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Press Releases

Rapid Wireless Application Deployment With Spb AirSetup



March 31, 2003 - Spb Software House continues to break new ground in the Pocket PC industry with the innovative release of Spb AirSetup, a dramatic improvement over the current method of distributing applications over the air using wireless technologies like GPRS and 1xRTT. Currently, if a developer has a mobile-friendly Web site and wants to allow the download of their application directly onto a Pocket PC, there's only one method of distribution: download and install a CAB file.

This approach has several weaknesses. Pocket PC CAB files have no compression, which means downloads can be quite large. Most people in the world using GPRS are still paying by the megabyte, so even downloading a free trial can end up costing the user money. This discourages users from using wireless devices to download trial applications, which in turn reduces the odds for a potential sale. CAB installs also lack the ability to present the user with the choice of install location - many Pocket PC users prefer to install software onto memory cards. Especially in the case of many Pocket PC Phone Edition devices with 32 MB of RAM, installing applications onto a storage card is a must.

Most importantly, CAB installs lack the ability to present the user with an End-User License Agreement (EULA). This agreement is an important step in any application installation because it protects the developer from potential legal complications.

Spb AirSetup solves all these problems by providing a powerful and flexible solution that will rapidly become the de-facto standard for over the air Pocket PC application distribution.

Jason Dunn, VP of Marketing, is enthusiastic about this new software release. "Spb AirSetup was developed to address issues that Spb Software House had when it came to distributing our own applications in wireless scenarios. It is the perfect solution to our problems, so we're confident that it will be enthusiastically embraced by the development community - we all share the same challenges when it comes to putting our applications into the hands of users, and Spb AirSetup is the best way to overcome those challenges."

Spb AirSetup functions in several ways. First, AirSetup provides effective compression of CAB files, drastically cutting down on the file size and the time required to download the file. In internal testing, CAB file sizes shrunk anywhere from 24% to 47% in size, and further savings are possible depending on the nature of the CAB install. Smaller file sizes mean faster downloads, less chance of error, and less cost to the customer. This, in turn, results in more trial downloads, and more potential customers.

Spb AirSetup allows the developer to specify the location of the application install, or to give the user an option of internal RAM or any system storage card. If your application only works in main system RAM, you can mandate the install location. Giving potential customers a choice of where to install an application greatly enhances the odds that they'll keep it installed for the length of your trial period rather than uninstalling it when they run short of system RAM.

The final feature of Spb AirSetup is to provide an integrated EULA and HTML-based Read Me file. This allows developers to present a trial install guide, help file, or any other support materials. The inclusion of the EULA allows an install procedure that protects the developer from potential legal liabilities if something were to go wrong with the install procedure. Although rare, occurrences such as these are not unheard of, and using Spb AirSetup will allow developers to protect themselves. By including rich Read Me files, developers can point out important application features that will enhance the user's experience.

Working sample built with Spb AirSetup

Users with wirelessly connected mobile devices can go to the Spb AirSetup sample page to download a sample installers built with Spb AirSetup.

Live Chat

As part of a new series of live chats about Spb applications, Spb Software House will be hosting a chat on the Pocket PC Developers Network Web site on April 4th, 2003, from 10 AM to 11 AM Pacific time. You will get the chance to talk with the developers and product managers who created Spb AirSetup - ask questions, give suggestions, and find out more about how this application can help you get the most out of your mobile application distribution.

Pricing and Availability

A free demo version of Spb AirSetup is available for immediate download from both Handango and PocketGear. A registered version is available for the price of US $99.95, and offers unlimited creation of install packages for distribution. For more information about Spb AirSetup please visit Spb Software House website at:
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/airsetup

About Spb Software House

Spb Software House is a software development company, specializing mainly in Windows Mobile software for Pocket PCs. Founded in 1999, the company offers advanced software solutions for use in a wide range of applications.

Spb AirSetup screenshots

More screenshots available at
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/airsetup/screenshots.html