Day three has been all about customization.
Specifically, getting my hands dirty with homescreen modifications. The Smartphone platform differs from the Pocket PC platform in this regard: 1) The Today screen is referred to as a “homescreen”; 2) Standard .tsk theme files are not supported. Rather, a JPEG is placed into a designated folder along with a corresponding XML file. The JPEG displays the background image, while the XML provides configuration info for plug-ins and other homescreen items.
Initially, I was a bit adverse to this concept. It all seemed a bit backward. However, the more I began downloading, installing, and tweaking homescreens, the more it became apparent that the JPEG/XML combo is actually quite a flexible and intuitive way to manage your today page.
Fundamentally, the XML file allows for unlimited customization. Plug-ins are generally added by creating a new set of tags, provided the application supports it. Without trying to put my neck on the line, I suspect this could become the de facto standard…
Several artist folk have leveraged this concept to develop beautifully crafted screens. Thanks to eko (from Qusers) for developing the Vader screen below.
Happy Halloween everybody!
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