Tuesday, June 30, 2009

New iPhone 3GS.
I had grief with my iPhone 3GS its first week. Apps wouldn't launch, icons dimmed out, the phone turned itself off during a conversation, and the iPhone locked up while using email. The lockup was solved with a reboot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2foiTBSn3k), but the other continuing issues led Telephone support to offer to schedule a replacement at my local Apple store. I was almost ready to return it to ATT for a refund.
I offered to do a full Restore (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzyy4puapig), and the phone rep. patiently and professionally walked me through it; and now the 2nd week was been without incident; better yet, the Bluetooth now syncs with my Garmin GPS, which it couldn't find before the Restore. I presume the OS got glitched somewhere before I received it, but all appears good now, and Apple phone support remains the best in the business.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Movies on iPhone. My Nero 9 "Recode" converts video files for MPG4 for use on an iPhone, just perfectly, thank you.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

iPhone 3G S - I love this device. I was lucky enough to be the first one to order one at my local ATT store on June 8, at about 4 PM. On June 19, the roll out date, the store was to open at 7 AM only to deliver pre-ordered iPhones, so I got there at 6:15 AM with a folding chair, and was the first in line. Only 15 folks were there by the time the store opened, and they had 7 employees in early, one each at a terminal to sell and activate iPhone(s) to customers.
Since then I Googled enough to learn how to easily make custom ringtones, so I needn't pay for them.

1. Take any MP3 file, MP3 ringtone or midi file you have converted. For midi files
import to Itunes, then in Advanced tab select "Create AAC version" which makes an M4a file
which Audacity can use to make a 30 second long version.
2. Use a freeware program name AUDACITY. It is available as either
a Macintosh or Windows program. I used newest beta version with nary a problem.
You'll also have to download and install Library files for Lame (do Lame first) and FFMPeg .
Then using Audacity, Convert your mp3 file to a m4a file of
30 seconds or less length. Rename the xtension to m4r.
3. Copy the m4r sound file into iTunes - Library - Ringtones
4. Sync with your iPhone
5. You can then pick one of your custom ringtones as your default ringtone.
6. On my old Sony cell phone, I could set a ringtone to be used as a contact ringtone;
while on the iPhone you go into the contact, select edit, and can pick a different ringtone
for each contact, from either the original Apple supplied ringtones, or a custom ringtone
that has been added.