A few months ago I reviewed one of the most useful accessibility utilities on my Pocket PC - ProgramMenu Plus from Tillanosoft.  The developer has since been kind enough to provide me with a review copy of the successsor application - SmallMenu Plus - a similar but more advanced version of its predecessor.

SmallMenu Plus is, put simply, a real cascading Start menu system for Windows Mobile - it adds back into CE the missing functionality which was introduced into Windows back in the 95 era. 

Once installed SmallMenu adds a single shortcut to the programs menu - tapping this apparently does nothing... until you tap the Windows icon to the left of the Start button.  SmallMenu is free but registering the product adds the plus functions indicated with a (+) below.

SmallMenu displays a drop down menu consisting of a number of items, some static and some device specific:

• Today (+) - displays the today screen.
• Recent Programs (+) - displays a sub-menu listing a number of the most recent programs launched via SmallMenu, the maximum number of entries is user configurable. 
• - this is where the entries from the Programs section of the \Windows\StartMenu directory will appear (as items or sub menus), again the number of items is configurable.
• More... - contains the overflow from the previous item.
• Favourites (+) - P.I.E. mobile favourites are listed here.
• Tasks (+) - this lists any running applications on the device and can act as a mini task manager, enabling them to be switched to or closed.
• Close (+) - Offers three options: to Close the most recent application launched, to Close All Except the previous application or to Close All.
• Settings - displays the Pocket PC Settings screen.  Upon first use it displays a dialog saying it cannot find the Settings screen and will display the actual Start menu - selecting the Settings item from there will then permit SmallMenu to remember the location (until the next soft-reset anyway).
• Suspend (+) - turn off the device.
• Small Menu - displays a sub-menu containing the following items:
  
  
  • Refresh - causes SmallMenu to refresh the menu structure to reflect any changes.
    
  • Settings... - displays the SmallMenu settings screen.  The screen consists of five tabs:
    
    
    • General - this tab permits the user to choose if SmallMenu is to start at each soft-reset;
      
      if a delay is to occur before it starts;
      
      whether to use file icons instead of window icons in the tasks list;
      
      to use an alternative menu structure from the \Windows\start Menu\Programs directory.
      
      
    • Plus - the options are to use the start button (rather than launching from the start menu (+); 
      
      hiding the start button on the password screen; 
      
      using a skin for the Start button (+); 
      
      Showing Close Task Icons and editing the menu items (+); 
      
      auto-closing of tasks when a set limit reached (+).
      
      
    • Battery - the application can display a battery level indicator in the notifications;
      
      the icons may be user provided.
      
      
    • System - animate the menus, stipulate the distances between menus and sub-menus.
      
      
    • About - displays the version and contact information and permits the product to be registered.
      
  • Help - displays the application help file.
    
  • Exit - exits from SmallMenu

SmallMenu is an excellent product, well supported and written and, in my opinion, absolutely necessary on any WM2003 device (including SE).  It provides the accessibility functions that Microsoft once again forgot to include and makes navigating to programs a dream instead of a nightmare;  it also makes a nice little task manager.

I cannot stress enough just how good this application is, I really mean it when I say that everyone with a Pocket PC should give it a try and, at such a small price (currently only USD$7), the Plus options really do make the difference.

SmallMenu Plus deserves nothing less than a perfact 10/10.