Dialing Disney

The company is thinking about getting into the cell-phone business, but would Disney fans switch from their current plans?

"Disney officials acknowledge that the company is considering the possibility of offering cell phones and wireless service tied to its Disney characters and its ESPN Inc. sports subsidiary, reports the OrlandoSentinel.

Killian, a 27-year-old resident of Pittsburgh, frequents Internet message boards dedicated to Disney, collects expensive Disney art, and travels to Walt Disney World at least twice a year.

Yet the self-proclaimed Disney fanatic says it might take some persuading to get her to switch to a Disney wireless plan and cell phone.

"If I was assured that it was the same level of service that I'm getting now, it might be something I'd be interested in," said Killian, an elementary-school teacher.

The company's Disney Mobile already has agreements with wireless companies and cell-phone manufacturers in 20 nations, including the United States, that allow customers of those companies to download sports scores, headlines from ABC News, music, games and Disney images. In Japan alone, nearly 4 million cell-phone users have access to Disney content.

But offering its own wireless service and cell phones would be new territory for Disney."

MDA Mobile Ringtone Chart, UK - June 2004

The Mobile Data Association publishes the Official Chart of the most popular ringtones downloaded across the four UK network operators. Chart toppers for June 2004 were as follows: via MocoNews.

1 Three Lions: Baddiel & Skinner
2 I Don't Wanna Know: Mario Winans
3 Trick Me: Kelis
4 Hotel: Cassidy feat. R Kelly
5 **** It (I don't want you back): Eamon
6 F.U.R.B.: Frankee
7 Burn: Usher
8 My Band: D12
9 Vindaloo: Fat Les
10 All Together Now: The Farm

Japanese Content Giant Buys 2 US Firms

US ringtone leader Zingy and one-time mobile hot property Vindigo have been acquired by a Japanese mobile content heavyweight. Are Japanese eyes turning east?

MocoNews reports that Japanese mobile content biggie For-Side.com has purchased US firms Zingy, one of the country's biggest ringtone and content sellers, and Vindigo, which had some success a few years back with its PDA-based city guides." [ TheFeature.com ]

Why cell phones can't compete with iPods

An interesting article in Business Week on Apple and Motorola's new partnership, - whereby a special version of iTunes software will be made available to certain Motorola cell phones - and how downloading music onto cell phones will not be a general threat to the iPod.

"With cell phones looking and performing more and more like mini-computers, thanks to soaring amounts of memory and enhanced video and e-mail capabilities, Apple fans and analysts are wondering if Jobs isn't letting a fox into the iPod henhouse. They fear the deal could cannibalize the $1 billion or more in annual iPod sales in exchange for less-profitable digital-music sales and customer growth of dubious value.

To start with, the fears of cannibalization are clearly out of left field. Most cell phones have been optimized for voice communication. This requires far less power than high-quality music playback.. "The biggest issue is power consumption. Anything that changes the way you use your phone and consume your battery [power] is clearly going to cause problems," says Rene Link, vice-president at San Diego mobile-communications consultancy inCode.

Battery life for any music player cell phones made with current technology would be abysmal. What's more, it isn't improving all that quickly."

VibeTonz

Excellent Rafat Ali for Moco News reports on VibeTonz, a new silent ringtone technology from Immersion.

Other silent ringtones:

-- The Sound of Silence - Modtones has announced the launch of the silent ringtone. The new download allows calls from selected caller IDs to be directed to voicemail without indicating the incoming call, thereby blocking it.

-- Original RingTones - The first silent ringtone I heard of was from a UK dot-store company run by artists, Thomson & Craighead.

Presidential Voice Tones

ClearSky Mobile Media Inc., delivering entertainment content to mobile phones, has announced the availability of political themed ringtones and wallpapers.

The ClearSky offer includes the actual voices of President George Bush and Senator John Kerry as the two men race for the White House.

Anyone can now go to their favorite Clear Channel radio station website or to ClearTonz.com and purchase their favorite politician ringtones or wallpaper.

This follows Engadget's Presidential Candidate Ringtonges launched in June.

Show your support for the candidate you love (or hate) by having them endorse your incoming phone call with these ringtones. Each ringtone is the candidate saying their name and that they “approve this message”.

”I'm John Kerry and I approve this message”.

”I'm George W. Bush and I approve this message”.

”I'm Ralph Nader, running for president and I approve this mess”.

Cingular Wireless Can Now Help You 'Escape-A-Date'

Cingular launches a new service that gives daters the perfect alibi if things go sour.

Escape-A-Date is the perfect service to use when you are afraid that your blind date may not be just right for you. This new service allows you to schedule a "rescue" phone call at a pre-set time. That way, you'll be called at the time you specify. The service tells you exactly what to say to set the tone for a speedy escape. There are eight randomly generated humorous scripts.

Here's an example:

Hey, this is your escape-a-date call. If you're looking for an excuse, I got it. Just repeat after me, and you'll be on your way!

"Not again! Why does that always happen to you? ... Alright, I'll be right there." Now tell 'em that your roommate got locked out, and you have to go let them in. Good luck!

With "Escape-A-Date," you'll never be at a loss if you need a timely rescue. according to a company press release via unwired.cc.

Actually this is not a first. Virgin Mobile USA offers it's subscribers the option to set up a "Rescue Ring to" escape any situation, giving whole new meaning to "saved by the bell". They only need to schedule a time when they want to receive a call. "Save yourself from bad dates, boring meetings, or any other situation that needs interrupting".

Related articles on date savers:

-- Virgin Mobile expands on it's Rescue Ring service by partnering with MTV

-- Rescue Rings

Other mobile alibi services:

-- Mobile Alibi Clubs

-- New Computer Chip Poised to Combat Cell Phone Background Noise.

Read Wired's article detailing both Cingular and Virgin USA's "rescue calls" Bad Date? Use Your Cell Excuse

Music phones the next `big thing' for consumers

The market for downloadable ringtones, the snippet of music that is typically 10 seconds to 20 seconds long, has reached US$2.5 billion worldwide, according the Yankee Group, a market-research firm, reports NY Times News Service.

"In its relentless push to add features to cellphones, the wireless industry is preparing to make affordable new phones that can store and play full-length downloaded music files.

Motorola's announcement last week that it is working with Apple Computer to make phones that can store and play iTunes music files is the first major indication that the convergence of the portable music player and the inexpensive cellphone is occurring. "

50 Cent Rings Up Zingy

I'm pretty sure this is a first! A worldknown artist signing an exclusive agreement wit a mobile media company. Usually it's the music companies signing up with media companies or wireless operators.

Zingy.com, a leading mobile media company in the Americas, today announced an agreement with recording superstar, 50 Cent, according to a company press relese.

With this agreement Zingy becomes the worldwide, exclusive distributor of ringtones, ringback tones, voicemail greetings and images, featuring original voice recordings from one of hip-hop's most notorious artists.

"As one of the best-selling artists in mobile entertainment, 50 Cent's In Da Club and Wanksta have become fixtures on Zingy's polyphonic ringtone sales charts," said Zingy COO Andy Volanakis. "It was a natural extension for us to partner with 50 Cent to build on that success with mobile voice and image content."

"I chose to connect with Zingy because it allows me to venture into the world of telecommunications through mainstream media," said 50 Cent. "I'm doing things that don't usually go with artists of my lyrical content. I will continue to break boundaries through all industries as long as people embrace it."