iPhone Ring Tones: Text to Speech

I've made a few ring tones for the iPhone here and there. Then I tried to think of something cool. I thought it was funny during an episode of "The Good Wife" when the mother's ring tone blared her daughter's voice saying, "Pickup the phone!" Sadly, my friends and family wouldn't put themselves through the embarrassment of recording their voices.

Why not use a computer's voice? So, here I am, making custom ring tones using Text Edit, Automator (not sure how else to get text to speech to save to a file on Mac OSuX Tiger), and Garage Band to create ring tones. I use a brief introduction tone, then have the computer speak. "Incoming call from: ..."

And now I'm downloading the sound files of characters speaking in Portal to perhaps use them as ring tones.

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala on Dell Mini 9

Installed Ubuntu 9.10: Karmic Koala onto the Dell Mini 9 today.

I found what I think was the Dell distro here at http://linux.dell.com/files/ubuntu/karmic/iso-images/. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out how to install from an ISO.

Instead, I just went the Ubuntu.com route.

1. Download from Ubuntu.com
2. Burn ISO to CD (using this Freeware: http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm)
3. Boot CD on a PC.
4. Select "install to USB Drive" option.
5. Boot from USB Drive on Dell Mini 9.
6. Install (Erase and use entire disk.)
7. Setup.
8. Download and install updates.
9. Install Flash (sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree).
10. Watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Hulu.com.

Yay! Video isn't choppy!

note: I had installed the full Ubuntu 9.10 before I saw there was a Netbook Remix (UNR) version. I installed UNR at home; it seemed to install faster (probably because there are some big apps excluded). Had to consult ubuntumini.com to get the wireless network radio up and running.