Today SPB released the new version of their application SPB Time, a time toolset for your Windows Phone. SPB time isn’t just a clock and alarm for your Windows Phone. It has some nice other functionalities like a World Clock, Stopwatch, Countdown timer and more.

The features that seem most interesting are the classic, paranoid and bio alarms and the integration with SPB Mobile Shell via Widgets. But also the Moon Phases calendar is a welcome feature added to the new version of SPB Time 3.0

The new features of SPB Time 3.0 are mentioned in SPB’s press-release.

* Snappier, better looking user interface;
* Classic, Paranoid and Bio alarms;
* More than 20 alarm tunes;
* Online skins catalog;
* SPB Mobile Shell widgets;
* Scrollable Calendar with weeks numbers;
* Moon phases.

After trying the application for a few minutes I must say that I like the fact that SPB bundled all popular time applications into one application and make it look very good. The application is really snappy on my HTC Touch Pro 2. Another great thing is that different processes can run simultaneously. So the stopwatch and the count-down can run at the same time.

The Classic, Paranoid and Bio alarms are a clever solution to create an alarm which can be completely personalized. The classic alarm is just an alarm at a set time. The Paranoid alarm generates an easy, medium or hard brainteaser, so that you really need to be awake to shut off the alarm. The Bio alarm is an alarm for slowly waking up. At a specified time it is possible to start a light bio sound, which slowly wakes you up.

It is clear that SPB spent a lot of time in the looks of this application. The default skin looks very well, but there are many skins which look even better. These skins can be downloaded and installed within the application itself.

Overall I think SPB Time 3.0 is a very nice application where all your time applications are bundled. Besides that it looks very nice and is a very snappy application.

SPB Software just announced today that it will have their popular softwares pre-installed on the Pharos Pack Traveler 137.  Bundeling these popular softwares will give the Pharos cunsomer a “Wow” factor and add a lot of new features and functionality to the phone.

The SPB Softwares that are going to be included in the bundle are:

• SPB Mobile Shell
• SPB Keyboard
• SPB TV

The user experience on mobile devices is becoming so more important and manufacturers are using this to make the difference.

HTC already are having their popular Touch Flo 3D user interface and the upcoming HTC Sense user interface as a shell on their devices.  Both for the Windows Mobile and the Andriod platform phones.

We just published that LG won the iF communication design award with their 3D S-Class user interface.

Samsungs TouchWiZ user interface is looking the same across the board with the the Omnia, Eternity and other devices, all on different platforms.

Looking at all of this, the (non geeky) consumer will in the end choose for a company with the best user interface and won’t even know what the under laying platform is and what it can do. The User Interface will hide the Symbian, Windows Phone and Android platforms. The Windows Phones in the future will be recognizable due to a Windows button on the phone. This is of course a great move by Microsoft to brand the phone so consumers will make an added “educated” guess. (either the buy the phone because the like their Windows brand or because the don’t).

Based on what createria would you choose your device ?

• Brand name?
• Platform?
• User Interface?
• Widgets?
• Features?
• Specifications?
• Added Partner Logo’s
• Carrier?

SPB Wallet has been around for a while on the desktop, Windows Mobile and Symbian phones. But as of June 24th this great sensitive data management application is also available for the iPhone.

Below is a short description of the SPB Wallet software from their press release which explains it best.

SPB Wallet AES 256-encrypts and password-protects all stored sensitive information. SPB Wallet supports automatic lockup, automatic clipboard cleanup, and protects from phishing. The stored data can be synchronized between (and accessed from) multiple PCs and mobile devices. The virtual, electronically stored licenses, cards, and passports look like the real ones: SPB Wallet 2.0 offers an integrated online database with images of thousands of most popular cards and documents, plus the option to order more custom pictograms – for free. The desktop component of SPB Wallet offers advanced integration with web browsers, automatic supply and capture of online login information, includes a password generator, and a migration wizard from custom CSV formats and from other wallet applications.

Importing existing data from another wallet application

I have been using a different wallet application for a while, and I didn’t wanted to retype all of my close to 300 entries all over again. The desktop application allows you to import the exported files from all major wallet applications that currently exist for the mobile devices.  I did an export and an import and my data is available in a separate folder in the SPB Wallet named after my previous wallet application. Now you just have to reorganize them if you want.

Synchronizing Desktop application with iPhone

On my previous wallet application,I could only synchronize the desktop information with my iPhone through a Wifi connection using the Bonjour sync application installed on my laptop.

The problem I had, is that I use the wallet application on my main desktop, which had no Wifi.
Thes following steps I had to follow to sync my desktop data with my iPhone.

- I had to sync my desktop version with my Windows Mobile device through active sync
- I Synced that Windows Mobile Device with the desktop application on my laptop which has Wifi
- Now I could sync my iPhone with my Laptop through Wifi and the Bonjour sync application.

SPB Wallet for iPhone came with a great solution for this. Besides syncing your desktop application and the iPhone together using Bonjour sync over Wifi, it also allows you the encrypted cloud synchronization with a Gmail account.

I currently am cloud syncing  now my data between two laptops and the iphone using a Google account with my own domain. To be able to sync in the cloud allows you not to be depended any more on different sync applications on the different platforms.

Key Features

Now that I have gone over the two major differences of the SPB Wallet application I will sum up the key features.  A lot of these features are also available on the competion applications, however SPB Wallet always adds a little bit extra.

• Secure Storage for sensitive information (string AES 256 Bit encryption, Automatic wallet locking)
• Cards look like those in your wallet
• Cards flip flow
• Online templates gallery with 7000+ most popular cards integrated into application
• Free template creation by request
• Password auto fill for websites in web browser
• Cards and templates are fully customizable
• Templates import, export and sharing
• 60+ predefined templates, icons and graphics
• Item level synchronization with support of multiple devices and desktops (cloud synchronization with Google Mailbox and desktop synchronization over Wifi with Bonjour sync
• Smart card fields allow taking action right from the wallet (open links, send e-mails, make phone calls and send text messages from the application)
• Password generator
• Quick search
• Compatible with Apple iPhone, Windows Mobile professional and Standard, Symbian S60 and Windows desktop
• Desktop specific (SPB Wallet toolbar and automatic password supply for Internet explorer and Firefox)
• Desktop import wizard from other Wallets (eWallet, FlexWallet, CodeWallet, SplashID, HandySafe and custom CSV)
• Desktop quick search
• Desktop backup and wallet in tray
• Desktop Drag & Drop for fields inot other apps

As you can see SPB Wallet has so many options to keep your data safe and avaialble to you on many devices. For me this is going to be the wallet application I will be using for now.

The SPB Wallet desktop version is available at the SPB website for $9.99
And the iPhone application is available for $9.99 at either the SPB website with a link to the App store.

Together this is under $20 and is $9 less compared to the Windows Mobile version. The price is very reasonable for a great useful and  needed application to securely manage all your sensitive information.

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