Handy Shell Leaves Beta, We’ve Got Licenses
We let you know about the new Handy Shell application a few weeks ago. Handy Shell completely replaces the Active Standby screen on your S60v3-powered cell phone with its own, featuring user-configurable plugins and the inclusion of Handy Weather 6, which has also been updated and now is able to show weather right on your home screen - something most of you have wanted for quite a while.
The full production version of Handy Shell doesn’t seem to offer any new abilities over the beta version that was released a few weeks ago, though I’m sure they addressed a few stability issues. If you loved it then, I’m sure you’ll love it now!
The biggest change, however, is that Handy Weather v6.0 is now available, and included in the purchase price of Handy Shell. The new update to Handy Weather v6.0, in addition to placing weather information on your home screen, adds more detail in the daily forecasts, as well as a few other noticable improvements.
As usual, while we currently offer Handy Shell for sale in the Symbian-Guru store, where you can snag a free trial, we also got ahold of a few license codes to give out to you, our loyal readers! All you need to do is leave a comment below, and let us know a feature that you would LOVE to see in a future release of either application. That’s it, we like to keep these things pretty simple.
Note: Handy Shell is currently listed at $44.95. This price *includes* a 1-year subscription to Handy Weather v6.0 (which costs $24.95 alone), so you will not need to purchase both. We’re currently investigating if there is a discount for current owners of Handy Weather, and will update this post as soon as we have an answer. We have confirmed that current Handy Weather subscribers should have received an email offering a discount if they would like to purchase Handy Shell. Upgrading from earlier versions of Handy Weather to this new version is absolutely free to current owners.
Comments are closed, and the winners of the free license code will be contacted via email today. Thanks so much for so much feedback, it will be fed directly to the Handy Shell team, for future consideration. If you do not receive an email from us today, I would recommend purchasing the full application from the Symbian-Guru Software Store here.
I don’t like the way thi app mess up the screen.
I like tha home screen icons for Handy Weather, in my opinion, they are too big
hey there…
I would like to see a collapsible widget bar built into the next version. With widgets pasted onto my screen, things would definitely become faster!
Previews of emails and sms on my n95 in a car would be amazing. I use s60ticker right now but an integrated solution like on my e61 would be perfect
I would love to have/see international currency exchange rates display, where handy weather is presently situated on the standby screen.
Sorry I meant bar not car. T9 needs constant attention.:)
Severe weather alerts in Handy Weather would be nice. Weather bug widget does it! Oh, and the alerts to pop up on your stand by screen, and screensaver.
hi ricky.
No suggestions but would love this to replace my home screen!
Used it but only for 14 days. (thats what they gave then!)
Would like to see live stock quotes.
2 things:
- I would like to place selected contacts on the main screen
- I would like an integration of something like “start typing and find contacts/calendar/… entries”
- I would like to have customizable calendar entries view (how many shall be displayed; which kinds shall be displayed (meetings, memos, …)
- integrated alert clock in the time (when will the thingy ring the next time? have i set one?)
well, sry, 4 things
New feature I’d like to see is the Weather and Calendar shown on the Today screen, it would be nice to move left & right to see additional weathers and calendar entries.
Oh I so want a free license, it really looks nice on my E71.
Interesting
Quite a good approach. I need a mix between E71 und iPhone. Looks promising, but I probably wait for version 2.0 before I spent 45 EUR…
How about live Twitter updates? And I’m with Dimitri re: SMS and email preview.
A live radar map for Handy Weather would be nice. I’d like to know if I can make it home before it starts raining and all.
THIS IS MY FIRST POST ON SYMBIAN-GURU.COM. AND I’D LIKE TO SAY that this handy wheater is awesome but I’d love to see both sms and notes preview there, that’d be really useful for me, it ‘d give my N95 a lilte E series taste..
I would like to see greater forward visibility in the calendar as well as to dos, I can see more on the active standby than with this app and the limitation is my biggest grpe with S60 There is plenty of space on the screen, the clock doesn’t need to be that big.
It would be nice to be able to make the ‘active standby’ icons smaller - I’m used to having 7 iconds on my N95-4 and it’d be nice to be able to do the same with Handy Shell.
I would like a license. I am eager to see if the interface is better than the Tab Top interface on the new N75 ATT fw.
I’d be nice to see a customizable RSS list and/or ticker.
Hi Ricki!
I would like to see the possibility to place certain contacts on the homescreen for easy acces!
A free license would be so nice! Thanks!
I would like to see additional email/rss feed headers as a module also. (missed that I needed to suggest a feature to qualify)
Basically, should be as open as my desktop with movable shortcuts, and preview like sms to be made available for mail, IM, stock, rss feed etc.
Why does it take a 3rd party to do this. Nokia really shoud have something like this out of the box.
I’ll take one free license please.
Certainly an RSS icon that shows how many new updates to subscriptions would be nice. Maybe a tie in to Twitter. All in all though, it’s pretty well featured as is
Funny how a free give-away gets you all those comments (mine included
).
anyway I’d like to see an integration with IM services. Would be great to have MSN/Live messenger on my active standby, notifying me whenever someone comes online or when I receive a new message!
previews of messages, incorporation of mplayer/messaging
It would be awesome, if you could integrate a more extensive profile changer.
Like being able to quick switch tones+themes(appearances)+light management(power save).
For being able to have a “profile” e.g. with dark theme and quick power save for when you want the phone to last long, one very bright and light for when you’re outside, and long wait on power save for when you want to show pictures to people. All customisable of course, suited ones preferences.
In effect making your phone more versatile, all from the homescreen
I would like to see the option to use the nokia default icons and to be able to choose to just have one line of icons and just todays weather showing on the standby screen so that it still leaves room for my calendar and to-do’s and also i would like the option to switch off the alteration it makes to my menu key so that i can keep the menu key at its default process.
I would love to see handy shell integrate an email list too the front page like the e-series devices have.. it’s one of the huge things I miss from the E70 when i moved too the N82 ( and the glorious keyboard! but i don’t think a shell can give my N82 the keyboard
)
i’ve been playing around with the trial and this piece of software is smart and to the point. A lot of the stuff that’s bothering me with the original s60 stand by are addressed.. Hope i can still get a license for the real deal
I’d love to see more detailed weather, with high/low/ and windspeed.
Rss feature would be useful.
To have a small tool bar for google maps would be a deal breaker for me because I travel constantly and not having to open google maps, pressing the buttons to get to to the address insert screen, and then typing in the address would be smashing! and the toolbar would save my most recent searches. After I input the address it would open up google maps and instantly show me where that address is also there for be a selection for just searching the address or getting directions from “My Location” to that point!
that is what i would love for them to add
Love it so far! Found the app doesnt include mms which would be cool, even if it doesnt display the images.
I would like the ability to add themes just for the home page and maybe an equaliser when playing music.
A scrolling bar at the bottom would be pretty cool
the weather addition is great, live radar would be nice, but i would really like a google search field integrated into the homepage. not like the current app, but one taht is a PART of the active standby.
IMO i dont see the point of handy shell on suck a small device without a touchscreen, especialy if its just going to gobble up ram and power. well actually i do see the point, but seems kinda overkill to me.
BUT HEY i’m always open to try new apps and be proven wrong. i’m a long time reader of guru afterall.
I would LOVE to see an RSS notifier of some sort
I would just simply like to see support added for the google search plugin as I have grown quite fond of its convenience.
What I like in this app are
1) Large time display
2) More shortcuts
3) Weather
4) New look
5) New contacts app
I would like it to show info from other running programs, say, actual tunes played in Mobbler for example.
Inbox header list would be great, I really miss that on my e71 coming from e61.
i’d like to be able to just show the current weather on the home screen (not a multi day forecast).
An RSS reader would make this app perfect…maybe too perfect
Like to have it to spend a little more time with it. Had the Beta, but went on vacation and didn’t use it much during the trial period.
mmmm… streaming facebook status updates…. *drool*
What I would like to see is joke teller, so each day you will have access to joke at the bottom of the screen.
previews of texts or IMs are all i could think of possibly adding. It looks amazing in all other respects.
last kid at the party wins a license!
I like to give it a try
One thing is that tabbed home screen would be better at least for me. The home screen should change itself for the two profile one for work and one for home based on schedule and location.
I would like to see facebook and myspace updates streamed to the home screen. It would also be cool to see the subject line or a short preview of new emails/SMS messages that have not yet been read.
RM
PS: I am a student and I could really use free license of this product
1. Support E90 Communicator.
2. Smaller icons.
3. Smaller Clock.
4. Dont go to the default active standby when press exit in the applications menu.
5. Cheaper.
1) My main feature (Handy Shell) that I would like to see is quick transfer to a phone call when a call comes in. I have to hold down the menu key and move to telephone when I need to press a button to answer a call.
2) More customization of icons would also be helpful - particularly shortcuts for oft messaged/emailed.
I am facing lot of issues with RAM with this. Handy Shell seems to be eating up RAM like crazy. i just have 2 mb RAM left after starting any other app in addition to Handy Shell. Is this problem specific to e61? Also T9 does not seem to work in this version doesnt look up addresses and applications correcly. It ws working with te beta version, but even in that actual dialing used to fail after look up.
iLike!
I’d like to see a plugin that showed a small summary of any new messages or missed phone calls. I know that they are shown when you select them from the existing toolbar, but I’d like to be able to know who contacted me with a quick glance.
I’d like to see today only on weather with the windchill factor and humidity factored in as well as pop info. Also smaller icons to fit more shortcuts. Option for default behaviour of menu key and not remember last position (i go through menu using number shortcuts and start lots of stuff by mistake). Fix exit to standby from menu. Would love 1×12 speed dial in apps and contacts tab. Default speed dial on today screen is welcome fix from beta and should stay the same. Would love to be able to set stuff from deeper inside settings like network mode selection for example. Lots more ideas but legs getting numb from sitting on the toilet too long while typing this.
Why can’t you put a background wallpaper in this? It seems insane that you can’t.
My favourite option: RED KEY CONTROL! FINALLY!
I like the SMS preview on the E71 with Handy Shell. When a text comes in if you goto the SMS icon you will be able to read ur text message, see this example
Whoops, missed off the link, here we go http://media.share.ovi.com/m1/medium/0402/4d39e2c73262427ca1750b8cc534e8e8.jpg
ricky.
Run an internal campaign of finding out your posts with maximum comments. Am sure this one will rank very high for ‘obvious reasons’. Well done
Sms and email preview
sms, mms and email preview.
I can’t believe how many people are commenting on something free
Anyway I really like the concept of this application, I’ve waited for something like this for a long time. It needs more customization in future versions.
Thanks for free licenses!
This shows you just how many people read your blog but are just too lazy to comment.
What i would like next is a second layer on top of this shell. So than whenever highlighter is moved over contacts, a popup of the 5 previously called contacts should show, and a press of the joystick should open the contacts.
Moving the highlight to the Web Browser icons should quickly open the popup displaying your bookmarks, and clicking on any of the bookmarks should open that bookmark in the webbrowser.
The same popup should display the calendar entries when there are more entries than the few displayed on the shell.
There have been more free apps given in the past, but i have not seen so many people comment on them.
I love this cute looking!
And I hope it can let us custermize what I want to show and more themes
I’d love to see a ticker plugin that reads your RSS feeds and scrolls them along it’s segment. I’d also like an extended calendar plugin to show the month view from Handy Calendar. But my most wanted feature is the ability to set up more than one application shortcut bar.
I agree with all who said an added plugin of some sort for email notification.
After testing and customizing the application to my wish I still find a minor thing missing.
That is under the preferences you can’t choose the order of the “active pages”. Here I would rather have contacts as the first page after the shell instead of applications.
Why, someone may ask.
That’s because there’s already a handy function which let’s you type in the name of the application in which you then can load.
(Besides most people have their icons on the menu arranged in such a way that the most used applications already are displayed and available from the press of one button)
You could also say that the contacts and application pages are redundant. (But here they have made it optional, not forcing you to use it).
Other than that other minor things such as the GUI where the icons are taking too much space as well as the clock.
Here the calendar should have been the one taking more of the space.
There’s seems also to be a somewhat redundant function on the plugin Phone ind./settings.
When pressing on icon 4 there I just get up Messaging, while pressing on icon 3 leads me to inbox for messages.
(This could be due to that I haven’t set up any mailboxes, as I use Profimail for my emails).
Also when holding the menu key, “Standby” is displayed this could have been hidden as you can press the “hang up” / red key to simply switch between the shell and the “Active standby”.
(Also an optional setting in Handy Shell).
All in all there are no major flaws but some small inconveniences, that being many functions are a bit redundant. This again of course leads to that the least advanced users can still manage to use the application, making it more safe-proof for non-power users.
(Powerusers of course will customize most of the things on their phones anyway)
This is a very innovative application… the lack of customization of the S60 homescreen has been a drawback I have dealt with for many years now when compared to Windows Mobile. The homescreen is meant to be a snapshot of items you check or use often, and Handy Shell has been very effective in accomplishing this.
Additional items I would like to see added are:
- RSS Feed ticker…I am constantly checking my web feeds throughout the day, and it takes many key presses to currently get into the built in Web Feeds…maybe “Handy RSS”?
- a Quick pick for local radar for Handy Weather…It’s great to see the overall daily forecast, however radar gives you the current real-time conditions to expect…
- Support for decreasing the font type/size…I would like to fit the maximum possible icons/text on the home screen, and obviously everyone’s font desire is different…
- Ability to change color or theme of the home screen, independent of the rest of the operating system…perhaps change the background to white to maximize visibility but user doesn’t want to give up the look/feel of the rest of the device
- Lifetime subscription price for the Handy Weather portion…
- Permanent Google Search integration on the home screen
These are a few items I think could be improved in future versions to maximize the value customers see in the product given the price point, however the current product is very impressive and I will be utilizing in the future to maximize my customization capabilities of my N95-3 and possibly N85?
It would be awesome to have a feature that you could create a shortcut to everywhere on your phone. I use to switch 3G off frequently when I don’t use to save battery. I hate to navigate through menu’s in order to put in on and of. Would be great to have a shortcut that would take me there directly.
My Suggestions:
- A small usability tweak: At the moment the icon tool-tips appear a second after you navigate to an icon and disappear after another second (like in the original standby screen). Why not let it pop up immediately and disappear after a second.
- Besides being able to freely configure the Menu button, also make the Multimedia button available for configuration (eg. go to main menu, standby or task manager). Many people don’t use the Multimedia button anyway.
- Since I tried it a few weeks ago, I can’t remember if the icon size was configurable. This would be very nice.
- Show a small symbol on the short-cut icons if the application is running (like in the main menu). This could even be a substitute for the task manager if there would be a second row with more icons for currently running applications (only those not accessible through other icons in handy shell). Having all running applications on the standby screen would save an extra key press.
- I can’t remember what happens if you press the keys 1-9 in handy shell, but if they just let you insert numbers like in the standard standby screen, this would be a waste. I suppose nearly all numbers you directly type on the standby screen start with a ‘0′, so the others could be used for: a) short cuts to the icons, like jbak taskman does it, or b) starting a T9 search over contacts, apps, bookmarks or even music files (configurable).
- I admit that too much configuration could affect the appearance and usability of handy shell, but I quite like some options of jbak taskman, like fast task switching by holding down the menu key or setting the program rules like autostart and kill when in background.
Oct 3rd, 2008 at 9:07 am
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