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I recently upgraded my mobile from some random piece-of-junk to one of the new iPhones (the 16GB 3GS). One of the things I had wanted to do was create custom ringtones out of some of my favorite songs.

It’s not immediately apparent how to do this in iTunes, but after some intense Google-fu I found the secret formula for Windows users:

1. Open iTunes
2. Make sure the ‘Kind’ column is visible in your Music Library list of songs.
3. Pick the song out of which you want to make an ringtone.
4. Open the Edit->Preferences menu.
5. Go to the ‘General’ tab, and click ‘Import Settings’ button near “When you import a CD”.
6. Make sure it says ‘Import using AAC Encoder’. Close the Preferences windows.
7. Right-click on the song you want to use, click ‘Get Info’.
8. Go to the Options tab and, using the ‘Start Time’ and ‘Stop Time’ checkboxes, select a block of time from the song that doesn’t exceed 40 seconds.
9. Click Ok to go back to the main iTunes window.
10. Make sure your song is still selected. Open the ‘Advanced’ menu and click ‘Create AAC Version’.
11. Wait for iTunes to create your new song clip.
12. Go back into ‘Get Info’ for your original song and un-check the Start/Stop time you had set. You don’t need them anymore.
13. Select your new, smaller song clip. Right-click and select ‘Show in Windows Explorer’.
14. You should see an .m4a file for your song clip. Change the extension to .m4r
15. Double-click on it to have iTunes import it into your ‘Ringtones’ library. iTunes will also move the .m4r file to it’s own folder under \Ringtones.
16. Go back into your Music Library window and delete your song clip, since the source file no longer exists.

That’s it!

My brother recently asked me if I had any good books that he could borrow. I got rid of a good chunk of my books when we moved, and only kept those I really enjoyed. Here’s the email I just sent him.

Here’s a list of the books that I have, grouped by author and with my comments in italics. I would recommend reading any (and all!) of the books presented here, and the order in which they are listed is not an indication of personal preference.

The Darksword Trilogy by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
A fantasy series with some interesting twists. Includes a 4th, follow-up book that takes place about 20 years after the first three. Don’t let the apparently un-imaginative titles fool you. About 400 pages each.

Forging the Darksword
Doom of the Darksword
Triumph of the Darksword
Legacy of the Darksword

Star of the Guardians series by Margaret Weis
More sci-fi than fantasy, but a very fun read. Has some hints of Star Wars, about 500 pages each. If you like them, then I highly recommend the “spin-off” series about a group of mercenaries introduced in these books (see next category).

The Lost King
King’s Test
The King’s Sacrifice
Ghost Legion

‘Xris’ series by Margaret Weis and Don Perrin
Fun and hilarious. Stories about Xris and his crack team of mercenaries, as introduced in the Star of the Guardians series. About 400 pages each. You don’t have to read Star of the Guardians to “get” these ones, but I would recommend it, if only to be able to read more about Xris and his team.

Robot Blues
Hung Out
The Knights of the Black Earth

The Bloodwars Trilogy by J. Robert King
A series set in the Planescape setting. Does a really good job of showcasing all of the strange and wonderful stuff that’s in the multiverse. Worth reading if you liked Planescape: Torment. About 300 pages each.

Blood Hostages
Abyssal Warriors
Planar Powers

The Dune Series by Frank Herbert
This is hardcore science-fiction. It can be difficult at times to wrap your head around some of the concepts presented here, but it is really satisfying when it all comes together. About 500 pages each.

Dune
Children of Dune
Dune Messiah
Heretics of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
Chapterhouse Dune

Discworld books by Terry Pratchett
These are some of my favorite fantasy books. Interesting, engaging and funny, great satires on modern classics too. Highly recommended. About 450 pages each.

Guards! Guards!
Men at Arms
Feet of Clay
The Fifth Elephant
Jingo
Night Watch
THUD!
Going Postal
Making Money
The Truth
Monstrous Regiment
Hogfather

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
A satire on religion and the apocalypse, set in modern day. Hilarious. About 400 pages.

Star Wars: Death Star by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry
An interesting look at the construction (and destruction) of the Death Star. From the civilian and enslaved construction workers who built it, to the contractors who run the cantinas on board. Turns out Luke Skywalker mass-murdered over a million people when he blew it up. Huh. This is the only Star Wars book I’ve read. About 400 pages.

The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling
Considered to be one of the first ‘Steampunk’ novels. An interesting look at an alternate Victorian England, where steam gurneys are raced instead of horses. About 400 pages.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson
These books re-define the term ‘epic military fantasy’ if you ask me. An immensely gratifying read, they shun most of the usual fantasy tropes. These tomes clock in anywhere from 700 to 1000 pages, and the reading level is a bit more difficult than your standard fare, but every page is worth it. If you decide to tackle these babies, don’t give up if you feel lost during the first half of the first book. Intimidating, but highly, highly recommended.

Gardens of the Moon
Deadhouse Gates
Memories of Ice
House of Chains
Midnight Tides
The Bonehunters
Reaper’s Gale

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Something about a wizard. *shrug*

So there you have it. Let me know which, if any you would like to borrow. When we moved into the house I did a clean-up of all the books I didn’t want to keep anymore. If I kept these ones, it’s because I personally felt they are worth keeping and reading, for whatever that’s worth.

I also have leatherbound copies of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings - but those aren’t for lending

A young woman was killed today in Iran, but she wasn’t the only one. What distinguishes her fate from the others is that her final, graphic moments were captured on film and broadcast across the world and the internet. It shouldn’t be too hard to find, but be forewarned that it is disturbing.

Her name, unconfirmed, apparently means “voice” or “call” in Farsi. Some are already dubbing her the “voice of the people, a call to freedom”. The circumstances of her death are unclear, though the unverified account is that she was murdered by a basij member, even though she wasn’t participating in the protests.

Things are pretty bad in Iran right now. No one’s really sure how things are going to turn out, nor if they’ve seen the worst of it. I think it’s pretty clear that the ruling powers are starting to feel threatened. Their initial attempts to stop the unrest didn’t work and they’re only like to escalate their methods as things progress.

I hope the Iranian people get the freedom they want.

Google Wave looks amazing. There’s so much I could say about it, but it would be better if you just watch:

http://wave.google.com

The guys over at Penny Arcade have created something special and it seems to be hitting the right chord with a lot of folks, myself included.

Their latest comic, Lookouts, presents the story of a group of children learning the ways of the world in a dangerous land, strange and fantastical compared to our own.

Lookouts is the first of 3 possible story arcs that they will develop further, depending on which gets the most votes. The other 2 story arcs; Automata and a Jim Darkmagic (of the New Hampshire Darkmagics) special, will be presented on Friday and Monday respectively.

While I always enjoy the antics of Acquisition Incorporated’s #1 wizard, and the idea of Automata also sounds interesting, I’m fairly certain that Lookouts will end up with my vote.

You can hear more details from their podcast on the subject, and check out the front page for some more art.

A friend of mine sent me a link to this great wallpaper. Planet Earth - Inversed is an imagined, ancient map of what the earth would look like if the continents and oceans were swapped.

A simple idea, but this kind of creative work really gets my imagination flowing. Who are the people of the South Atlantic Kingdom? What mysteries await atop the Marian peaks? When was the Panama bridge constructed? I love it!

Click through for the larger version.

More wallpapers at vladstudio.com

We had a visitor at the office this morning. He is Aviax, herald of Lord Fowlian and - like the Silver Surfer - his arrival forebodes the destruction of our world. He is also a small bird and the cutest darn thing you ever did see.

The incident was recorded so that you may witness his avian glory:

Another picture and high-definition videos!, below:

Aviax revealed!

I came across this on the ’sift. Very well done and worth your time.

A simple short film about communication.
Created by Publicis Mojo and @RadicalMedia
Director: Patrick Hughes
http://www.patrickhughes.com.au

I had come to dislike the look of the site, so I’ve been working on a simpler, cleaner design for a while now. I may do a little more tweaking over the next few days, but overall I am happier with this version.

Thanks to fleshcakes for help with the css.

A while back I pre-ordered a wallet from Braithwaite Wallets, and it arrived yesterday. This is probably the best wallet I will ever own. I say probably because I’m assuming that they will produce new designs somewhere down the road and there is always a chance, slight as it may be, they will top this masterpiece.

What is definite is that this is the best wallet I have ever owned. The quality is one thing that really stands out. The leather looks and feels great, the lining is luxurious and strong, and the design is outstanding. The staggered card slots are a really nice touch.

The Raptured stands at around 7 inches high, designed for a jacket’s inner pocket, and the laser-etched motif on the exterior hints at some Victorian-era inspiration.

A must-have for any man who has been searching for a wallet that is not only functional and convenient, but also stylish and attractive. It easily holds everything I need to carry in my wallet, which is exactly what it should do. This wallet is humble, but confident. It doesn’t try to be something it is not; it doesn’t need to.

Take a look at the unboxing photos and tell me that you don’t want to just grab this thing and hit the town. I love this wallet, and I recommend it to anyone who’s looking for something special.

Raptured at braithwaitewallets.com