| Spb Mobile Shell Review | | | | used cellular phone. It is really well considered. The |
| | | | menu has eight icons with submenus which perfectly |
| Windows Mobile based phones have great abilities for | | | | fit in a landscape mode. For example, "Messaging" icon |
| communication, productivity, entertainment. But more | | | | opens the submenu, where you can choose from |
| complex devices are harder to use. Most users while | | | | items like: "Create new SMS", "Create New E-Mail", |
| switching from regular cellular phones to PDA-phones | | | | "Read SMS", "Read E-Mail". Very user-friendly, now |
| notice that PDAs are harder to control when things | | | | you don't have to navigate through folders and menus |
| come to simple phone tasks, like one hand operation, | | | | of Messaging application. |
| making calls from a phonebook and so on. For | | | | Every icon contains such submenus with additional |
| example, to write a new text message on the | | | | useful functionality that you can easily access. In |
| Windows Mobile phone you have to start Messaging | | | | Multimedia you can browse media library, start a |
| application and tap "New" button. At the same time, | | | | slideshow or launch different modes of camera. |
| there is a "New Message" item in every simple cellular | | | | No need to tap on a screen with a stylus, all can be |
| phone's | | | | reached with a device navigation button or numeric |
| | | | keyboard. |
| However, there is one significant advantage for | | | | "Now" Standby screen |
| Windows Mobile phones - these inconveniences can | | | | |
| be improved with good software. Spb Mobile Shell will | | | | Spb Mobile Shell also features a nice standby screen, |
| warp all the power of Pocket PC with easy and | | | | called "Now". This screen can be activated manually, |
| familiar interface. Let's take a closer look. | | | | by the time-out or every time you switch your device |
| Spb Mobile Shell consists of three parts: a powerful | | | | on. |
| Today Screen plug-in, a cell phone-like menu and a | | | | This screen shows all current information in a very |
| new standby screen. | | | | tight form. Clock (digital or analog), weather for today, |
| Today Screen Plug-in | | | | battery charge status and signal strength, missed calls, |
| | | | SMS, e-mails and upcoming appointments - all this |
| Today Screen Plug-in is a light version of Spb Pocket | | | | information on one device screen and easy enough to |
| Plus, Spb Weather, Spb Time and some sort of | | | | read on the go - the thing mostly missed by users |
| photo-calling application. | | | | after switching to Windows Mobile Phone. Simple, nice |
| One of the biggest advantages of Spb Mobile Shell | | | | and useful! |
| Today plug-in is that it saves space on your Pocket | | | | Conclusion |
| PC's Today screen. When you install Mobile Shell it | | | | |
| creates four Tabs: Home, Time, Weather and Dial. | | | | Spb Mobile Shell is a great application. Power means |
| The Home Tab is a smart quick launch panel. Its icon | | | | nothing without control, and if Windows Mobile potential |
| shows you battery charge status and the content is | | | | is power, then Spb Mobile Shell is control. |
| automatically formed from frequently used applications. | | | | It has practically everything that is needed for |
| The Time Tab shows you time in three time zones of | | | | comfortable work with PDA like with an ordinary cell |
| your choice and the next alarm time. | | | | phone: |
| The Weather Tab shows a forecast for a selected | | | | - Several Today Tabs, by the way, big enough to |
| city. | | | | press with a finger |
| In the Dial Tab you can place photo icons of your | | | | - Convenient dialer |
| contacts for speed dial. | | | | - Photo-contacts on one of the Tabs |
| | | | - Support of third party plug-ins |
| Also, you can add any Today plug-in as a Tab. For | | | | - Excellent menu: every application or setting can be |
| example Spb Pocket Plus for customizable | | | | easily reached without a stylus |
| quick-launch of Pocket PC applications. | | | | - Under Tabs' stripe there can be other elements of |
| If you use Spb Time and Spb Weather, the | | | | Today Screen. The opening Tab will simply overlap |
| corresponding Tabs also have extended functionality | | | | these elements. |
| like multiple alarms and weather forecasts for different | | | | |
| cities. | | | | Besides, Spb Mobile Shell operates quite quickly, Tabs |
| Auto-hide function is another prominent feature of Spb | | | | are switched instantly, and there is no difference in |
| Mobile Shell Today plug-in. It keeps Tab contents | | | | operating speed after the installation on Pocket PC. |
| hidden when not in use, thus leaving Today Screen | | | | As a minimum, this utility will allow to spare a |
| free to enjoy nice background pictures. | | | | considerable amount of space on Today by |
| Phone-like menu | | | | compressing six rows to one neat row on the screen. |
| | | | And as a maximum, it will enable to navigate a PDA |
| The second major part of Spb Mobile Shell is its Menu. | | | | with one hand only without a stylus. |
| It can be assigned to any hardware button or to the | | | | With such application your device gets cell-phone |
| soft key of your PDA. | | | | usability and keeps all advantages of Pocket PC |
| Spb Menu will look familiar to you if you have ever | | | | system, something that you should really give a try. |