Spb Mobile Shell 3.0 Adds Widgets, Facebook Support, 3D Carousel

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/pocketpc-software/mobileshell/' target='_blank'>http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/poc...re/mobileshell/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Spb Software, a leading maker of mobile software, releases Spb Mobile Shell 3.0, the next-generation user interface for Windows phones. According to Handango Yardstick, Spb Mobile Shell was the world's number one bestselling application of 2008 among all mobile platforms. Spb Mobile Shell 3.0 accounts for two different smartphone use scenarios: at work and at play. The application offers distinctive 'professional' and 'lifestyle' desktops, integration of picture contacts with Facebook, account-sensitive email indicators, handsome time and weather screens, widgets, responsive kinetic scrolling, signature 3D animation engine, and other appealing assets that change the way a Windows phone is used altogether."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/ppct/auto/1240332653.usr2.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>Spb Software has released v3.0 of its ever-popular UI for Windows Mobile, and it adds some impressive features such as widgets, Facebook integration, a 3D carousel with hardware acceleration support, and Professional and Lifestyle home screens. Interested in trying or buying? Head over to our&nbsp;<a href="http://software.pocketpcthoughts.com/product.asp?id=10499" target="_blank">affiliate software store</a>. If you're a registered user of v2.x, the <a href="http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/pocketpc-software/mobileshell/upgrade.html" target="_blank">upgrade</a> is available at a discounted price of $14.95, or free if you purchased it within the last 90 days.</p>

[Phillip Dyson]

I just installed the demo and I have to say ... my goodness!
The is a great looking app. They put some serious muscle behind this upgraded from 2.x

I looks great and doesn't feel as gimmicky as some of the things in TouchFlo 3D.

My only concern as with all of the UI skins is third party app integration. I use PocketInformant and am hoping there is a way to get Mobile Shell to launch it rather than the standard calendar app. Perhaps there is a setting somewhere.

Since I'm commenting on settings I am having a hard time figuring out where they all are for shell. It seems to context based, but I'm not sure. Admittedly I've only spend 10 minutes with it.

If I can get it to recognize PI, I might put my money down today.

[Frankie1]

I just installed the demo and I have to say ... my goodness! The is a great looking app. They put some serious muscle behind this upgraded from 2.x

***long quote trimmed by mod JD***

I'm going to have to disagree with you
I installed it with high hopes (on my touch HD), I was impressed by the animation and that was about it. I thought the UI was horribly thought out, or maybe I'm just a function over form kind of guy.

I wasn't flattered by the Andoid like screen paning of the non-business view. I can tell they definitely put a lot of work into it, but UI just seems scattered and incosistent. I'll give it another try though.

[Djblois]

I agree, they went much more for Form with MS 3.0. They forgot function for the most part. They really do not like integration with third party apps. That is the worst part about it. It was one of the most requested features and they don't care.

[TTown]

My only concern as with all of the UI skins is third party app integration. I use PocketInformant and am hoping there is a way to get Mobile Shell to launch it rather than the standard calendar app. Perhaps there is a setting somewhere.


This would be important to me as well. If anyone knows how to make it point to PI, please post!

Thanks

[superrrguy]

I don't think this is much of an improvement over 2.x. Also, there are so many great custom skins out there for 2.x.

Good
*I like the new Professional layout.

*I think I like that lists are scrollable now instead of tapping next, next, next.

*I like that you can make contact photos on the favorite contacts page larger and smaller.

*The Facebook think is kind of neat but it's easier to just do this on the desktop if you sync your gmail contacts.


Bad
*I don't like that this takes over the Today screen. In 2.x you can hit the ok button to get back to the Today screen. Now you need to tap the right button, then tap "Show Today". Maybe if you could add items from the today screen as widgets in Mobile Shell, it would be ok.

*Adding widgets is a pain. They don't really snap well into place and overlap easily. You kind of need to pull out the stylus to get it just right.

*I'm not sure if the carousel is a good way for finding and choose screens or contacts or anything.

*I didn't see a way to add apps to the SPB Menu launcher. With 2.x I could add a bunch of "Internet" apps in the internet category; "Media" apps in the Media category, and so on.


Ugly
*Unlock still only uses the WinMo lock which is awful. S2U2 ftw.

*Call log does not integrate in WinMo nor the Phone Suite Call Log.

*I still don't get why dialing a contact requires extra taps. Tap contact > tap which # to dial. Let me just save which # for the contact is my favorite. Put a little icon in the bottom left of the contact photo so I know which # it is like you guys have for your Photo Suite app. Now it's one tap.

*Selecting a Phone Profile is also an extra tap. Tap profile > tap select. Get rid of the extra tap. Why is "edit" so close to "select" anyway? Get rid of the extra tap!

I cannot stress how annoying extra taps are on a screen that's unresponsive to begin with. An extra tap is sometimes 3 extra taps because of misfires or whatever the hell WinMo is doing that it can't register a tap.

I don't think it's worth upgrading from 2.x especially if you have it skinned.

[njl2016]

I have never used Spb Mobile Shell before and I just installed it an hour ago. It is the best thing since sliced bread. This piece of software has made my love my iPAQ again.

[nosmohtac]

I love SPB software, and this is a pretty well thought out piece of software.
With that I have to say that I wanted to like this program, but the amount of time it takes to switch from portrait to landscape is a deal breaker.

It may be because I'm running a WM6.5 custom ROM on my Touch Pro, but before installing SPB MS 3.0 my screen was rotating almost instantly when sliding out the keyboard. With MS3.0 it takes 3 to 4 seconds which is totally unacceptable. Nice work SPB, I'll wait for an update that fixes that.

[Phillip Dyson]

This would be important to me as well. If anyone knows how to make it point to PI, please post!

Thanks

I came across this post on the SPB Club site.
http://www.spbclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7794

It doesn't cover every entry point, but its a really good start.

[Phillip Dyson]

*I don't like that this takes over the Today screen. In 2.x you can hit the ok button to get back to the Today screen. Now you need to tap the right button, then tap "Show Today". Maybe if you could add items from the today screen as widgets in Mobile Shell, it would be ok.


I actually completely emptied out my Today screen. There are not plugins active. I can't think of a reason for me to go back there. Granted that's based on my list of plugins.

To me an extra click is fine with me. I consider the Today screen to be just another view. I think its great that I can quickly get between them.

Two nits that I have about Shell 3.0 are:
1. I dont see any way to get the current tempurate.
2. I wish there was a task view.

This may a reason for me to keep PocketBreeze active in my Today screen.

Boy, there was a time when SPB and SBSH were in competition blow for blow, but with Mobile Shell, SPB seems to have taken a turn a completely different direction. I still prefer SBSH's customer service and hope they've got some stuff up their sleeves.

[burtcom]

I like, and I want to pay for the upgrade, but something seems to be up with the Handago store -- after entering all the info it comes back with a generic error message saying the purchase failed and my CC was not charged.

this has happened to me and several others as reported on the SPB forum.

[rshef]

I like, and I want to pay for the upgrade, but something seems to be up with the Handago store -- after entering all the info it comes back with a generic error message saying the purchase failed and my CC was not charged.

This happened to me last night and as of 5 minutes ago, it's still not working. Glad it's not just me. I'll quit trying to figure out what's wrong with my browser/computer.

[Jason Dunn]

It may be because I'm running a WM6.5 custom ROM on my Touch Pro...

Uh...yeah. It's pretty much impossible for Spb, or any developer, to optimize their software for a beta operating system that no one outside of Microsoft/OEMs is supposed to have. I'd hate to see Spb waste development resources on something like this.

[burtcom]

This happened to me last night and as of 5 minutes ago, it's still not working. Glad it's not just me. I'll quit trying to figure out what's wrong with my browser/computer.

Heard back from SPB -- they issued a code to me that allowed the upgrade price to work at Mobihand.

If Handago is still behaving badly, contact SPB to get a Mobihand code.

[Rob Alexander]

I've been using MS 2.0 since it came out and have been very happy with it. After playing around with 3.0, and reading the SPB Club forums, I've decided to stay with 2.0. Here's why.

1. The biggest deal breaker is that they removed the ability to customize the launcher. In 2.0, I can tell it exactly what apps to show in the Internet group, the Tools group, etc. That's completely gone in 3.0 so if you use Opera instead of IE for your browser, forget adding it to the Internet group. Overall, the new launcher is just a confusing mess where the old one mostly kept things well organized and easy to access.

2. It's a resource hog, taking about 1/2 again as much memory to run as 2.0.

3. They were so seduced by making lots of pretty screens go spinning around that they forgot that our WM devices are actually important tools we use for work. Almost everything that I could do with one touch in 2.0 now requires two or more touches (or a slide and a touch) in 3.0. The animations are pretty, but at the end of the day it has to be about function.

4. MS doesn't play nice with many Today screen apps. In 2.0, that was okay because the real Today screen was only one click away (or one swipe... your choice). I could put the other things I needed there and move easily back and forth between the two. It works nicely. In contrast, MS 3.0 replaces your Today screen and intercepts any program that calls for it. You can still get to it, but not easily. You have to navigate to the correct page and then choose the button for it.

5. Whoever was looking for a way to integrate this with PI, forget it. There is still a check box in the settings that says it's for doing that, but it doesn't work. It didn't work in 2.0 and it doesn't work in 3.0. Clearly they only want you to integrate with their own apps.

All that said, there are some features in the new version that I really would like, but it's not worth giving up the other features I would lose to do it. I don't know the people who program this, but they act like they learned their programming at Microsoft. (With each new version give one new feature that you need, give two new features that you don't need and take away three old features that you do need.) I was really looking forward to this new version, but now I'm just disappointed.

[V-iPAQ]

it's ok, but it hard codes calendar etc instead of calling WM's calendar link like it should.
also, you can't customize menus like in v2, which makes it useless now - I use none of its links for:
pic viewer
IE
calendar
mail
media player
phone book

[nosmohtac]

Uh...yeah. It's pretty much impossible for Spb, or any developer, to optimize their software for a beta operating system that no one outside of Microsoft/OEMs is supposed to have. I'd hate to see Spb waste development resources on something like this.

That's completely understandable, but I was kind of hoping for other peoples experience with the time it takes to switch from portrait to landscape mode with this installed. The review I read about this new release on WMexperts also listed the lag in rotation on a 6.1 ROM as one of the "Cons".

I reinstalled it and timed it. Without it installed the screen rotates in less than 1 second. With it installed it takes 5 to 7 seconds. Can anyone with a Touch Pro, Titan or similar slider phone give a comparison with WM6.0 or 6.1?

[amg212]

1. The biggest deal breaker is that they removed the ability to customize the launcher. In 2.0, I can tell it exactly what apps to show in the Internet group, the Tools group, etc. That's completely gone in 3.0 so if you use Opera instead of IE for your browser, forget adding it to the Internet group.

For the life of me, I can't understand why they didn't enable this by default. That said, the problem you note is fixable as long as you are comfortable making registry changes.

Read here: http://www.spbclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24155

The one remaining limitation is that it doesn't appear you can delete or hide the original menu items... but I'm sure that's just another registry tweak.

[moaske]

....I reinstalled it and timed it. Without it installed the screen rotates in less than 1 second. With it installed it takes 5 to 7 seconds. Can anyone with a Touch Pro, Titan or similar slider phone give a comparison with WM6.0 or 6.1?
Check the SpbClub forums; EVERY slider WinMO phone suffers an INTOLARABLE rotation-lag when the keyboard is slid out. Takes over 6 seconds for every known ROM image on the touch Pro and others...
Looks like the app is simply bad coded...it's like godzilla on your phone...
Too big, too many features, too little performance.... I liked MS2.0 much better (and TFLO3D even better) :)

[burtcom]

Check the SpbClub forums; EVERY slider WinMO phone suffers an INTOLARABLE rotation-lag when the keyboard is slid out. Takes over 6 seconds for every known ROM image on the touch Pro and others...
Looks like the app is simply bad coded...it's like godzilla on your phone...
Too big, too many features, too little performance.... I liked MS2.0 much better (and TFLO3D even better) :)

On my Tytn II -- rotate takes about 5 seconds the first time, then 2 seconds after.

Not great, but certainly not 6 seconds.

What I don't like about the rotate is that a bunch of my icons (in Lifestyle layout) get piled on top of each other on the rotate. I'm going to re-layout them while rotated and see if its smart enough to remember the two positions.

EDIT: yes, it does remember -- if you re-layout icons to fit better in rotated mode, MS3 will remember where to put them

[Rob Alexander]

For the life of me, I can't understand why they didn't enable this by default. That said, the problem you note is fixable as long as you are comfortable making registry changes.

Read here: http://www.spbclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24155

The one remaining limitation is that it doesn't appear you can delete or hide the original menu items... but I'm sure that's just another registry tweak.

Me either. I don't see why companies keep wanting to take away features that their customers want and that they've already done all the work to create. Anyway, thanks for the link. I looked it over and I could probably get by that way on the launcher. I'd grumble the whole time since regediting is much more cumbersome than the nice checklist system they had last time, but it would work. Somehwere in that same thread, they said to remove one, you just remove the entire key for that entry in the same place in the registry.

Now I just have to decide how much the other things matter. The launcher was an absolute deal-breaker for me, so with that out of the way, I'll give some thought to whether I could live with the rest. I'm still leaning toward sticking with v2.0 since it's still working very nicely for me.

[amg212]

Anyway, thanks for the link. I looked it over and I could probably get by that way on the launcher. I'd grumble the whole time since regediting is much more cumbersome than the nice checklist system they had last time, but it would work.

It's actually not so bad - the regedit is just to add the one key to enable adding. Do it once for each menu and then forget about it. MS3 will then allow add and remove through its own menu structure.

[code-frog]

I thought this was fantastic. I'm not here to disagree with anyone but this really scratched my itch big time. I love it.

[GAZ112142]

I agree, they went much more for Form with MS 3.0. They forgot function for the most part. They really do not like integration with third party apps. That is the worst part about it. It was one of the most requested features and they don't care.
Just bought it three days ago and I am disappointed. I do not need three times shown contacts in different ways, cannot be customized as needed, panels cannot be deleted or added, not enough possibilties to work with installedsoftware... To bad, I had a lot of trust in SPB what makes other good software e.g. backup

[Phillip Dyson]

To bad, I had a lot of trust in SPB what makes other good software e.g. backup

I'm not sure if trust is the issue. They had a trial available. I'm actually still running it. I'm pretty close to making the purchase.

I guess when my trial period runs out I'll be forced to make a decision.