Creating an iPhone Ringtone

iPhone ringtone costs more than the real song version of it.  Man, that sucks!  Here’s how to create one from your favorite MP3.

1. Open iTunes
2. Find the song you want to convert.
3. Find the part you want to use as ringtone.  Ringtone has a limit of 40 seconds.  You can start from chorus or beats if you want.  Note the start and end time.
4. Right click the song, and click on the Get Info
5. Select the Options tab and check the Start and End time
6. Type in the start and end time.  Must be less than or equal to 40 seconds.
7. Click OK
8. Right click the song and click on Create AAC Version.
9. iTunes will create another song (your ringtone) that has 40 seconds playable time.
10. Right click that song, and click on the Get Info
11. Right click on the path of the file, and click on Show in Windows Explorer if you are using Windows.
    • If you are using Mac, open the file folder until you find that song.  Use the path as your guide.
12. Rename that song from *.m4a to *.m4r file extension.
13. Double click on the renamed file sound to import it to iTunes as a ringtone.

Cheers!

Configure Pidgin for GoogleTalk in Proxy

Here’s how to configure GoogleTalk in Pidgin under a proxy server:

1. Open Pidgin and go to Add / Edit Account window of Pidgin.
2. From the drop-down box choose XMPP as the Protocol.
3. For the Screen name enter your Google Id (Gmail Id without the @gmail.com). 
4. For Server enter gmail.com

• You can leave the Resource with the default “Home“.
• In the Password field enter your Google ID password.
• Enter Local alias as whatever you want to.

1. In the Advanced tab, check Require SSL/TLS
2. Force old SSL unchecked, and Allow plaintext auth unchecked
3. Connect port: 5222
4. File transfer proxies: proxy.jabber.org
5. Select the desired proxy protocol. e.g. HTTP
6. Enter the proxy domain host. e.g. proxy.accenture.com
7. Enter the proxy port. e.g. 80 or 8080
8. If your proxy requires an authentication, enter proxy username and password.

Troubleshooting errors reported:

• HTTP proxy connection error 407
  • Means the proxy requires an authentication.  Just enter your proxy username and password.
• HTTP proxy connection error 504
  • Means there’s a connection timeout.
  • Alternatively use this settings:
  • Require SSL/TLS: Unchecked
    Force old (port 5223) SSL: Checked
    Allow plaintext auth over unencrypted streams: Un-Checked
    Connect Port: 443
    Connect Server: talk.google.com
    Proxy type: Use Global Proxy Settings

Hope this helps!

Wishlist status

Great keyboard that I found.  Added to my wishlist.

• Saitek Eclipse Illuminated keyboard – very cool keyboard. http://tipidpc.com/viewitem.php?iid=4339286
• Make a book in Photography (dedicated to my late grand father since he loves to travel and view scenery very much – although he doesn’t tell it when asked)
• Learn Mixing and start DJ’ing
• Behringer DDM4000 (bought 1 already, and ITS working!)
  
• Allen and Heath – Xone 1D MIDI Controller – use to midi control Ableton and Traktor.  This mixer is way cool.  It has accurate controls with slight differential (about +/- 1) which is nothing compared with Behringer controls.  I can accurately control my Traktor and Ableton for this.  This also serve as a replacement for the BCD3000 that I want to buy.  I will still have to experiment on this and the midi mappings.
• Akai MPK49 Keyboard MIDI Controller – Im thinking what’s the use of this? I might not buy it; although its very lucrative since the price is only 299USD!!! Normal price for it is 500-600USD.   For its price of 299, its a cheap buy.  Features include a drum machine, 8 faders, knobs and buttons, 49 keys including sharps.  Beats the hell out of Novation Remote SL 49.
• Learn to construct, compose, and control myself – especially my single mindedness of thought.  This is the most important.
• Fuck me! I need a constant reminder of what to do; what to focus on; and what to deliver and ultimately prove myself every now and then.

Goals (some other goals that I wish I could do – but not)

• Program a stock trading simulation with customizable indicators
• Program the inventory system based on Adempiere
• Set my mind to spot a niche market and develop a business out of that
• Beat my dad!!! Outwit, out smart, and out play in the life’s survival game.

Thats it for now.  I hope I could accomplish all that.

Behringer DDM4000 mixer support and International warranty

I was so excited that the mixer (Behringer DDM4000) had arrived.  Although just now. =(

Here’s my experience about online ordering, international warranty, and Behringer, PSSL.com and InternationalCheckout.com in general.

I ordered it last October along with some other music tools like a good sound card (ESI Gigaport HD – 24bit output 4 channel stereo output, USB input) and a DJ headphone (Pioneer DJS-5000).  While testing it, (I have to test it thoroughly since its a Behringer), I found out that the item was defective.  Other items are not.  The high and middle equalizer in channel 1 produces a noise.  So I have to let the dealer here in the Philippines repair it.  1) They did not have an experience of repairing the product since its relatively new in the market. 2) They won’t refund/replace/repair it for free since Behringer does not have an international warranty.  My dilemma was to let it repair or get it replace with a good one.  Since the item is new, I decided to email and return it back the store paying a huge amount of PHP 9,000 for the shipment and PHP 3,000 so that the online store can process them.  (The item was originally priced at PHP 17,000 + PHP 15,000 for shipment)  That sucked!!!  I was uberly pissed with that.

My experience of online ordering was generally good but there are few things I’d like to remember:  You have to check what products you buy since you don’t have a way to tell if it works outright since you can’t test it.  Reviews doesn’t count if you got a lemon product.  Credibility of the store is a must.  Not only of the store but also with the shipper.  You have to look also for an international warranty of the product; what to do if the product is defective; refund, replace and return policies.  I think Apple products have a very good international warranty support policy and should be the basis for companies willing to have international warranty.  There’s nothing like Apple.

To conclude things out, DDM4000 had arrived yesterday after 3 weeks of replacement + shipping.  Duh!  But I was still exited and tested the functionality right away.  Good thing it doesn’t have any defect that I noticed.  Noise in each channel in each equalizer was gone.  MIDI is configurable.  All knobs, faders and buttons are working.  I will still test it thoroughly though.

Tools for group collaboration

I came across this on the Net. Some cool tools for online group collaboration (that you can use without sitting right next to each other).

1. Zoho – It’s hard to jump in and describe the best features about Zoho’s vast suite of online editing and group organization tools, because so much changes on a week-to-week basis.  It’s able to handle both the lower-level tasks of group editing, document sharing, and other work, as well as the milestone tracking, group chat, invoice creation, and other tasks needed by teams that aren’t sitting right next to each other. It’s good stuff, and it’s free.
2. MindMeister – For ideas and projects where drawing a line through your thoughts helps keep them together, MindMeister is a great helper. Not only does their web-based design tool allow for easy branching, notating, and organization, but if you just want to jam in a few ideas to be molded into shape later, it allows for email additions. You can, of course, share, publish, and collaborate on your mental diagrams, and doing so might just save you a really unnecessary phone call or stop-and-chat.

   If you use Freemind like me, this is your online version of it.

3. DimDim – Makers of “webinar” software are feverishly pitching the idea of at-your-desk conferences as a money-saving alternative to travel these days. DimDim, an open-source meeting platform, offers web users a truly money-saving experience, with up to 20 users able to view a presentation, three of them with microphone access, with no software installations required. It’s a nice step up if you need something a little more professional than a social video chat room, and is surprisingly responsive on freehand drawing, text, audio, and even screencasting across a variety of connection speeds.
4. Google Wave – an online tool for real-time communication and collaboration. A wave can be both a conversation and a document where people can discuss and work together using richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.
5. Google Groups – Groups lets a, um, group of like-minded folks hash out arguments, answer questions, and point to helpful resources without software or constraints. Users of a group can rate posts for helpfulness, search out answers across their own groups or other similar-themed topics, and get their answers and responses delivered from an easily filtered email source. It’s an oft-overlooked tool in an age of fancy-pants social tools, but it gets everyone hooked up and talking pretty quickly.