Usability
In order to get successful, your focus should not be limited to the specific audience. The more you make it simpler and usable the more your work will be appreciated. I will discuss some of the factors that would allow you to create user-friendly themes.
Style
A theme is not just basically a background image but it is a set of resources used to personalize the visual experience on a mobile device. Your theme should have the consistent look with balanced color palette followed by a unifying idea.
Contrast
Most of the mobile devices are small (not as big as your computer) that’s why they have got a smaller text with smaller icons. Your theme should use text, colors, controls, indicators in a smart way to provide a proper contrast over the look.
Good designs require revisions and by revising your designs (sketches) according to the guidelines you can create very good themes. It is best to use your own stuff (icons & images mainly) but if you’re using some copyrighted content then you must know how to cite the creatives.
Below is the picture that describes the high-level process that would help you design a theme.
Background plays an important role in Theme designing. It is considered a heart of theme and rest of the theme is aligned within this background. According to the guidelines, one should pay attention towards background first rather than designing other stuff.
There are several users who are interested in themes with the great backgrounds. In short, they consider good backgrounds equal to theme. Therefore, you should invest a significant amount of time in designing the attractive backgrounds.
There are two kinds of backgrounds; idle background and active background.
Idle Background
It can be anything creative and readable and it is displayed when the device goes in to the idle mode. You should design the idle background in a smart readable manner so that they don’t get overlapped with phone elements such as clock, status bar. Colors play an important role in design so we recommend you to try different combinations and choose the best one.
Active Background
Active background’s design demands more attention than the idle background. Faded version of an idle background can also be used as a background but simply using an idle background can lead to bad and useless design.
Stay with us for the upcoming posts on this series.
Mobile User Experience with Theme Design – Part 1
Mobile User Experience with Theme Design – Part 3
47 thoughts on “Mobile User Experience with Theme Design – Part 2”
Faisal Aziz
Fri, Jul 07, 2017Sir Great work keep it up.I need carbide ui. I search a lot on google but not find any link to download that software. please give direct link to download the software. Thanks in advance.
Sheikh
Sat, Feb 14, 2015Sir,I have made a theme & saved it.But it shows in no format.I want to make a nth format theme , plz tell me how to convert theme into nth format?
Hasan Baloch
Mon, Feb 16, 2015Please tell me first that which software are you using?
Sheikh
Mon, Feb 23, 2015Carbide UI
adriel
Fri, Sep 20, 2013the carbide would not open on my computer,
how do it work?
Hasan Baloch
Thu, Sep 26, 2013Right click on it and click on “Run as Administration”.
Muhammad Amjad Khan
Tue, Jun 25, 2013Guide me please,
How I can export theme in .nth Format by using Carbide UI.
Zayed Baloch
Tue, Jun 25, 2013Just open the .nth file on Carbide.ui
Kim Mansos
Sat, Feb 09, 2013How to download a Theme creator in my Laptop??
Hasan Baloch
Tue, Feb 12, 2013Simply like you download a software.
navaneeth
Sat, Jan 05, 2013please tell me a theme creator for my Nokia X2-00
Hasan Baloch
Sat, Jan 05, 2013Carbide UI
Vipul Gupta
Thu, Sep 27, 2012Sir..
I want to make theme for my Nokia X2-01..
but when i try to download carbide.ui from Nokia, It show software not available..
Kindly tell me is here any other software available for X2-01
Please help me…
Hasan Baloch
Sat, Sep 29, 2012Search on google and you will get it
Asjid Mehmood
Mon, Mar 26, 2012Arafat Bhai mainy adobe flash cs5 dwnload kiya hai lekin main us se live flash wallpaper kaise bna skta hon boht koshish i hai pr create nae ho raha plz help me
Asjid
Tue, Mar 27, 2012plz help me to making live flash wallpapers via adobe flash cs5 i,ll be thankful to u
Arafat Tehsin
Tue, Mar 27, 2012Asjid, you need to have a command on ActionScript as well. As of now, we don’t have any plans to start the series on Adobe Flash soon, so you must search it out. It’s easy you can do it. 🙂
leoriza
Mon, Mar 19, 2012dear mr.arafat.is there any free software to create flash wallpapers?because as i know adobe flash professional is just a trial.thanks.
utsav
Sat, Mar 17, 2012bhai mujhe ek problem ho rahe hai.
Jab bhe mai carbide se X2 k liye theme banata hu aur usme music player skin edit krta hu aur jb X2 me chalata hu to pure screen black hojati hai per jb 5130 me chala hu skin chalti hai .
Aisa kyu ho raha hai..
Agar X2 k liye dusri skin hai to please .. Site ki download link bhej dejeye.
Zayed Baloch
Sun, Mar 18, 2012Can you send us the screen with source file we want to check your media player skins…
utsav
Sun, Mar 18, 2012ya shure..
utsav
Sun, Mar 18, 2012mujhe aap ki site me aapki site ki email id nahe mil rahe hai ..
Plz email id bataiye taki mai skins send kr saku .
Zayed Baloch
Mon, Mar 19, 2012webmaster@themereflex.com
utsav
Mon, Mar 12, 2012then arafat bhai how baloch brothers change games mail icons ..
Is there any other special software???
Arafat Tehsin
Mon, Mar 12, 2012As I told you there are certain icons that can’t be changed. They vary from devices to devices. Our team manages to design their own icons in a fashion that those icons (which can’t be changed) give the same experience. We’re using Carbide UI at ThemeReflex for theme design and development. 🙂
utsav
Mon, Mar 12, 2012okk i got it…
thanku so much for the help.
shubham
Sun, Mar 11, 2012hello,i’ve created 3-4 themes using your flash lite wallpapaers,but now i want to create my own *.swf files. can you please tell me any software to use? thanks.
Hasan Baloch
Sun, Mar 11, 2012Adobe flash
Jaybee
Fri, Mar 09, 2012Please, I want to start creating some themes by myself.
How do I start?
What do I need to start? And where can I create?
THANKS.
Arafat Tehsin
Sat, Mar 10, 2012Hey Jaybee. You need to download the Carbide UI for Nokia Phones. Theme designing demands a general understanding of design principles. You should go ahead with it. 🙂
pratik borsadiya
Thu, Mar 08, 2012hello,
arafat bhai,
please,suggest a softwere for designing theme element (*.png) image making and editing.please give the link for downloading it.please…
Please…
Pratik borsadiya
Fri, Mar 09, 2012Please suggest…
Please…please…;(:(
Arafat Tehsin
Sat, Mar 10, 2012Hi Pratik. For theme design elements, you can use any good editing software like Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Expression Design. 🙂
Pratikborsadiya
Sat, Mar 10, 2012Is microsoft expression design free?.please give download link to download it.
utsav
Thu, Mar 08, 2012thanku so much sir for ur sugession ,
can you please tell me how to change games , mail and photos icons by making theme from carbide.ui ?
please help me ..
Arafat Tehsin
Thu, Mar 08, 2012Actually, there’s a little issue with Carbide UI in terms of applying icons. We’re still in contact to get it fixed with them. We will definitely update you once it is fixed.
utsav
Thu, Mar 08, 2012and sir is there any other software to save screenshots of theme other then NOKIA SCREEN DUMPER because i have downloaded it many times but it always show not responding ..can u please tell me what is actual problem in it.?
Arafat Tehsin
Fri, Mar 09, 2012Hi ustsav, just connect your phone to the PC via USB cable and follow the instructions. It’s recommended to close all Nokia-related programs on your PC Suite etc. before connecting the phone as Nokia Screen Dumper might not work properly otherwise.
Asjid Mehmood
Thu, Mar 08, 2012bhai plz help me
Hasan Baloch
Thu, Mar 08, 2012Download Adobe flash
Asjid Mehmood
Thu, Mar 08, 20124rom which website plz guide me i,ll be thankful to u
Arafat Tehsin
Fri, Mar 09, 2012Hey Asjid
Just google it and you will find it easily. 🙂
Asjid Mehmood
Sat, Mar 10, 2012thank u vry much brother
Asjid Mehmood
Wed, Mar 07, 2012how can i create live flash wallpapers for themes plz help me and send me software download link
Muhammad Usama
Wed, Mar 07, 2012Nice post Keep up the good work amazingly helpful!!
Md. Al-Arian
Wed, Mar 07, 2012I am trying to make themes for Nokia s40v6 series. But it will needs a software “Carbide”. Where can I find this software. Please give me the software link.
Arafat Tehsin
Wed, Mar 07, 2012Hey! You can download this software from Nokia Developer website. Should you have any more queries or suggestions let us know on our twitter account.