Cellphone How To

This is a quick tutorial on how to add an mp3 song download as a ring tone on your Verizon Chocolate VX 8500 cell phone. You don't want the default ringtones that came with the phone do you? You want to be able to add your own songs as the ringtone on your new Chocolate mobile phone. This is how to add an mp3 as a ring tone on your VX-8500: Hook your phone up to your computer with the USB data cable (you can get the Music Essentials Kit from Verizon for about $30) - or get the cable for about $5 on eBay (which comes with all necessary drivers).

The USB drivers needed come with the music essentials kit, and most sellers on eBay include them with the cable. If you didn’t get a cd with your cable you will have to download and install the drivers so that your for phone can communicate with your computer.

You can download the Free Chocolate USB Drivers here

Now you're going to need to download BitPim - which is a program we’ll be using to transfer the ring tones to the phone.

Download BitPim here

Last your going to need to download and install AudaCity - this is the audio editing software we’ll be using to create the ring-tones.

Download Audacity editing software here.

Oops - I almost forgot...you also need to download the Lame encoder - which you'll need to create mp3 files that will become the ringtones.

Download Lame encoder here.

Now that you have all the right software and codecs, you are ready to create short mp3 clips from full songs which you will be able to set as a ringtone for your Chocolate VX 8500 cell phone.

Let's get started:

1. Open Audacity and open / import an mp3 song file.

2. Now edit, crop, fade out your mp3. You should keep your tone at no longer than 30 seconds for best results.

3. Edit the output settings by pressing Ctrl+P (assuming you’ve already installed lame encoder). On the File Formats tab go down to MP3 Export Setup and change the bitrate to 64. Now export the ring tone by clicking File in the toolbar and click Export As MP3.

You'll all done, so now let's put that mp3 tune on the phone and set it as a ring tone.

Make sure that you Install the Chocolate USB drivers BEFORE connecting the cell phone to computer with the cable. Then connect phone to the computer via the USB cable. It should automatically detect your phone. If not, go to Edit in the toolbar and on the dropdown menu click Detect Phone).

Open the ringers on the menu tree. Once inside the ringer folder, drag and drop your mp3 ringer that you exported into the ringer folder. You’ll get a pop up to convert the file, then click. After you’ve converted the mp3, click ok. Send the ringer to your phone by clicking the button (you’ll see this screen with your ringer).

Check the Ring tone box & click Add - then OK. If it doesn’t show up in your ringers you may have to power cycle the phone or remove battery & put it back in.

That's it - you're done! You should now have the ability to create your own homemade ringtones for your Verizon Chocolate Phone (or nearly any cell phone)!