While some developers have found a workaround to build themes on BlackBerry 7 devices, they still aren’t allowed to submit those to App World, and there are still many devs who are waiting for an official release. Today, RIM announced via Twitter that they will have full details on developing themes for BB7 on Inside BlackBerry later this month. This announcement couldn’t have come at a better time as many theme developers were feeling left out to dry with the latest BlackBerry operating system.

Now, I’m going to go out on a limb and say there are going to be a few happy developers in the BlackBerry ecosystem later this month. Sound off in the comments with your thoughts.

• Check out inside BlackBerry for the inside scoop

We all know about the ongoing fiasco with RIM not offering theme support for BlackBerry 7 devices. Well, theme maker, Magmic, has teken it upon themselves to figure out a way to make BlackBerry 7 themes. They have released 5 themes that are compatible with the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930. These themes include Deck the Halls, iBerry Edge, Cosmos, Tinker Bell, and iBerry 2.0. These themes are available for between $1.99 and $2.99 at the links below. Magmic is using Bplay as the distributor for these themes, so you’ll be purchasing through their site. If you’ve been waiting on some themes for your new Bold 9900/9930, now is the time to get one!

• Download Deck the Halls Theme
• Download Tinker Bell Theme
• Download Cosmos Theme
• Download iBerry 2.0 Zen Theme
• Download iBerry Edge Zen Theme

Theme Studio for BlackBerry 7 devices has been a hot button issue lately. There was no mention of themes for BlackBerry 7 at DevCon, which got theme developers and enthusiasts up in arms, and then Alec Saunders, RIM’s VP of Developer Relations, really got the crowds fired up when he began discussing the absence of Theme Studio support for BlackBerry 7 devices. Since these announcements, many theme developers and BlackBerry loyalists have either considered leaving or have left the platform for another where they can build and use themes without hinderance from the platform’s makers.

The latest information on Themes for BlackBerry 7 devices comes again from Alec Saunders. This time, Saunders made the following statements in an interview with CIO:

Another interesting tidbit for BlackBerry developers: Though a compatibility issue with the new “Liquid Graphics” engine in the BlackBerry 7 OS has kept RIM from releasing BlackBerry Theme Studio tools for the latest BlackBerry OS, Saunders says these tools will become available mid-2012, he says. (RIM has an internal theme building tool, which is how the company built the custom “Porsche” theme used on the new, limited edition BlackBerry P’9981 device, but the tool is not available to developers outside of RIM, according to Saunders.)

So that’s where we’re currently at with the Theme Studio situation. RIM has the tools available but doesn’t plan package and release them to developers until mid-2012. This makes quite a statement to RIM’s commitment to BlackBerry theme developers and the future of themes on the platform. So, BlackBerry developers and fans, do you plan on sticking with RIM until sometime later in 2012 when you can build or purchase new themes for your BlackBerry 7 device, or do you plan on jumping ship to another, more theme-friendly platform? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Source: CIO
Via: CrackBerry

It’s been a while since we’ve showcased themes on the site. Maybe it’s because of all the craziness that’s been happening in the realm of BlackBerry and RIM, but don’t worry we are back. Today I wanted to showcase a theme using icons from the BlackBerry PlayBook. Now putting the icons in isn’t everything this developer did, they’ve also re-skinned the whole device and giving it a slight hint of PlayBook. The team over at UMG have set the theme at $3.99 and is available in BlackBerry App World and TheBerryFix.com Super store.

If you’re like me and would rather not pay anything, then we have a treat in store. UMG Apps have given us 20 copies of their new theme to giveaway and all you have to do is leave a comment below. This contest will run until Monday night at 11:59pm PST time. Good luck!

• Checkout PlaySeven, a theme for the BlackBerry smartphone.

UMG Apps just let us know about their new theme for the Torch 9800, iColors. This theme uses the classic BlackBerry icon set and adds colored icon backgrounds in the shape of iOS app icons. iColors is available in your choice of 8 different colors: blue, green, red, silver, pink, purple, orange, or yellow. You can grab this theme from ShopTheBerryFix.com for just $1.99 for your Torch 9800. UMG is working on versions of iColors for other BlackBerry OS 6 devices that should be available in the coming weeks. Click your desired color from the list below to check out iColors today.

Get iColors from ShopTheBerryFix.com in:

• Blue
• Green
• Red
• Silver
• Pink
• Purple
• Orange
• Yellow

The hottest selling themes today tend to be themes that replicate another mobile OS operating system like Android or iOS. While some do a decent job there are a few that stand out and really bring the power of the BlackBerry os and the look of another mobile os together. One that has stood out for me is iLike from Bbt Designs.

They’ve created a theme that has a 100% custom written UI and it’s slick. iLike transforms your BlackBerry into visually stunning UI and a powerhouse that we’ve come to love. iLike is available in ShopTheBerryFix.com for $5.99 and is available on almost every BlackBerry model out there, so check it out!

• Check out iLike from Bbt Designs

I’ve always been quite picky about the kind of BlackBerry themes that I keep on my Torch, of course I test lots of them out but only a few stay on my device as regular daily use themes.  Captivated is the newest release by Vision Mobility and I have to say that I am quite impressed and will be keeping this one around for a long time.  The first thing I noticed about Captivated is that it’s been meticulously designed to be incredibly crisp and clean.  While packing in a ton of features it never feels crowded or cluttered, on top of that the developer let me know that this theme has been completely hand coded and it shows in the responsiveness on my phone.  Efficient coding is a big deal to me on BlackBerry Torch Themes due to the fact that too much code can very quickly make the Torch quite laggy and slow.

• Get Captivated in TheBerryFix Store for $5.99

Read the rest of the review after the break (more…)

Well, after a long break I’m back. I traveled for over two weeks, and really got to learn a lot about different cultures. I got the opportunity to  walk into different phone companies around the coast, and explore new devices not yet released in Canada or the US. I spoke to a few different people on what device they prefer, sell, and use, but was not surprised with the result. Seemed to be a pretty even split between iPhone users and Blackberry users.

Out of the BB users I spoke to, they all focused on a particular favourite over the iPhone – personalization. Like me, and most users reading this, they enjoy adding themes and applications, and having fun with their device. It’s what really stood out to me the most. I’ve been using the same theme for a while now, and really loved it. Now it’s time for a change. This week I’m going to bring you some themes I think everyone will enjoy. Some are for the fun/childish side of life, but some are for the ones with business phones, who want to keep it professional.

Check them out under the cut!

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RIM is releasing the Gold version of BlackBerry Theme Studio 6.0 to developers today. The Gold Master version brings Theme Studio 6 out of beta and adds many additional features. These features and enhancements include:

• Support for the latest BlackBerry devices, including the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 and BlackBerry® Style™ 9670 handsets, and BlackBerry® 6.
• Support for theming BlackBerry 6 features such as graphic popup menus, plus the addition of BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™), Facebook®, and Twitter® feeds to Today screens.
• New productivity features allow you to batch update all of the graphics in a theme automatically. You can also change fonts across multiple phone screens automatically. Also, BlackBerry Theme Studio continues to be compatible with popular graphic design tools such as Adobe Photoshop® and Corel® Paint Shop Pro.
• A Background Wizard makes it easy to add dynamic wallpapers to your theme. Options include date-based or time-based changes (to highlight a special holiday or change images by the time of day), and slideshow backgrounds (to cycle through your favorite photos).
• A new user interface lets you click on any item on the preview and directly edit its settings. This allows faster editing and a shorter learning curve, plus you can select multiple items to change them all at once.
• A new export option makes it easier to offer themes through BlackBerry App World™. The export packages all of the correct files and settings into a single zip file, ready for upload to BlackBerry App World.

This release is a good step for RIM and comes at a time where we all need a little reminding of what BlackBerry is all about. With all the coverage on the PlayBook these days, it’s nice to see the focus coming back to the smartphone. Developers can grab the GM release of Theme Studio 6 from the link below and get started making some awesome new themes.

• Download BlackBerry Theme Studio 6

Source: Inside BB Dev Blog

This week I decided to take a look at a few different themes that I thought were pretty cool. Whether they have fun icons, backgrounds or layouts, each theme offers something awesome and new. Many themes are very vivid and vibrant, making your BB look cool and fresh.

Check’em out after the cut!

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After a wicked joke by winter, I finally feel that spring is on its way. Cars are parked on the road again, kids are outside later and longer, and it seems all the snow is disappeared. My arms are completely open to the spring and summer weather.  People will be happier, shopping more, and changing a few habits. One of my new habits will be changing  my personal Blackberry themes. My 9800 needs to be customized as often as I possibly can get it. With this I will be bringing some awesome new themes your way, so all readers can follow suit.  This week you’ll get a good taste of a theme geared more towards a male audience,  a cool spring theme applicable for anyone, and a neat twist on the familiar OS 6.0 operating system.

With that said check it out after the cut!

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Just like BlackBerry 6 when the first OS leaked theme builders went to town creating a theme that resembles the new operating system, and that has happened once again with the latest OS leak of BlackBerry 6.1. SIX DOT X can be picked up from ShopTheBerryFix.com for $1.99 and is available on almost all devices. If you do pick up the theme let us know what you think of icons on the next stage in the evolution of BlackBerry.

• Get Six Dot X from ShopTheBerryFix.com

Hey Everyone! March is finally over, and we’re quickly moving on to April showers and then May flowers. What better way to celebrate Spring then get your Blackberry all springed-out! I’m bringing you some themes that will brighten up and make your Blackberry a little more useful, as well as a favourite theme I found.

Check them out after the cut!

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A theme review on my birthday! How fitting. I get to celebrate my birthday and share some awesome new themes with you. This week I was drawn to themes that were comfortable, but new and fun. I brought you themes that have a slight change from your comfortable default theme, right to a theme literally flipped thirty degrees. I without a doubt have fallen in love with these three themes here for you today.

With no further delay – I bring you this weeks theme review!….. After the cut!

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Hey guys, Steph here! This week I’m bringing you creative, fun, and cool themes for your BB. The themes i’ve gone through this week all have something that stands right out to me. It may be something different, something that caught my eye, or just something that adds a little bit more personality to your phone. Check out all of this week’s featured themes past the break!

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