iToner
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iPhone sync problems after iTunes update traced to leftover plugin
In case you are on the road to an iOS 4 update (and be careful), you might want to double check your work. Remember, first you have to update iTunes to 9.2, which will then allow you to download the iOS 4 update. After I updated iTunes, I went in to make some changes to what I had synced and take off some podcasts that I don't listen to and video I don't really watch. After making changes and clicking apply, I got this error: "iPhone cannot be synced. A duplicate filename was specified." A bit of searching found other people having this issue, and the clear explanation at Apple Toolbox saved the day. As it turns out, the culprit is iToner from Ambrosia Software. I used it once a long time ago, and then I deleted the application without using my handy dandy AppZapper. As a result, it left behind a little file in my iTunes Plug-ins folder that I didn't realize was there. I removed the file, and as if by magic, everything started working again. However, if FedEx isn't lying and my iPhone actually does show up tomorrow, it was a bit silly of me to jump through all of these hoops to run iOS 4 on my 3G ... for one day.
iToner 1.0.8 ready for iPhone 2.0
iToner is Ambrosia's application that makes it easy to put free ringtones on your iPhone. Because really -- paying for ringtones is ridiculous.It works without hacks or tricks. Simply drop any MP3, AAC, WAVE, or AIFF audio file onto the application's window and boom! You're done.Ambrosia released version 1.0.8 this week, which offers compatibility with the iPhone 2.0 software. Other changes include Support for iTunes 7.7 Japanese localizaton A single license will cost you $15US and requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later. Of course, you can always make your own rigntones for free with GarageBand.[Via Ars Technica]
iToner 1.0.7 is available
iToner by Ambrosia Software lets iPhone owners put an unlimited number of custom ringtones onto their phones with no hacks and no per-ringtone fees. We've written about iToner several times, and interviewed Ambrosia's president Andrew Welch about the future of the product.This week, iToner 1.0.7 was made available. Changes include: Fixes with iTunes compatibility. iToner should no longer prevent iTunes from removing iTMS ringtones. Fixed crash when syncing with iPod touch from iTunes Various fixes and enhancements iToner allows for drag-and-drop ringtone sync, support for MP3, AAC, WAVE, and AIFF files and the ability to assign specific ringtones to certain contacts.This is a free upgrade to registered users. iToner costs $15US, requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later, and is a Universal Binary application.
Ambrosia updates apps but pulls iToner 1.0.5
Update: Despite the presence of the iToner 1.0.5 press release on Ambrosia's news page, the download page is currently offering up 1.0.4. Ambrosia's press rep has contacted us and says, "Sorry for the confusion and also the inconvenience. We are aware of an issue with iToner 1.0.5 and are currently working on it. For now, please revert back to using 1.0.4 -- we'll release another update in the near future. Thanks for your understanding and support."The busy bees at Ambrosia Software have cranked out several updates this week, including the $15 iPhone ringtone tool iToner 1.0.5. (improved support for iPhone OS 1.1.1 + bug fixes); the free envelope printing utility EasyEnvelopes 1.0.6 (unspecified fixes and enhancements); the $15 menubar search enhancement iSeek (Leopard compatibility); and the $19 file transfer streamliner Dragster 1.0.5 (Leopard fixes). All can be demoloaded from Ambrosia directly.Now that there's a blessed method for using GarageBand (not free, but bundled with new Macs) to create custom ringtones, it will be interesting to see how iToner continues to evolve and extend.
The Curious Case of the 1.1.2 Ringtones
Apple's 1.1.2 iPhone firmware release brought easy custom ringtones back to life. With 1.1.2 you can once again add end-user ringtones to iTunes and, from there, sync them to your iPhone. Did Apple intentionally thwart third party ringtones with its 1.1.1 firmware or not? Is the 1.1.2 reprieve an oversight or fixing an unintentional obstacle? Opinions vary.
iToner 1.0.3 works with iPhone 1.1.1
The iToner saga continues. As you might recall, iToner (which allows you to create ringtones for your iPhone using any non-DRMed AAC or MP3 files) no longer worked with the iPhone 1.1.1 firmware. All seemed lost, but those crafty folks at Ambrosia figured out a way to get iToner working as a beta. The beta has now been released as a full fledged update.iToner 1.0.3 costs $15 and requires OS x 10.4.10 or higher and an iPhone.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
iToner working with iPhone Firmware 1.1.1
Looks like those Ambrosia Guys have made a break-through. This video shows their iToner utility working with the iPhone 1.1.1 firmware. iToner, as you may already know, allows you to install third-party ringtones onto your iPhone. So you can either use your personal audio collection or record your Mom saying "Pick up the phone!" and play that whenever she calls. The 111-compatible update to iToner is still in beta but as this video shows, it should be arriving soon.
TUAW Interview: Ambrosia's Andrew Welch on the iPhone update and iToner
As we reported yesterday, Ambrosia Software is working hard to get their iPhone ringtone maker iToner working again after it was broken by the iPhone 1.1.1 update. Last evening the president of Ambrosia Software, Andrew Welch, was kind enough to sit down with us (virtually, anyway) to comment on the iPhone update and iToner, as well as to share some of his outlook as a third-party developer more or less beholden to Apple's business decisions. I think he draws an important distinction between the sort of hacking that went into the actual third-party iPhone applications and what iToner does. Speaking as he does from long experience, I think he has an interesting perspective on the development of third-party applications in the Apple ecosystem.
iToner 1.0.2 is available
In the world of iPhone ringtones, there's the Apple way, and there's the way everyone else does it. For the latter, Ambrosia has released iToner which lets you use any MP3 or AAC as a ringtone for your iPhone (we first looked at iToner a couple of weeks ago). Changes in version 1.0.2 include: Improved iTunes 7.4.x support Fixes an issue where iTunes ringtones might not properly sync Improved handling of playlists GUI improvements You already paid for you music, why pay for it again just to use it as a "ringtone?" iToner costs $15US and requires Mac OS 10.4.10 (and and iPhone. But you knew that).[Via MacMinute]
iToner 1.0.1 restores compatibility with iTunes 7.4.1
As we reported earlier, the iTunes 7.4/7.4.1 update broke a number of officially unsupported third-party extensions. Among these was the recently released iToner ringtone utility from Ambrosia. The new update restores the custom ringtone functionality as well as adding file-dragging from iTunes and improved playlist support. So if you were worried about the long-term prospects of iToner, Ambrosia quick response should ease your mind.iToner is $15 and a demo is available.
iToner makes adding iPhone ringtones ridiculously easy
Want to add iPhone ringtones? iToner's your solution, it's the easiest (and most graphically purdy) method we've seen yet, and it works without even jailbreaking your iPhone. The down side (yeah, there's always a downside) is this simple utility could teach a course in Nagware 101, bugging you incessantly and imposing increasingly longer delays before carrying out its function until you buy the thing. Still, it's worth it if you've been waiting for an excuse not to use marimba anymore. We'd just suggest waiting until next Wednesday before making the buy, we hear Apple might just do this thing themselves. More shots after the break.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Ambrosia releases iToner: iPhone ringtone manager
Ambrosia today released iToner, a new piece of Mac software to manage custom iPhone ringtones. iToner allows you to create iPhone ringtones just by dropping audio files on the faux iPhone interface and syncing. Best of all it does not require any kind of "modifying, hacking or having to reset your iPhone." Of course there are free ways of doing something similar, though without the nice eye candy. And rumor has it that Apple itself will shortly get into the ringtone business, though personally I'd rather pay once than be nickle-and-dimed for each and every ringtone.In any case, iToner is available now for $15 and a demo is available so you can check it out for yourself.
