[ November 18 2003 ]

Real Tones Primetones.com Let's You 'Create Your Own MP3 Ringtones Now everyone with a phone can be an MP3 Content Developer and Publisher. Anyone can create their own MP3 Ringtones thanks to Primetones product line which includes interactive tools enabling mobile users to post MP3 audio to their blogs from any phone. [PR Newswire[ [ November 17 2003 ] News and Buzz Best True Music Ringtone award Retro Ringtones LLC picked up The Best True Music Ringtone award at the first annual Mobile Music Conference in Miami, Florida Saturday night. The award was presented by Devo's Jerry Casale to Thomas Dolby Robertson for his self-produced ringtone 'Sendo Spaghetti'--commissioned for the upcoming Sendo X smartphone--which features Sergio Leone-style horns, orchestral stabs, and a dramatic whip-crack sound effect. The award was a fitting end to week in which Retro Ringtones launched its premium 'digital' ringtone library on two of Europe's top wireless carrier portals, O2 and Orange. (Thanks Hugo!) Last month, "Rap Artist 50 Cent of Interscope Records was honored with the first ever «Ringtone of the Year Award» on October 22 in Las Vegas, during the CTIA event. cf First «Ringtone of the Year Award». November 14 2003 ] News and Buzz Swisscom Mobile launches Ericsson's and Sony Music's M-USE Mobile Music Service In a world first, Swisscom Mobile - Switzerland largest mobile network operator - will be launching M-USE, a new mobile music service developed by Ericsson in cooperation with Sony Music Germany. M-USE is an integral part of Swisscom Mobile's Vodafone Live! portal which was launched at the same time. The M-USE service offers the latest in mobile music content including artist pictures, ringtones, mobile music clips, artist news, and an advanced music recommendation service qccording to Business Wire and Ericsson press release. Sound Tones Aston Martin engine as a ring tone A limited edition of Aston Martin and Motorola co-branded handsets, the Motorola V600, are being made. They will be branded with the Aston Martin logo and feature the sound of an Aston Martin engine as a ring tone", according to autofan.com. Last April, Siemens partnered with the Formula 1 racing series since 1998, and premiered official Grand Prix cell phones in Barcelona. Available as a limited edition, two new models (S55 S and C55 C) were configured with distinctive Formula 1 motifs, the F1 logo as a screensaver, and engine-sound ringtones. cf Formula 1 engine ringtone. [ November 13 2003 ] News and Buzz Moviso Prepaid Ringtone Cards Available at Best Buy stores nationwide Moviso prepaid ringtone cards are available today at more than 590 Best Buy stores nationwide, and are compatible with two major handset brands, Nokia and Motorola. Additional handset support for prepaid cards sold at Best Buy will include Samsung and Sanyo early next year. The prepaid ringtone cards - for $7.99 each - are available alongside other wireless accessories at Best Buy stores. Moviso's prepaid ringtone cards let consumers personalize their mobile phones to ring with favorite songs and, unlike ringtones purchased on the Internet or via telephone, do not require a credit card or charges to the phone bill to purchase. Since Moviso introduced the product last year, the company has distributed more than one million ringtone cards. [Business Wire] [ November 12, 2003 ] Ringtone Firsts Cell Phone Ringtones This article by News Channel 3 is the article I have been waiting for. A simple short story on how ringtones work on your cell phone with a listing of some good sites for downloading ringtones online. "A ringtone is simply a computer program stored in your cell phone's memory and with most phones, you can change it. By downloading online or in some countries, sending the name of the desired ringtone to a short code by text messaging. The article also links to a useful and more detailed chapter on ringtones from "How Stuff Works". Of related interest, a post on Ringtonia published several months ago with regard to a company called (at the time) "My Nokia" (and since renamed Phat Tonez). It was the world's first commercial ringtone service launched in 1999 by 23 year old British national James Winsoar, who first realised that a feature built by Nokia into their cell phones -- allowing mobile phone companies to add their logo and ringing sounds -- could be exploited by others, and allowing anyone the freedom to customise their mobile phone with graphics and music. cf James Winsoar, first ringtone provider. [ November 11, 2003 ] News and Buzz MMC : 2003 The Miami Mobile Music Conference The place to be for anyone interested in mobile music content. The Mobile Music Conference (MMC 2003) which will be held in Miami November 14. Industry leaders will be discuss the producing, protecting and monetizing of music for the mobile market. The MobileMusiCon agenda is designed to give attendees access to new technologies, products and services, as well as high-level networking, dialogue and discussions with top mobile, music, artist management and technology industry executives. Leading music and mobile industry visionaries, technologists, solution providers, handset manufacturers and content owners will be featured throughout the event. [ November 10, 2003 ] News and Buzz Operators seek retail outlets for mobile services Mobile services will be packaged and sold in supermarkets across Europe in the next few years, as mobile distribution expands into the mass market., according to a new report by ARC Group. Ringtones and football alerts will soon be available, with games to follow, as operators seek alternative distribution networks. [New Media Zero] via [Moco News] News and Buzz Operators seek retail outlets for mobile services Mobile services will be packaged and sold in supermarkets across Europe in the next few years, as mobile distribution expands into the mass market., according to a new report by ARC Group. Ringtones and football alerts will soon be available, with games to follow, as operators seek alternative distribution networks. [New Media Zero] via [Moco News] News and Buzz Video ringtones This is wild, video ringtones. Psiloc VISION is a new application which brings ring tones to a next level - videos! Vision allows mobile users to assign videos to contacts that are then played when that contact rings them. You effectively have video ringtones. The software also supports display of full screen pictureson an incoming call. Psiloc Vision works on Symbian Series 60 smartphones: currently many Nokia models and Siemens SX1. A trial can be downloaded from Psiloc website. [All About Symbian] [ November 7, 2003 ] News and Buzz Music Download Surcharge Rock band Linkin Park are to release a download only single with a Premium Rate SMS payment option that will cost fans one third more than by credit card highlighting the poor pay out from operators. "NME reports that the track called 'FROM THE INSIDE', a live version taken from the band's upcoming 'Live In Texas' album, will be available from fromtheinside.co.uk and a number of other selected websites from 10th November.With a credit card the download will cost £1.99 and £3 by Premium Rate text message". [160characters.org]

Where to download ringtones Yamaha European Ringtone Launch Yamaha Mobile will launch a ringtone service across 24 European mobile operators, with about 1,000 ringtones with both global and local hit songs, music box sound tunes, original club music, classical music, jazz, and various sound effects. Already a major mobile content provider in Japan, with more than 3.4 million subscribers, this is the company’s first venture into the growing European ringtone market. [160characters.org]