Review: Spb Online

Posted by: tjchan on Oct 08 2008

Spb Online is a program that offers users an online experience by linking them to all sources of information - from live streaming video and audio, to RSS news feeds and weather, Spb Online is perfect for those getting started into the Windows Mobile experience. Granted there are many programs out there that do similar things, but Spb has combined some of the best tools in a sleek package with transitions and touch drag interface that even mimics the iPhone. It even has online games (which can be purchased separately beginning today)! Let’s dig in and see if Spb Online is all that it claims to be.

Installation

Installation is simple via CAB install or a ActiveSync desktop installer. If you use the desktop installer, it will prompt you to register using your serial code or to continue with a trial which gives you 15 days to try Spb Online out. After installation of the CAB, it prompts you for your registration code and “activates” your software with Spb.

Using Spb Online

The program is easily accessible with large buttons on a tic-tac-toe grid having 8 different options. All the programs have beautiful transitions such as rolling cube effects which add a totally new experience to Windows Mobile. It also supports touch and drag where the velocity of your finger swipes will affect how fast various items will scroll by. It’s just fun to see a scroll bar do a “bounce” effect when you slam it down with too hard of a swipe. Kudos to Spb for creating such a fun user experience!

The first feature we will examine is live internet TV. Featuring 21 Channels including SkyNews UK, NASA, France 24, and more, Spb Online’s TV gives you a small but acceptable selection of programming. Schedules of the various shows are downloaded to your device and when playing, it automatically configures your screen for optimal viewing pleasure (widescreen on my Axim). Choosing a channel will allow you to preview a couple of frames. While watching channels, you can take advantage of still picture in picture when deciding what other channels to surf. You also have a TV guide which can show the lineup for shows several days in advance. The biggest downside to this TV feature is that it’s limited to only Spb picked channels. Unfortunately, there’s no way to add channels.  Perhaps, in the future, there will be a user interface that links up with YouTube, Hulu, and maybe even NetFlix for those that want to watch some movies. So, bottom line, Spb Online’s TV function is limited but is good for when you want just to catch up with the news or watch a music video.

Spb Online’s radio function is decent though at times a bit confusing considering when adding stations, some are in categories while some appear just to be sitting outside of a catagory. Of course, I’m pleased that they did try categorizing the many stations they have. Also on the bright side, you can add URLs providing they are Windows Media player streams - I just added WRR Classical 101.1 and KLTY as a couple of my stations. Doing this manually may prove a bit of a challenge as it requires understanding how to look for the streaming audio link that may involve viewing the source code of a web page or even the properties of the stream if it opens directly in Windows Media Player. As long as I can add my own radio stations then I’m a happy camper. This is the kind of thing I expected in the TV section - the ability to add your own streams and channels. While you are browsing your news or other parts of Spb Online, the radio will continue to play until you stop it. Now, if you happen to quit Spb Online without stopping the radio first, you might be caught in a bind as the radio then cannot be stopped nor can the Spb Online interface be brought up again unless you soft reset! This certainly can get annoying and is a bug which I’m sure Spb will quickly squash. One last feature I wish that Spb added was the ability to blank your screen’s device. When I listen to radio, the majority of the time I’m not doing anything else on my smart phone. I wouldn’t want to strain the back light of my device. So again, Spb Radio offers a fair amount of preset radio stations and they did it right by allowing you to add as many more as you want.

Spb Online’s News is excellent as it not only shows icons for the various RSS feeds but also a number of new articles, icons, and large screen headlines for the article. Reading the actual full length article is just a tap away and it formats it perfectly for all the feeds that I have tried it with (Engadget, Give Away of the Day, Pocket Now, and more). Spb thought out the news program very well. As you can see in the photo below, read articles are dimmed out while those that I haven’t read are still in its full brightness. With that said, I can safely say that Spb Online’s News can even give Illium’s NewsBreak a run for its money.

Spb Online’s Weather is exactly what I expect a weather program to be. It allows you to select multiple cities and it will show you not only when the last update was but current temperature and weather along with a 5 day forecast which can be expounded upon just by tapping on the day you want to know more about. The images are large and easy to read and you can tell the weather conditions with just a quick glance. I know I’m going out for a walk today…looks like clear skies ahead and a nice comfy 75 degrees.

Spb Online’s Shop offers a selection of ringtones, themes, programs, and games. However, Spb fully controls the store. Because of that there’s really not much of a selection. I must admit I was surprised to see one SBSH title in the whole mix…but the bulk of the programs are Spb’s own offerings. To truly create an online experience involves offering customers not only your own titles but competitors as well. Your store only is as good as the product selection you have in your catalog. With a closed catalog the store is truly found wanting. If Spb goes the direction by opening the store up to everyone, I believe that they can create one of the best online Windows Mobile stores ever - one that just works on your device!

Spb Online’s Ringtones and Themes sections are pointless as it’s just an extension of the Spb Online Shop. It seems that Spb has run out of ideas on what else to put in their 9 slot tic-tac-toe grid and has resorted to using categories from the shop as fillers. This makes everything look fuller, but I’d like to see more features than that…perhaps adding quick links to navigation and look up tools such as what Googhelper gives would add a nice touch to completing an online suite of tools.

Spb Online’s Games is truly something else…Finally! An online platform to play games of mettle. From Checkers, Chess, Hexagon, and Reversi, Spb has definitely got something going. Players initially connect and are paired with suitable players. Initially if a player is not found then you will compete against Spb’s computer opponent or even drop into a player’s current game which can provide for some interesting scenarios. Games can be saved and resumed as well but that will leave you to a computer opponent or another human that will crash into your game. You also have the ability to chat with your opponents and even use commonly used phrases which is found under the “templates” button. I don’t understand how some of the phrases are applicable and there is clearly a typo. That aside, the interface for each game is well designed and is easy to use.

Conclusion

Spb Online overall is an excellent and semi-revolutionary product with much potential. The games are fun and easy to play and there are 4 online ones to choose from. It also has things that should be improved upon. The store for one needs to be opened to the public for additions. TV needs to be more flexible with the ability for users to add there own stations. Adding value to the TV portion may even include an interface that can parse and interact with YouTube or other sources in a method similar to Apple TV. Ironing out some more bugs such as not being able to stop the radio as well as grammar mistakes all will help in polishing the product. I can certainly see OEM phones pre-loading phones with Spb Online as it provides basics that Windows Mobile does not come with such as a news reader and weather. All in all, is it worth $30? Considering the pricing of other comparable products out there that are available only a-la-carte, it absolutely is! And if you want only the games portion of the online suite, you can purchase Spb Online Games separately for only $14.95. In my opinion, getting the whole suite is a far better value as you’ll get not only TV, radio, games, weather, news, and a bit more!

Vital Statistics

Name: Spb Online

Developer: Spb Software House

Platform: Windows Mobile 5 and 6

Price: $29.95

Technorati Tags: Spb Software House, Spb Online, Spb Online Games, TV, Radio, Weather, News, RSS, Checkers, Reversi, Hexagon, Chess, WM, Windows Mobile, Just Another Mobile Monday, JAMM, Review

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