SPB Mobile Shell

[shappy0869]

Originally Posted by BeanAnimal

Having tried SBP MS a few times and comparing it to HTC Manila... they are not even in the same class.

My opinion:
MS is an eye candy toy, not a tool. It hinders productivity for a business user, not enhances it. The shell breaks dialer features and other native functionality and it is not at all stable or battery friendly. The product is not free, it is a commercial product and the support is just not there. I have tried MS on a few phones with NO other software or hacks and it is simply not stable.

And just to show how YMMV, I find MS completely stable and much more functional than TF3D. I have my MS set up so that I have one touch access to my appointments, work and personal email, text messages and contacts with a clean and efficient home screen.

I found I could do much more things more quickly with MS than TF3D. Perhaps that will change when we get Sense UI in 6.5?

[zizo72]

Originally Posted by BeanAnimal

Having tried SBP MS a few times and comparing it to HTC Manila... they are not even in the same class.

My opinion:
MS is an eye candy toy, not a tool. It hinders productivity for a business user, not enhances it. The shell breaks dialer features and other native functionality and it is not at all stable or battery friendly. The product is not free, it is a commercial product and the support is just not there. I have tried MS on a few phones with NO other software or hacks and it is simply not stable.

really i don't know how u say that! u are not a real wm user!

[amw1972]

Used MS on and off since 2.0 days...love the direction that they are going...and love the fact that they are receiving user customization support...go search around XDA and you'll know what I mean.

Also, providing now one of several Sense look-a-like themes.

I, too, have gone back to Rhodium manila. IMHO, MS is eye candy...more fluff than substance really...the 3.5 update is nice...but it doesn't play well with the TP2. The dialer feature thing has been addressed...but haven't seen anyone mention that the Bluetooth toggle doesn't work.

Also, another case in point concerning the fluff, is the 3d message view. Looks great...but you can't function in that UI. When u choose to reply...you're sent back to WinMo's native messaging screen.

I normally run MS for about 2-3 weeks...and I'll go back to manila...just a change of pace...especially when we can't flash our phones yet.

OP, good looking out...but you should search the forums first...because SPB is all over the joint...esp in the software and theme sub forum.

[lefty11]

Originally Posted by BeanAnimal

Having tried SBP MS a few times and comparing it to HTC Manila... they are not even in the same class.

My opinion:
MS is an eye candy toy, not a tool. It hinders productivity for a business user, not enhances it. The shell breaks dialer features and other native functionality and it is not at all stable or battery friendly. The product is not free, it is a commercial product and the support is just not there. I have tried MS on a few phones with NO other software or hacks and it is simply not stable.

I used 3.0 which had bugs, and have been using Mobile Shell 3.5 since day it came out. I would have to say it is about as stable as you can get, I have no issues with dialer, and being as customizable as it is, I can put every quicklink or appt or whatever on one screen and with a mere slide of a finger I can go right to another page that is totally customizable also, I can do 5 pages on one look and 5 on the lifestyle look (good for the weekends) . It's like having my professional phone during the week and then on the weekend I switch phones for my playtime, multimedia, taking it easy , weekend on the go mode. It also has eye candy with the gsensor functionality on the carousel(which looks cool as heck) and has the 3d mode on sms and emails if desired. Everyone who sees it on my phone ends up using t on their winMo devices after I show them. There is also the SPB MobileShellSkins which lets you mix an match different style icons, launcher buttons , etc. the contacts and organization is exceptional also giving you different views and access to contacts. I am puzzled why someone would not find it good for work as well as Manila...and definitely much better looking. It's not a major install and you can get a two week free trial at
www.spbsoftware.com . I do believe its fully functional for the trial period, then if you donot like it just go to "remove programs" and take it off. You can change the layout, icon size , and add some cool widgets too , The birthday widget is a nice extra. It tracks your birthdays from contact list. this is just one little extra I like, not to mention the soft reset button that is available in the tool section. I know the TP2 doesn't require many soft resets but when it does, it is a pain to have to remove the back cover. Try it, if you like it, great, if you don't, remove it..No harm done.Say thanks

[jmorton10]

Originally Posted by lefty11

the carousel(which looks cool as heck) and has the 3d mode on sms and emails if desired.

that stupid carousel was one of the things that turned me off about MS.

I thought it was cool as hell the first time I saw it, but after using the program for three weeks I realized all those features where 100% useless fluff (in three weeks, I don't think I ever used the carousel once -that silly thing makes the device HARDER to use, not easier & reminds me of something an iphone user would love)

~John

[shappy0869]

I agree about the carousel and the 3D mail, totally useless, but neither are required to be used.

[lefty11]

Yes carousel is eye candy , but there are different doors to different functions, you never have to use the carousel..Choices,,,that's what I like about Mobile Shell compare to the stock setup right now....of course that will change after (if) the unlocker finally comes out...but it's .. I still use the carousel sometimes now, but I have everything setup on all my pages just the way I like which makes it super easy and super functional . I do disagree about the 3d email being useless , it allows you to read a lo of an email without actually opening it. I know this is also in stock setup, but it's just nice to have the "option"

[budney]

Thread moved to Software Forum!

[racedog]

I installed the 10 demo earlier today and while the first glimpse of MS was impressive, I'm finding that I'm not all that impressed. First off, I wanted to put the updating stock quotes that are on the tf3d scroll bar onto my desktop but I can't them the routine that does that anywhere. Second, immediately after installing MS on my Imagio my voicemail and messaging starting going whacko but they seem to have stablized now. Third, they offer very limited options for the desktop weather and the closest city near the small town where I live is over 80 miles away so that weather doesn't do me any good. I looked all over to find how to put in my local weather but couldn't find a way to do it. I downloaded the ms guide pdf and there is also nothing at all in there about how to add your local weather. Fourth, I now have an icon on the top taskbar to the right of the connection icon, I have no idea what it is and no idea how to get rid of it. Again, I looked all through the ms guide to find out what it is and there is nothing in there about it.

The Imagio does run faster with ms 3.5 but fast is pointless when I can't get the apps I need, remove icons that I don't need and when messaging and voicemail seems that it may be compromised. All in all I'm not a terribly happy camper. I'm going to play a little more with it tonight but I'll probably be removing it within the next day or so unless I can find out how to make this thing do what I need for it to do. TF3D may not be quite as fast but it does do the things I need for it to do and it makes it easy for me to get to those things.

R

[daroga]

Racedog,

Tap and hold anywhere on the screen to bring up customization. You're pretty limitless on what you can do to customize the screen. Tapping and holding on the icon you don't want there should bring up an option to "remove."

Make sure everyone checks out MSkip's customizations for MS 3.5. They're pretty slick. Check out XDA Devs for the links.