A couple of interesting additions popped up in BlackBerry App World this week: categories for Ringtones and BlackBerry 7 themes. While there has always been a theme section, and there have been several themes for BB7 devices found in App World, until now they were not recognized in their own category. Now when you open App World on your BB7 device, you can see the Theme section and presumably find all sorts of free and paid themes for your BlackBerry. Does this mean that we are one step closer to Theme Builder being updated for Blackberry 7 devices? As soon as we know, you'll know.

In the new Ringtone section of BlackBerry App World, you can find hundreds of ringtones in all sorts of genres, brought to App World by a company named Spintones. The majority of the ringtones are $2.99, with a few packs priced a bit higher. At this time, the ringtones are only available in Canada and the United States, but word has it that more countries will have access in the near future. The compatible device list seems to be pretty short, though the minimum OS is listed at 5.0, and there doesn't seem to be a way to preview the ringtone before purchasing. There are also specific rules stating that each ringtone can only be installed on one BlackBerry device, so if you switch devices you have to repurchase the ringtones. Also, you can only re-install the ringtones you purchase up to 2 times within 72 hours of the initial installation on the original device.

While the new ringtone gallery isn't going to interest everyone, I'm sure there is a market for it, and it does seem they have a pretty varied selection of ringtones available. No word on whether you will be able to upload your own ringtones at any time in the future, though I'm guessing it's not going to be an option as there would likely be a lot of legal/copyright issues to deal with at that point. Don't forget, if you're looking for free ringtones, CrackBerry has a huge free ringtone gallery that's just a click away. (If you've never downloaded ringtones from our gallery before, make sure you scroll down the page at the link below and read the instructions.)

Download free ringtones in the CrackBerry Ringtone Gallery

We have previously seen various themes become available for UberSocial for BlackBerry but downloading them required you to go to the UberSocial site instead of just being able to grab it right through AppWorld. That seems to have changed, and now all the themes are listed in AppWorld for your easy downloading pleasure. I'm not sure if these get updated periodically, I would assume they will be updated when the app is updated, so it will be much easier to get notified of these updates having installed it through AppWorld. If you are an UberSocial for BlackBerry user be sure to hit the link below and check the themes out!

More information / download of UberSocial for BlackBerry themes 

If you're a Bold 9900/9930 user and are a bit jealous of the P'9981 theme or icons, fear not. Both the custom theme as well as the icon files have been extracted from the Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9981. Personally I'm not a fan of the "custom" look of this theme, but I know some may be longing for a new look for their Bold 9900 or 9930. Now keep in mind these won't work on any devices aside from the 9900 and 9930, and as of now they only run on OS 7 (not 7.1). So with that in mind, hit the link below to download the theme or the icons (if you want to create a theme of your own) and get your Porsche on.

Download the BlackBerry P'9981 Theme
Download the BlackBerry P'9981 Icons

Source: N4BB

CrackBerry's Do It Yourself Guide to Creating Themes for BlackBerry 7 Smartphones!

Until last week we didn't even have so much of a glimpse as to what would become of themes on BlackBerry 7 devices. With the release of Deck The Halls however, we finally saw that it is indeed possible to create themes for these BlackBerry 7 phones. Some vigilant forums members have found a way (albeit a fairly hard way) to create themes for BlackBerry 7 devices. Dave of BB Themes has sent along this guide so you can get cracking if you're looking to create some themes on your own. Keep reading for the full walkthrough or hit the forums for more discussion.

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Back when the BlackBerry PlayBook first launched the question of themes and customizations came up and while the answer to the question "Will the PlayBook be skinnable?" was never really dismissed -- it was never taken seriously either. It only garnered a response that when broken down equated to if the demand is there, it might eventually be considered as an option. Well, that never happened despite the demand being there and to this day, theme developers still have no access to creating themes on the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Now, with BlackBerry 7 devices out -- theme developers are once again stuck waiting on RIM to update the BlackBerry Theme Studio so that themes can be created for BlackBerry 7 devices. Their has been no mention of if and when the update will come but as we all know -- DevCon is only a few days away so that may bring a new release but what if it doesn't?

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ProThemeDesigns is brand new on the theme scene, and was created with one purpose: the creation of slick, stream lined themes for all BlackBerry users. Since its creation, ProThemeDesigns has launched its first 3 themes on App World and Mobihand - PurpleHaze, SilverTide and SilverTide w/BB7 Icons. All 3 of these themes are designed with the professional BlackBerry user in mind. No crazy colors or animations, just classy, timeless themes that you can use in the boardroom and your living room.

Have you ever installed a new theme, you like it but its just not 100% what you wanted? ProThemeDesigns is giving you a chance to win your "Dream Theme"!  Using the hands of their designer as your own, you will be able to design a completely custom theme (to the ability of the designer).  A theme the way you want it. To enter to win this custom theme, all you have to do is follow @ProThemeDesigns on Twitter, and send them a tweet letting them know you saw the contest on CrackBerry and what device you have. Even if you have upgraded to a BB7 device, you can enter, the only catch being you'll have to wait until the updated Theme Studio is released by RIM to get your theme made. ProThemeDesigns will pick a winner from their new followers to win this awesome prize.

On top of this, ProThemeDesigns has given us 25 copies of each of their current themes to pass on to you guys! To enter to win one of these, check them out at the links below, then come back here and leave a comment letting us know which theme you want. They are each compatible with BlackBerry 8330/50i, 85xx, 91xx, 9300/30, 95xx, 9650/70, 97xx, and 9800 so you'll need to have one of these devices. This contest ends Sunday at midnight PST! One entry per person please. Good luck!

More information/screenshots and to purchase PurpleHaze ($2.99)
More information/screenshots and to purchase SilverTide ($.99)
More information/screenshots and to purchase SilverTide w/ OS7 icons ($1.99)

Over the years we have seen tons and tons of BlackBerry themes come and go, many of them offering unique features like sliding docks, animations, and much more, and the folks at ShootnShare didn't want to feel left out of the fun. They have created a mini application, ShootnShare, which has been built into a number of themes in a series, and it is pretty neat.

The idea behind ShootnShare is to take a shot of what is on your screen, make some minor edits to the image, and share it directly to your Twitter or Facebook account. No more taking a screen shot, opening up your social application, navigating to the image, and uploading, instead it is all done in one quick and easy process. Some themes that include the application are Holiday Postcard, Stickers (this one has a custom CrackBerry template you can download too!) and many more which can all be found at their website. 

The holidays are officially upon us. The gifts are wrapped (or they should be), the plans have been made and the snow is falling (at least where I live it is). You've decorated your house, busted out the holiday music and tackled the mall, so the only thing left is to deck out your BlackBerry with some holiday media. We have wallpapers, ringtones and themes galore to get you flying into the holiday spirit. We have a fresh CrackBerry Holiday theme for 2010 and RIM has some BlackBerry Holiday themes of their own. We even have some spiked egg nog in the CrackBerry offices too, but we couldn't figure out how to make that available as a download on your BB. So check out the links below and grab up some holiday cheer so your Berry fits in with those pink bunny PJs grandma gave you.

Holiday Media:

Ringtones | Themes

Holiday Wallpapers:

Storm/Torch | 8900, 97xx & 96xx | Bold 9000 | 83xx & 85xx | Style/Pearl 3G | other BBs

Theme developer Akash Barmecha of Global Torch Themes has been hard at work developing some awesome new designs for your BlackBerry Torch. Two of these designs, DiJital and Fusion, really caught my eye. They are both packed with the features and attention to detail that theme lovers expect from themes today. A closer look at each of these themes and contest details after the break.

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Themes are a great way to give your BlackBerry experience a bit of variety.  Many themes even improve upon the usefulness of the home screen and navigation.  While it's nice to have a large selection of themes to choose from, themes do take up application memory.  Too many themes and you might find your smartphone running sluggishly.  Worse yet, you could find that emails and other messages start "disappearing" as memory space becomes scarce.

Changing and even deleting themes isn't difficult; you just need to know where to look.

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Contest: Win 1 of 50 free copies of BeAmplified! Details below!

Thanksgiving week is upon us here in the US, which means Christmas is just around the corner! Don't worry, I'm not busting out the Christmas/holiday themes just yet, it's still a bit early I think. However I hope all of you theme developers out there are working on your holiday offerings, as I can't wait to devote a whole roundup to them in the coming weeks! Enjoy this week's picks everyone; there is even one below that is compatible with the Pearl Flip, which seems pretty rare. Don't forget to send your creations and recommendations in to themeroundup @ crackberry.com! Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

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Contest: Enter to win one of 25 free copies of Galaxy Ring! 

It's a new week, and we are back again with a new BlackBerry Theme Roundup for your enjoyment. I changed up the format a little this week so I hope you all like it. Keep sending in your creations and suggestions to themeroundup[at]crackberry[dot]com. Please keep in mind that the roundup is simply a sampling of themes found in the CrackBerry forums and in the store and that it isn't a competition between developers, so there is no winner among them. The roundup is just a way to highlight what is posted and hopefully bring your attention to something you may have missed during the week. With that said, enjoy this week's picks, and be sure to read all the way through for the contest at the end! Have a great week everyone!

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HTC Desire HD theme is a great way to spice up the look of your BlackBerry. It brings the Android Sense UI look and feel to your device, with replica icons, wallpapers, menus, and battery meter. It also features that familar HTC Sense clock widget, which looks great on any device. Besides the standard Sense UI look, you get your choice of a Metal, Wood, or Slate skin (pictured above) when purchasing. This gives you some nice options on how you exactly you want your device to look. VinceThePrince did very well on this theme, and I especially like the option to add multiple docks, on multiple homescreens.

You can pick up the HTC Desire HD theme at the CrackBerry App Store, on sale for $2.99 through the end of them month. It is compatible with most devices running OS 4.7 and up, including BlackBerry 6.

• More information and purchase of HTC Desire HD >>

CONTEST: Win of of 25 free copies of Win7Ultimate!

Well it's Monday, and you all know what that means!  Time for this week's installment of the CrackBerry Weekly Theme Roundup. We have all types this week, so you'll want to be sure to check them all out. Don't forget to read all the way to the end for the contest. This week it's all about you Torch owners, so make sure if you enter the contest you are aware it's just for Torch users. Enjoy, and see you all next week! 

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BBThemes let us know they have just released a new creation called BeAmplified, and I have to say, it's hot! BeAmplified takes its design from the BlackBerry PlayBook, with features such as the sliding panel in the center that allows access to 6 pre-defined apps (Messages, Calendar, BlackBerry Messenger, Browser, Music, and Pictures) and a sliding bottom dock. This dock houses the following panels and icons:

• Social panel: Facebook (launches Facebook for BlackBerry - not included), BlackBerry Messenger and Twitter (launches Twitter for BlackBerry - not included)
• Media panel: music, videos, pictures, camera and voicenotes
• All panel: Icons 1-5 based on device order
• Favorites panel: Icons 6 - 10 based on device order

BeAmplified comes in two different varieties, Pro and Lite. Pro is made with custom boxed style icons, while Lite features the more subtle BB6 icons. This theme includes a few hotkeys for launching your favorite apps, and also the ability to hide and show the center sliding panel so you can show off your wallpaper. BeAmplified is a really nice looking theme overall, with a lot of attention to detail throughout. I know many of us are eagerly (Anxiously? Impatiently?) awaiting the BlackBerry PlayBook, and with this new theme, we can at least feel like we're one step closer.

Currently BeAmplified is available for Curve 89xx, Tour 96xx, Bold 97xx, and Pearl 91xx (OS 4.6/4.7/5.0). Torch and Storm versions are also on the way, so if one of those is your device, hopefully you won't have long to wait for this theme. You can pick up either the Lite or Pro version in the CB store on sale right now for just $2.99 (regularly $4.99).

• For more information/screenshots and to purchase BeAmplified >>