Monocube says.
(Click here for a larger view of Monocube's SafeMode)According to Monocube, Windows Mobile has no "safe" mode analogous to the one provided by desktop versions of Windows. This means that under normal circumstances, there's no way to start up a device while avoiding malware, incompatible drivers, or an improperly coded application that may be causing device crashes.
SafeMode protects a Windows Mobile device by appearing every time a device is soft-reset, according to the company. The utility becomes the fourth program to load as Windows Mobile boots, after three essential, Microsoft-authored applications. As a result, Monocube claims, SafeMode can stop "all known third-party application types."
Monocube's SafeMode (left) and configuration menu (right)
(Click to enlarge)When SafeMode has been installed, says Monocube, the program will appear when a device starts up (top of page), offering a choice of normal startup, a safe mode startup, or an instant reboot. If safe mode is chosen, the screen pictured at above left appears, providing pared-down access to the Windows Mobile File Explorer, program removal, and the SafeMode configuration menu (above right).
Applications that can be totally bypassed, or selectively enabled via SafeMode menus, are said to include the following:
- INIT applications -- Low-level applications, such as older versions of "Mad Programmer's ForceHiRes" or "XCPUScalar"
- Services -- System applications that are not visible with the task manager, and generally run in the background
- Startup applications -- Startup links, placed in "Windows\Startup"
- Today plugins
- Input methods, such as custom keyboards
- Internet Explorer plug-ins
- Additional extensions found in the system registry
As of version 3, SafeMode was "developed almost from zero, based on user requirements and feedback," according to Monocube. Compared to earlier versions, 3.x versions apparently load earlier in the boot process, and are compatible with a wider variety of devices.
SafeMode is said to work on most Windows Mobile 5.x and 6.x devices, plus Microsoft's Windows Mobile emulators. Version 3.1, set for release next week, adds support for Samsung's
Omnia, and for HTC devices that include the
Touch HD,
Touch Diamond,
Touch Pro,
TyTn II, and
3470.
Further informationSafeMode costs approximately $10 until the end of December, at which point the price will be raised to $13, Monocube says. More information may be found on the company's website,
here.
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