Epocware's Handy Shell: A Replacement for the Active Standby Screen?

For about two weeks I have been trying a new application in Epocware's Handy line of applications: Handy Shell. Handy Shell seeks to replace the native S60 Active Standby screen and there is a lot to like in this latest Handy application, especially having weather on the home screen. This is something that I've missed since my old Windows PDA days.

Basically, Handy Shell provides a new (replacement) active standby screen but also offers several very nice additional features. First, Handy Shell provides easy access to both contacts and applications from the Today (Active Standby) screen. Just start typing the name of the contact or an application and after a few letters, a short list of names and applications appears and you can easily then select the one you want. Nokia's newest FP1 devices, the E66 and E71, have part of this capability, allowing you to access a contact by typing the name on the active standby by screen but for all of those with earlier devices, this is a very nice feature. Although I have an E71 and find that the inclusion of the applications into this feature is a great addition.

The top of the Handy Shell Today screen is a large clock, larger than on the default clock on the native Active Standby screen and very nicely done. The day, month, and year are also displayed, as well as the time of the next alarm.

Next, Handy Shell provides two rows of application shortcuts/icons. The first row is similar to the active standby shortcuts on the native active standby screen. Although the second row of shortcuts is fixed and cannot be changed by the user it does offer good functionality by showing the Bluetooth radio status (on/off) and allowing you to change this state. Then there are icons that show missed calls, unread SMS messages, and unread email. Unfortunately, the email icon only works with the native POP/IMAP email application and nothing else, not even Nokia’s own Mail for Exchange. I hope that this is something Epocware can add in version 2 of this product. Next, there are icons that allow access to Profiles and Themes, allowing you to easily change either from the Today screen.

The last two rows on the Today screen are appointments and, if you own Handy Weather, the next 5 day weather forecast for your home city. Although the appointments are the same as in Nokia’s native active standby screen, Handy Shell makes better use of the Today screen “real estate.” By placing the clock on the top row, instead on at the top on the left side, as with the native application, Handy Shell is able to display more information about your appointment (two full rows of text).

In addition to all of the above, Handy Shell lets the user determine if native applications (Clock, Calendar, Alarm) are used or if the equivalent Handy applications (Handy Clock, Handy Alarm Pro, and Handy Calendar) are used. This is another nice touch that makes this application usable even if you don’t own any other Handy applications.

There are also three other screens in Handy Shell, an applications screen allowing you to specify 12 shortcuts to installed applications, a contacts screen allowing quick access to 12 contacts, and a Task switching application, similar to Best Taskman.

I found Handy Shell both stable and functional, but not perfect. As I already stated, I would liked to have seen support Mail for Exchange. In addition, while I like the second row of icons, I would like to see more options for what can be displayed here, such as settings, connection manager, search, etc. The user should be able to select the 6 icons that they find most useful. Finally, although the top row can display the time of the next alarm, this is true only if you use the native alarm application. Even though Handy Shell gives you easy access to either Handy Clock or Handy Alarm Pro, alarms set in either of these applications are not displayed on the Today screen. While the last two of these faults are minor, the lack of support for any other email besides the native POP/IMAP is a more serious issue. A work around for this issue however is available in that you can toggle between the native Active Standby screen and Handy Shell’s Today screen by pressing the red end key. In effect, this provides a mode switching function similar to that found on the E66 and E71, giving you essentially two different “Desktops.”

In conclusion, although Handy Shell is not perfect, it does provide some long awaited functionality and is an excellent initial version of a alternate S60 Desktop. I will be using it (as I do most of the Handy line of applications) and recommend it to anyone with an S60 device.