Have no idea how to use python-dbus, sorry; can't help there.

If you can't get it to work using the gtkicontheme stuff, you can also use "pixbuf = gtk.gdk.pixbuf_new_from_file ("/path/to/png")" and pass pixbuf to set_status_area_icon. I believe set_status_area_icon only likes its icons to be 18x18 as well.

It's in C, but the updates applet appears to use g_timeout_add() too: http://maemo.gitorious.org/hildon-ap...us-menu-item.c