I had to pick up a new cellphone the other day due to my old one’s speaker breaking up. The upgrade was simple enough but after getting home and discovering that my wallpapers couldn’t transfer over, I got my “creative hat” on and went to work with The GIMP.

Now, to be up front with you, the wallpaper I wanted to transfer was one I had bought and downloaded from AT&T. I decided that I no longer wanted to have to buy my wallpapers or ringtones so after a little research, I came up with my own solutions. Neither of which are illegal by the way.

First up I opened The GIMP with one of my favorite wallpapers by abel torres and began to crop, center and resize it to fit the tiny screen on my RAZR V3xx. I was amazed at the results because it turned out so cool. I added my own text across the top and then, using Bluetooth, transfered it over to my phone. What do you think?

Next, I had to come up with something for a ringtone that I’d like. I went through all my music and came up with a couple of good ones that I thought would work out. Both of them are classic rock tunes so hopefully they’d work out.

After a little research on Google, I came up with mobile17 for my ringtone creator. Reason why is because they have a good rep for this type thing, they can create ringtones, wallpapers, color graphics all with your content. I chose the ringtones as I was creating my own wallpaper. It was amazingly simple to do too.

After going through a simple registration process (in which they swear they’ll not sell your number or email address) you select your phone and carrier, then after getting the confirmation email, you begin to create! It’s a really cool way to come up with your own content for your phone. They have two options for membership too. One is the free membership in which you wait for your creation because of a first come, first serve basis. The other is a Donor membership in which you make a donation and recieve credits to use against your creations if you want them almost immediately.

I uploaded my selections, set the beginning and ending times, the length of the ringtone and then after confirming things, settled in to wait on my new ringtone to arrive in my email. I don’t text nor do I use email on my cellphone(buttons are just way too small for my fingers) so I opted for the email method of delivery. I can handle Bluetooth so that made it an easy choice. This is what I came up with:Ringtone from AC/DC’s Black Ice I recommend that if you use this on your cellphone that you adjust the volume setting to a lower value. It’ll sound much better.

Now, I’m sure that all you need is a push in the right direction and you’ll be creating your own rigntones and wallpapers in no time so, load up the GIMP or your favorite graphics/image editing program and get started. After all, Linux does mean “Freedom of Choice”!

This post is mostly in fun because I’m sitting here with Ubuntu 8.10 loaded on my Lenovo machine, checking my news-reader, keeping up with friends on Pidgin and Twitux (Twitter) plus the occasional email all while installing openSUSE 11 and Linux Mint 6 to my 2nd machine.

Reason why I said this post was mostly fun was because a friend of mine asked me via Twitter if I was ever going to settle on 1 distro for at least 1 week. I replied that I already have…Ubuntu and that I’m using the other machine to experiment with other distros that interest me. Thus, the title of this post: So many distros, so little time!

See, I got a late start into Linux so my plan is to experience as many different distros as I can. Sort of like tasting different flavors of ice cream at the ice cream parlor. Each one has it’s own particular uniqueness that sets it apart from all the others. So, why settle on just one when you can “taste” as many as possible? Heh, try that with Windoze!

Anyway, that’s what’s going on here at the moment. openSUSE 11 is installed and Linux Mint 6 is installing as I type this post. It was supposed to be Mandriva 2009 instead of SUSE but for some reason all my downloads (http or torrent) were corrupt and the install would freeze on the splash screen. They checked out ok so I’m a bit stumped on this for now.

By the way, thanks goes out to chrisindallas (Twitter friend) for the Linux Mint 6 idea. He runs it and seems to like it so I figured to give it a try myself.

<sigh> So many distros, so little time….

Hmm, from a technological standpoint, I’d like to learn about some other distros like openSUSE.  I find myself using it more and more so it’d be nice to get more familiar with it. But let’s see how my new year’s resolutions would play out:

1. I’d like to be able to be more proficient using the Terminal.
2. Learn to use more of the apps better in Linux.
3. Start making LiveCD’s of various distros for sharing with people to get them interested in Linux.
4. Get more active in my LUG so I can help spread the word about Linux.
5. Learn to build my own computer or upgrade my older one.
6. Be of more help in sharing what knowledge I do have of Linux with others.
7. Try to experience at least 1 new or different distro a month.
8. Try to get my wife more used to working in Linux instead of Windoze. (I’d say the same for my daughter and her husband but they’re Mac lovers so that’s ok I guess)
9. Finally see what all I can run in WINE.
10. Admit that it’s ok to have a Windoze laptop. Everyone needs a paper weight!

For some reason that’s the only ones I can think of right now. Must be too tired but I know there’s bound to be more. I’m always reading the various distros’ forums, reading conversations in IRC or the mailing lists and cruising the sites of many distros for more information on the latest releases. Guess the more I get to know about Linux, the more amazed I become.

Enough about me, what are your new year’s resolutions going to be like technologically speaking? Inquiring minds would like to know!

By real estate, I mean of course, screen real estate as in monitor screen size. Let me elaborate…

I posted previously about Needing Input! for advice on a new monitor for my Lenovo H210 Desktop that I run a dual-boot setup of Fedora Core 10 and Ubuntu 8.10. I stated that I wanted to go with a 22″ monitor so that I could get multiple apps going on-screen at once (which would be better than the 19 incher I had been running for several years), plus the fact my old 19 incher was beginning to show it’s age.

Well I came across this one at Best Buy yesterday afternoon that I just simply couldn’t pass up. It was a Samsung Syncmaster T220.

Talk about real estate screen-wise? This puppy has it. More than I expected seeing as I was accustomed to a 19″ monitor for the last several years. The color reproduction is awesome too (I know color too because I’ve been in printing since 1975. Did I just tell my age?  ) None of the reported back light leaking issues are apparent either so maybe I lucked up and got one of the better models.

The controls are a bit awkward though as they’re mounted on the right side of the “frame” and mean that you must either twist the monitor to use them or get up and poke your head around to them. Either way, they’re at least out of the way of curious fingers should you have children (or in my case, grandchildren) that like to press buttons.

As soon as I turned it on after making the connections, the screen was as expected….gorgeous! The overall look of the monitor is handsome whether it’s on or off. I think I’m going to like using the Samsung T220. Lord knows, I don’t have room for anything bigger and this monitor fills the criteria of what I was looking for anyway.

Just wanted to say Merry Christmas to those that stop by and wish you and yours a Happy Holiday season. For those of you that don’t celebrate this holiday, I hope you have a good day.

While we’re all sitting around looking at the screen, let’s take a minute to remember the ones who can’t be with their families this holiday season. It’s especially hard for them no matter where they are. The ones who’ve lost their homes, their jobs and much more deserve our warm wishes and thoughts too this time of year. There are many in need and those of us that still have a roof over our heads and/or a job should seriously think about helping out our brothers and sisters who have none.

Here’s wishing the very best to you this holiday season!