Thread: Windows Mobile Theming: Make YOUR Phone YOURS!

There are many proud owners of Windows Mobile 6.5 in India but most of them still don’t know their Device’s potential. Windows Mobile is the only Mobile OS in this world currently, which is highly customizable and works as a heavy duty Mobile OS, this includes the ability to add/modify registry entries, true multitasking, modify anything it may be the OS itself!, infinite theming possibility especially with WM (Windows Mobile) 6.5. Wait! i forgot to tell that the topic of this article is that only - “Windows Mobile Theming”. So how one can get a complete makeover of their WM 6.5 device ? This article is for that purpose only, to give a unique look to your device and to “Make YOUR Phone YOURS!”.

1. Taskbar – The first thing anyone would see on a device is the taskbar. The reason is simple, just because taskbar is one of the informative bar in the whole OS as it shows (icons) battery status, time, data connection status, missed call, SMS etc. This bar is also called notification bar. By default every icon on the taskbar is white in colour but you can change it and have different style icons. Some of the examples are given below.

djcedric’s Taskbar





Only for WM 6.5 with WVGA resolution.

Tested on: HTC HD2

Download: here.

Colour Taskbar





Download: here.

Bluedroid taskbar





Download: here.


2. Icons - People install many new app daily, or weekly, or monthly and with each new app a new icon is added to the start menu. While surfing though start menu looking at the same old icons (default one) might be boring. So changing them gives a new refreshing look to the whole mob. Here are some examples of start menu icons.



Download: Click the image.


3. Lockscreens - On a touch screen phone one of the problem is if its in your pocket or somewhere there is good chance that the touch screen is touched. Which can open unwanted applications or even dial a number. The simplest solution was to introduce a lockscreen and now its used more often than any application by users. So why not skin the lockscreen ? Here are few examples.

tpro lockscreen skin



Livven lockscreen skins and wp7 metro lockscreen



Download: click the image.


4. WM 6.5 Menu - The new Menu system introduced in WM 6.5 just does one thing, make the whole os Finger friendly and it is one of the thing that should be skinned. Here are some examples.

Kenchan themes



Download: Click the image.

Golden Tip: You can make your own WM 6.5 Theme by using Microsoft's Theme generator, excited? Go here.


5. Bootscreens - Just one last thing remaining to "Make YOUR Phone YOURS!" and that is bootscreens. When the phone is powered up it starts with a bootscreen, and due to WM customizability that too can be skinned. Here are few examples.

Elcondor bootscreens



Download: here.

So, i have covered all the basic theming requirements to have a unique and a look which suits your taste for WM 6.5. But let me make this thread a theming treasure, below are some bonus skinning resources.

Bonus Resources

1. Start menu - It is one of the exciting feature of WM 6.5 by default most of the phones are shipped with 3 columns, but for our convenience we can get more columns. But one thing to be noted is the more columns we add the more icons get smaller. So it depends on personal choice, but if you want more icons on screen then this mod is for you. Below is an example where there is 4 columns in start menu (portrait) and 5 while it is in landscape mode.



Download: here.


2. Start menu view - Most of us are familiar with the start menu display, its in honeycomb style. Here, many like that style and many don't so here is a way you can get list start menu or some other style.



Download: Click on the image.

3. SPB Mobile shell theme - SPB Mobile shell is one of the famous UI that many people like and use. HTC installs its famous Touchflo and Sense 2.5 in its all devices, Acer uses some kind of dock, Asus similar to it. Once i saw an ad of Videocon Windows Mobile and what they had in homescreen? They used SPB Mobile shell. There are many skins available for SPB Mobile shell, and you might have used also. But if you want to try something different and lastest then try the below skin it tries to emulate Windows Phone 7 Metro UI.



Download: click the image.

Thanks for reading my article. I hope you all liked.

Very nicely written. Thanks.

Good one. Screen shots are excellent.

Thank you both. I will try to contribute few more articles

The article is well presented, no doubt about it.
congrats.
some others would have plastered the Contest site , with a catalog of various mobile phones etc, which was the bane of previous contests.
Now contest rules are amended. for this weekly contest. to exclude these kind of articles.

Further, panel of judges making any comment on any article BEFORE the contest is over, is not advisable.
Incidentally this kind of article has appeared now only on last date of contest, and other
contestants, have missed the opportunity. !

I wish you would start a contest ONLY for
product reviews next time. to give others
equal chance to present a product
catalog here ! Many copy/paste jobs with illustrations can be posted. or scanned from the
user manuals.

@essbebe,

Let us not take names here. I edited the names out. What was past was past.

Regarding judges making comments: I am wearing two hats. One is that of a regular member and the other is that of the judge. Comments that I make is as a general member. I appreciated your articles also (again as a member).

The judgement will be completely objective strictly adhering to the guidelines specified. I will not let my two roles mix.

Also you suggestion for specific topics is well received. It was also a suggestion made by others too. This was the first contest based on quality. So I did not want to make it too rigid or narrow.

Regards,
just4kix

@essbebe and just4kix: Thanks essebebe but iam not able to follow u, what are you talking about?

So will any one of you plz tell me what's going on, if you don't want to talk offtopic, please could you pm me the matter.

good one buddy, finally you found the time for one


I am a bit confused, Android or Windows mobile(which is better?). Could you do an article and compare the pros and cons of both ??

Originally Posted by rajan1311

good one buddy, finally you found the time for one


I am a bit confused, Android or Windows mobile(which is better?). Could you do an article and compare the pros and cons of both ??

i dont knwo about android.. but i had hands on my brother;s windows mobile. and its really very interactive,.. i liked the functions and very easy to do job on it...

y ucan def try itr.. and its not risky investment...

but android is new and new developments are always better so its up to you...

i also whish the thread starter to contineue a pros and cons on the both versions of os.

Originally Posted by rajan1311

good one buddy, finally you found the time for one


I am a bit confused, Android or Windows mobile(which is better?). Could you do an article and compare the pros and cons of both ??

Thanks bro. And bro i have already submitted one article before i think you have missed it. I link you - here.

Aah very nice idea a article comparing pros and cons of android and widnows mobile, ok only 63 mins remaining for the contest to end. I will try to complete article and post, i think i don't need to do much research as i have been playing with android and wm from many many months.