iPhone ringtones: Buy them, make them, install them

Version 1.1 of my ebook Take Control of iPhone Basics, iOS 4 Edition, came out this week with a substantial appendix on buying, making, and installing ringtones. (If you have version 1.o of the ebook, see below for instructions on how to update it to get the new content.)

The appendix covers a number of options for getting iPhone ringtones, which are .m4r (not .mp3) files. The easiest option, of course, is to buy ready-made ringtones through the iTunes app on your iPhone. This allows you to assign the ringtone to a contact’s phone number instantly, without having to connect your iPhone to your computer and sync the file through iTunes.

If you’re willing to spend some time, you can save money and exercise creative control by making your own ringtones using as your source commercial tracks or your own sound recordings. The new appendix covers a range of options for doing this, from special ringtone-making software (for your computer or your iPhone) to full-featured music editing apps like GarageBand.

How to update: If you already own the 1.0 version of the Take Control of iPhone Basics ebook, it’s easy to update to v. 1.1:

• Just click the Check for Updates button in the upper right corner of the cover. This will take you to the Take Control Extras web page (where you may be asked to log in to your Take Control account).
• Make sure the Downloads tab on the page is activated.
• Under Version Check, click the link “Download Take Control of iPhone Basics, iOS4 Edition, v1.1.“