MyFoneThemes Blog

Luck & Prosperity for the Year of the Pig

For most of our Chinese brothers and sisters around the world, the new year has not arrived yet. Unlike most of us who follow the more common practice of welcoming the new year during the first day of January, the Chinese Year 4705 will only begin on February 18, 2007.

The Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. It is a time for reunion of Chinese families. During these times, they wear red outfits, decorate with poems or happy wishes on red paper, and distribute money put in red envelopes to the children, unmarried friends, as well as close relatives. The Chinese believe that red symbolizes fire which can drive away bad luck. Fireworks are also set off during midnight to welcome in the new year. The Chinese New Year is in some ways similar to the Western one, full of traditions and rituals.

For this year, the Chinese are celebrating the year of the pig or boar. According to legend, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year during the ancient times. Twelve came (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig) and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal’s year would have some of that animal’s personality. Those born in pig years (1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007) tend to have excellent manners, be very sociable, be creative, work very hard, and appreciate luxury. They are very loving and make loyal partners.

Since it is believed that pigs are creative, and that they enjoy the finer things in life, the year 2007 will be a time for fun and self indulgence. Treat yourself and your mobile phone with themes from myfonethemes.com’s Chinese New Year collection 2007. Bring good luck, health, and prosperity wherever you go when you download Chinese New Year phone themes into your mobile. Here are some of them:

All themes found on this cybershop are compatible with more than 80 mobile phone models from Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. And it will turn out to be your lucky day once you download a theme on your phone because you will be getting another theme with your purchase at no extra cost. Motorola users even get an additional ringtone that is also free of charge.

If you are looking for another chance to start anew and think it’s too late, this coming Chinese New Year is your second chance. Revel once more in the spirit of renewal with the latest and original phone themes from myfonethemes.com to compliment the celebration.

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myfonethemes.com Tips & Tricks: Valentine’s Day Gift Idea

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…” Don’t be surprised when your significant other starts sprouting lines like this one to you. February is here, the month of love and romance, and you must be asking yourself: “What gift should I be getting my lovey dovey this valentine’s?”

I say you should definitely not give a card bought from the store, because this is just too generic. Did you know that according to the Greeting Card Association (yes people, there is such an association), an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.). Flowers are also too common because according to About.com, approximately 50million roses are sent during Valentine’s each year. And that’s just roses, add a couple of million or more for the other types of flowers. And did I hear somebody saying chocolates? Chocolate and other confectionery products combined is a $19 billion industry. Meaning, candies and chocolates are to be considered ordinary gifts for Valentine’s too. Another usual gift during this holiday is jewelry. Aside from being commonplace, jewelry will also leave a hole in your pocket.

So why waste money on presents that would be just like other people give to their special someone? Coco Chanel once said that in order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different. In other words, if you want to be an irreplaceable aspect of your loved one’s life, do just that, be different!

If different is what you want, the perfect gift would be a phone theme for your honey’s mobile phone. This February, myfonethemes.com releases a fresh batch of themes especially made for the month of hearts. Here are some of them:

The myfonethemes.com’s Valentine collection consists of themes made up of stunning 3D images that are compatible with more than 80 phone models from Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson. Download one now for your sweetheart or yourself and avail of the free themes that are given as a bonus for every theme purchased. Motorola users even get an additional ringtone free of charge.

This site also caters to those who want to give a DIY gift because myfonethemes.com gives you the option of personalizing pictures that you’ve taken yourself. Wouldn’t it be a sweet idea to convert photos of you and your loved one into a phone theme? Jazz it up with a template, color scheme or text then you’ll not only have a theme that is close to both your hearts, but also two ready-made themes that comes free for every personalized phone theme order.

What else are you waiting for? Go ahead and visit myfonethemes.com to pick out the perfect phone theme for you and your sweetie’s phone. A gift like that will surely be unforgettable.

Phone Overhaul: Make Your Mobile Phone Standout with Themes

Wouldn’t life be monotonous if everyone walked, talked, acted, and looked the same? There would be no variety—in other words life would be dull with a capital D. This also goes for mobile phones. Can you imagine a world where every single person owns a mobile phone without a touch of personality or even a mere hint of individuality? B-O-R-I-N-G!

Thank goodness for mobile contents like wallpapers, ring tones, screensavers, and last but not the least, phone themes! These days, humans are not the only ones who need to update their look once in a while. Even gadgets like mobile phones have to stand out from all of the billions of cell phone units in the world today. How can you say that the one you are holding in your hand is unique and special?

It will just be a mass produced clone unless you put in some personal touches that would make it your very own—and one of the things that can best add personality to your mobile is a phone theme. Out of the mobile contents that have been mentioned, phone themes are perhaps one of the most downloaded. Themes are exchangeable skins and user interfaces for your mobile cell phone. Most of these themes feature coordinated background images, color schemes, animations and ring tones.

The most comprehensive source for themes would most probably be the web. There, you’ll find enough phone themes to last you a lifetime. Online phone theme shops usually organize themes according to category like animals, nature, occasions, sports, and the like. There are limitless possibilities, even for those people who have bizarre tastes.

Be sure though to make sure that the theme you plan on downloading is compatible with your phone. Most sites only support a limited number of phone models. However, a site called myfonethemes.com (http://www.myfonethemes.com) offers themes that support 80+ mobile phone models. All themes in all categories can be downloaded into 80+ phones from Nokia, Panasonic, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, and Motorola.

Aside from a selection of themes which are absolutely free, this phone theme cybershop also offers free themes each time you purchase a phone theme from them. They give a great value for your money because they bundle regular phone themes priced at $1.69 with a free phone theme and an additional ringtone for Motorola users, and high-end phone themes which are priced at $1.99 come with a free regular phone theme—that’s almost $2 savings for the high-quality and all-original themes that myfonethemes.com have.

Another plus is that they give you the option of personalizing pictures that you’ve taken yourself. It would be a great idea to convert photos of your loved ones, pets, artwork, and even your favorite picture into your own phone’s theme. Jazz it up with a template, color scheme or text then you’ll have a theme that is close to your heart. Personalized themes also come with not only one but two free themes all for the price of $1.99.

What else are you waiting for? Go through your image folders now and find that picture that could be converted into the perfect theme for your phone. I am sure that your mobile phone will never be mistaken as dull or boring ever again.

Ten Commandments of Cell Phone Etiquette

Over a billion people are now equipped with mobile devices, ready to wag at every opportunity. Reports are abound regarding the rather seemingly unethical ways which mobile owners use their devices. Mobile use inside moviehouses, during conference rooms, while attending church masses and at (gasp!) funerals usually land on many people’s pet-peeve lists.

Wireless World’s Dan Briody shares a list of must-remember mobile phone etiquette. This is especially useful for the uninitiated. As for others who have have been using cell phones for years, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of these ethical standards:

1. Thou shalt not subject defenseless others to cell phone conversations.
   
2. Thou shalt not set thy ringer to play La Cucaracha every time thy phone rings.
3. Thou shalt turn thy cell phone off during public performances.
4. Thou shalt not wear more than two wireless devices on thy belt.
5. Thou shalt not dial while driving.
   
6. Thou shalt not wear thy earpiece when thou art not on thy phone.
7. Thou shalt not speak louder on thy cell phone than thou would on any other phone.
8. Thou shalt not grow too attached to thy cell phone.
9. Thou shalt not attempt to impress with thy cell phone.
10. Thou shalt not slam thy cell phone down on a restaurant table just in case it rings.

Read the full article on this link.

I’d like to add some suggestions:

• Thou shalt not text while crossing the street.
• Thou shalt not answer calls during worships, weddings, funerals, business conferences, interviews and similar occasions. If thy must communicate using mobile, thou shalt use text/SMS functions and thou shalt do so discreetly.
• Thou shalt keep the call short.

Download these new car themes!

Mobytime Mobile, one of Myfonethemes’s Image Partner, is a fervent supplier of quality images that we enjoy converting into mobile themes. We have just released a couple more of themes featuring car images from Mobytime.

Click these images to get to the dowload page.

Mobile Web Best Practices 1.0

W3C has released its “Mobile Web Best Practices 1.0″, a framework for mobile software developers. The Best Practices’s complete document can be found on this link, while the summary is on this link.

The abstract:

This document specifies Best Practices for delivering Web content to mobile devices. The principal objective is to improve the user experience of the Web when accessed from such devices.

The recommendations refer to delivered content and not to the processes by which it is created, nor to the devices or user agents to which it is delivered.

It is primarily directed at creators, maintainers and operators of Web sites. Readers of this document are expected to be familiar with the creation of Web sites, and to have a general familiarity with the technologies involved, such as Web servers and HTTP. Readers are not expected to have a background in mobile-specific technologies.

The Best Practices was developed with representatives from some of the giants of the telecommunications industry, including America Online, AT&T, ERICSSON, France Telecom, Google, Nokia, Opera Software, Vodafone, Volantis Systems, and others.

Beckham bends it with Motorola

Motorola announced a three-year collaboration with English football star David Beckham. The English national team captain will work with the mobile phone company trough advertising appearances and retail promotions, focusing on Motorola’s network of stores and distributors throughout Asia.

The deal also requires Beckham to support Motorola’s initiatives, such as its support for AIDS prevention in Africa, by endorsing MOTORED mobile phone created specifically for the purpose.

Motorola handset owners can start downloading content, such as screensavers and mobile videos that feature the self-proclaimed metrosexual.

Nokia embraces the internet; goes open-source

By porting the Linux-based Apache web server to its Symbian Series 60 platform, Nokia gradually reaches beyond the walled gardens of telcos, realizing that more and more people are accessing the internet through their cell phones.

According to The Register (through Wireless Watch):

For its next generation high end devices – which the company now refuses to refer to any longer as “cellphones” – to compete with notebooks and become the norm for business access, they needed to offer an internet experience as unfettered, simple and user friendly as that of the PC. This meant adopting, or improving on, the key aspects of that platform – simple user interface, choice of radio links to support the fastest and cheapest connections, IP support, unrestricted web access, and increasingly, open source software options.

Refusing to call its next generation of handsets “cell phones,” the mobile giant recently opened its Symbian 60 technology to developers and in effect set in place a “de facto standard” software platform for mobiles.

The S60 Webkit is available to anyone with an open source BSD license, a highly permissive license commonly used by free software developers worldwide. The kit comes with the sourcecode of the browser engine co-developed with Apple and based on that company’s Safari browser. At this point it does not contain other Series 60 components such as the user interface, allowing developers to create differentiated browser interfaces, although further release of S60 elements is widely expected.

Receive World Cup updates on your mobile

There is no escaping the World Cup now. Resco joins in the excitement with World Cup Mobile 2006, a nifty program that brings the latest news, scores and commentaries to S60 devices.

Allaboutsymbian reports:

If you think of the application as a custom web/wap/xml page browser you would be pretty close to the truth. With five main categories of news and reporting, the application will keep you up to date (on a daily basis) throughout the World Cup. As well as overall tournament news, you have access to the full schedule and results of the matches, and the all important statistics (after all, after mobile phones, the anoraks of this world need to know their football numbers). There’s also a comprehensive history section about previous exploits of your favourite teams - enough to get you through a commentary session and look as clever as the BBC!

World Cup Mobile 2006 runs on the following models:

Celebrate the 2006 World Cup with Mobile Themes

Just like everybody else, we can’t wait for the games to begin. And to show our excitement, we have uploaded football mobile themes. More will be added to the football collection so don’t despair if your favorite team is not yet represented.Mobytime Mobile signed up as our newest image licensor and submitted a collection of awesome football images for conversion into mobile themes.

Check the mobile themes made from Mobytime’s football images at this page. Here are some of our previews.

England Football (Nokia Preview)	Germany Football (Nokia Preview)

Englad Football Mobile Theme (Sony Ericsson preview)

All themes are available for Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson handsets. The thumbnails we have currently are for Nokia handsets only. However, all themes can be downloaded into other Symbian and S40 mobiles.