When Spb Software House released Spb Pocket Plus in 2003, it was a welcome addition to many Pocket PC owners.  The application provided features such as a “real” close button, multiple Pocket Internet Explorer windows and an easy way to find out just how much precious battery life remains.  As the product has developed, more features have been added as well as a measurable amount of speed and reliability. 

The latest version of Pocket Plus is nothing short of outstanding.  In 3.0, existing users will see a dramatic improvement in speed and performance along with a host of new features and integration with other Spb Software House products.  

For new users, 3.0 is the time to make the investment in Pocket Plus.  It is in my opinion the best all around Today screen plug-in available along with adding a terrific list of features that make Windows Mobile devices all-the-more useful.  It allows users to eliminate the need of using the Start button to find applications and documents, gives a amazingly accurate battery indicator at the top of the display, Today screen themes that take advantage of Spb Pocket Plus’ features, gives users a real “close” button instead of minimizing the application, and multiple Pocket Internet Explorer windows to name a few. 

Regardless if you are an existing Pocket Plus user or a new user, 3.0 is an outstanding upgrade in an already terrific application. 

Spb Pocket Plus installs via ActiveSync and utilizes just less than one megabyte of storage memory.  It is recommended by Spb Software House and by Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! that users install the application into the unit’s main memory instead of a Storage Card.  Upon installation, users are brought to the Today configuration screen where several new themes (Figure 1) are available as well as configuration of Spb Pocket Plus itself (Figure 2).

The themes installed are Extended themes meaning they have new icons for the indicators that Spb Pocket Plus has available such as battery life, Storage Card free space remaining and so on.  Additionally, Spb Software House offers a free Extended Theme add-on to the Microsoft Pocket PC Theme creator application.  To find out more information on this free download, go to the Spb Extended Theme Generator website.  For example, Spb Sphere (Figure 3) and Spb Yellow (Figure 4), which are available with the install of Spb Pocket Plus.  The advantage of the Pocket Plus Extended themes is that it allows users to have customized icons for the various functions and features of Pocket Plus.  Note in the figures below that the battery, Storage Card, Backlight Adjustment and Backup Battery indicators all change depending on the theme used.

The primary configuration of Spb Pocket Plus is done via the Options button in the Today Plug-ins configuration.  By tapping this button, users are presented with the default tabs of the application as well as the default applications or indicators that are on each tab.  To change the name of the tab, simply highlight it and type in a new name (Figure 5).  New in 3.0, users can also have an icon with the tab name or just an icon as the tab.  Pocket Plus comes with several dozen icons available (Figure 6) which makes it easy to identify a specific tab, especially if users have multiples of them.  

With the applications chosen, starting those applications is now one tap instead of multiples using the Start button.  This makes it much faster to use my device and gives quick access to applications used most often.

On the Today screen itself, users can customize the appearance and layout of the icons on each tab (Figure 7).  By tapping-and-holding an icon, users can drag the icon of a particular application to another location on that tab.  Once the icons are in the order desired, users can lock the icons in place thus preventing accidental movements.  

In addition users can add and remove items as well.  By selecting this option, users are taken to the Tab Configuration screen.  This is the same screen that is used to configure Spb Pocket Plus off of the Settings à Today menu (Figure 8).  From here, users can select what icons they want on each tab.  The pull down menu provides users with both Pocket Plus functions that can be displayed as well as installed applications and documents (Figure 9).  Users simply check box the items they want to appear on the tab then OK back to the Today screen where they will be displayed.  Virtually all system functions and indicators can be displayed in Pocket Plus.  This includes battery indicators, backlight controls, storage cards, Soft-Reset, Suspend, volume control and many more.  Further, many of the Pocket Plus commands (such as Backlight control) can be assigned to hardware buttons and not just to the application itself.  Simply put, if used to its full potential, Pocket Plus virtually eliminates the need to tap the Start button.

The File Explorer features that Spb Pocket Plus adds are excellent and should be enabled by anyone who is a power user of their Pocket PC.  The feature enhancements include support for .zip files as well as the ability to view and change file attributes or extensions (Figure 10).  While using File Explorer, tap-and-hold a file name to bring up the options menu for that particular file.  On this menu, users can add the file to a .zip file by simply tapping that option.  By selecting the Properties menu option, users can see the attributes of a file and can change them to make the hidden or read-only, for example (Figure 11).  New in 3.0 is also the ability to encrypt files, something that many Windows Mobile users have desired for an extra step of security for sensitive documents and data.