg" />

[murph]

so far, so good on my TMobile PPC:PE.

actually, after the install it was not working. but a soft reset (i was not prompted to soft reset) cleared it up.

crossing my fingers that it continues to work. i love this app but the PPC:PE issues have made it useless.

when will the rotated skins be available?

[yawanag]

so far, so good on my TMobile PPC:PE.

actually, after the install it was not working. but a soft reset (i was not prompted to soft reset) cleared it up.

crossing my fingers that it continues to work. i love this app but the PPC:PE issues have made it useless.

when will the rotated skins be available?

I had to soft reset also before it worked. I wondered why it was necessary for previous users to even pay half price for the upgrade. All the software I have purchased (and that's tons) have come with a lifetime upgrade

[Gremmie]

All the software I have purchased (and that's tons) have come with a lifetime upgrade

Like what?

[vassiliphilippov]

>when will the rotated skins be available?
You can download the rotated skin as well as many other skins from:
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/fsk/skins.html

Vassili Philippov
Spb Software House

[murph]

got it.

i was looking via the TOOLS menu in the program's options.

[R K]

Wow, that's some nice Photoshop work on the picture there.
Is that how OLED screens are going to look like?

[danielzr]

Although it's not on their website or Handango yet, Typango 3.0 has been released. They say that they'll update the website shortly...

It was sent to owners of previous versions yesterday (free). The biggest new feature is SIP support. The new Typango JR mini-keyboard, which replaces the regular MS on-screen keyboard is also skinable. The regular Typango keyboard uses the old Typango 2.5 skins...

[Jason Dunn]

I wondered why it was necessary for previous users to even pay half price for the upgrade. All the software I have purchased (and that's tons) have come with a lifetime upgrade

I've seen a couple of Pocket PC software packages that offer lifetime free upgrades, but they're certainly not very common. On the desktop, the only piece of software I own that has a lifetime of free upgrades is Winzip.

I don't think lifetime free upgrades is a very sustainable business model - it means you're constantly desperate for new customers instead of relying on your user base to support your work.

I guess we'll see if those lifetime PPC software update guys are around in a couple of years. :wink: It's worth noting that, for me at least, the lifetime updates offered by the makers of Battery Pack 2003 is practically useless - they make the upgrade process so damn difficult (making the users go back through Hadango's system, not notifying current users of updates, etc.) that I couldn't take advantage of the upgrade even if I wanted to. It's probably because they don't care about upgrading users - they don't make any money off of them - they want new users.

[smittyofdhs]

well, I hoped it would work fine on the PPCPE devices but after extensive testing, it still fails on my SX56. I've been able to reproduce the problem over and over. Again, the SD card is the issue. If I reboot the device with the card inserted, the app will not work correctly. If I remove the SD card, the app works fine. I know this is a MS bug, not SPB's but the bottom line is that it still doesn't work for PPCPE users. What's funny, is it works sometimes, then just totally stops working (as long as the sd card is there).

[vassiliphilippov]

We have a solution for this problem:

You can assign Spb Full Screen Keyboard to hardware button. Use Setting->Buttons applet to do it. In that case Spb Full Screen Keyboard will work even on the configurations where it does not work as an Input Method because of Pocket PC bug.

We have implemented several solutions to reduce number of devices where this Pocket PC bug affects Spb Fill Screen Keyboard to technically possible minimum. I can say at least 99.5% of devices support Spb Full Screen Keyboard as an input method and the rest 0.5 % can use assigning to a hardware button.

By the way, I think that many people will find this option (assigning to a hardware button) useful for all devices. It is really fast to use.

Vassili Philippov
Spb Software House

[smittyofdhs]

We have a solution for this problem:

You can assign Spb Full Screen Keyboard to hardware button. Use Setting->Buttons applet to do it. In that case Spb Full Screen Keyboard will work even on the configurations where it does not work as an Input Method because of Pocket PC bug.

We have implemented several solutions to reduce number of devices where this Pocket PC bug affects Spb Fill Screen Keyboard to technically possible minimum. I can say at least 99.5% of devices support Spb Full Screen Keyboard as an input method and the rest 0.5 % can use assigning to a hardware button.

By the way, I think that many people will find this option (assigning to a hardware button) useful for all devices. It is really fast to use.

Vassili Philippov
Spb Software House

I saw that I could use the hardware button workaround and will probably do that. The only that creates is that there are only 2 buttons on the PPCPE device that can be assigned... so the user has to decide if your app is good enough or needed enough to use up one of those precious buttons.

[smittyofdhs]

After using FSK2 via the hardware button I think I actually like it better. The ability to grab the existing text works everytime and so does the app. Of course, giving up button1 for recording audio notes was a bitch for me, but I use FSK way more then audio recordings so it will do.

[ux4484]

I've seen a couple of Pocket PC software packages that offer lifetime free upgrades, but they're certainly not very common. On the desktop, the only piece of software I own that has a lifetime of free upgrades is Winzip.

I don't think lifetime free upgrades is a very sustainable business model - it means you're constantly desperate for new customers instead of relying on your user base to support your work.

I guess we'll see if those lifetime PPC software update guys are around in a couple of years. :wink: It's worth noting that, for me at least, the lifetime updates offered by the makers of Battery Pack 2003 is practically useless - they make the upgrade process so damn difficult (making the users go back through Hadango's system, not notifying current users of updates, etc.) that I couldn't take advantage of the upgrade even if I wanted to. It's probably because they don't care about upgrading users - they don't make any money off of them - they want new users.

I read this....and it occurs to me..........that YOU'RE offering a "Mobile Deluxe Lifetime" PPCT subscription.........then I'm thinking.......I wouldn't be talking like this if I was offering lifetime subscriptions.

I (given the current circumstances) would want to reword than answer, it comes off as a double standard at best (IMO).

[Janak Parekh]

I read this....and it occurs to me..........that YOU'RE offering a "Mobile Deluxe Lifetime" PPCT subscription.........then I'm thinking.......I wouldn't be talking like this if I was offering lifetime subscriptions.
But the two situations couldn't be more completely different. First off, PPCT isn't Spb. Second, the costs of software development have a completely different structure than that of a site like PPCT. I've seen various "lifetime subscription" opportunities amongst magazines and websites, but virtually none amongst software.

--janak

[ux4484]

First off, PPCT isn't Spb. Second, the costs of software development have a completely different structure than that of a site like PPCT. I've seen various "lifetime subscription" opportunities amongst magazines and websites, but virtually none amongst software.

--janak

Hmmm.....I was under the impression some Spb staff also put in time here at thoughts.....my mistake.

I personally like the lifetime software upgrade concept for a app that warrants it like WinZip or MusicMatch, where clearly the lifetime price pays for itself after two releases (as they both do)........(though now WMP 9 gives you 99% of MusicMatchs features for free).

From a "offering" standpoint, it just seems inconsistant to offer a lifetime online membership, and then slam a software lifetime upgrade option.
It maybe apples and oranges janak, but to me......it's still fruit.

[Janak Parekh]

Hmmm.....I was under the impression some Spb staff also put in time here at thoughts.....my mistake.
Jason is a part-time VP of Marketing, but AFAIK he's not making product decisions. The Spb and PPCT ventures are separate.

I personally like the lifetime software upgrade concept for a app that warrants it like WinZip or MusicMatch, where clearly the lifetime price pays for itself after two releases (as they both do)........(though now WMP 9 gives you 99% of MusicMatchs features for free).
True; however, the market size for Winzip and MusicMatch make it cost-effective for them to do so. In a much smaller niche, where the number of new sales is limited, I have to agree with Jason -- I don't see the finances work out.

From a "offering" standpoint, it just seems inconsistant to offer a lifetime online membership, and then slam a software lifetime upgrade option.
It maybe apples and oranges janak, but to me......it's still fruit.
No, again, it's not. Subscriptions here are optional, they're not the only source of revenue, and development and versioning are night and day compared to a piece of software that doesn't have any further revenue streams after a sale. Most software vendors, however, make a huge amount of money through upgrades. Microsoft's business depends on it, for example. Their Upgrade Assurance is a huge profit-maker.

--janak

[ux4484]

Looks like yet another "agree to disagree" one for us, Janak.

[Kati Compton]

And hopefully that means the thread will get back on topic, yes? ;)

[ctmagnus]

And hopefully that means the thread will get back on topic, yes? ;)

No! Of course not! When was the last time anything was on topic (beyond the firat page of posts) around here?!?

:mrgreen:

[Jason Dunn]

I've seen a couple of Pocket PC software packages that offer lifetime free upgrades, but they're certainly not very common. On the desktop, the only piece of software I own that has a lifetime of free upgrades is Winzip.

I don't think lifetime free upgrades is a very sustainable business model - it means you're constantly desperate for new customers instead of relying on your user base to support your work.

I guess we'll see if those lifetime PPC software update guys are around in a couple of years. :wink: It's worth noting that, for me at least, the lifetime updates offered by the makers of Battery Pack 2003 is practically useless - they make the upgrade process so damn difficult (making the users go back through Hadango's system, not notifying current users of updates, etc.) that I couldn't take advantage of the upgrade even if I wanted to. It's probably because they don't care about upgrading users - they don't make any money off of them - they want new users.

I read this....and it occurs to me..........that YOU'RE offering a "Mobile Deluxe Lifetime" PPCT subscription.........then I'm thinking.......I wouldn't be talking like this if I was offering lifetime subscriptions.

I (given the current circumstances) would want to reword than answer, it comes off as a double standard at best (IMO).

Nah, it's totally different.

If I'm a software vendor giving out lifetime upgrades, that customer pays once, and that's it. I might be able to sell that customer new applications I make, but that's it.

As a Web site owner, even if I sell the lifetime subscriber access to my site, I still have the benefit of their visit, which means more banner impression loads (unless they turned them off of course). I can promote further services to that customer, sell them t-shirts, blah blah - the customer I have in a lifetime subscriber is more of a long-term asset because they keep coming back to the site vs. buying software once from a developer then never going back to that developer.

That said, I'm beginning to think I should have made lifetime $150. ;-)

[Hyperluminal]

Let me just add my thoughts to this...

First of all, Jason wasn't "slamming" lifetime updates, just saying that they're rare and aren't a very good business model for software companies.

That said, Jason's Lifetime Subscription is also different than lifetime software updates... namely (partly) because it's almost 5 times as expensive as the yearly rate, so you're essentially buying a yearly subscription for 5 years, paying upfront, and getting a small discount for doing so. Most software with lifetime updates aren't 5 (or so) times more expensive than similar software without lifetime updates. It's also different, because many PPCT readers aren't suscribed, but give the site money through ads.
Now I'm going to guess here, and say that either PPCT takes in more money from ads than it expects to take in from subscribers, or if not, advertising money will still be a significant portion of PPCT's income. So that means that even if every subscriber had a lifetime plan, and turned off all ads, PPCT would still have a regular income from unsubscribed users/unregistered readers. Compare that with a software developer, who with a lifetime upgrade policy can't expect to get any regular income from current customers.

So considering that, since most PPCT readers aren't subscribed, and many (if not most) subscribers aren't lifetime subscribers, and many subscribers leave ads on anyway, it's reasonable to say that PPCT can expect a substantial, regular income, which is something a software developer with a lifetime upgrade policy can't expect.

So I don't think that was really a fair comparison. :)

(and sorry Kati for going off topic... back to the regularly scheduled thread, hopefully ;) )

[Jason Dunn]

That said, Jason's Lifetime Subscription is also different than lifetime software updates... namely (partly) because it's almost 5 times as expensive as the yearly rate, so you're essentially buying a yearly subscription for 5 years, paying upfront, and getting a small discount for doing so. Most software with lifetime updates aren't 5 (or so) times more expensive than similar software without lifetime updates.

:lol: You know, it's hilarious that none of us noticed something so obvious. If a developer were to offer lifetime upgrades for 3x the normal price of the application, most people would understand what the difference was. :lol:

[Hyperluminal]

:lol: You know, it's hilarious that none of us noticed something so obvious. If a developer were to offer lifetime upgrades for 3x the normal price of the application, most people would understand what the difference was. :lol:
Yeah, it can be easy to overlook what's obvious and focus on the details. :lol: