.KEYWORD themes
.FLYINGHEAD PALM DESKTOP FUN
.TITLE Color your desktop with fun new themes
.FEATURE
.SPOTLIGHT FIGALT cover.gif
.SUMMARY You may already have discovered the ability to change the color themes in Palm Desktop 4.0. However, there aren’t a lot of options. In this fun article, Contributing Editor Steve Niles will show you where you can find even more themes to liven up your desktop.
.AUTHOR Steve Niles
Years ago, I went through a series of dull temp jobs where one of my main pastimes was compulsively adjusting the Windows color themes on whatever computer I was using. I was sure to always leave behind the most garish color-combination I could concoct as a little welcome-back gift for the full-time employee I was filling in for.
Ah, life’s small pleasures.
These days, I’ve thankfully got much better things to do with my time than concern myself with color themes. However, if the standard blue and gray color scheme Palm has chosen for its Palm Desktop application doesn’t fulfill your aesthetic sensibilities, then there’s good news for you if you’re using version 4.0.1 of the software. The default color scheme is pictured in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A The default color theme makes use of the official Palm colors, blue and gray.
If you’re not already using version 4.0.1, there’s no reason not to. The upgrade is a free download from the Palm Web site at http://www.palm.com/software/desktop/. For more information on what advantages version 4.0 has over its predecessors, check out the article, "How to use Palm Desktop v4.0 with your Handspring Visor," by David Gewirtz in the February 2001 issue of PalmPower at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200102/visordesktop001.html. The article was written to address a bug that cropped up when using Desktop 4.0 with a Visor, but there’s some great information in there on the software that will be of interest for users of all Palm OS handhelds.
One of the coolest aspects of this updated version is the ability to easily change the color themes. All you have to do is choose Options from the Tools menu. From the dialogue box that opens, choose the Themes tab. Palm Desktop comes with five built-in themes, the default theme, Crimson Rose, Emerald Forest, Spring Lilac, and The Original.
Crimson Rose, pictured in Figure B, is great for softer sensibilities.
.FIGPAIR B The Crimson Rose theme makes use of pink and crimson.
Emerald Forest, pictured in Figure C, makes fine use of various shades of green.
.FIGPAIR C The Emerald Forest theme uses shades of green and a splash of yellow.
Spring Lilac uses shades of purple to good effect, while The Original opts for shades of gray. If you’d like some more options than that, they’re easy to find. Developers at M5studio in Poland have designed some new color themes for Palm Desktop 4.0.1, and they’re available to you absolutely free at http://palm.terramail.pl/pdt.html.
Palm Desktop Themes v1.3 includes a whole bunch of new themes, including Fog, Vintage, Grass, Happy Day, Dawn, Mount, Dusk, Ice Rink, Field, Deep Forest, Red Paprica, Sandbox, Moss, Cloud, Wave, Harvest Time, Clemens #1, Dust, Blue Shift, Feather, WT, Sandstorm, Testing Ground, Red Knee Tarantula, Green Valley, Coral Reef, Clio, and Mars.
Coral Reef, pictured in Figure D, evokes a swim beneath the ocean waves with its muted orange, green, and blue colors.
.FIGPAIR D Go under the sea with Coral Reef.
If you’re looking for something a little more understated, try Testing Ground. I’m not sure what the name is supposed to mean. Perhaps it’s supposed to invoke the look of a computer screen at a missile test facility. Judge for yourself in Figure E.
.FIGPAIR E Testing Ground uses gray and blue-gray with just a hint of yellow.
That’s not the oddest name in the lot, however. No, the winner of weirdest nom de guerre goes to Red Knee Tarantula, pictured in Figure F.
.FIGPAIR F Red Knee Tarantula has a cool name and a cool look.
Most likely, this is a reference to the Mexican Red Knee Tarantula (Brachypelma smithii), which can be found in a variety of habitats including deserts and rainforests. They’re most commonly found in the rainforests of Mexico and in the southern regions of America. To compare the critter to the color scheme, check out the real Red Knee Tarantula pictured in Figure G.
.FIG G Who would think the Mexican Red Knee Tarantula would inspire a Palm Desktop theme?
The Mars theme also has a very bold color-scheme. You can check it out in Figure H.
.FIGPAIR H The Mars theme brings to mind the red planet.
If you’re looking for a theme to match your jolly mood, then give Happy Day a try. It’s pictured in Figure I.
.FIGPAIR I The bright colors of the Happy Day theme are sure to wake you up.
I won’t go through all the color themes, as you can quite easily view them yourself. As I already mentioned, Palm Desktop Themes v1.3 is a free download available at http://palm.terramail.pl/pdt.html. Give it a try and add a little color to your desktop.
Finally, speaking of Happy Day, you’ve probably noticed from all these screen shots that this article was written on December 31, 2001. I’d like to wish all our PalmPower readers a very happy and prosperous 2002.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on Palm Desktop Themes v1.3, visit http://palm.terramail.pl/pdt.html.
For more information on M5studio, visit http://m5studio.prv.pl/.
For more information on Palm Desktop 4.0.1, visit http://www.palm.com/software/desktop/.
For the article, "How to use Palm Desktop v4.0 with your Handspring Visor," by David Gewirtz in the February 2001 issue of PalmPower, visit http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200102/visordesktop001.html
For more information on the Mexican Red Knee Tarantula, visit http://rainforest.image-centre.com/tarantula.html.
For more information on Palm handhelds, visit http://www.palm.com.
.H1 Easy, flexible article reprints
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.END_SIDEBAR
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