A little-known feature in iOS 5 is the new option to create free, custom ringtones and text message alert tones.

The iTunes store is flooding with tones for $0.99 to $1.29, prices that are high enough to make you stick with the iPhone ‘s default tones. But now, with a few easy steps, you can make unique tones that set your phone apart from the many others who share the same standard tones.

Watch the video to learn how:

Free custom ringtones and text tones for iOS 5

[Read more]

(Credit:
Screenshot by Sharon Vaknin/CNET.)

Although Apple made most of the new features in iOS 5 public, a few unexpected features have cropped up in the new operating system.

As MacRumors discovered, you can now purchase alert tones in iTunes to use as your default text message or alert tone, or as a custom alert for a specific contact who texts you.

To access these new tones, head to iTunes on your iPad, iPhone , or iPod touch and go to More > Tones > Genres. Scroll down to view the new section for “Alert Tones”. Categories include dialogue, music, and sound effects.

iTunes is already stocked with an awesome selection of alert tones, like Al Pacino’s famous line, “Say hello to my little friend,” and R2-D2′s Weeeoowww. Right now, all alert tones are priced at $0.99.

To apply any purchased alert tones to a contact, find the contact, tap “Edit” and tap the box next to “Text Tone.”

[Read more]

Yesterday, out of the blue, I received this text message on my iPhone :

(Credit:
Screenshot by Rick Broida)

Annoying, right? Obviously my first instinct was to answer “NO,” but just like clicking “unsubscribe” in an unsolicited e-mail, that’s a surefire way to prove to spammers that I exist–and open the floodgates to even more spam.

What’s more, I have a limited allotment of text messages every month, and I wasn’t about to waste one replying to this demon spawn–who’d already cost me a text by sending one in the first place.

Unfortunately, there’s no “block” option on the iPhone itself–a feature Apple is long overdue to offer. But if you’re looking for ways to stop SMS spam, you do have a couple options. (Both of them are for AT&T users only. If you have a Verizon iPhone and know of similar solutions, please post them in the comments!)

First, head to http://mymessages.wireless.att.com/ and register for an account. (This is different from your existing AT&T account.) After entering the verification code sent to your phone, you’ll see various message settings you can modify.

A lot of text spam comes in the form of e-mail sent to your phone’s text-message e-mail address (yes, it has one: yourmobilenumber@txt.att.net). Thus, check the b… [Read more]