January 31st, 2008
BlackBerry Patent app describes wireless changing of theme screens
A new BlackBerry Patent application entitled System and Method for Adaptive Theming Of A Mobile Device describes ways that a BlackBerry wireless carrier or third-party theme screen developer could configure, or reconfigure, a subscriber’s BlackBerry theme remotely.
This capability presumably could be used to configure temes based on user preferences, regions, or even- hopefully only with the subscriber’s content- to promotions or times of the year.
If I am reading this right, maybe a spring-oriented theme could be forwarded by a carrier or third-party developer to a user that would show flowers native to the subscriber’s area. Similarly, a Christmas or Hanukah theme could be sent to users who may have expressed such preferences during registration or a push email campaign sent by the carrier.
I like this idea- as long as it is opt-in.
Now let us review this Patent App’s Abstract:
In the field of mobile devices, it is desirable to allow parties extraneous to a mobile device’s manufacturer the ability to theme the mobile device. It is also desirable to allow changes to the theme of the mobile device in order to reflect changes in the corporate identity or services offered by a vendor or carrier associated with the mobile device.
Herein provided are methods for the just in time theming of a mobile device. The methods allow for a mobile device to transmit identification information upon activation, receive user interface customization information in response to the transmitted identification information and to subsequently set the mobile device’s user interface to correspond with the received user interface customization information.
Also provided are methods for a server to receive identification information, provide the appropriate user interface customization information based on the received identification information and supply the user interface customization information by transmitting the information.
“Parties extraneous to a mobile device’s manufacturer.” Gee, are we getting a bit obtuse here?
Sounds like a carrier or third-party software provider to me.
Are you OK with this?
Russell Shaw is an enterprise computing journalist, analyst and author based in Portland, Oregon. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
