Confessions of a SBSH PocketBreeze Addict

By M@rtyn

I love my PDA and am forever tinkering with it and all sorts of software trying to get it “just-so”. I have Wisbar Advance 2 to get the look just right, themes from Bob_55 as he always meets my taste in looks and skins from Mickesjö and Juni as they are masters of the art. But at the end of the day, there is just one application that I can´t do without and that is PocketBreeze from SBSH (OK, TCPMP is also a must have, but more of that another day!).

I don´t know how often I had PocketBreeze as a trial and then dumped it out of frustration. But it was often. Then I got interested in SPB PocketPlus. Until, that is I saw the wonderful “Whatsta” skin suite from Mickesjö. At which point I went back to SBSH and re-re-re-installed PocketBreeze. SPB just isn´t as skinable as PB. This time I was determined that I was going to make it work for me! And lo-and-behold, I got the cotton wool out of my head and it worked. Where had I been going wrong before? No idea.

The thing is, when it comes to computers, I know diddly-squat about the technical side. But I do know what I like. And I do like that PB keeps my “Today Screen” clutter-free and yet everything is at hand when I need it.

So what is PocketBreeze? It is a multitude of things, a multi-talent. And yet in principle, its easy to use and a very user friendly interface. There are vertical tabs for various functions, some are default and others can be added. For instance, in addition to the default tabs, I have tabs for WeatherPanel, (dare I say…) Resco Media Suite, rlToday, iLauncher and so on. So far, I have found that the only tab non-deletable is the calendar. But hey, we all need to check that out at some time.

A very good application worth adding as a custom tab is “iLauncher“. The two programmes go hand-in-hand (as you would expect, coming from the same software house). PocketBreeze seemlessly accomodates a wide range of today plug-ins, saving a lot of real estate on your screen.

As I mentioned, it was the the skinning possibilities that attracted me. There are quite a few skins out there, some of them for free. And adding skins is really simple. I am currently using the “Whatsta_PB_tabs” skin from Mickesjö, which is a beauty. And the theme is by Bob_55 (one of my personal favourite skinners). Juni also has some wonderful commercial skins and themes.

The options screen is clear and intuitive, which for me is a plus point. But then the options list goes on and on, leaving little to wish for. OK, there are a few geeks out there that would disagree with me, but as I said before, I can´t understand the tech side without a 5 year old to help me. I have been playing with the options since I bought this software and continue to be amazed at what I can do. The amount of space that PB fills on the screen, for instance, is also selectable

PocketBreeze has just been up-dated toversion 5.2.10 and in my mind this is as good as it gets. No doubt there will be more up-dates to come as the makers don´t sit round on their laurels, they listen to the customers and add or remove details to make this the best it can be. The forum is a hive of information with the latest up-dates, skins, themes and an exchange of ideas, tips and advice. One of the latest up-dates is a through-back to an earlier version in which the e-mail preview is easier. I missed that version, but must say that it is an advantage over the previous version that I had. And there is another good point, all up-dates within a version are free (so I´m alright until PB6 comes along!).

The software house SBSH also makes a host of other applications, all of which are first class, amoung others: iLauncher, PocketWeather, PhoneWeaver, ContactBreeze and SBSH Clock (which is FREE). These all work perfectly in conjunction with PocketBreeze. All in all, a well produced product, thanks mostly to the fact that the makers listen to what the buyers want, sadly seldom these days. Now if they could transfere this on-to-one for Symbian….! Suprisingly, they do make software for Symbian too, but Symbian doesn´t support touch-screens, so for the time being I´ll have to be patient.

In the meantime, if you are looking for a “killer application” for your PDA and don´t as yet have PockeBreeze, do yourself a favour and try it out. There is a trial version available, 14 days to get a taste of the functionality. But beware, once you get used to the feel of PocketBreeze you´ll have a hard time living without it! Want to try or buy? Then visit SolSie Store for more details.

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