Rix Bits

Okay, maybe not love, but I sure do like my phone a lot with the latest ROM update. There's lots of stuff I could say about the Mogul and related software, but I don't have much time, so I'm gonna hit the high points.

There's several major software updates. One being an upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.1. We'll have to see if over time this manifests itself in stability and performance. But also, two other goodies they added in this update are Sprint TV (which should have been there from day 1 but for whatever reason was not), and threaded text messages.

I'm not a big one to watch videos on my phone, but hey, with this Sprint TV maybe I can be converted. The quality is decent - certainly no high-def videos being displayed, but enough to make watching things bearable.

The text messaging I think is pretty kool. I'm sure all it did is bring the Mogul's text messaging interface up to par with other people's phones, but for me it's a kool feature. Essentially now we've got threaded conversations instead of having to view one disjointed text message at a time.

Aside from some other subtle improvements, the other thing I must say is that I started to create a list of must-have apps for this phone. Three of these must-haves are: SPB Mobile Shell, SPB Pocket Plus, and Pocket Controller. (see screenshots)

They say that SPB Mobile Shell does things on the phone that Microsoft should have done already but didn't. I totally agree. I had the 6700, 6800 for months before getting the SPB suite, and when I started using it, it made me say, "Yes! This is how it should have been all along!"

One of the many many kool features it allows is for additional function assignments to the phone's hardware keys. So for instance, the phone can already be programmed to make the Internet Explorer button do something (like, for instance, open Internet Explorer). But with Pocket Plus, you can also program that button to do an additional tasks when you HOLD DOWN the button! I used this feature to turn the Comm button on the side to a Task Manager shorcut - by holding down on it, I go straight to the Task Manager to be able to jump to some other minimized program (see screenshot). This is crucial when I'm on a call, using my bluetooth headset, and the caller needs me to check my calendar, or I need to take notes while on the call, or the caller needs me to find someone's phone number in my Contact book - or all 3 at the same time!

The Pocket Controller software allows me to connect to and operate my phone via my computer (and also allows for the kool skin that you see in the screenshots). This is now a must-have software if for nothing else

because it made an easy task out of getting my phone back up to speed after the full data erase necessary for the ROM upgrade. Re-adding my 4 email accounts is such a pain via the Mogul keyboard and my two thumbs, but using the Controller allowed me type with all the furious keyboard speed contained in my lightning-fast typing hands! :) The Controller does lots of other stuff too, but again, I'm running out of time.

I just had to put my $0.02 out into cyber-space along with all the other Mogul users to let you know my thoughts on this great phone. Don't get me wrong - it is a love/hate relationship, just like everything else. Somedays the screen freezes or missed calls or battery life issues are frustrating. But overall it's a good phone, it still make's the iPhone look like a toy I'd give to my 7-year old nephew, and it keeps getting better with every update!