Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I like the screen shots of the SPB Mobile Shell on the sbpsoftwarehouse website. I have heard it plays well with the Omnia. But damn it is expensive!

Anyone using this? It has received excellent reviews in the name-brand journals but I prefer the man-on-the-street viewpoint. Most official product reviewers don't have the products long enough to be annoyed by them.

So, what do you think?
Good? Bad? Great? Wonderful?

Advantages? Disadvantages?

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I really like it. I downloaded a WQVGA theme pack for it, and I like the features it offers. I can't really think of anything I don't like about it. The main thing that got me to try it were the themes. I like having a customized look. I had really high hopes for the widgets that come with the Omnia, but I probably only had that on my today screen for the first two days.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I have it on mine. it is worth the money. very easy to use and it flows well on the omnia. I also got the phone suite so I can filter my calls.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

While I can't vouch for it's ability to play well with the Omnia, I will say it's a great program. I've had my 700WX for almost 16 months and Mobile Shell was one of the first apps I installed. Hard to say what I like best about it, but the Today screen plug in and Now screen rank right up there.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I have used Shell on my Omnia since day one (very smooth interface on the Omnia) with the WQVGA theme-pack mentioned earlier and it works great!!! There is a CAB to allow a games icon as well (you will know where it is used if you try it), and another CAN called SPBWatcher that maked Shell your homw screen. Even if you close Shell accidentally it will pop back up. I haven't even seen my Today screen (except for the couple seconds it shows after a reset) in weeks LOL!!! If you decide to try or purchase Shell, let us know, I am sure we can get you directed to the extras you want.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Thanks!

I was originally looking at just the Mobile Shell. But the Phone Suite may be a good idea as well - perhaps the best deal would be to get the full Communication Pack? It is 50 bucks but it includes Mobile Shell as well as Phone Suite. (It also has Wireless Monitor and Insite - which I don't see much value in)

So: Mobile Shell, Phone Suite, WQVGA theme pack ??

This software may be my last harrah. This is my last "trial" week with this phone. I either get it right or get rid of it. I traded in a nice LG Dare for this thing but thus far have spent countless hours/days reading forums and trying to get it to look and act properly. I am hoping the SPB software could take care of such things as the horrible phone interface. Nearly a 1/4 of the screen is completely wasted while the list of recent calls is in microfont. Or the nearly useless phone book that I can only seem to operate with the ball-and-chain stylous. Or the ridiculous texting interface. Or the MP3 player with no EQ (Of course using it requires the ball-and-chain proprietary Samsung headphone adapter). Or the fact that I had to map the camera button to the Task Manager in order to close programs and so forth and so on etc... arrrrgggg!

How does the SBP get along with S2U2?

- Chris

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I have it as well...just put it on.....it works really well....didnt pay anything for it :D
if interested on the file send me a message..

ice

"dont pay 30 for it!!!!!"

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Remember, part of having a PPC is tweaking it to make it just the way you want it and that does take some time and effort. Really, that's part of the experience of owning a PPC, whether it's an older device, like my 700WX or your Omnia. A lot of the issues you bring up in your post are, or likely will be, addressed on this site. If you desire instant gratification, go with a BB or dare I say it, an iPhone. If you're willing to stay in it for the long haul, PPC's can't be beat.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Hope you're not suggesting that you'll send a cracked version of Mobile Shell. Nothing will get you booted off this site faster. See stickies on the home page. Just a heads up

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Thanks!

Yes, you are of course, quite correct. This experience is reminiscent of an old iPaq that I spent weeks configuring. It was full of serious system-crashing bugs that an old version of Spb significantly helped. (Spb had just started!) The problem in this case is that unlike the iPaq I use this thing constantly so am a bit more impatient.

I think I will go ahead and try the full communications pack and see what happens. The reviews are excellent across the board and these "man on the street" reviews are encouraging as well. (the most important in my view)

Note: In several other forums I belong to people have their configurations in their signatures. For example, in a Jeep forum I'm a part of everyone lists the modifications they have made so you get a good idea of things that can be done to improve the vehicle. Has a similar thing been considered here? Or perhaps even a section showing people's screen shots?

- Chris

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Quite a few folks have their device configurations in their sig lines. Screen shots are usually posted in separate forums. As a side note, I'm using several SPB products: Mobile Shell, Pocket Plus, Phone Suite, and Backup. All are very easy to configure and perform as advertised. I would STRONGLY suggest SPB Backup, as you never can tell when disaster may strike.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

OK, I downloaded the whole communication suite. Unfortunately, it is now reporting major conflicts with my Samsung Today menu.

I guess I know what I'll be doing for the next 12 hours. ](*,)

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

All installed.

My GAWD what a horrible program! The buttons and advance arrows are so tiny I can't even use them with my stylus!!! There is no advantage to any of it that I can see so far. The front screen is different but the phone is so slow I can't tell if it registered a tap or not so I end up jumping all over the place.

PLEASE tell me this is just some configuration issue. I have walked through all the menus I can find and I simply don't see anything that makes this $50 investment worth it. I see hardly ANY difference with the "phone suite" installed - except everything is now so slow it is hardly useable.

Help!!

Update: Things are getting worse including complete lockup of the phone requiring a hard restart!!! Buttons are too small to use it - even with the stylus. Program hangs all the time requiring soft restarts. Does not play well with S2U2 (a known issue requiring registry editing) Looking through the Spb website forums a lot of people are having host of similar problems with this program on the Omnia.

I get the feeling this was a BAD idea.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I never bought the program but...

I did install the trial version and I thought it worked well. I thought the buttons were nice and big, very touch friendly. It's got to be a setting somewhere, or maybe a conflict with something else.

Oh, and I have an Omnia i910

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Make sure that you go into the Phone suite settings and disable all of the "fluff" I think that might be one of the less useful ones. Mobile shell is pretty fast and responsive. Pocket plus has some decent features as well.

It sounds like you have too much running. Go into your today settings and disable everything that you don't need.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I run SPB mobile shell on my Omnia and its probably the best 'today' replacement i have found so far
ifonz (dont like, if i wanted to look like an iphone i would have bought an iphone)
WAD (quite like it, but found the configuration a bit annoying)
M2D (had this for a while and do like it, but replaced with SPB)

Use the imarche skins found here - http://www.imarche.net/omnia/index.php
also use SPBWatcher and have this the only running thing in the 'Today' settings.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Cmass....when you talk about small buttons...where are these buttons popping up? A screen-shot would be great if you can, Shell is knows for being finger-friendly, so I am quite suprised at your reaction. Personally I haven't found PhoneSuite to work well with Omnia, but I haven't found a good phone manager app like PhoneSuite that works well on my Omnia!

I am looking for a very small app for alert reminders, but other than that, between S2U2 and Shell (work GREAT together BTW) I don't see a need for a larger app like PhoneSuite or PhoneAlarm.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Thanks!

I'll go one better than screen shots and provide illustrated pictures:

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...tures/spbs.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...ures/spbsd.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...ures/spbse.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...ures/spbsh.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...ures/spbsg.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...ures/spbsb.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...ures/spbsc.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...es/spbsfix.jpg

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Thanks!

What fluff? I don't have any slide shows or screen savers or anything else running in the background. I've purposely kept it bare bones. Unless there is something using resources that I cannot see?? I even turned off S2U2 because it does not play well with Spb. (Known issue requiring registry edits)
Beyond that, I have my camera button mapped to the Task Manager so I can constantly close programs that don't actually close. Beyond that and beyond doing soft restarts all the time, I'm not sure how to clear anything up.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I was wondering if that was what you were talking about! I am at work right now, so I can't post images, but you need to run MobileShell itself...your using the Today plug-ins, and that isn't nearly as finger friendly. Shell actually takes over the OS and has it's own menus and layout. Now...the customization screen you showed......yeah....a bit small, but once you get it set up the way tou like, you don't really go to it much if at all!!

Here is my NOW screen, the large buttons on the bottom change screens, and the menu pages are broken into grids of 9:

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...8_0002_110.jpg

The main SPB page gives better images of the menus.

Also, I don't use PhoneSuite either, so I can't speak for that. What are you looking to get from Suite as far as functionability?

I also have never had any clash/conflict between S2U2 and MobileShell....certainly nothing needing a reg change!!

P.S. Nice looking Today screen!!

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I'll give the Watcher a try and look through the skins.
Thank you very much for your input!
- Chris

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Yours looks much easier to deal with no doubt about it. Where are you navigating within your phone to set it up that way?
(I feel like I'm driving around inside a maze inside this phone. Unfortunately, frustration has led to scatter-gunning my approach.)

-----------------
How to get Mobile Shell to run by itself?

Here is what I just tried:

SPB Menu -> settings -> today -> items I then checked only the Mobile Shell box. Of course...the only thing that now shows on the front are a few tabs at the top of the screen. My feeble brain is missing some big picture items here... :???:

If I go into Settings -> Mobile Shell there are a bunch of (tiny!) tabs at the bottom...I've gone through every item in there....not sure if there is something I need to set up in that menu??

If I go into Settings -> Customize menus it brings me to a page showing the "Spb menu" and various items such as Organizer, Internet etc... with check marks next to them. Anything here I need to do?
----------------------

What I was hoping to get from Phone Suite was a functioning phone. The default phone book is utterly useless. The arrows and buttons are so small I can only use them with a stylus on a flat table in the best of conditions. I'm often in an environments conducive to fat fingering.

Here are some issues as well as some ideas as to what I would like to find if available:

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...res/phonea.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...res/phoneb.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...res/phonec.jpg
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...res/phoned.jpg

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Could this be an issue:
When I put it onto the phone I placed the CAB file into the Programs folder in the My Storage area. I did not extract it to Device.
But still....the thing runs....sort of....and it doesn't look anything like the screenshots I've seen.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Well, I can see your issue with the small buttons, I have gorilla hands too. I know it sounds like I am blowing it off but, these programs were designed to be used in a WinMo PPC environment. That means (typically) stylus use. The iPhone has given this generation of PPC'ers the idea that everything should be finger-friendly instead of stylus based. (Not saying this is bad but, some of the software companies haven't gotten it yet.) There are other programs out there that are WAY more finger friendly for different things. I don't know which would work best for you or your phone. One that I think is pretty good is Pocket CM (contact manager.) It is super finger friendly and integrates threaded messaging. There are lots of skins available online (here too) if you search for them.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

It is odd because the sales staff in Verizon said this phone was the best ever....but most could not operate it. And when I visited the store after buying it, they agreed it was impossible to use many of the most basic functions because the buttons were so small. What the hell!?!

I'm not against using the stylus but it is only practical in certain conditions and since the Omnia does not have a stylus holder it is ridiculous to require its use. Especially when there is plenty of real estate for bigger buttons! ](*,)](*,)](*,):violent2:



Thanks for the tip: I will have a look at Pocket CM.

- Chris

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

the only tiny buttons, etc. are in the set-up. I can use my fingernail to navigate on them. Never thought I could do that, but is getting much easier. Besides, once you have it set up to your liking, you will not have to use the stylus much if at all. Many of us that came from the i760 and others are learning to wean ourselves from the stylus. I haven't had to use it now for the last five days. Kinda like quitting smoking I guess. I think there are general settings on the i910 to make Today screen, fonts, etc. bigger, but I haven't needed to change mine.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

The SPB shell stuff is horrible!!!! dont pay 30 for it!!!!!!!!! its a waste!!!!!!
Cmass that was a great post.....nice pics....i feel you on everything you said....
I'm about to install S2U2 now

ice-

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Wow... How did u get ur now screen to look like that?

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Can anyone show me the steps to setup the screen like syrguy1969 or perhaps others of you have it set up? For example: SPB menu -> Settings -> Mobile Shell -> Today .... . or whatever. I think I've explored and messed with every single menu on this device and cannot find anything that allows me to fundamentally change anything beyond the pictures I've shown. But obviously I'm missing something - big time.
Perhaps I am simply having a bunch of senior moments but geeezzz..

-----------

Meanwhile, I think I have found the root cause of the software design problems I am experiencing:

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Echrisel...ouchfinger.jpg

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Cmass...
just a question, is this ur first windows mobile phone? and if so Lemme be the first to say WinMo is like a child, you need patience to get it to do what u want it to do...

anyway...what are you trying to do, and I will see if I can help....

first lemme say I use Spb Mobile Shell and Pocket plus together...

I looked at ur pictures and yes those menu arrows are small, but once u have the programs set up the way u like u wont need to use them that much anymore...

I don't use phone suite if u want to customize the phone application I don't have any suggestions for that except to wait for one of the genius' here to create some...

just bear in mind even though Spb Mobile shell and pocket plus work well with the Omnia I doubt very highly spb has tested it specifically with the Omnia...so with a new phone like this we have to do some waiting for the software we want to catch up...

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I only have the following installed -
SPB Mobile Shell
SBP Watcher
Imarche Skins

and this is what it looks like at present -
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...dline/Home.jpg Home screen
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...dline/apps.jpgPrograms
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...line/apps1.jpgSome apps
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...line/games.jpgSome Games
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...line/comms.jpgComms Manager
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/contacts.jpgContacts (excuse the silly pics, they are real :) )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ne/weather.jpgWeather
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...line/today.jpgToday screen (Only SPBWatcher is enabled)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...line/skins.jpgImarche Skin changer
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/charging.jpgS2U2

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Thanks for your input.

Maybe I should let my 3 yo have a talk with this thing! Perhaps he could better communicate my behavioral expectations to it.

Here is what I am trying to achieve:
1) Large, clear buttons on the front screen that I can custom assign to any task, program or location on the phone. Similar to my PC desktop where I can click on an icon for a file folder or a media player, Contacts, Internet or Email. In fact I'm surprised they don't just use the same vocabularly to describe similar concepts. It appears the "Today screen" is the same as my "desktop". ? ?
2) This thing is still supposed to be a "phone". It has been hard enough for me to give up my rugged, easy-to-hold flip phone with raised tactile buttons in favor of an akward-to-hold, thin rectangle with no "real" buttons. But, the Phone Book induces cursing every time I open it up. Thus far I have found basic phone functions to be completely unacceptable - much of it explained in the above post. Some of it also has to do with how and when the screen locks.
I would like to be able to more easily see the name & number of the person calling me. It should also be very quick and simply to SEE the last few people who called and be able to either call them back or log them. But, at the moment, the buttons are too small and the screen set up so wierd, I cannot control many fuctions without stopping and pulling out the stylus.
3) I want the programs to actually close when I close them and I want the memory to stay clean. I want to prevent "memory leaks" if possible. At the recommendation of another forum member I downloaded "Magicbutton" that supposedly does this. At first, it did indeed appear to close out programs, but it appears it only did it when I had the device connected to my PC. After checking it now I notice that once again, there are 5 applications running in the back ground.
4) Whatever interface I choose, it should be easy to configure and update.
5) A simple and configurable player with an EQ. I thought I had this with the Pocket Player I am trying out but but thus far it has been so painfully sluggish - sometimes taking so long to respond (even to tilt screen changes) that it locks up.

I do NOT want to use a stylus - especially when this thing has no stylus holder.

There are more....but those are the basics...

To answer your question, yes, this is my first Windows phone - but not my first Windows device. My first was an older HP iPaq PDA.....and as I go up this learning curve/mountain I am recalling the difficulties I had with it as well. In fact, the iPaq had so many bugs that an Spb product was the only way I got to to perform even moderately well.
The iPaq has been sitting unused for several years after I got sick of it loosing ALL data every time the non-replaceable battery drained. Well, that and the fact that it hung all the time and there were more application conflicts than I could count.
Why the Omnia then? I had a very sturdy LG for several years but wanted to move up to a more Internet capable phone and a better camera, so I got the LG Dare. (I use the camera function a hell of a lot so this was important) This was a decent phone but it was "not quite there" in terms of it's Internet capabilities. For example, it would only let me see the text of Emails and the built-in browser is quite bad. Since I was beyond the trial period for the Dare, Verizon would not take it back but they did offer the 1 year pricing for the Omnia. If I can get this Omnia working to my satisfaction, I will sell the Dare, otherwise, I will keep it and take the Omnia back. Problem is, I have only a few days left to get all this figured out before my return period expires on the Omnia!! Thus some of my panic.

I understand there is a price to be paid (in blood and money) for the advantages of a fully customizable device such as the Omnia but as is often the case when I take on a new "project", getting up to speed can be very painful. I also have my eye on the fact that I am unemployed and now spending more money/month for the data package. If it works the way I thought it would, it can help me. If not, then it is only costing me more money and headache at a time I can ill aford either.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

That look great!
But I'm still confused. HOW did you configure it that way? Which menu did you go into? I have gone through every menu I can find and cannot find any option that gets me close to what you have.

For example, how did you get the buttons to be that style, that size and placed in that location on your home page?

Could much of this be in the skins???

PS - Don't worry about the silly contacts pics - I would get killed if my friends knew which pics I chose to represent them when they call! (And in some cases I have no other photos of them except the one I took in the bar last year :mrgreen:)

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Ok, this I can help with. I have about 500 contacts and find the phone book and the contacts page a nightmare to deal with. But... I have a solution that I only recently learned about!!!!

When you go into your phone application and you have the numbers showing (you know the one you dial from), just start typing the name you want. It will start weeding out the contacts that don't fit what your typing. If you want to call John Wayne, just start typing "J" "O" "H" "N" and it will narrow down all your contacts to the johns. This also works with last names, first names, and even phone numbers. It's an amazing tool. I have found that I don't even use speed dials or photo contacts anymore, I just start typing the name of the person that I want and it comes up, then I just click on their name (with my fat fingers) and then push call. Works like a charm.

Let me know if you didn't figure it out.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Cmass, I remember when I had SPB Mobile Shell installed that I had to run the program "SPB Menu" or something like that to get the actual 'cool' part to come up. You arn't looking for the plugin, but the program that runs on top of the today screen that kind of takes over or hijacks WM6.1.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

DJ Redline, could you post a link to those skins!!!! Those look so good I'm thinking about actually getting SPB Mobile Shell now.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Install SPB Mobile Shell
Download latest imarche skins pack from http://www.imarche.net/omnia/fullpacks.php extract the .zip file on your PC then just move the whole folder anywhere on your sotrage card. Browse to folder via your phone and you will see a 'scripts' folder, within this run the 'mortscript.exe' and then run the Install_WQVGA.mscr' file. This will install the skin pack and go through its options (follow the link above to see different themes etc, mines Kyro-Windows)
Install SPBWatcher and have this as the only running item within the 'Today' Screen

Thats all that's required to get what i got apart from the S2U2 theme.
To see the comms manager, from the home page just click on the top bar.
Programs/Tools will have the 'SPB Skins' application to change your theme.
Programs/Settings will have the 'SPB Mobile Shell' and 'Customize Menu' applications to change various options.

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

I just installed those about 10 min before I read about imarche. Very nice!

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Cmass....Phanrom27 is correct, I think the step your missing is actually running the SPB Menu file. That is what will take over the OS. That is also the big advantage of installing Watcher (posted earlier) as it will automatically keep it running for you and you don't have to worry about finding the file and running it every time you close it!!

Re: Thinking of installing SPB Mobile Shell
 

Great input. Thanks to all!

The thing is so screwed up now after all my hours of fiddling around that I may just do a hard restart and reload the programs.

If I do, should I also do as I did before and load the Spb program files to "my storage" under "programs"? As a general rule, I am not storing anything on "my device". Is this a problem???

- Chris



PS - You know what I think? I think Verizon and/or Samsung should pay people a few cents for every time someone clicks the "thanks" button for successful advice related to their phones. After all, many times the good Samaritan’s advice may be the difference between someone keeping the phone and returning it - which is a big financial hit every time it happens. Since they have virtually no real-world support......this seems like a critical function.