Compared with version 1.0 of the application, launched last year, the new version of Spb Mobile Shell has improvements that include the following, according to the company:
- Gesture-based navigation can be used to launch the program
- All functionality is now available from one tabbed window
- Full-screen dialogs are available for weather forecasts, world time, contacts, and alarms
- Transitions from screen to screen are now animated
- Memory consumption is lower
Spb Mobile Shell's first component is a Now screen, designed as an alternative to Windows Mobile's standard "Today" screen. Available in a simplified version featuring an analog clock (below left) or a "professional" version that packs in more information (below right), this screen shows information such as date and time, missed calls, unread messages, and upcoming appointments, plus battery and signal levels.
Spb Mobile Shell's Now screen has simplified (left) and professional (right) versions
(Click to enlarge)Its second component is a program launching menu that features "quick launch" icons across the top of the screen (below left), and program groups below that. This menu features automatic listing of recently used programs, animated transitions, and "pinned shortcuts," according to Spb.
The third component is a contacts screen that lists recent calls and shows contacts using their photos, if available (below middle). A new full-screen dialog (below right) allows easier editing of contact information, according to Spb.
Spb Mobile Shell features program launching (left) and contact management (middle, right) components
(Click to enlarge)Finally, the new "smart gestures" feature allows accessing any of the above components using specific motions of a stylus. For example, a semicircular motion at the top left of any screen can bring up Spc Mobile Shell's Now screen. A semicircular motion at the top right of any screen brings up the application's Contacts screen. Tracing a line down the middle of any screen shows miniature previews of Spb Mobile Shell's three components (see below).
Spb Mobile Shell's "smart gestures" feature provides access to its screens from within any other application
(Click to enlarge)Spb Mobile Shell version 2.0 requires touchscreen Windows Mobile 5 or 6 devices, and 3.3MB of storage on a device. It costs approximately $30, and is downloadable in a trial edition from the Spb website,
here.
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