One of the things WM6.1 brings to the table for mobile devices is threaded text messaging. Threaded text messaging organizes text messages together into a single conversation, so when you text with a friend or colleague, you can view the entire conversation as you type - your text messages are not interspersed with all the other text messages you might have on your mobile device.

Many of us won't be getting an upgrade to WM6.1 for our mobile devices, but wouldn't it be nice to organize text messages by conversation?  Enter SMS-Chat...

SMS-Chat by Vito Technology can be installed on WM 5.0 or WM6.0 mobile devices.  In addition to organizing text messages into threaded conversations, SMS Chat also allows you to send out broadcast text messages to multiple contacts in your address list.  You can also create templates to store frequently used messages and emoticons.

The user interface is very smooth and well written.  You can scroll through the menu items and chats with your finger or your stylus.

SMS-Chat Features

Notifications:  You can turn notifications on or off by selecting the Notifications option.  If you minimize the application (by selecting the dash icon on the top row of icons), you will receive audio notification when new text messages are received.

Templates:  The Templates option allows you to store frequently used messages and to create animated emoticons.  Creating emoticons is quite easy.just enter text symbols in the dialogue box.  When you tap the plus button, the text symbols are converted to animated emoticons (the blinking emoticon really blinks; the lips emoticon pucker and kiss!).  SMS-Chat is already programmed with the short messages shown in the screen below, but no emoticons are set up..so plan to spend a few minutes setting them up.

When using emoticons or any of the other template messages, be sure to enter the template item first and then type the rest of your message.  If you type a message and then enter a template item, your original message will be replaced with the template item.

Language:  You can change the language of the software to Chinese, Danish, English, French, German, Hebrew, or Italian

Skins: The software offers two different skins: one skin is black and the other is gray.  Interestingly, the black skin displays user selections on the bottom of the screen and the gray skin displays the user options at the top of the screen.

You can see from the screens above that my text messages are organized by contact.  Selecting a contact displays the stream of messages that have transpired between me and the specific contact.

Sending Text Messages

To create a new message, tap the envelope/pencil icon found in the left hand corner of the screen and then select the contact you wish to send a message to.  After you select a contact, you will be returned to the messaging screen where you can type your message.  If you want to send out a broadcast message to multiple recipients, you can select the icon on the right hand side of the screen and select more names from your contacts listing.

Conversations / Threaded Messages

To view conversations, you'll go to the main Chats screen and select one of the contacts that you've exchanged messages with.  Once a chat contact is selected, you can view, delete, forward or resend any of the messages that are displayed.

Tapping the icon on the upper right hand side of the screen allows you to delete, forward or resend any text message you have on your device

Suggested Enhancements

I don't send a lot of text messages, but I really like the way SMS-Chat lets me organize my messages.  After using SMS-Chat for a few weeks, I don't think I'll go back to the old vanilla text messaging software that is on my hw6925.  SMS-Chat is a definite keeper.  Nonetheless, I'd like to see a few enhancements in future releases:

• Let me hear notifications even when the application is maximized:
• Jazz it up with more skins
• Why not include all possible emoticons in templates?
• When a conversation is open, don't make me tap the screen to start writing my message - let me just start typing.

You can download a fully functional trial version of the software from the iWindowsMobile website.  The software sells for $14.95.

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