It’s easy, it’s legal and it’s safe. STOP paying Apple to make custom ringtones for your iPhone! If you think iTunes is the only way beside trying to hack your half-grand toy then think again. iTunes makes you PAY, hacking can “brick” it - but a quiet release of Garage Band will do it for you.

Upgrade Grarage Band to version 4.1.1 for iLife ‘08. You already paid enough for your mac and handheld wonder-toy so don’t worry-Apple won’t either.

Non- “jail broken” iPhones and PC users - you aren’t going to luck out like this for it’s only for Mac users with iLife ‘08 that update Garage Band to 4.1.1.

Open Garage band and start a new project, then delete the default track.

This will leave you with an empty workspace - that’s good.

Then drag any audio file to the workspace.

You’re almost done. Trim it to any anything under 40 seconds - any part of it you want then hit the ‘loop” icon next to fast forward.

Happy? You’re there. Now go to ’share’ in the menu and you see an item “Send Ringtone To iTunes’ - yup, just do it.

Enjoy your new free ringtone for the iPhone - and you didn’t have to use iTunes and pay Apple.

personally, I’m enjoying Beethoven’s ‘Ode To Joy’.

Grab it here if you want it.