Sorry!

I apologize if I have not been keeping up. I have been really busy lately so I have not had as much time to record new videos and such.

I will however do my best to stay on top of answering questions, but due to the volume of questions I am getting it may take a bit longer than usual. I hope everyone understand!

TUTORIAL: How To Get FREE Ringtones Using Your Own Music

This is a tutorial on how to make a Ringtone for your iPhone using your own music for free.

There are a few ways to do this but the method I am going to show you is probably the simplest method and it only requires iTunes to do but still you need to make sure you follow the steps carefully or you may encounter problems trying to get your ringtones.

Step 1
Open up iTunes and go to:

Edit-->Preferences

In the General Tab, Make sure Ringtones is ticked.

Next, click on "Import Settings..." and make sure in the drop box beside the "Import Using:" you have "AAC Encoder" selected.

Exit out of the Preferences window by Hitting "OK" then "OK".


Step 2
Go to Music and find the song you would like to make a ringtone out of.
Before converting the song into a ringtone, you will need to select a "clip" of the song which is 30 seconds or less.

To do this, right click on the song and select "Get Info"

Step 3
Go to the "Options" Tab and make sure "Start Time" and "Stop Time" are ticked. This is where you are going to be selecting your 30 second clip.

Hit "OK" after you have selected your clip.

Step 4
Right click on the song again and select "Create ACC Version" now and you should see a duplicate of the song right under, but now the time for it is only 0:30, or whatever else you chose.

Step 5
What you want to do now is drag the newly created file onto your desktop. After it appears on your desktop, make sure you delete it from your iTunes right away.

Do this by right clicking the file and selecting "Delete" , select "Remove" then "Move to Recycle Bin".

Close out of iTunes when you are finished.

Step 6
You should see the filename end in .m4a. If you cannot see this in the filename.

If you are unsure of how to do this follow the instructions below:

Windows Vista: http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/1269/vista_show_unhide_file_extensions/

Windows XP: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=193

Once you are able to see the .m4a file extension. Rename the file extension to .m4r, which is the iPhone ringtone format.

A window should pop up asking if you want to change the file extension, just hit "Yes"

You should now see the icon change to iTunes logo with the word "RING" under it.

Step 7
Double click the .m4r file to open it up in iTunes. Make sure you do this instead of dragging the .m4r file into iTunes.

It should open up in the "Ringtones" section if you have done this correctly.

Step 8
Before you sync, click on your iPhone under "Devices" and in the "Ringtones" Tab make sure you have "sync ringtones" ticked off.

Just sync up your iPhone to get your ringtone on!

Step 9
Set the ringtone on your iPhone. On your iPhone, simply go to "Settings", then "Sounds" then "Ringtone" you should see your ringtone at the very top under "Custom"

Just select it, listen to the preview, and exit out!

And there you have your free custom ringtone. As always if you have any questions or comments feel free to leave it below!

Non-iPhone/Touch Related Videos/Blogs?

I am thinking about posting just random videos of maybe my friends or other stuff I am interested in... I don't really want to mess up the organization of everything... but we'll see how things go.

Got my iPhone Replaced in about 5 mins!

I just came back from bringing my fairly old and worn iPhone (from Sept 2008) to the Apple Store, and I am back with a new Refurb phone! "Refurbished" is a word that usually scares people away, but Apple generally produces very high quality refurbished products, so I am satisfied.

I'm pretty happy because I got to the store 15 mins earlier than my appointment and I just asked out of curiosity if I could have my phone checked out a bit earlier than my appointment time (I was having some battery issues, more details later). Anyways long story short 5 mins later I was walking out of store with a new iPhone, which means the whole transaction was completed even before my scheduled appointment time! =D SWEET.

I think I am going to do a video about warranty soon... Stay tuned.

TUTORIAL: How To Jailbreak Your Firmware 3.0 iPod Touch or iPhone with redsn0w

Purpose:
-Modify your iPhone/iPod Touch so that you can run applications and do a whole bunch of other things that are not authorized by Apple.

What you need:
- iPhone or iPod Touch running on the 3.0 firmware.
-redsn0w, which is the program you are going to use to jailbreak your device
- The correct firmware file for your device.

*Special Notes*
-make sure you are running the 3.0 firmware on your device or this will not work for you. You can update your iPhone straight through iTunes, and if you need instructions on how to update your iPod Touch to the 3.0 firmware for free check out the tutorial in the archive.

-I highly recommend that you do this from a fresh install of 3.0 by setting up your device as new and then resync all your music and apps. A lot of problems people have with jailbreaking are related to not doing it from a fresh installation of the firmware. So just do it, you will save yourself a lot of grief later on.

-This will unlock your iPhone 2G but it will NOT unlock your iPhone 3G. I will have a tutorial on how to unlock the 3G iPhone soon.

- Download the firmware files using FireFox and not Safari as Safari seems to be downloading the firmware files as a folder.

redsn0w Links

Windows:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KOHCITKA

Mac:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=O6DO3O5R

Firmware Links

iPhone 3G:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QMFLUZ69

iPhone 2G:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2S3G0WGC

Second Generation iPod Touch:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XWXGAAQ8

First Generation iPod Touch:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UFGIX5G8

Bootloaders for iPhone 2G
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SMGZ50O7

Step 1
Download redsn0w and download the correct firmware file for your device. Make sure you are using FireFox and not Safari to download the firmware files! Links to the firmware files are available in the video description. So in my case will be using the 3GPhone firmware.

Step 2
The file is going to show up with a .zip extension. For example "3GPhone.zip" and you are going to want change the extension to .ipsw. If you cannot see the ".zip" part, open up Windows Explorer, go to "Tools" at the top and select "Folder Options". In the "View" tab, uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types".

Step 3
Open up the redsn0w zip file, and unzip it to somewhere convenient like your desktop.

Step 4
Plug in your device, and if iTunes pops up, make sure that you close it.

Step 5
Go to the rensn0w folder, and run the redsn0w.exe file.

Step 6
When the window opens up and ask you to select the corresponding IPSW file for your CURRENT firmware, so again, make sure that you are on the 3.0 firmware before running this, click on "Browse" and browse for the firmware for your device that you have just downloaded.

Step 7
You should see the window say "processing firmware...". This usually is fairly quick, but it could take several minutes depending on your computer so be patient.

Step 8
When it is done it should say "IPSW sucessfully identified." and now just hit the "Next" button.

Step 9
Its going to pop up a window saying "Processing jailbreak data..." and once it is done you will see a tickbox beside "Install Cydia". Make sure it is ticked, then hit "Next".

Step 10
Make sure you read this part very carefully. It says "Please make sure your device is both OFF and PLUGGED IN to the computer. If it is not off, plug the device into the computer FIRST". So just make sure you follow those simple instructions.

Step 11
Now before you hit "Next", I am just going to run you through what you are going to need to do.

-Right when hit "Next" you are going to need to hold down just the "Power" button for about 5 seconds.
-After 5 seconds, hold down on the "Home" button without letting go of the "Power" button, and keep holding both buttons down for about 10 seconds.
-Now release the "Power" button but keep holding on to the "Home" button. It is going to say hold it for a bout 30 something seconds, but just keep holding it down until you see "Downloading Jailbreak Data..." on your phone.

Step 12
That is all you need to do on your end! Just let your jailbreak install on your phone!

And that is it! You should now see and app called "Cydia" on your springboard! Hope that helps! Once again I would really appreciate it if you guys could rate my video if you found it helpful and subscribe to my channel for more iPhone and iPod.

As always, if you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to leave them.

-monkeyball p

TUTORIAL: How To Update Your iPod Touch to 3.0 for FREE and Restore Your Device to Factory Settings (Un-jailbreak).

Purpose:
-To get the new 3.0 firmware onto your iPod Touch without having to pay the ~10 bucks.
-Bring your jailbroken iPhone/ iPod Touch back to factory settings (un-jailbreak) so you can bring it in to claim warranty.

What you need:
- iPhone or iPod Touch
- iTunes 8.2 (Make sure you have 8.2 or you will not be able to update to the 3.0 firmware)
- The correct firmware file for your device.

If you need the download like for iTunes 8.2 Beta, the link is available in an earlier post.

Firmware Links

iPhone 3G:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QMFLUZ69

iPhone 2G:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2S3G0WGC

Second Generation iPod Touch:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XWXGAAQ8

First Generation iPod Touch:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UFGIX5G8


Step 1
Download the correct firmware file for your device.

Step 2
The file is going to show up with a .zip extension. For example "3GPhone.zip" and you are going to want change the extension to .ipsw. If you cannot see the ".zip" part, open up Windows Explorer, go to "Tools" at the top and select "Folder Options". In the "View" tab, uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types".

Step 3
Open up iTunes 8.2 and have your iPhone/Touch connected to the computer with the data cable. Make sure your device is ON.

Step 4
Put your phone into Device Firmware Upgrade mode, more commonly known as DFU mode.

To do this:

- Hold down the "home" button and the "power" button until the device turns off and you see the Apple logo come up.
- Once you see the Apple logo, let go of the power button, but continue holding on to the home button.
- Keep holding the home button until you see the iTunes logo and the USB cable on your iPhone/Touch screen.

Windows and iTunes should now have detected your device.

Step 5
Click on your device from the sidebar and select the "Summary" tab if it is not already selected.

Step 6
Hold down the "Shift" key and click on "Restore".
If you are on a Mac, hold down the "Option" key instead of "Shift"

Step 7
Browse for the appropriate ipsw file and click "Open"

That is all you need to do! The rest is just waiting for the firmware to be restored to the device. Just be patient becasue the device can take fairly long to restore.

Step 8
Once the firmware has been installed onto your device you will see the iTunes logo and USB cable on your device's screen and you can just set up your iPhone or Touch as if it was brand new.

And that is it! You just saved yourself 10 bucks! Hope that helps!

-monkeyball p

ACCESSORY REVIEW: BestSkinsEver iPhone 3G Total Body Skin w/One Piece Back

Skins have been a popular alternative/compliment to cases for iPhone/Touch users who are paranoid (like me) and want to keep their device in pristine condition. It is a simple, relatively inexpensive way to protect your device from scratches and minor bumps, without adding any noticeable bulk like cases.

Side Note: A body skin may still be a worthy investment if your iPhone/Touch has a lot of scratches, dents, cracks, etc. First of all, you are shielding your device from further damange, and secondly it make your device look like it is in much better condition than it actually is. Why is this important? Many of the scratches with literally become invisible once the skin is applied, and a lot dents will just show up as bubbles when you look at it. This may not be the best looking, since it looks like a poorly installed skin, however, this may be beneficial for you if you are trying to take your iPhone/Touch into the Apple Store to get a replacment unit becasue a lot of the damage on your device will be hidden or less visible! Last I heard, no one was denied warranty becasue they had a poorly installed skin ;).

There are three main options for these types of skins: BestSkinsEver, Bodyguardz and Zagg InvisibleShields. I opted for the BSE skin because it is by far the cheapest ($7.99USD) compared to Bodyguardz ($24.95USD) and InvisibleShields ($24.95USD) . I have never tried the other two brands, but they are supposed to be very similar to the BSE skin.

Here is a breakdown of what is included:

BestSkinsEver ($7.99USD)
- 1 Set of the Total Body Skin (Screen Skin, Home Button Skin, Back Skin)

Bodyguardz ($24.95USD)
- 2 Sets of the Total Body Skin (Screen Skin, Home Button Skin, Back Skin)
-Squeegee
-Application Solution
-Instructions

InvisibleShields ($24.95USD)
- 1 Set of the Total Body Skin (Screen Skin, Home Button Skin, Back Skin)
-Squeegee
-Application Solution
-Instructions

Shipping:
Shipping was reasonably fast. The skins were in my mailbox in less than 1 week (3 days I believe). Shipping was also free for me (Shipping is free if you order 3 or more skins). Check the BSE website for the cost of shipping for purchasing less that 3 skins. http://www.bestskinsever.com/

Pre-Installation:
The reason why BSE is so much cheaper than the other alternatives is because they only give you the bare minimum. Basically your order will come in a regular letter envelope with the invoice, and whatever skins you ordered inside. Instructions are not even provided in the envelope, they direct you to their website for text instructions. I have ordered a few things from BSE in the past and overall I have been very satisfied both with the products and service they provide.

I personally do not think it is worth paying more for the extra's you receive with the other two brands. You can just use and old credit card, or a inactive giftcard (from Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc.) and the application solution is just a water detergent mixture. Bodyguardz and InvisibleShields advertise a lifetime warranty on the skins, where they will replace the skin for you whenever you need. BSE does not advertise this, however I have had no trouble getting replacements for my skins in the past for free.

Installation:
Let me just start off by saying that this thing is NOT EASY to install, especially if this is your first time trying it. Patience is your best friend in this situation. It took me between 45 mins to an hour to complete the installation. I just followed the video tutorial from the InvisibleShields website, and it worked flawlessly. One thing to note: the paper backing stuck to home button skin and would not wash off. I contacted BSE and they appologized and shipped a replacment skin for me immediately! (Thats what I mean by great customer service!)

Tips for Installing the Skin:
- Set aside at least one hour to install the skin. You do not want to rush this.
- Install the skin in a steamy washroom (Like after a shower). The steam captures a lot of the dust floating around so that it does not end up on your skin, and under your screen.
- Spray a little bit of solution on the squeegee instead of the top of the skin (as stated in the InvisibleShields video). I find this works just as well, and you have more control over how much of the solution is getting on to your device.
- If the corners or sides start to dry out, dab your fingers with the application solution rather than respraying, so you don't put on too much application solution. (Which will likely increase the duration of your installation)

Post-Installation:
I am fairly happy with the final product (and proud of myself for doing a reasonably good job =D). One thing to note though, these things are not as indestructable as advertised. On the first day after applying the skin onto my phone, I had the phone in my pocket along with some other items. I think it was pressed up against one of the items and now it has left a rather annoying mark on the screen. It probably wont heal itself, becasue it looks like the screen protector has been slightly stretched. It is probably partially due to the fact that I did not give the skin enough time to fully cure.

Post-Installation Tips:
- Make sure that where ever you put your iPhone/Touch, it is not pressed against the corner of something else. (especially in your pant pocket like me =(... )
- Throw a case on it. The skins are great for protecting your device from scratchs and minor bumps, but it provides virtually no drop protection.
- Keep your order confirmation emails! This will make getting replacment skins very easy and fast if/when you need them =).

Pros:
- Excellent scratch protection (better than any case available)
- Touch sensitivity is not affected by the screen skin
- Hide some of the existing damage on your device
- Can still be used with almost any case
- Price is very reasonable
- Fast shipping
- Great customer service, making it a breeze to get a replacement


Cons:
- Not easy to install.
- You need to set your device aside for a few hours (supposedly 12 hours) to let it dry. (So you can't play with it)
- Dust starts collecting around the edges of the skin over time.

Conclusion:
Overall, I think this is a must have for any iPhone/Touch owner. You have already invested so much in your device, whats another 8 bucks? You may get really frustrated during the installation, but once you are done, it will be so worth it. The device gets a little "grippy-er" with the skin on. Some like it, some don't so you will have to wait about 12 hours after the installation to judge for yourself =).

Hope you all enjoyed my first review! Let me know what you guys think. Thanks a lot.

-monkeyball p