Database Develop

Alternate home screen clock applet / theme

I've just been looking at a Wikipedia article on Windows Mobile, and saw the following screen shot of a 'standard' windows mobile 6.1. Does anyone know where to find this theme/applet/plugin or whatever it is - I really like the look of it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Windows_mobile_6.png
Thanks.

demo2000 said:
Does anyone know where to find this theme/applet/plugin or whatever it is - I really like the look of it.
Thanks.
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Click to collapse
why yes, on any non-touch screen WM 6.x device... in other words, a smartphone, not a Pocket PC. In a way, you answered yourself: this is WM Standard, and Kaiser is WM Professional.

Ah, that explains it then. It's a shame it's not also available on touch screen devices, as I think it looks really clean - nicer than the usual HTC Home app I think. I've tried other home screen clocks and styles, but havent found one yet that I really like (other than this one unfortunately...!!)
Thanks anyway

I use SPB Mobile Shell as it looks slightly more usable than HTC Home which was not bundled with phone initially.

I use SPB mobile shell too,it´s more better than HTC home.And for big clock on today I´m using Pocket digital clock.

Touchflo 3D vs SPB Mobile Shell

Hi,
I've read a lot of pros to deactivate TF3D and install Mobile Shell because of the performance, and i was hoping to hear from people theirs pros and cons and i DON'T mean "i like TF3D bla bla" but an explanation too!!
I thinks it's a lot of storage to be used, or can it be installed on the internal memory?!

TF3D lasted about 20 minutes for me, it looks great but didnt really give me what I needed, when I needed it.
I found it dreadfully slow and fairly clumsy ...yes, I know you can tweak it to the N`th degree now, but still seems to be more cosmetic than funtional. Just a thin flash skin over WM6, and it resorts back to WM6 when you have to do more in depth things with the phone.
I guess I was biased towards SPB Mobile Shell though, as I`ve used it on my last 2 phones (Tytn and Tytn II) and love the way it simplifies and speeds up using the phones. It is not just an improvement over the TF3D but also Windows Mobile. Far more user friendly!! (finger friendly)
I have the latest version on my diamond and love the ability to thumb/finger scroll through the options/section just as well as the TF3D, it`s still layed out well, although I don`t like the way they`ve done the frequently used/favourite programs bits... I liked having the start square infact I prefer the layout of the previous version (9 squares rather than the 6 squares and the messy favourites bar at top.)
It doesnt look as lovely and unified as the TF3D but I realise that you can change the theme. It can look a bit garrish with the multicoloured icons .
The now (today) screen is far more useful on SPB as you can add/remove options.. still not as customisable as real today screen (I probably haven`t found all the plugins tho ?)
I would download the trial as see what you think.
I give TF3D a big thumbs down and SPB Mobile Shell a big thumbs up
Hope this all makes some sense / is of some use, as am slightly sloshed *h*i*c* !

Where have you installed the progam files? In the internal storage or RAM (i guess it's called?!))

I installed it on the phone rather than the internal storage, seemed to be plenty of space. Never normally install to the phone area but feel (rightly or wrongly) that it helps running from phone memory ?? Still loads of room and phone flies along. Doesnt seem to as big an issue as it once was.

hi bro,
being an experience user with spb shell, can you kindly share with us with some skins that you are using?

I have the latest version of SPB Shell (though not installed at the moment as just flashed with a new ROM.
I prefer the SPB Shell as it is alot smoother and faster switching between the menus and the main today screen can be configured to give alot more info than the TF3D one.
For those that like to know the weather it gives you a breakdown of what the weather is going to be like at various times of the day rather than just now (I can look out of the window for that) and even the 5 day forecast can be viewed to see the expected weather at various times of the day.
As for skins the default ones that come with it are only different colours but having a choice of colours from scratch is better than the plain TF3D.
SPB Shell is very configurable compaired to TF3D but still not as configurable as some other Today screens unless like th eother poster said it comes in the form of other plugins.
I have it installed to normal phone memory and everythings fine. I haven't tried installing it to the internal memory but figure if I have to reinstall it if I flash a new ROM anyway I may as well make sure that it's cleared for a fresh reinstall.
Deffo one to give a try if you want something other than TF3D - smoother, more configurable, more skin options, ability to add more plugins.

I have to agree that TF3D is not something that is usable. As a matter of fact, I am very close to labeling it as a piece of crap. All the bad points of TF3D has been posted in this forums countless times and I do not want to repeat it. I am sticking with TF3D is because of one reason only. That is because it's the Diamond's identity. If I were to use other today plugins I would not have gotten the Diamond. Diamond and TF3D is like coffee and sugar/milk (depending on how you like it). Without it, the Diamond loses it's identity.

How about battery usage? Any difference there?

Vic5870 said:
I have to agree that TF3D is not something that is usable. As a matter of fact, I am very close to labeling it as a piece of crap. All the bad points of TF3D has been posted in this forums countless times and I do not want to repeat it. I am sticking with TF3D is because of one reason only. That is because it's the Diamond's identity. If I were to use other today plugins I would not have gotten the Diamond. Diamond and TF3D is like coffee and sugar/milk (depending on how you like it). Without it, the Diamond loses it's identity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you. But where can TF3d Themes be found?
I have found two .theme files that works and easy to set up. O2 Blue and Orange Lite. But it would be nice to get something like the White Diamond

I think its better explained this way:
SPB can house many more functions. If you need your phones apps the whole day long an need to navigate your small system every minute, TF3D is really not the thing. SPB is very good, and takes care of every single corner on your phone. Highly skinnable, and fast.
I tried it, but you know, it's too much for me.
I like a lot of apps, but I don't use em every day. So I want to fast check Email, SMS, or weather, or make a call. For those basic functions I think TF3D is the best. Just grab phone, Thumb-thingy to the right tab and off you go.
I don't need something TF3D cant do. Well, some minor things, like agenda and tasks, but I guess that'll be fixed in a few weeks

I'll vote for the Shell too: I tried Flo, really tried as it looks so good, but found it was just unworkable!
Shell is clean and simple, and fast. Also, I use a P3600i in some situations (such as when I really want to hear incoming call rings) - using Shell keeps me to a common interface.
These are the setting that I use:
TABS Home TODAY Date
Time SPB Shell
Weather Owner
Dial Tab Messaging
Calendar
Fring
SPB Menu Internet IE/Opera + Favorites
No Data
Fring
Internet Sharing
Comm Mgr
Multimedia Media Player
Camera
Pictures
Voice recorder
Album
Tools Task Mgr
File Browser
Rotate
Lock
Profiles
SPB Backup
MemMaid
App to Date
Programmes (auto)
My Menu 1Calc
TomTom
Ozi
Stock Mgr
Best Crypto
FM Radio
Settings (auto)
I run TLR v3 - clean and stable.
Unrelated to SPB Mobile Shell, my final 'make it perfect' was to get rid of the ring delay by:
Diamond Phonepad skin: HKLM -> Security -> Phone -> Skin -> Enable (set 1 to 0), then reset

It all depends on what you do with your phone. I tried SPB Mobile Shell and it worked nicely. Quite happy with it. It's faster and more user friendly compared to TF3D. The homescreen also looks nice and it has a nice feature where you can move your finger in a downward movement from the taskbar to choose between the 3 pages of the shell. Although the Now screen is not very customizable (maybe it is with correct plugins?), the other page u can change every shortcut to programs and such. It's nice, but I don't tweak my Diamond anymore as I used to. I saw the Orange Theme with TF3D and I liked it alot. The analog clock looks great. If you're new with the Diamond and ur tweaking and changing and everything, I suggest you get SPB Shell (or just disable TF3D). But TF3D still looks better (orange theme that is)..
I just need to find a white .tsk theme for wm6.1.. All I see is grey/red/purple/whatever... Goodluck with this..

Install SPB Mobile Shell on Diamond

I'm eager to install the SPB Mobile Shell on my HTC Touch Diamond, but I cannot seem to find any guide anywhere on how to do it. What steps do I need to take prior to the installation? Is it sufficient to disable Touch Flo 3D in the registry, or do I have to install a custom ROM?
Thanks in advance!

why would you want to use mobile shell, touchflo 3d is so much better and faster?!

for installation you don't have to disable TF3D... but in order to see the Today-Plugins from Mobile-Shell you need to disable it.

I only use Shell on my Diamond - Flo drives me round the bend. Try setting the Flo weather location using Flo - it is enough to drive one batty!
Shell may not be as pretty - but is far more fuctional IMHO.
Just grab a ROM which either has no Flo or (at the very least) uninstallable Flo.

SPB shell is easy to set up - just follow the instructions that came with the product.
go to: start/settings/today/items and disable TF3D and enable SPB. if you wish to change back do the reverse.
i use SPB. it is quicker, more intuitive and just easier than the TF3D. the black skin looks ace also.
have tried to go back to TF3D but always end up back with SPB.

Thanks for your comments! Does anybody know how much space is wasted to have Flo installed but not using it? Do I really need to go for a custom ROM?
_4saken_: Touch Flo is driving me crazy. I've been using my Diamond for a week now and I simply cannot stand it anymore. I want an interface that is practical, that I can use everyday at work, that does not necessarily impress my friends in any way. But that helps me achieve my daily tasks in the most efficient way possible.
Touch Flo 3D is very nice looking but IMHO it is not especially functional. In my world simplicity and function wins over glossiness and sluggish animations ;-)
From the demos I've seen on SPB there are many smart features that saves clicks and gives a better flow of events, as compared to Touch Flo. But then again, I have yet to try it out

Are you sure?
_4saken_ said:
why would you want to use mobile shell, touchflo 3d is so much better and faster?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try it?
I had both. the combination of SPB mobile shell + SPB time + SPB phone suite is much more flexible and gives more possibilities. As for speed - the SPB is heavy if you use custom "nice" theme.
Regards,
PV

ComPas-V said:
Did you try it?
I had both. the combination of SPB mobile shell + SPB time + SPB phone suite is much more flexible and gives more possibilities. As for speed - the SPB is heavy if you use custom "nice" theme.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With heavy you mean slow? So you've experienced the SPB to be slower than Touch Flo? Just curious!

Yes and no
jobook said:
With heavy you mean slow? So you've experienced the SPB to be slower than Touch Flo? Just curious!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Diamond is VGA (probably you know ). The SPB mobile shell uses bmp so to make custom theme you should double pics size and as result file size. So theme becomes heavy. However it does not make the program slow, but eats memory... So we came to the classic Windows situation - shell eats all memory dedicated for programs...
As for usability issue : the interface is more informative then 3DFlo. not too much though.
Cheers

new touch flow 3D or SPB mobile shell 3?

Before switching to TD2, i used SPB mobile shell and I was very satisfied about that software
TF3D is so much like an eye-candy, but for the way I use WM phones, I prefer having multiple functions on one screen, provided that we can put lots of things at the same time on a 480x800 screen.
I hope both companies can come up with new version of their software to perfect user experiences. I look forward for this to happen more than seeing WM6.5 or WM7
what do you think? and sorry about my english

If you say so, I think PointUI HOME2 is much better suitable for you. You can have different theme, different arrangment of the screen. And the most important, it is free.

Current version of Spb Mobile Shell (3.01) still has issue in Diamond2. You may refer to Spb forum regarding those issue. I just wait for a more stable Mobile Shell version, just like the ancestor stable verion 2.15, to run in my Diamond2.

The moment I got my D2, I disengaged TF3D and use SPB MS 3.0. TF has just too many gestures to get where u want. SPB MS makes it easy to access the applications.

IMHO....
TF3D is an extremely unproductive UI. Contacts and calendar are the two most important things for business and TF3D is configuration limited scrolling hell.
With the calendar I can see today and tomorrow. It has a gimmicky month view but in all not very useful at all.
The contacts themselves within TF3D are annoying as I have to scroll even when in a contact to get to the option to view the standard WM full details because TF3D does not display what I want to see. By default finding a contact in TF3D is like having to win a game of Teeter first.
SPB Mobile Shell 3.0 is also very unproductive. It does not integrate with SPB Diary (not today plugin friendly) and amazingly does not even integrate with SPB Phone (try to turn rules on and off from the Shell!!!). You lose weather views and the easy moving between cities even if you have a licence for SPB Traveller!
The contacts screen from Mobile Shell 2.0 is the best I have seen. It has "dedicated contact names T9 search for any part of contact string" (very valuable feature).
The HTC dialer on the Topaz offers non-T9 name search only from the beginning of each word (vastly inferior to SPB Shell 2. Contacts) but it is still quite usable.
In a choice of TF3D vs SPB MS3.0 vs no shell I would choose no shell.
Maybe install SecondToday. Put your calendar (something like TodayAgenda or SPB Diary) on the second Today screen. Put your calls/e-mail/messages, program launcher, music player and weather application plugins on the front page.
We should be able to use specialist programs for functionality that is important to us. The above 2 shells exclude the ability to mix and match what we want. For many people they will not allow a UI that suits their lifestyle.
Why did we want a WM phone in the first place?
We may as well be choosing above between Nokia and Motorola. These shell providers could do better and they should!
IMHO

I've had no problems with SPB shell 3. It works great. I have all the other spb shell apps and they all work great! It's nice to be able to have 2 different types of today screens. and the lifestyle today screen is great. one page for media, one for phone controls/tools and one for games and 'other'
it's much better than touchflo

Ich switched from TF to Mobile Shell and i think Mobile Shell delivers what i expected from TF...

I prefer shell than TF3D too. I usually get to what I want faster...

Mobile Shell 3 interfere HTC dialer
If you look at the following thread in Spb forum, you may find one of Mobile Shell issue in Diamond2:
http://www.spbclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25814
You just cannot tap the left bottom "Contact" button in the default (HTC) dialer to open contact.

Maybe we could all get back to the old and ultimate WisBar
Regards,
Carty..

SPB Mobile Shell 3 is better than TouchFLO

chch said:
SPB Mobile Shell 3.0 is also very unproductive. It does not integrate with SPB Diary (not today plugin friendly) and amazingly does not even integrate with SPB Phone (try to turn rules on and off from the Shell!!!).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, this is very annoying to me. I like the phone suite for the sound profiles that you can set including the automatic. Why can't I put that plug in on a main screen of the shell?
I'm also very annoyed how the custom layouts get all messed up in landscape. for the most part sbp mobile shell 3 is pretty good.

[Q] SPB Mobile Shell 3.5.5

I already uninstall SPB Mobile Shell v3.5.1 and install SPB Mobile Shell v3.5.5 to my x2. After i install i try to run the SPB.Before that i'm using GrowingPanel. But my panel always came out as home.not SPB home like the picture as i attach.
My phone also unstable after i install. Hmmm...How to fix that?? It's the software are compatible with x2??

i see in this pic that windows is 6.5 ... so there are 2 conclusions:
1)you are on the old ROM 6.5 and in this case the prog. will run fine (choose the default windows panel and from setting- home- and choose the right tab there -click on spb shell)and you would get it without any problems.
2)if your device has 6.5.3 like the rest of us , then i don't recommend you to use the program as you won't be able to click start menu icon ... as the program will take all the screen.

How do i know version window mobile on my device? 6.5 or 6.5.3 ??
i check my phone at system>about
-------> "window mobile 6.5 profesional"

it is so simple ....
old rom 6.5 has start button on top like here
new rom has start button like here

ok..now i know...i'm using winmo 6.5.3.
2)if your device has 6.5.3 like the rest of us , then i don't recommend you to use the program as you won't be able to click start menu icon ... as the program will take all the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok i need to uninstall SPB Mobile Shell v3.5.5. and install back SPB Mobile Shell v3.5.1.
tq.

i used spb 3.5.5. the performace of X2 with spb 3.5.5 wasnt the best. i mucjh like the 3.5.3 version.

it's spb v3.5.3 can be a panel same like spb v3.5.1 ??
what a the different with this two version??
you have screen shot..?
if posible...please share the link...
tq.

no it cant be a panel. panels are unstable and take space. if you want to use spb shell you better make hardreset and use clean wm6.5.3 with no panels and slidewied. they boath suck. when you have clean wm6.5.3 ypu simpley instal spbshell 3.5.3 and its fine. i have noticed the batery life isnt the best with spb shell. i use clean wm6.5.3 with titanium today screen. its farely stable, farely fast, hase alot of ram free, has almost 180MB internal space free... if you get sick of panels and slideview you search the X2 section of xda forum for making the phone clean and stable..

To "gbajzelj"
Hi my name is Sebastian
I want to know "How to" make my SEX2 "clean and stable"
I'm not a lazy guy, but i have searched in forum and i don't find an "How to" step by step or just i don't saw it (even if i put my spectacles).

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=680194
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7098131&postcount=14

nice links

Xperia X2 is basically sucks.
my xperia X2 only supports SPB 3.5.1, All other versions have bull **** performance

The version of SPB Mobile Shell pre-installed on your Xperia X2 is an modified version specially customised for Sony Ericsson, with support for panels.
The latest version of SPB Mobile Shell, 3.5.5, downloadable is a generic version without panel support. Also when installed, it runs in trial mode, and requires a product key that you can obtain from SPB.

I've parted from SPB mobile shell long ago after experiencing issues in performance

I'v just added the generic SPB 8 to my X2A and really like it ... and I haven't noticed any performance issues that faizulrahim mentioned ...
However, just for information, the selection of backgrounds only works with the lifestyle and not the professional style ... also, it may be my imagination, but when I switched from professional to lifestyle, I noticed that the battery life was less ... only lasting a little over a day instead of 2 days -- but I wanted to ask if anybody else noticed that -- or was it just my usage when I switched to the lifestyle?
Anyway, I find the generic SPB 8 a lot nicer -- especially the carousel part ...