There has been a lot of talk lately about using starter themes to build your own unique WordPress themes, especially now that the new _s starter theme is available, but many are asking just how to get started in the first place. Fortunately, the same folks behind _s have released a quick starter guide for their starter theme. At its most basic, pretend that you’re building your theme just like you would a new house, but in this case you’re hiring someone else to lay the foundation for you. Without a good solid foundation, it doesn’t matter how well you construct the frame or paint the walls, that house will fall down eventually. This is exactly what a good starter theme is, it’s the foundation, with just about everything you need to start a good theme. When starting with a starting theme, the first thing you’ll need to do is […]

Black Lines is a very simple WordPress theme with two columns with black and white design. Gray Storm is a theme with a Flash header. Let’s Roll is a white theme for gambling blog owners. Light Blue Flowers is a simple theme with two columns and a light blue design. MxS2 is a theme in black and white. Orange and Black is a modern theme with a decent orange and black design. Rumput Hijau is a clean theme with microformats structure, breadcrumbs, and 2 different layouts. True is minimal, simple, crisp, clean, bright, friendly, and professional.

New plugins Dynamic Registration Links automatically changes your content links for unregistered users by dynamically changing the link target. Updated plugins BackWPup allows you to backup your WordPress database, files, and more. FoxyPress is a custom plugin made to integrate FoxyCart e-commerce functionality into your WordPress website. Simple Facebook Connect is a framework and series of sub-systems that let you add any sort of Facebook functionality you like to a WordPress blog. Slick Social Share Buttons allows you to add Facebook, Twitter, Google +1, Digg, Google Buzz, Linkedin, and Stumbledupon social media buttons in a floating or slide out tab. WP Social Blogroll adds a social blogroll to your blog. WPtouch automatically transforms your WordPress blog into an iPhone application-style theme, complete with ajax loading articles and effects, when viewed from an iPhone, iPod touch, Android, Opera Mini, Palm Pre, Samsung touch and BlackBerry Storm/Torch mobile devices.

AzSimple is a clean and simple wordpress theme without many graphic effects, shadows or gradients, but yet beautiful. Ever is a mix of textures and color tones that easily lends itself to professional or business blogs or websites. JGD BizElite is ideal for a small business websites or blogs and is packed with options. _s is a complete starter theme designed to be used as a template for your next great theme, or as described a “1,000 hour head start.”

There are many folks out there who would love to make their own WordPress theme, but it’s often hard to get started without a reliable template. Sure, you could grab the Toolbox theme, but it’s a bit out of date, so it wouldn’t be the best platform to get started on. This brings us to the new _s starter theme from the Automattic Theme Team. _s is a complete starter theme, it’s free, open source, and ready to be used by you today. Unlike Toolbox, _s is not designed to just serve as a parent theme for a mere child theme, it is really designed to be used as a template for your next great theme, or as described a “1,000 hour head start.” _s will always be in flux, upgrading and adapting to the latest web technologies, so that you’ll always have the tools you need when you’re ready to start your […]

New plugins Expire User Passwords forces users to change their passwords every 30 days. Updated plugins Benchmark Email Lite creates a newsletter signup form widget. BuddyPress lets users register on your site and start creating profiles, posting messages, making connections, creating and interacting in groups and much more. It’s a social network in a box. Share Buttons helps people share, bookmark, and email your posts and pages using any service, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, StumbleUpon, Digg and many more.

BuddyPress, the number one social media platform for WordPress, has received a minor update with version 1.5.4. This is primarily a bug fix release and “will prevent your members from inviting friends to groups they are already members of.” To learn more about this release, head over to the shiny new BuddyPress Codex for the release notes.

Esquire is an elegant and bold theme featuring multiple, visually distinct, post formats. Youth is bright, engaging and fun – perfect for any blogs or websites dealing with family, children, activities, and anything else you can think of.