Apple seeks big bite of Japan's download music market

Apple dominates the market for music downloads in the United States, but its iTunes online music store has about a 5 percent share in Japan, reports Reuters India, "where most fans download songs onto mobile phones and many people prefer not to buy music online with credit cards.

iTunes faces a dramatically different situation in Japan compared to other markets," said Gerhard Fasol, president of Eurotechnology K.K., a consultant firm in Tokyo. "iTunes is a very strong player in the market for downloads to PCs, Macs and iPods, but that makes up a small portion of the online music downloads (in Japan)."

So Apple is pursuing new innovative ways to expand iTunes in Japan by trying to entice consumers to abandon mobile phone downloads for online downloads instead- like offering free downloads at concerts."

Overwhelming call for phone blockers in UK theatres

Seven out of ten theatre professionals and theatregoers want mobile phone jamming technology installed in theatres to prevent audience members’ ringtones interrupting shows - an occurrence which has reached epidemic proportions, according to The Stage in a survey. [via Zero paid on digg]

"Following an online poll of more than 1,000 people, made up of cast, crew and theatregoers, The Stage can reveal that a huge majority - 90% of respondents - have had shows that they were either watching or performing in disturbed by a mobile phone going off.

Alarmingly, around 10% claimed phones went off every time they visit the theatre.

Meanwhile a clear majority of respondents - nearly three-quarters - were in favour of the stance taken by actors such as Richard Griffiths, who had suspended shows because of interruptions from telephones.

More than 80% felt that theatre managements needed to do more to sort out the problem, with installing technology to block mobile phone signals being by far the most popular option, with imposing fines also popular with around 30% of people.

Both practices would require a change to current law, as phone jammers are currently illegal and legislation that would make phones going off in theatres illegal would have to be introduced for fines to be imposed."

Related:

-- NY bans cell phones in "places of public performance"

-- Sydney Pollack Teams With Cingular to Promote Cell Phone Courtesy at the Movies

-- US movie theaters may ask to jam cell phones

-- Cell Phone Jammers Authorized in French Theaters

-- US Theater owners want cell phones blocked

-- Lawmaker may propose banning cell phones in theaters, stores

Groups Wants Loud Warnings On iPods, MP3s

A British organization for the deaf is requesting that Apple and other manufacturers of MP3 players print more prominent warnings about the risks of hearing loss. Yahoo News reports.

Though cell phones are not specifically mentioned in this article, the phone industry banks on the success of music phones, and many new models launched today include MP3 features.

"The recommendation announced this week, is part of a "Don't Lose The Music" campaign by the RNID(formerly the Royal National Institute for Deaf People).

While observing its first "Don't Lose The MusicWeek," the charity group has written to all leading manufacturers of MP3 players asking them to explain potential dangers of using their products at high volumes.

... The U.K.-based group states that it is not opposed to MP3 players but wants to encourage people to protect themselves against the cumulative effects of loud music, "so they can enjoy the music they love for the rest of their lives."

Related articles:

-- Another warning about earbuds

-- Headphones linked to hearing loss?

-- iPod warning: turn it down

-- Mobiles could lead to hearing loss among college kids

-- Siemens phones may cause hearing damage

Portable content not connecting with consumers

Despite all the dramatic advancements that the mobile entertainment industry has made, there is a still one important ingredient it has not obtained: customers. The Scotsman reports. Picture left from Red Bee.

Mobile tracking firm M:Metrics has determined from data collected in the three-month period that ended in July that ringtones -- by far the most popular form of mobile content -- are bought by only about 10 percent of the total user base.

In addition, <2 percent have bought games, 3.5 percent subscribed to a ringtone service or downloaded a wallpaper image, 0.4 percent watched paid video and0.2 percent downloaded a full song.

With technological evolution is a growing perception that the industry must develop a better way of selling all this product.

... The biggest concern is that each type of mobile service -- ringtones, games, video -- is sold separately. Consumers who buy a ringtone of a given artist, for example, may have no idea that the same artist may have a mobile game for sale or that the artist's music video is available for download.

partyStrands

partyStrands is a music service launching next month that will bring together aggregated recommendations, voting and photos synchronized on location by mobile phone. (…)

People who have downloaded the MyStrands desktop application at home can take their playlists and recommendations with them by signing in to by SMS at participating locations. MyStrands monitors your playlists in iTunes or Windows Media Player and suggests songs based on similar playlists from other users. ...

reBlogged from pasta&vinegar

Church Bell Ringtones Anyone?

Some thing I've never come across before. Church bell ringtones.

On Funtonia, along with other original sounds listed on the same page:

-- Alarm Clock Ticking
-- Smoke Alarm
-- Store Entrance Bell
-- Train Crossing

What's missing on this page by my books is a retail security tag ringtone.

Nokia's 8800 Sirocco features "sonic texture" by Brian Eno

Everyone is talking abou Nokia's new 8800 model, and I had gathered the main difference with the previous model, was the upgraded 2 megapixel camera feature. But what I missed is the "sonic texture" feature, created by ambient music innovator Brian Eno. [via Digital Trends]

"In pop circles, Eno is best known as one of the prime movers behind Roxy Music and a key force in the production team that's turned Irish band U2 into a worldwide phenomenon, but he's also regarded as one of the fathers of ambient music."

Just as a reminder, the earlier model launched in April 05, the Nokia 8801, included a signature ringtone "Dharma", by an award-winning composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Sakamoto was commissioned to compose the ringtones and alerts."

It’s Not a Cell Phone, it’s a Social Life Saver

The Popularity Dialer offers a service is to relieve you from awkward moments, "by faking a phone call easily and credibly".

Have you ever been in a situation where you wished your cell phone would ring? Maybe you wanted to look extra important or popular on that hot date. Or maybe you just needed an excuse to escape from an unpleasant meeting.

With "The Popularity Dialer", you can plan ahead. Via a web interface, you can choose to have your phone called at a particular time (or several times). At the elected time, your phone will be dialed and you will hear a prerecorded message that's one half of a conversation. Thus, you will be prompted to have a fake conversation and will easily fool those around you.

[via MobileMistress/CellFreak]

Related service:

Interest in mobile music downloads wanes

According to the The Financial Times, "interest in downloading music to mobile phones has begun to stall, raising questions about consumers’ appetite for one of the perceived selling points of 3G mobile phones.

"A survey of 3,000 consumers by Entertainment Media Research, in association with Olswang, the law firm, puts a cloud over the music industry’s hopes that music for mobile phones will be an important source of growth.

The survey found that just 11 per cent of consumers were already paying for music downloads on their mobile: only half the level that expressed interest in downloading in a similar survey a year ago.

... The study found that the mobile industry had succeeded in attracting “early adopters” to the technology, but a “second wave” of consumers was unconvinced with 44 per cent saying they were not interested in downloads and 36 per cent preferring to download over their home computer."

... Keith Jopling, director of strategic research and analysis for the IFPI, said: “Mobile music has a number of attractive key drivers, but also some barriers to overcome.”

Major labels embrace mobile technology, beyond ringtones

The music industry, searching for ever-expanding ways to promote acts and generate new revenue streams, is getting increasingly creative in its use of mobile technology, reports Reuters. "With ringtones now a well-established product, record labels are turning to mobile games and video.

Warner Music Group recently introduced its first mobile videogame on T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. The car-racing game features the likeness, voice and music of hip-hop sensation T.I.

... Meanwhile, Capitol Records is supporting the debut album by Dave Navarro's new band the Panic Channel with a first-of-its-kind mobile-TV promotion in conjunction with Sprint and GoTV. For the next three months, GoTV will air free behind-the-scenes footage, exclusive interviews and performances of the band. They will be refreshed every two weeks.

... It's becoming popular and sort of a cachet to have a mobile presence, and that extends outside of ringtones," Hudson Entertainment COO Mike Samachisa says".

iPod fails to ring bells with phone option

According to the The Guardian, Apple is going to have an uphill battle to convince consumers to pick a next-generation iPod that also makes phone calls, a report out today shows.

"According to the annual Digital Music Survey of 3,000 British consumers, 46% of people preferred to use a phone that also played media files; 21% would choose a music player, and more than a third would never want a mobile phone and music player combined."

Super tunes have a nice ring to them

Is it a bird, is it a plane? no it's supertune!

Someone writing for the Entertainment page of Twin Cities has figured out what today's superheros' biggest problem is. It's those Ringing cell phones and figuring out who gets which call.

What they need? Distinctive ringtones, that's what. And that's just what Twin Citieshas done, assigned songs to superheroes.

-- Invisible Woman: "Invisible Touch" (Genesis), "Can't C Me" (2Pac), "Can You See Me" (Jimi Hendrix), "Invisible" (Ashlee Simpson)

-- Mr. Fantastic: "Call Me Mastermind" (Jimi Hendrix), "Holding Out for a Hero" (Bonnie Tyler)

-- Plastic Man: "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" (Mase), "The Rubberband Man" (the Spinners); "Red Rubber Ball" (the Cyrkle) ...

Songs and Ringtones to overcome flood trauma

Can a song help overcome flood trauma? Yes, say psychiatrists here who have come up with innovative ways of helping people to recover from the trauma caused by weeks of flooding. The Times of India reports.

"A team of psychiatrists is urging people to get back to their daily routines and hum a motivational song when they can.

While the song is being repeatedly broadcast on FM radio stations, the psychiatrists have convinced mobile telephone companies to offer it and similar jingles as caller tunes and ring tones.

"Tata and Hutch have agreed to use the song as caller tune. They might introduce it soon," Surat psychiatrist Mukul Choksi said.