Mobile Fun Blog

Free iPhone Ringtones using iTunes

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

Being able to choose your own ringtone on your phone is something that should be pretty easy, but not on the iPhone. Apple say that you can buy your ringtones through iTunes, but I’ve never found any on there. So how do you get round this? How do you get your own ringtone on your iPhone?

It’s actually pretty simple, and even more importantly its free and legal! All you need to create your own ringtones is iTunes on a PC or Mac and a song in either MP3 or AAC format that is DRM free. DRM files are normally songs that have been purchased online from places such as the iTunes Store, or imported to your computer using Windows Media Player.

Change import Settings to AAC

Before you start, you need to check some settings in iTunes. In the Preferences window, click on “Import Settings” on the General Tab and make sure that “import using” is set to AAC Encoder.

Show File Extensions

This step is important! If you’re on a PC, you’ll need to make sure that you can view file extensions (music files should show .mp3 or .m4a after the filename). If your PC doesn’t, you can change this by opening your “My Documents” folder, and clicking Tools-> Folder Options. On the “View” tab, you should see an option “Hide extensions for known file types,” Make sure that the box next to this is not ticked, and then hit ok.

Right, now for the fun bit. Find the song you want as your ringtone and play it in iTunes. iPhone ringtones can be a maximum of 30 seconds long, so you’ll need to know the start and end points for the song clip that you want to use, so play the song, and write down how many seconds there are to the part of the song you want as your ringtone. You’ll need the end time too, but this can only be a maximum of 30 seconds.

Select Start and End Times

By now, you should have the start and end points of your ringtone. Right click on the song in iTunes, and select “Get Info”

When the iTunes preferences window opens, you will see 7 tabs across the top, click on the options tab. You’ll see there is a space to enter start and stop times. Put in the times you wrote down earlier and make sure that both boxes are ticked – then hit “OK”.

UPDATE: Thanks to Dean and Snatch for pointing out that you need to ensure that you use : to seperate minutes and seconds, and not a full stop!

Create AAC File

Right click your song again, and this time select create AAC version (or similar.)

UPDATE: In the latest version of iTunes (Version 9.1) the ‘create AAC version’ option has been moved from the right click menu to the ‘Advanced’ menu at the top of the screen.

You should then see a second copy of the song appear in your iTunes music library. In order to change it to a ringtone you’ll need to drag this file to your desktop. You can then delete the 30 second version from iTunes and un tick the start and stop times on the original song.

Rename file to .m4r

Go to the file on your desktop and you should see its called “songname.m4a”. Right click it and choose “rename,” all we want to change here is the .m4a to .m4r. You can rename this song if you want, but the filename must end .m4r

iTunes Ringtone Library

That’s it! All you need to do now is double click the file to add it back to iTunes. If you click on the Ringtones link in the side panel, it should now be listed as a ringtone, rather than a music file.

Sync your iPhone with iTunes

All that is left is to sync your iPhone with your computer. If it doesn’t sync over straight away, make sure the “Sync ringtones” option is selected when your phone is connected.

UPDATE:A few people have had a problem with the ringtones showing in iTunes in the ringtones section, but they aren’t syncing to the phone. To fix this plug your phone in, and on the options screen, uncheck the ‘Sync Ringtones’ box, hit apply and then sync your phone. Once it’s finished, disconnect and re connect your phone. Go back to the options screen and re-check the ‘Sync Ringtones’ box and sync again. This resets the sync information in iTunes and your phone and your ringtones should now show up on your phone.

Download a printable instruction sheet (PDF: 300kb)

Give it a try and let me know how you get on – Got any great ringtones that you want to share with the world? Leave your comments below with the Song title and start/end times and share your creations!

(27 votes, average: 4.63 out of 5)

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iPhone Car Kit

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

Fully Fitted – Voice Only:

Nokia CK-100: The CK-100 is essentially the replacement for the CK-7. The main difference is that the CK-100 is an ISO powered car kit that can be powered using your car stereo, and calls will be played through your car stereo speakers without any extra cables. (As long as your car stereo has an ISO connection)

Fully Fitted – Voice Only:

Parrot CK3000: The CK3000 is the predecessor to the MKi series. It also uses ISO connections, so calls are routed through your car stereo. There are no issues with compatibility, but as an external speaker is not included with the kit, you’ll need to make sure your stereo has ISO connections – if it doesn’t you’ll need to get an ISO converter.

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Nokia Software Updates

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

With all handsets released, the product you buy in the shops is not always the final version. Manufacturers frequently release software updates to fix bugs, improve reliability and add functionality. Historically this would have involved being without your phone for 2-3 weeks or more while you sent your phone back to the manufacturers service centre. Quite often all data on the handset would be lost, and in some cases phones could get lost or damaged on their way to and from the service centre.

Most of the major handset manufacturers have now made this a thing of the past by allowing customers to update the software on their phones themselves, when and where you want.

Why should I update my phone?
You may not be experiencing any problems or software issues with your phone, so you may not think you need to update it, but some of the updates released can improve features such as battery life, photo quality and improve support for other devices such as Bluetooth Headsets. Nokia have recently released several completely new features onto some of their handsets through the Software Updater.

There are two ways to update the software on your phone – Using the Nokia Software Updater or Over-the-Air (referred to as OTA).

Both methods are relatively simple, but with a lot of handsets being network branded, not many will support the OTA service. Upgrading through your PC also means that you can back your phone up before starting the upgrade, just in case anything goes wrong.

So what’s the difference?
Nokia Software Updater is a PC based application that you can download and install from the Nokia Website. Once installed, the program will ask you which phone you want to update, and then download the necessary updates. In order to use Nokia Software Updater you will need a PC, a broadband connection and the correct data cable for your phone. Using the Nokia Software Updater does not always protect your user data and depending on your handset, it may delete your text messages, photos, videos and contacts. Before you start the update you need to make sure that your battery is fully charged, and ideally should have backed up your data using the Nokia PC Suite just in case something doesn’t go to plan. You cannot run the update service over a Bluetooth connection and not all handsets support software updates. Nokia Software Updater can take up to 20-30 minutes to complete.

How to update your Nokia Phone

Visit the Nokia Software Update page to check for compatibility and any available updates.

OTA is a remote update service. Your phone will connect to the Internet and check with Nokia for any updates to the software already running. If it finds an update, it will download and install it straight to your phone without having to connect to a PC. Software updates are quite large in size, so this method is only recommended if you have an unlimited data plan. A typical update is over 100 MB, which is a lot of data,so at up to £2.50 per MB (depending on your service provider) it can prove to be very expensive. If your handset has Wi-Fi built in, you will find it faster and cheaper to download the update over WiFi. As with the PC method using the OTA option doesn’t always protect your data and may delete your text messages, photos, videos and contacts. Before you start the update you need to make sure that your battery is fully charged, and ideally should have backed up your data to your PC using the Nokia PC Suite just in case something doesn’t go to plan. OTA updates are much slower to process and will take a considerable amount of time to complete.

I would recommend using the PC to update your software rather than OTA.

How do I know if there is an update available?
There are two ways to check for updates – either through the Nokia website or through the Software update application. The quickest and easiest way is to run the Software updater, connect your phone to your PC and the software will identify your phone and let you know of any available updates.

Software Update Available

To check for udpates through the Nokia website, you will need to find out your current version of software by typing #*0000# into your phones keypad.
Make a note of your current software version number, it will be displayed on screen and will look similiar to: V12.3.456.
You will also need to know your product code. This will be printed on the label underneath your phone’s battery, is 8 digits long and will look something similar to: CODE:0520001

Once you’ve made a note of these two numbers, head over to the Nokia Update Checker and enter your product code. You will be shown the latest version of software that is available for your phone, and if the version number is higher than you have on your phone you will be able to update.

Handsets running the latest S60 Software can check for updates directly on their phone. To do this, key in *#0000#, and when the software version is displayed, press the “options” key, and check for updates.

How do I update on my PC?
If you already have Nokia PC Suite installed, you should have the Software Updater installed too, if not, you can download it free of charge from the Nokia website.
Once the Nokia Software updater is installed, launch the program, connect your phone and then follow the on screen prompts.

Things to remember before you start:

• Make sure your battery is fully charged
• Make sure you have backed up your phone using Nokia PC Suite
• Any passwords on your memory card have been removed

An average software update will involve downloading the new software from Nokia’s servers. This download is normally around 100MB, so depending on your connection speed it may take a while to download. Once the download starts you won’t be able to disconnect your phone without causing problems. Always allow plenty of time when doing a software update.

It is very important that you do not disconnect or turn off your phone or computer during the update process as this can cause extreme damage to your handset.

Once the software update has completed, you may need to run the back up application from PC Suite again to restore your settings, messages pictures and music onto your phone.

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Headphone Buyers Guide – Sennheiser & Skullcandy

Monday, January 5th, 2009

Had a new iPod or MP3 Player recently, but not quite getting the sound you want out of it? Without doubt, the best way of getting a better sound out of your music player is by upgrading the headphones. The ones that come bundled in the box do an ok job, but if you’re serious about your tunes, you’ll want some serious headphones to get the best out of your music. We’ve just expanded our range of headphones for mobile phones, iPod’s and MP3 players. For the best possible audio quality, we’d recommend either Skullcandy or Sennheiser headphones, but whats the difference between them and which will suit you better? Hopefully this guide will point you in the right direction.

Skullcandy:
Skullcandy have been producing high-quality headphones for sports enthusiasts and DJ’s for years and are known for their durability and style. The style of headphones ranges from almost descrete in-ear headphones through to full sized DJ headphones. Whatever trend you follow, whether its snowboarding or DJ’ing, Skullcandy’s headphones allow you to stylishly take your beats with you!

The latest Skullcandy DJ Headphones available are:

Skullcandy GI: These headphones are designed for professional DJ’s and come with different types of unique camouflage design, including digital camo and desert camo. The concept behind these headphones is the 90° orientable speakers with built in volume control so they have pretty much everything you need in a set of headphones

Skullcandy GI Headphones

Skullcandy Ti: The Hesh headphones are all about sound quality and are built for power and this is shown by the fact that they have the biggest power drivers you can get in a set of headphones (50mm high explosive power drivers) and with the leather design of the headphones they look pretty good too.

Skullcandy Ti Headphones

Skullcandy Hesh:
The Hesh headphones are all about sound quality and are built for power and this is shown by the fact that they have the biggest power drivers you can get in a set of headphones (50mm high explosive power drivers) and with the leather design of the headphones they look pretty good too.

Skullcandy Hesh Headphones

For the more active music listener, the Sports Headphones available are:

Skullcandy Double Agent:
Fed up of having wires trailing from your headphones? The Double Agent headphones have a built in MP3 player! Just load your music onto an SD memory card and away you go.

Skullcandy Double Agent Headphones

Skullcandy Lowrider:
The Lowrider comes in nine color schemes (several designed to match the iPod Nano) and has DJ-style swiveling ear cups. Its 40mm drivers should give you more than enough bass!

Skullcandy Lowrider Headphones

Skullcandy Recruit:
The Skullcandy Recruit Stereo Headphones combine design and audio quality to give you optimum comfort. The Skullcandy Recruit is armed with a super powerful 30mm audio driver for crystal clear sound. With the specially designed double headband for exact fit and an overall weight of less that 45 grams, the Recruit will never slow you down.

Skullcandy Recruit Headphones

Skullcandy Skullcrushers:
What makes the Skullcrushers stand out, is not their folding design or its comfortable padded ear-caps that nearly seal the outer ear from ambient noise. It’s the BASS! Attached to the headphone wire is a small amplifier that powers and processes a bass subwoofer inside the headphones! Perfect if you like to turn down the treble and crank up the bass!

Skullcandy Skullcrusher Headphones

Skullcandy INK’D:
The INK’D headphones are designed for people who just want to listen to music. They have a noise eliminating sleeve so you dont have to listen to background noise.

Skullcandy INK'D Headphones

Sennheiser:

Sennheiser have been making headphones for decades. They are responsible for the world’s first natural sounding headphone and since then they have been making headphones to suit every environment and every bit of new technology that is announced. Some of the Sennheiser headphones available are:

Sennheiser PMX-200:
The PMX 200 are stereo mini-neckband headphones for portable players. The design of the headset is so that they provide a clearer bass performance and block out outside noise.

Sennheiser PMX-200 Headphones

Sennheiser OMX-70:
The OMX 70 is a sports headset and is designed to fit securely when you’re out and about getting fit. The OMX-70 are made of a strong, durable material that is sweat resistant.

Sennheiser OMX-70 Headphones

Sennhesier MX-560:
The MX 560 are designed to be powerful and are bass driven. They feature Sennheiser Basswind technology to provide good sound so you can enjoy your music. The cable winder and carry pouch make them more convenient and easy to carry around.

Sennheiser MX-560 Headphones

If you’ve not seen the right headphones for you here, why not take a look at our full range of headphones.

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Car Kit Buyers Guide – THB Bury System 8

Monday, January 5th, 2009

One of the biggest investments you can make for your mobile phone is a fully fitted car kit. They allow you to use your phone safely and legally in the car, and in some cases keep it charged so you’re never with out power, but with each new phone that comes out, the connections change and eventually render your car kit unusable. So what do you do? Pay to get the kit replaced? Keep your old phone and hope your mates down the pub don’t notice? The THB System 8 Car Kit solves all these problems by allowing you to quickly and easily update it.

THB System 8 Car Kit

The Kit:
The THB System 8 Car kit is made up of the same basic parts as every other car kit, but with one noticeable exception – the cradle that holds your phone is interchangeable. When you buy the THB System 8 Car Kit, you need to buy two parts – the System 8 Base Unit and the System 8 cradle thats right for your phone. Fitting the kit involves hardwiring the control unit into your vehicle, but when its time to change your phone, simply unclip the phone cradle and attach one for your new phone. Its that simple!

THB Cradle

How does it work?:
Depending on the phone you are using, your phone connects to the System 8 car kit using either a Bluetooth connection or your phones handsfree port. To use the car kit, you simply slide your phone into the cradle and all calls will switch over to the car kit. To make a call, just use your phone as you would normally. While your phone is in the cradle, the System 8 cradle will charge your phone (some older or folding handsets will need you to plug a lead into the phone in order for it to work). Phones that use a Bluetooth connection to the car kit only need to be in the cradle to charge but in order to answer calls you will need to press the answer button on your phone, so its best to keep it in the cradle when ever you’re in the car. The audio for calls is then routed through a loudspeaker that is normally mounted in the passenger footwell. It is possible to connect the System 8 car kit to your car stereo for improved audio quality.

THB Cradle Installation

Easy to change:
Unlike wired car kits by most other manufacturers, the cradles on the System 8 are interchangeable. The kit was designed to make it easier for people to replace their cradles when the change their phone. There is no need to remove fascia panels in your car, or try and trace wires back to control boxes. The cradles simply click into place and are removed in seconds.

THB System 8 Universal Bluetooth Cradle

Compatibility:
The System 8 Car Kit is designed to be compatible with as many phones as possible, and there are currently over 50 phone cradles available for Nokia, Sony Ericsson, BlackBerry and HTC phones. For all other makes there is the Take & Talk Bluetooth Cradle which will work with most Bluetooth enabled phones on the market. For a list of all compatible phones, take a look at the compatibility chart. THB carkits are only designed for voice calls and can’t be used for playing back music from your mobile phone.

Installation:
If you’re planning on fitting the kit yourself, you can purchase additional cables to make installation easier. You can use an Elan Intelli-mute to power the kit and route the audio through your car stereo. You will need two cables to do this, the Intelli-Mute and the Accessory Harness. For more details on how the Elan Intelli-mutes work and can make installation easier read our blog post on “Making the most of your fitted car kit“. If you don’t feel confident in fitting the kit yourself, why not let us fit it for you?

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