iTheme 2 published

After 2 and a half months in production, it's finally out. Link to Nokia (Ovi) Store

:D

Anna updates.

Hello,
Long time no talk! I have had nearly no time to theme (compared with previously spare time) so that's why I've kept everything quiet for the moment. I've purchased a C7-00 so that I can make themes tailored for this OS version. The upcoming iTheme 2 will run slow on S60v5 devices because it was made for S^3.

I recently got the Anna update, meaning I'm now tweaking the iTheme 2 for Anna. I'm keeping it a secret by the way. You'll be surprised. Anyhow, the iTheme 2 was nearly finished (and it actually made me want to revert to s^3 because it made it so much better) and now is under heavy retweaking.

I'll update when I submit it to the Ovi Store for approval. Screenshots will appear when it surfaces on the Ovi Store! Complete surprise :-)

Windows Phone 7 released at Ovi Store!

As you probably have already noticed, the themes have been launched at the Store! More theme colors will be added as they get published!

Price drop for a short period of time

The minimal series, like the iTheme, are now going to be cheaper 33% for a short amount of time.

WP7 Progress

This is by far the theme I worked at the most, it's got over 50 hours on it! Making 12 different colors in 2 variations is no easy task! That's 24 themes. It takes my computer about 15 minutes to compile each theme! Yes, it is slow but it's mainly due to the fact that the theme is HUGE. There are a ton of 3rd party icons! But make no mistake, it's lightning fast! The main reason is, well, the colors are pretty simple and there are only very few transparencies and gradients. So expect to see your phone perform the same, if not even faster, than the default themes (mine's faster than all the defaults).


It's hard for me to go back to any other theme that doesn't skin the toolbar buttons. It's impossible actually. My most recent struggle: Which of my themes do I want to use? And which color? I keep changing colors all the time. I can base it on my mood. It's awesome.


Update: I went to see how many icons I actually added. 3rd party icons: 250+

iTheme from 7€ to 5€ - permanently; FSXM DI to 5€

It's been decided, after the initial 2 day promotion 66% cheaper, to drop the price of the theme to reflect future updates and the new version that's planned to hit the Store in 2 weeks. fsx minimal original icons will also have a price cut to 5€, to reflect the lack of custom icons. Update: Pricing now updated at the Store.

Also, I'd like to provide you with yet another screenshot of the WP7 theme I'm developing. This time, the light version.

One icon that I really like. It's for hardware keyboard!

Sneak Peek at WP7!

iSMS WP7

I present you the iSMS WP7 version for S60v5 (perhaps S^3, can't test). It's green. More colors coming after launching the theme itself.


Guide coming up soon. If you have iSMS installed:

• Uninstall your current version (no skins will be lost but all your settings will)
• Install this version
• Reboot the phone
• Enjoy messaging

DOWNLOAD

Screenshots:

The revamping of the UI in WP7

As you might have noticed in the "What we're cooking next" section of the blog, there isn't any description on the top panel! You can no longer see "Menu" or "Messaging" or "Calendar".

And it's not a bug!

Why have I decided to do it like this? You've probably figured it out already but if you didn't, let me tell you! You don't need that!  It's just visual noise for your eyes! Yes, it says Menu, messaging, calendar or camera. How many times did you get lost in your phone? And how many times of those times have you looked at the top panel to read where you are? How many times have you just simply hold the menu key or returned to your homescreen?

So, that's why. It's gone (black on black). You will still see it in-app since that might be of need. Like the music player, "Now playing", since it's in-app, still displays it.

So, I eliminated the bad and kept the good!

PS: I just found out a windows phone 7 animation in default symbian OS. Hilarious. Perhaps you have the same animation.

Go to Share > Ovi > Upload > Press "Add media here". See the pop-up? That animation looks just like most animations on the Windows Phone 7. How funny is that...

iTheme 66% cheaper

To reflect my previous announcement, the price on iTheme has been lowered to 3€. This will last for a few days only!




Update: It's now returned to its previous price as we're considering pricing strategies and follow-through updates.

Stay tuned... We're almost finished cooking that.

The disappearance of Folders in WP7 theme. The concept of Groupps.

The disappearance of Folders in WP7 theme. The concept of Groupps.

I want to explain why I made the "Folders" disappear in WP7 as well as my other themes (versions not released yet).

Folders are for the desktop. Here you will have groups of Apps. I call them Groupps.
The standard icon for the folder will be the same as the icon for the Applications folder (it is a folder, doesn't really look like it though uh?).

Having a folder in a grid menu is... well... Ugly. With my theme, while there will be personalized icons for "Tools" and "Navigation" Groupps, you will be able to create a groupp that actually looks just like the Application Groupp. Folders are meant to have documents, not Apps. :-)

WP7 theme - Folders + Groupps = Uniform experience

This is what will represent Groupps (Folders) in customized Groupps (Navigation, Office, Tools, Communication...).

FSX MINIMAL S.E. goes unpublished. iTheme sells for 50%

Due to the deep knowledge required in third apps UIDs, the ways to obtain them and the time required to produce a iconset of superpremium quality that fits the iTheme, I will be putting up the current version of the iTheme 50% cheaper and removing FSX MINIMAL S.E. as it will have its own iconset. I had said previously and repeat again that these were experiments.

So, what is the future of fsx designs?

• University. I'm a student. That takes priority number one. Except few to no updates until the 18th June.
• Construct a list of important apps and their UIDs.
• Finish and launch of WP7 METRO in 7 different colors with a complete iconset for EVERYTHING.
• Complete revamp and reconstruction of iTheme Ocean Blue(it will only get better, trust me).
• Creation of iTheme new colors:
• Pink World (... pink)
• El' Dourado (golden)
• Shades (gray)
• Grasslands (green)
• Fury (red)
• Continue work on iTheme Iconset to match superpremium quality.
• Creation of the One Concept for all icons & Background colors assigned to tasks (notice how every setting icon in the current iconset is gray? That had a purpose)
• Revamp of the roundness of the icon itself
• Recreation of some existing icons
• Work on FSX MINIMAL
• Revamp the keyboard to match the theme completely (concept in place already, I hope you love it... I think it will be awesome)
• Revamp keys to match theme
• Creation of FSI (FSX icons) iconset
• Put in place concept (it will be a merge of two things... that will blow your mind, trust me)

So this is the future map for fsx designs. I hope all the fans that got a little disappointed with the iTheme icon can understand that I am new to making themes (I only started 1 month ago and I didn't even know how to use SVG tools) and the complications of getting the application UIDs as well as some elements of the OS are very big and have troubled me.

The revamped themes as well as the upcoming WP7 METRO will make you cry. Nah, really, they will have only the best of my skills and nothing else.

With this said, I don't think any of the published themes at the moment is of bad quality. Nothing of such. They're great. But they'll become godly.

Because I intend to keep fans satisfied, the FSX MINIMAL SE will stay published but I'll increase its price to that of unreal levels. Why do I do this, you might ask? When I launch the revamped version, I feel that, if you've bought this version, you shouldn't need to pay for the new version.

UPDATE 1: To keep things simple, the iTheme will be at 3€ (base price; might differ in your country) for some days. The FSXM SE will keep it's current price and will be updated further with iTheme icons. A second FSXM Special Edition will be launched with FSXM authentic and original icons specifically designed for the minimalistic look.

FSX MINIMAL (with icons) Special Edition

DOWNLOAD

It's finally out! If you love the iTheme icons and can't get enough of the fsx minimal theme... This is for you!

On another note, added a facebook Like button! I'll be providing news directly through facebook as well. I'll only post updates to existing themes and new themes published at Ovi Store (WP7!) so do not expect lots of info. I do this because I don't want people thinking I'm spamming.

iTheme Ocean Blue at Ovi Store

DOWNLOAD

WP7 Blue

So here is the final WP7 Blue. Soon in Green, Orange, Red, Gray, Purple, Pink and any color that you might want and request! This is the banner that I wish would show up at Ovi Store. The price will be only 5€ since there will be so many colors!

Delay on iTheme at Ovi Store

The so awaited iTheme with gorgeous new items is being delayed by Ovi Store on lazy grounds. This means, they work slow! Ahah! I'll put up a banner on the website when it's up at the Store.

WP7 theme is nearly finished :)

Project Lisbon is about to start!

Here are the first screenshots of Project Lisbon, a theme inspired in the upcoming OS for Nokia, Windows Phone 7. It will probably be called WP7 if Ovi Store accepts.

iTheme Ocean Blue & FSX MINIMAL with new icons

Hello, I haven't updated the blog for a while because I've been busy with University life so I've prepared a showcase after the break of the updated fsx minimal theme as well as project london, named iTheme, both versions soon to hit the Ovi Store.

After the break.

fsx minimal finally at Ovi Store

It's finally AVAILABLE! Click the Download Now button on the top to be redirected to the theme page!

Update:
It's starting to sell. I'm very disappointed by the way Ovi Store manages its content so I'm in talks with support to see what's up. I haven't seen my banner at the Store :(

On other news, project london is almost complete, it's coming out really really great. My skills with minimizing size while maintaining extreme quality are improving a lot lately. I'm working slowly because I have a, guess what, life! And University. Mostly University. ahah.

PROJECT LONDON

As shown previously, a new theme. With new icons. Simple rounded squares. Inspired on the iPhone interface. Should hit Ovi Store in 2 weeks. EDIT to newcomers: this is NOT the final release. Check out newer posts for the final release!

start of project london - fsx minimal nearly out at Ovi Store

Hello!

It seems that the fact that my theme didn't made it out to Ovi Store kinda sucked. But just a few more days and it will, definitely, be out.

And now starts a fresh new concept, a mix of iPhone ideas, my own and gmail's.
Light blue.

project london to start soon

My next theme, codenamed project london won't be about london but based on a light blue, similar to the blue that gmail offers in their mobile interface.


Problems and setbacks:
Theme launched at 4.99 at Opera Mobile finally here: LINK TO THEME
There had been an issue previously.

Content on Ovi Store needs to be signed, I emailed the publishing team to get UIDs so I can get it uploaded on Ovi Store! I'll do that tomorrow...

Launched on Opera Mobile Store for 4.99!

It's up and running! It's still in the works at Ovi Store, since I didn't know the exact steps to take to publish, it got rejected because it lacked an specific UID (bla bla bla), it should appear in the following 3 to 4 days.

I'm launching it at 4.99 at Opera Mobile Store to celebrate my very first theme! Thank you for all your support. Link to the theme here.

Trying to figure out a sustainable way of creating themes, I'll be putting up a donate button on the blog and trying out some ads displays. This way I'll be able to provide you with the themes for free! :)

I'll also try selling the themes directly here through paypal. Although I don't know how to do that yet.

fsx pink launching at Ovi Store

The banner has been changed to reflect the themes' state on both Ovi Store and Opera Mobile Store. Here are some screenshots for fsx pink, a modified version to pink. Blue soon to come. Then I will start on a new design.

We have to wait 5 days...

Although I was extremely excited for publishing at Ovi Store, they take around 5 days to accept things over there so stay tuned for more updates on new theme concepts and the icon progression.


For now I will continue developing the icons that I've showcased previously here!


I will put a link in the banner for the Ovi Store product as soon as it gets available and post here something about it.


In case you're wondering, this version doesn't include the icon set as I don't think it matched the theme concept and wanted something ultra light and including icons would defeat its purpose.
Besides I believe most people are used to original icons and switching to new concepts would slow them down when trying to get to open something such as Messaging.

While it doesn't come out yet, I uploaded a video showcasing the theme on Youtube! It's installed on the memory card. Half was made with effects on, other half with effects off.

Launching on OVI STORE soon!

The theme's premium quality at only 7€.

Icon version will follow at 10€.

Soon. fsx designs

Basic UI 90% done. Icons... 5%?

This is the finished basic UI of the system. Looks... refreshed in my opinion. I'll launch a version w/ stock icons I think. Check out those awesome icons! Creating them from absolute root though, it's taking a while... I've also understood why most "awesome" icons are so heavy... they have layers upon layers... my god. What crappy design honestly. One must look at his resources before he drafts.

Colors in Carbide.UI. For future reference or themers.

First step. Nokia 5800 (or at least mine...!) will render a 36.36.36 RGB SVG into a 36.31.35 RGB SVG if you "handle as single graphic". So always give a boost of +5 in Green and +1 in Blue to obtain perfect sync.

There's another bug that is Carbide's fault. If you turn a single graphic into multi pieced, color rendering will go all over the place. Good news is that your phone will render THAT graphic correctly, no need to give it +5G +1B.

As soon as I figure out the other bug I will update this post.

Setbacks and leaps...

I was unable to work on the theme today as I don't actually own a computer (one reason why I want/need to sell this in Ovi Store... It may help a little!) and the one I was borrowing was taken away and I could only resume work now.

Loading bar and wait bar

The wait bar has a cool effect. Too bad I can't show it here! I'm actually thinking about selling this product on Ovi Store now since it has achieved decent quality.

An Icon Base concept. Number one.

Icons will be minimal for maximum performance and simpleness. Less is more for me.
They will also be colorized according to App's function. Example: Music related things are purple, productivity such as notes are orange, means of connecting with someone blue, internet related things green and so on.

The first concept after the break.

Introduction

This blog will serve as a journal for my adventure theming and modding a Nokia 5800.

Step 1
Theme.