mp3 ringtones...

...kills me that people actually pay for these things.

making tones is a snap. got mp3 on your pc? most do. you're almost done...

start by downloading one or another sound editing applications - not vouching for any in particular, but, for example, download the shareware version of mp3 soundcutter (the shareware version is limited to carving out 60 second clips from mp3 files, which is twice what you need for a ringtone so what would be the point in paying/registering for the full version?). now start cuttin' mp3. pretty simple user experience... launch the application, open the file, start playing it, choose where you want to start and end your clip and then save your selection - the app automatically gives you a first and last second fade-in and out. and that's it - you can carve out pretty much any chunk of any mp3 and create a ringtone. if your phone doesn't handle mp3 ringtones, there's plenty of software out there on the net to convert to .wav or .midi, etc. if your carrier blocks content from "third parties" (which i suppose means you too - the so called "customer"), then you're sadly sol..

transfer to the phone should be pretty simple since the file size of a 30 second mp3 is pretty small - a couple/few hundred k. bluetooth, IR and/or cable are all relatively easy options (as described in september 20 post on mobile music). another alternative, for the slightly more sophisticated, is to upload the tones to the web for direct over-the-air download to the phone. check out the mobilestuff link to the right for an example such site.

later...