Coldplay get single push in forensics cop show CSI

Coldplay are to be promoted in an innovative cross-promotional deal, in which one of the songs from their platinum-selling 'X&Y' album is played on a character's mobile phone in the hit crime drama 'CSI: NY. [via Brand Republic]

"During the episode, detective Danny Messer is investigating a cold case, pun probably intended, when his phone rings to the sound of Coldplay's song 'Talk'.

The US TV promotion, between CBS and Capitol Records, then offers viewers the chance to download the song to their phones, taking product placement to the next level. The ringtone will be available via a deal with a US cellular network and CBS.com.

It does not end there. Later in the episode, 'Talk' serves as background music. The promotion is believed to be a first for the music industry and, if successful, stars in other TV shows are likely to have their phones ringing with the latest songs from the Billboard 100.

Read also Moco News' take on story.

CSI is so cutting edge. What has come up in this column before - via Engadget's watchful eye, is how with it, CSI writers are. They have previously worked in episodes, such current fads as "toothing" and flashmobs as well as including in one plotline an enhanced image related to a camphone shot.

Slinky ringtones

To commemorate the classic toy's 60th year on the planet, the folks at AG Interactive, the new media subsidiary of American Greetings, want your cell phone to sing the jingle. [via ClickZ]

"A Spring. A Spring. A Wonderful Thing. Everyone knows It's Slinky!"

Slinky content for mobile devices and IM will include emoticons, backgrounds and wallpapers, winks, avatars, screensavers, video ringtones and clips from the toy's classic commercial. AG says Slinky is the first in a line of retro products updated for the digital age.

This story made James over at Moco News wonder: "Is there anything or any brand that cannot be used for mobile content?

trumpringtones.com

In September, we reported that Donald Trump and Warner Music Group launched Trump Mobile — a suite of products that includes ringtones, video ringtones and Trump wallpaper for cellphone screens, available on major US carriers.

Here's a direct link to the Trump Ringtones website.

Or, wireless consumers can text “TRUMP” to 74466 to purchase Trump Mobile personalization products directly on their phones.

The Trump collection of voice and video ringtones and ringback tones include phrases such as:

-- “Always stay focused. Also you’re getting a phone call, focus on that”

-- “Why not answer your phone, you could be missing out on some really big business” “What are you going to do, listen to me all day?”

Research Group Study States African Americans And Hispanics Lead Mobile Culture

When it comes to the use of enhanced mobile features such as texting and downloading ringtones, a national study finds that African Americans and Hispanics lead the market.

"If you want to know where mobile technology is going, watch these two groups of early adopters," said Kaan Yigit, Study Director. "Similar to their culture - leading impact on music, entertainment and sports, African American and Hispanic consumers are leading the charge in mobile technology as cellular phones morph into all-in-one personal portals for entertainment and communication."

Among the key findings of the research are:

- 52 percent of Hispanics and 48 percent of African American cell phone owners text messaged in the past month, much higher than the overall average of 29 percent.

- African Americans are more likely to download ringtones: 37 percent of African American cellular owners downloaded a ringtone in the past, followed by Hispanics (28 percent) versus an overall average of 26 percent.

The information for this release comes from a random national sample of 1,062 interviews conducted via telephone in May/June 2005.

[via News Room Press Release.]

Public Enemy's New Wireless Order

... Just as it pioneered the use of MP3s, Public Enemy is now an early adopter of the wireless phone network as a distribution system for music, reports Business Week.

" On Nov. 28 the group will make the music from its new album, New Whirl Odor, available through wireless phone networks using distribution technology from privately held m-qube.

"This is the best revenue-generating market that exists today. It's like the Internet in '98, but with a business plan," says Leaphart. Just as important, he views wireless as a way to bring PE's alternative black voice to the public.

At first the songs will be available only as 30-second ringtones. By the second quarter of next year, U.S. carriers will be distributing full-length versions of the songs, catching up with carriers in Asia and other international markets."

Madonna has No 1 hit in every music format

According to The Telegraph, Madonna has become the first artist to have a simultaneous number one hit across Europe in every music format: single, album, download single and mobile phone ringtone.

"The news, based on charts for Europe as a whole, points not only to the popularity of her single, Hung Up, and her album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, but also to the growing importance of new electronic media."

Website owners offered white-label mobile portals

Mobile content firm Echovox has launched a white-label service that lets website owners set up their own branded mobile content portal ‘within minutes’, reports Netimperative.

The service, called mBoost is an affiliate portal aimed at website owners looking to develop their existing internet businesses into the mobile channel, and open up new wireless revenue opportunities.

Echovox said that once a Website owner has signed up, it takes “just ten minutes” to set up a mobile 'storefront' that integrates with any existing web interface, and to start selling mobile content, including ringtones, java games, screen-savers and wallpapers.

Affiliates partners earn revenues for each download generated. The service covers 70 countries and works on all networks.

M-Boost includes a catalogue of content, with some 200 ringtones added every week to the existing library of 10,000 mono, poly, realtones and mastertones, 5,000 wallpapers and a range of games.

Mauj Telecom in India offers Video Ringtones

Mauj Telecom in India has introduced a Video Ringtones service, enabling customers with a Nokia 60 series phone to set a brief video clip to appear on their phones during an incoming call.

To avail the service, customers have to download video clips as standard Symbian application and install them just like regular ring tones. [press release].

Wippit launches DIY ringtones

Wippit, the UK's third largest online music service, has launched a 'DIY-ringtones' service, reports Macworld.

"The service lets ringtone buyers edit songs from the company's catalogue online, so they can choose to use whichever specific part of a song they like, or even the full tune. The Ringtone Editor then converts the results into a format that's compatible with their phone and a download link is sent to that phone.

Tones cost from 99p each and are available internationally. Music from Cooking Vinyl, Cherry Red and Craze records is currently available through the service."

More on making/mixing your own ringtones.

A MiniSD that offers ringtones for your phone

Japanese website, Pokeremo Joysound, is to sell SD and MiniSD cards that allow you to download 3 ringtones onto a phone of your choice from their catalogue.

[via Akihbara News].

Crazy Frog Cleans Up its Subscription Services

According to Cellular News, "Jamster, the company responsible for "that annoying thing" - namely the Crazy Frog ringtone franchise has announced the roll out of a new global brand campaign, simplified subscription plans and a parental control service.

The brand campaign launched yesterday in the USA with a new logo, redesigned web site and new print, online and television ads, which will appear on national and local broadcast and cable networks. The campaign will be extended to Europe, Australia and other countries over the coming months".

Funeral For A Friend Release 3 Versions Of Single

Funeral For A Friend have made 3 exclusive versions of "History" available for download this week to coincide with the UK release of the track as a single.

All are available for download now, using a credit card or by SMS.

[via The Ultimate Guitar]

ABBA member Ringtone - a gift after a donation to the Red Cross

Former ABBA member Benny Andersson has composed a ring tone that will be sent to people who donate money to the Swedish Red Cross' annual Christmas collection drive, reports Kansas.com.

"To get the ring tone, called Red Xmas, Swedes must donate about $6 by sending a text message from their mobile phones to a special number set up by the Red Cross. The donation will then be added to their phone bill, and a link to download the ring tone will be sent to their phones."

[Red Cross press release in Swedish]

Other fund raising schemes involving ringtones:

-- Links to ringtones which raised funds for tsunami relief

-- Downloading ringtones to raise money

-- Ringtones raise money for schools

The Ringtone Riddle

How ringtones' success has led labels to the verge of a misstep on music pricing. By Jason Fry for the WSJ.

... "Both in numbers and buzz, ringtones are a big deal now. According to the Yankee Group, ringtones will probably be a $500 million business in the U.S. this year and a multibillion-dollar business globally. That makes them the third most-popular wireless application behind talk and text-messaging.

Ringtones are meant for showing off in public-- in fact, they're more for other people's benefit than for yours, allowing folks to identify you as an adherent of 50 Cent or Fall Out Boy or the whole Crazy Frog meme. And the public nature of ringtones means people are much fussier about having the right one, having it sound good and being able to change it the second they feel it no longer represents them -- all things that command a premium price. Downloaded music, on the other hand, isn't principally meant for public broadcast -- music players have headphones for a reason."

"Aside from the fact that they're built on music, they really have very little to do with one another," says Charles Golvin of Forrester Research. As the Yankee Group's Michael Goodman puts it succinctly, "ringtones are about personalization. Music downloads are about entertainment."

SesameStreet Mobile

SesameStreet Mobile offers 100 different Sesame Street cellphone wallpapers, as well as 30 classic songs, including C is for Cookie, Sesame Street Theme Song.... Prices range between $2.00 and $2.50, with sale proceeds helping to fund educational programs for children around the world. New and seasonal content will be added on a regular basis.

[via World Screen]

Hoppy Christmas from Crazy Frog

Will there ever be an end to that Crazy Frog silliness? Hope not! Well rejoice all you annoying people, for a Christmas version of the famous ding-ding-ding-ding ringtone is on it's way.

According to The Guardian , "The Christmas Crazy Frog will be available in the next few days as a ringtone and is also likely to challenge for the Christmas number one spot in the singles chart".

Ringtone management on the curriculum of University

In Miami University's School of Music, Music Business and Entertainment Industries program students are learning how the demand for online music is changing the industry, from its relatively recent emergence as a newer form of distribution to the licensing and royalties that go with it.

"The program prepares future executives for a multibillion-dollar music industry that now has more record companies, retailers and publishers than ever before. The curriculum has adapted to the world of online music by teaching students about other areas of profit such as ringtones, which can potentially bring in more revenue than more traditional forms of music."

[via The Hurricane Online]

Ring tones: Wakeup call for phone companies

The big mobile phone companies are apparently in a snit because ring-tone services like Jamster are marketing directly to consumers, bypassing the carriers' portals. [reBlogged from Blogma].

"What the phone companies must realize, of course, is that they are facing a larger tide that is being driven by the changing dynamics of the Internet, where a combination of new technologies and evolving consumer behavior is obviating the need for the middleman where content is concerned.

Already, we have seen unprecedented moves in the television and cable industries as content providers market their shows directly to viewers, forgoing the traditional route of the broadcast networks and cable operators. The shift is somewhat analogous to the way direct computer marketers like Dell, online travel agencies like Expedia and large e-tailers like Amazon forced middlemen out of the equation in previous years.

Our advice to the phone carriers: Get used to it."

LG Music phone Search Songs at Voice Request

LG Electronics unveiled it's model LG-KP4700 that can search songs by voice request, according to MobileKorea.TV.

"With enhanced MP3 functions, the device's voice recognition function allows users to search songs and send short messages while listening to music, thus achieving multi-tasking.

The Music Phone, which comes in a necklace form, allows users to use it as a fashion item like a small MP3 player. Its memory chip can store a maximum of 48 songs (4 megabytes per song). The phone also supports an external memory"

MobiTV, MSpot Make Strides in Mobile Music

mobiTV and Cingular Wireless have teamed up to offer Cingular subscribers first access to streaming music via MobiTV's MobiRadio service, the companies announced Monday.

The MobiRadio application, available on select Cingular handsets, currently offers approximately 40 channels of streaming digital music, according to a recent news release via Ziff Davis.

"MobiRadio will offer dozens of interruption-free audio music channels programmed by Music Choice, the premier music network. The channel line-up features a wide variety of popular music genres, including Urban, Rock, and Country, in addition to Electronica, Reggae, Jazz, and Classical."

Cingular unveils mobile radio service

Cingular Wireless on Monday introduced a radio service for its mobile phone customers, reports Reuters, using about 40 channels of commercial-free music from Music Choice and MobiTV Inc.'s streaming media service.

"The service, which runs over data connections to Cingular's phones, is its latest effort to expand beyond voice phone calls. It also plans a song download service as music is expected to become the next popular feature for cell phones."

Emilo Estefan to create ringtones

Latin music producer Emilio Estefan has signed up to create ringtones, ringbacks and voice mail greetings for Barrio Mobile, a wireless Latin record label that produces musical content for cellphones.

''Our business has entered an era whereby downloading ring tones and music over wireless networks is as common as rice and beans,'' the Miami Beach music maven said."

[via The Miami Herald].

Vodafone signs deal with Universal Music

According to Forbes, UK-based mobile phone operator Vodafone Group PLC said it signed a distribution deal with Universal Music Group, allowing its subscribers to download songs and videos from the music label's roster of acts.

" A limited number of Universal-published tracks are already available to Vodafone subscribers, but that will rise to over 100,000 full-track audio downloads as a result of the deal, said the companies in a statement.

The deal also encompasses ringtones, video downloads and streamed videos, said Universal, which is home to acts like Eminem, U2, 50 Cent and the Scissor Sisters. "

Spyware used lure of free ringtones

A Los Angeles District Court ordered three Web marketing companies to cease and desist an operation using the lure of free ringtones and browser updates to download spyware and adware to users' computers, reports Internet News.

... "The FTC complaint alleges that the Web sites of the defendants and their affiliates cause "installation boxes" to open on consumers' computer screens.

In one variation of the scheme, the installation boxes offer a variety of freeware, including music files, cell phone ringtones, photographs, wallpaper and song lyrics. "

Smell Tones

Dearest Red Ferret has found a true ringtone treasure, a smell charm to attach to your cell phone, called Keitai KunKun, which will emit a "refreshing fragrance that has a relaxation effect" every time the phone receives incoming email, or calls. Smell tones, so to speak. And uh, for Hello Kitty fans, there's a specail model for you.

In their own (precious) words:

"Is the first among the world! It is news universal design in "odor" at arrival of the mail of a cellular phone!
It is epoch-making mobile accessories to inform of arrival of the mail of a cellular phone in "odor".Hangs it on a strap of a cellular phone, and faint odor opens at every telephone and arrival of the mail of an email for five seconds."

At Last, Phone Some Tunes to Yourself

The New York Times gives Sprint's new music store a rave review.

"Sprint's phone-based online music store allows anytime, anywhere wireless downloading of songs for listening - no computer necessary.

This remarkable service is brought to you by Sprint. It's the first cellular carrier to unveil a phone-based online music store; the others have similar plans.

Navigation is quick and satisfying. With a couple of simple button presses, you can search by song title or band name, using the number keys to enter text. You can also browse categories like New This Week and What's Hot, or by musical genre.

The marquee bands from the four big record companies are here, but you won't find many classical performers or independent labels. Sprint says the catalog will improve.

... Songs you download directly to the phone stay on the phone (or another Sprint phone, if you upgrade later). But the price also includes a second copy of each song, which you can download directly to a Windows XP computer.

The catalog offers 250,000 songs, about an eighth of what's on the iTunes Music Store." ...

The WSJ has a prematurely negative (I think) article today entitled So Far, Music-Playing Cellphones Draw Few Fans in U.S. claiming music phones are slow to take off so far.

"Sprint Nextel declines to provide early sales figures for its music service, the first to allow consumers to download full songs to their cellphones over the air, but Internet message boards and forums have shown little enthusiasm since the service launched 10 days ago."

I believe it will do well, downloading on the move is just so convenient. Time will tell.

Ringbits search engine

Check it out! I've added Ringbits ringtone search engine to this blog for your convenience.

Free Calls With Advertising Ring-Back Tones

According to mobiledia, PromoTel is testing advertising ring-back tones, which may provide cost-free calling in the future.

"The company will now move forward with plans for a January 2006 field test allowing select customers in target markets to make free, unlimited local and nationwide calls. "

Related article: - Ring-back Tones to Become Advertising Channel

Football stadium ringtone chart goes live

netimperative reports one one of the most innovative ringtones ideas, I've come across. A new ringtone and download chart that is exclusive to football stadiums across the UK - developed by TV network Match Day Media.

"The Stadium Music League chart will be presented by Radio 1 DJ Sara Cox, and will provide each stadium with a unique chart, where positions are controlled entirely by participating fans at the game.

Votes are cast by text message, costing £3.50 ($6.10), including the ringtone and a pre-paid link to download the full song at home via mdmtv.com, powered by online TuneTribe.com.

Every vote will then count as a sale and be eligible for inclusion in the UK Official National Chart.

Match Day Media said the service provides the music industry with a platform to tap into the football world and be able to connect directly with the 1.4 million fans gathering at football stadiums every month around the country.

The Stadium Music League will be broadcast across a network of top football stadiums, via state of the art plasma screens, screening MDM.TV, which shows a live match feed, half time highlights and football news."

Women download ringtones most

Telephia, a provider of performance measurement information to the mobile industry, reports that women outpaced men in purchasing ringtones by two to one during Q3 2005.

Sixty-nine percent of mobile ringtones were bought by women, while purchases by men comprised 31 percent of the total revenue share. [via Press Release]