As cell phones become one more addition to our busy lives, it joins the Internet as variations of our personalities, representing us when we can’t be there in the flesh. The choices we make through ringtones, IM handles, and profiles and signatures tell people about us before we ever come into real contact with others. MP3 ringtones are another variation of the cell phone identity, and as such, should be chosen very carefully. You may choose a melody from your favorite song, or a bit from a stand-up comic that you relate to. Whatever you choose, be certain that the MP3 ringtones you utilize send the right vibes to those who will hear them. If you feel most comfortable with Bjork, don’t pick jazz MP3 ringtones to put on your phone. Let yourself shine.

When searching for the right MP3 ringtones, you’ll find the best selection from the Internet, either free or for purchase. Many sites now offer free MP3 ringtones along with their polyphonic or monophonic offerings. There is also a way that you can download your own MP3 ringtones. As MP3 ringtones are all the rage now, there are programs out there that can assist in converting them to usable files, which you can then download as MP3 ringtones. Audacity is one such program that you can use to download MP3 ringtones, and it can be used with Windows, Mac or Linux. It will require the use of LAME, a downloadable MP3 codec that helps Audacity to encode an MP3, but is an open-source free program that can be found quite easily online.

The neat thing about MP3 ringtones is the veritable freedom you have to download just about any kind of music you want. You can also make your own MP3 ringtones, whether you choose to put your own voice on them, or a friend’s, a line from a movie, or at Christmas time, the jolly laughter of Santa Claus. The choices of MP3 ringtones are endless.

In order to download MP3 ringtones, you will need to ensure that your phone has MP3 ringtone support, meaning that it supports the MP3 format. Once you've determined that you can download MP3 ringtones, you will need to choose your MP3 ringtones from the Internet, or transfer them from your player to a format whereby you can download them effectively. Once you have the ringtone and a way to decode it, you need a way of transferring the ring tone from your computer to your phone, whether this is by using a standard USB cord, Bluetooth, e-mail or instant messaging. Some tips on using MP3 ringtones: If you have an older model phone, MP3 ringtones don’t suit your mobile phone's speaker like they do some newer phones. In order to get around this problem, choose a simple track that doesn't have many harmonic parts, or too many instruments. Having simple MP3 ringtones is better than having none at all. In addition, watch where you download your MP3 ringtones from, if you are not making your own. There are many websites out there that will give away MP3 ringtones, but they cannot all be trusted. Only download from trusted sites, or those that you feel are large enough to warrant the risk. Getting rid of a virus is a lot harder on a cell phone than on your personal computer.