As long time readers of the blog will know, I use SPB Mobile Shell as the interface on my X1; you may also remember I reviewed version 3, and gave it a massive, massive thumbs-up. Because, you know, it rocked. But software is always evolving, and now, SPB have released version 3.5. I should be able to give you an idea of the general vibe of this review, by telling you two key facts:
1/ I adored Mobile Shell 3.
2/ Mobile Shell 3.5 is biggerer and betterer in every conceivable way.
However, since that is possibly the least useful review I’ve ever written, perhaps it may be a good idea for me to go into some more specifics, and tell you what’s changed. Yeah, that’ll work. Assume that all the good bits I liked about version 3 have been retained, because what I’m going to focus on here is what’s new. What new stuff have SPB added, to make Mobile Shell even better?
Professional Home Screen
The biggest change that I’ve noticed is the updating of the Professional Home screen. Now, you may remember that in version 3, the Professional screen was very much inspired by (ie/ it was basically identical to) Mobile Shell 2, with static placements of clock, calendar, message alerts and so on.
The big change here is the Pro screen is now entirely widget based, just like the Lifestyle screen I habitually use. So, you can add and remove widgets, just as you do on the Lifestyle screen, and rearrange the Pro screen however you like.
They’ve even added in multiple screens you can swipe to, again like the Lifestyle screen, so that the only difference between the two, now, is that the Pro screen keeps a jet black background, so you focus on the info being presented. In that sense, it has truly evolved into a work-focused homescreen, and rather than feeling like a relic of the former version of Mobile Shell, it now feels like a specifically designed interface for a specifically designed purpose (ie/ work).
That’s a big, and a very positive, change.
New Widgets & New Skins
So, the widget interface is still as flexible as ever, and it’s now spilled over to also make the professional screen completely interactive. However, in terms of content, SPB have added some new stuff that is worth checking out. New widgets come as standard, including a Facebook widget, a Twitter widget, and a Google widget, which lets you search for info, right from the desktop. So, as well as being mouth-wateringly pretty, the interface now includes some seriously powerful functionality right on the surface.
As well as new widgets, the widgets on the interface also have a variety of new skins, letting you customise them even more. For example, the digital clock has four different variants (small, medium, big, professional), the analogue clock has three, the weather app has four different variants, and so on. So, it’s easy to make your interface look just as you want it to look.
3D Enhancements
Unfortunately, I can’t test this bit (since the Sony Ericsson X1 doesn’t have dedicated 3D acceleration hardware stuff), which is a shame, since this is one of the key important updates. The app carousel is now in enhanced 3D, and there are 3D message viewers. I can view the 3D message viewers, but they don’t look as pretty as in press photos. That isn’t SPB’s fault, though, that’s entirely down to my phone. It’s still annoying, but hey…
Speed
Now, then, here’s the bit that wasn’t listed in the reviewer’s guide, but this is the bit I picked up on the most. Y’see, as someone rightly pointed out in the comments of the version 3 review, when you slide the keypad open on a WinMo phone using Mobile Shell, it would take a couple of seconds for it to react, and flip the interface into landscape mode. That’s a well-known thing that’s happened with every Windows Mobile phone ever. It didn’t bother me, but I can understand how it would annoy people.
I don’t know what SPB’s coding-type people have done, but now, in version 3.5, there is NO delay when you slide the keypad open. And that’s even with transition animations turned on. I’m seriously impressed, I can only imagine how much they’ve optimised the code, because it’s lightning fast, now. It’s unbelievable, and it really has made my phone come alive in a way not even Mobile Shell 3 made it come alive.
Conclusion
I am a big fan of SPB Mobile Shell. I have been since I got my paws on version 3, and this new one has taken all the good bits about that version, erased every single one of the speed issues that some people have commented on, and added in about 4.5 million% extra goodness. It’s an astounding interface, and the new widgets (and new skins for those widgets) make it truly easy to set up your interface precisely as you want it.
I do have one complaint, and it’s that the 3D enhancements won’t work on my phone. And that’s saying something, as it means the only thing that annoys me about SPB Mobile Shell 3.5 is something that’s not even the fault of the interface at all. It’s entirely down to my phone, but it’s something to be aware of, if you’re using an X1. The 3D enhancements won’t work properly (you’ll still get 3D effects and message viewer, but they won’t look as pretty, since the X1 uses software rendering, not hardware rendering).
So, as the 3D enhancements are out, I can pick out two things that stood out as the best new bits for me. First is the swapping over of the Pro screen to a widget-based interface. It’s evolved, in this release, from being a throwback to earlier versions of Mobile Shell, to being a sleek, customisable, business-focused interface, that’s perfect for when the flashy Lifestyle screen isn’t appropriate.
But the big win, for me, is the speed. I’m still in shock over how fast it flips between portrait and landscape mode, when I open the keypad. There’s just no delay. And I can finally turn on all those lovely menu animations, and even that can’t kill the speed.
So, in conclusion, if you use a Windows Mobile phone, SPB Mobile Shell is, hands down, the best interface you can use. It relieves itself all over the standard WinMo front end, and it leaves TouchFLO in the dust. And the best news, if you already use version 3, is that you can upgrade to 3.5 for FREE. As in costing you nothing. So if you use version 3, get upgraded to 3.5, now. It’ll even keep your current settings and widget layout when you upgrade. You have no excuse not to use it.
And if you don’t already use SPB Mobile Shell on your WinMo phone, get it bought. Now. You won’t find an interface as good as this one.
Do you use SPB Mobile Shell and adore it as much as Technical Markus? Or do you (and why you would, I can’t fathom) prefer TouchFLO? Leave us a comment and have your say!