Sci-Fi Bar - Futuristic Today Plugin

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.sci-fisoft.com/index.php?page=scifibar' target='_blank'>http://www.sci-fisoft.com/index.php?page=scifibar</a><br /><br /></div>For those of you who love to spruce up your Today screens, check this little plugin out.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20031202-SciFiBar.jpg" /><br /><br />Among its many features include useful memory and battery screens, skins, and launcher buttons. You can buy a copy from <a href="http://www.handango.com/BrainStore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productType=2&productId=93059">Handango</a> [affiliate]. Or, if you're feeling creative, make a good skin -- if they list it on the <a href="http://www.sci-fisoft.com/index.php?page=scifibarskins">Skins page</a>, they'll <a href="http://www.sci-fisoft.com/index.php?page=scifibarmakeskins">give you a free copy</a> of the product!

[gorkon280]

This thing, while cool looking, is HUGE! Justs conjures up images of evil scrolling today screens.

[juni]

This thing, while cool looking, is HUGE! Justs conjures up images of evil scrolling today screens

That is exactly what I thought too :D

On the other hand, if skinned properly it might look cool...

[griph]

For those of you who love to spruce up your Today screens, check this little plugin out.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
One word - Yeuk!
That is truly uuuugggglllyyyy!

[Dave Beauvais]

As juni said, it might look better with a nicer skin. (Not using the hideous Yellow Windows Mobile theme would also help. ;)) That said, I agree that it's much too large. Unless the skin system makes it possible to rearrange or resize the display elements, with apologies to the authors, I guarantee I would never use this software.

[griph]

As juni said, it might look better with a nicer skin. (Not using the hideous Yellow Windows Mobile theme would also help. ;)) That said, I agree that it's much too large. Unless the skin system makes it possible to rearrange or resize the display elements, with apologies to the authors, I guarantee I would never use this software.

I've looked at the other skins available for it - and they are no better! I use spb Pocket Plus and Pocket Mon (Sprite Software - Pocket Backup Plus) along with the standard Date/Owner/Calendar/Mail Today settings for a neat, compact screen - agree also on that yellow! I too can guarantee that this will never get on my PPC.

[sci-fisoft]

I'm sorry you don't like the look of the Sci-Fi Bar :( ,
but I assure you that there will be better looking skins coming out very soon. (Our priorities: 1. finish the program, 2. start making skins :wink: )

As for the size, yes its big (20% of your screen), but as mentioned above, if the skins look good enough....

Making skins that matches your other today-items and themes is also a high priority, so tips on what's looking good on your today-screen would be nice :idea:

By the way, not everyone agrees with you (just look at aximsite), the response has been good, with quite a few downloads, considering it's only been out a few days.. :D

But thanks for helping us to improve it... it's appreciated!!

Willy
Sci-FiSoft.com

[tanalasta]

I'm sorry you don't like the look of the Sci-Fi Bar ,
but I assure you that there will be better looking skins coming out very soon. (Our priorities: 1. finish the program, 2. start making skins )

Hope people haven't been too harsh! But a lot of users do prefer a tidy, non-cluttered today screen. And when you already have many plugins (I have owner, date, calender, inbox, tasks, microsoft money, program/batterypack bar and spb gprs monitor) then its hard to find room for an extra plugin when I already have all that information on screen anyway.

But on a positive note, I don't think it's ugly! so i'll go against the opinion trend here... I like the modern brushed metal look. But umm.... yeah, the yellow today screen is a bit too much... :wink: Others mite like it though!

[jkendrick]

Hmmm. A huge skin might be just the ticket for a VGA today screen.

[jkendrick]

Nope. Date box remains empty no matter what the skin. Settings box requires manual entry of path and file names instead of browsing the system for easy select.

And, worst of all, knocked PIToday off my today screen.

[griph]

Hope people haven't been too harsh! But a lot of users do prefer a tidy, non-cluttered today screen. And when you already have many plugins (I have owner, date, calender, inbox, tasks, microsoft money, program/batterypack bar and spb gprs monitor) then its hard to find room for an extra plugin when I already have all that information on screen anyway.

Sorry too if I came over a bit strong. I guess I feel strongly about what I see on my Today screen aesthetically, but I would support the rich third party market that is available for the PPC - we are not all the same, and in a cliche rich culture, one mans meat is another's poison! :-)

[sci-fisoft]

Nope. Date box remains empty no matter what the skin.

The day,date,month does not show at all?? :?:

What device and operating system are you using?
, and do you have extra fonts installed on your device?

Does anybody else have problems with this?

Settings box requires manual entry of path and file names instead of browsing the system for easy select.

This will be fixed in ver 1.1 :)

And, worst of all, knocked PIToday off my today screen.

Lack of space I guess? :?:

Willy
Sci-FiSoft.com

[quidproquo]

Not a bad idea...although not a new idea.....and my first thought was that it looked pretty cool.... 8)

A suggestion to the author..... since the 20% chunk of real estate seems to be bothering everyone (and would me too as I think scroll bars on Today screens are next to the devil incarnate :twisted: )

Why not make it a "one line" bit of data....and have a tap-able area on that line where you can have your nifty little image come up in a "pop up" type display. Then you could make it even bigger and snazzier.....because size wouldn't matter, given the pop up form of delivery.

Just a suggestion.....

Also, just to show you my Today Screen..... I have attached a screen shot. I love all the apps I have on my screen and wouldn't want to part with any....and with your large space requirement - I would have to give up one or two just to use it.
But another one line display would probably fit. :wink:

http://www.carveronline.net/screen001.jpg

[Kevin C. Tofel]

I just downloaded the trial and will buck the trend....I do like it. One thought for comments, however:

Intuitively, when I look at the battery meter and memory meter, I would think they represent the same "metric" if you will. However: the battery meter shows how "full" the battery is, i.e.: how much juice is available, so it decreases over time.

The memory meter shows the opposite to me.....as you use more and more program memory, the meter increases over time so this shows how little program memory you are using.

What led me to this was a closedown of all my running apps....I expected the memory meter to rise, but instead it decreased. If I charge my battery the battery meter would rise....completely opposite representation.

Maybe it's just my interpretation.....thoughts? Overall, however I like the plug in and considering a purchase.

Thanks!
KCT

[D.psi]

The memory meter shows the opposite to me.....as you use more and more program memory, the meter increases over time so this shows how little program memory you are using.


Actually if you look at the skins definition capability, you can have it read whichever way you want, just supply the appropriate bmps.

I like the basic concept, but then again, I am currently using the stock today screen w/o plug-ins, and little enabled (date, owner, appts, and tasks).

As far as skins definition, I would like to be able to define the orientation, location and sizes of the various images, that way I could re-lay it out for a star-trek like skin, or whatever. From what I currently understand the orientation and position are pre-defined. That's the only limitation from my perspective, if the layout could be re-arranged, then the skin could define a smaller absolute screen size.

D.psi

[sci-fisoft]

Alex over at www.mobilepc.at just sent me the first transparent skin,
it might give you a better perspective of what you can do with Sci-Fi Bar:

http://www.sci-fisoft.com/glossyprew.jpg

And now it only uses only about 10% of the today screen :wink: (joke)

Check out the Skin (http://www.sci-fisoft.com/index.php?page=scifibarskins)page for more images.
Willy
Sci-FiSoft.com

[griph]

Alex over at www.mobilepc.at just sent me the first transparent skin, it might give you a better perspective of what you can do with Sci-Fi Bar.

Now that is more like it - I wouldn't describe that as ugly at all and you would have had much less negative response if that had been the first image posted for the app - I still have an issue as to the amount of screen it hogs - it would be nice if the user could select option on size eg small, medium, large and images scale accordingly - like you can with Sprite software's Pocket mon.

I must say that I like the level of support Willy - something other SW developers could do with emulating. Keep it up.

[mrkablooey]

For those of you who love to spruce up your Today screens, check this little plugin out.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
One word - Yeuk!
That is truly uuuugggglllyyyy!

actually it looks beeaaauuuttiiiful.

but it is HUGE. I'll look at the skins, but if I need a clock that big, I'll look at my watch. :wink:

[mrkablooey]

And, worst of all, knocked PIToday off my today screen.

:shocked!: