Review: SMS-Chat

With the advent of a certain feature phone from Apple Computers, mobile software developers have been forced to raise the bar in relation to the UI (User Interface) of their applications. Of the myriad of arguments for and against the iPhone’s various features, the interface is undeniably an exercise in intuitive and effective artistry and is a step in the right direction for mobile devices.

ViTO Technology, the makers of Winterface, has carved their niche in the Windows Mobile world by developing software that is feature rich, but also has an element of eye candy to it. SMS-Chat is a threaded text messaging application that adds some iPhone like functionality to your Windows Mobile Pro device.

For those stuck without a 6.1 update or those who really dislike 6.1's default threaded SMS in Outlook, Vito's SMS-Chat might be worth a look.

Design

Like Winterface, SMS-Chat uses a dark gray color scheme that is both subtle and striking. The navigation uses large buttons that allow you to use either a finger or stylus with equal simplicity. The interface also features beautiful animated sliding transitions between various parts of the application. Scrolling is done with a simple swipe of your finger or stylus across the screen.

Features

While the design of this device is reason enough to commence drooling, the feature set seals the deal. Features we have come to expect like integration with your contacts are included, as are messaging templates and threaded conversations (hence the SMS-Chat moniker). The threaded messaging brings both sent and received messages into a single window, allowing you to get the full context of a conversation without switching between windows. The ability to add multiple recipients to your messages gives you additional flexibility when replying and forwarding messages.

Integration

While SMS-Chat does not fully replace the built in messaging application, it does feature popup notifications to inform you when a new message has been received. The only drawback to this feature is that the application must be running in the background for the feature to work. Messages are retained in the default messaging application, if the need to switch back ever came up.

Conclusion

I really like the idea of developers putting more effort into the look of their applications. Making an interface more usable is always a good thing. SMS-Chat does a good job of marrying a solid feature set with an eye-catching UI. I would highly recommend taking a look at SMS-Chat if you text message frequently or if you just like having a more streamlined look to your applications.