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ringtone posts

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Mobile

BitPim: Bluetooth syncing for CDMA phones

BitPim isn't a new app, but I've been using it for quite a while, and I thought I'd share. We write a fair amount about the iPhone here at Download Squad, but some of us are stuck with less-than-smart phones that are over a year old, on CDMA networks. Not that I'm bitter, or anything, but how are you supposed to get data like contacts and ringtones onto (and off of) these things? BitPim!

Bitpim is an an open source app that lets you access your phone's data via Bluetooth. I use it to get custom mp3 ringtones onto my junky Samsung dumbphone, and it works phenomenally well. There's a list of compatible phones on the Bitpim site, but chances are that yours will work. Be aware that Bitpim could potentially mess up your phone, although I haven't any issues with it personally.

Filed under: Fun, Video, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Commercial

Vringo does video ringtones


When Mom calls the cell phone, you might have a special ringtone just for her--like Squeezebox by the Who. When Dad calls, maybe it's Simple Man by Skynyrd. For your significant other, maybe it's a cheesy 80's power ballad. Ringtones are fun, and they've become a huge segment of business for the music industry. Of course, who's willing to settle for ringtones that employ just audio, when you can use video, too?

Vringo offers sharable video ringtones that work with smart phones from Sony-Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia (like the affable N73 in the picture). You can choose a "VringForward"--that is a video ringtone--to assign to each person in your phone's buddy list. The cool part is--they'll see the video when you call them. A "VringBack", on the other hand, is a video that one of your buddies has chosen for you to see when they give you a call.

What's even more nifty, you can record videos with your phone's camera and share those as VringForwards, too. So, if it's your best friend's birthday, you could create a special birthday greeting just for her. Plus, Vringo offers a slew of licensed video content from big-name music publishers.

The catch? Vringo's video ringtones work for buddies that are members of the service. You've got to join Vringo by entering your wireless number on their web site. They'll send their software to your phone via the Net, and you're in.

Filed under: Fun, Macintosh, E-mail, Apple

Custom "ringtones" for OS X's Mail.app

Mail.appOver at O'Reilly's Mac Dev Center Blog Robert Daeley has a fun how-to on how to make iTunes play a particular song (or portion of a song) whenever an e-mail is received from a particular person, a la obnoxious cell phone ringtones. So if you want every e-mail from your grandma to play her favorite Eazy-E song, you can make it do just that. Of course it's done through the magic of AppleScript, so head over to the Mac Dev Center Blog to see the code.

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