Singtones creates a ringtone from your voice

SingTones llets people record themselves singing into their phone in time to a backing track sent by SingTones. The software then synchs the voice to the track, and sends it to the phone as a ringtone. [via Pocket-Lint]

Shazam gets Integrated

Music recognition technology company Shazam Entertainment as unveiled a suite of integrated services that it says will provide consumers with a broader and more inclusive experience of music discovery, purchase and interaction with others across mobile devices and the Internet. Mobile Marketing reports.

"The new product set combines five applications that facilitate music discovery, transactional capabilities and community tools. This includes the company’s mobile music recognition service."

Napster Launches Japanese Mobile Service

Napster launched its planned mobile music service in Japan on Monday, reports The Street.

"The service runs on NTT DoCoMo's Mode mobile internet platform, which is used by over 40 million of DoCoMo's 52 million subscribers in Japan."

Previously Napster launched a music download site for Japan in partnership with Tower Records and yesterday Cingular Wireless announced it would be become the first U.S. operator to provide mobile access to online digital music services such as Napster, eMusic and Yahoo Music, reports Reuters.

U.S. Copyright Register: Ringtones Covered by Existing Licensing

Wired Blogs' Listening Post reports on The Copyright Register's recent decision that ringtones do not constitute derivative works, and as such are covered by Section 115 -- a statute originally written to create a market for the distribution of piano rolls in 1909. And interviews Jessica Litman, professor at the University of Michigan (and author of Digital Copyright) to put this into context.

"One main function of the statute is to allow anyone to record a cover version of any song as long as they pay a standard fee per copy (currently $0.091). This same license now applies to ringtones as well.

... The decision is part of an ongoing battle between the RIAA (record labels) and industry songwriters/publishers. The RIAA wanted to be able to distribute ringtones without securing new licenses from songwriters, who technically own the composition. Songwriters wanted to negotiate a new rate for ringtones. The Copyright Register decided in favor of the RIAA, for the most part, although Litman thinks songwriters could appeal this. ... From a consumer standpoint, not much will change."

Picture left from Jeffrey Benedict's original MP3 ringtones

Cingular offers access to Napster, eMusic and Yahoo Music

Today, Cingular Wireless will become the first U.S. operator to provide mobile access to online digital music services such as Napster, eMusic and Yahoo Music, reports Reuters.

"Unlike rivals Sprint and Verizon Wireless, which operate their own branded a la carte download stores, Cingular is instead taking a partnership approach with subscription music services as the cornerstone of its mobile music strategy.

It's not yet possible to download over-the-air tracks directly to the phone but this feature should be operational within the next six months and points to eMusic as the likely first to go live."

There should be more Carnatic songs in Tamil, says Minister Durai Murugan

Music is that which integrates and gives peace to the mind, said Durai Murugan, Minister for Public Works, reports The Hindu.

"Expressing regret that the crowd coming to listen to Indian claslsical Carnatic music was dwindling, he said that the reason was that music had not been simplified and taken to the masses.

"There must be more songs in Tamil," the Minister said, pointing out that music first has to attract people. A CD titled A Meeting of Minds was released on the occasion and Carnatic ringtones were also launched by the Minister.

Dialling the number he placed the mobile near the microphone and enabled the audience to listen to a piece of Asai Mugam Marandu Poche by Rukmini Rajagopalan.

Gobble gobble ringtone for Christmas turkeys

This is silly; gobble gobble ringtones for Christmas. From the UK's Turkeys' website. [via News Wales]

Samsung Launches 'Mini MP3 Phone'

Samsung today launched the SGH-X830 Mini MP3 Phone. [via Mobiledia]

"When closed, the X830 functions like a MP3 player with a music player interface that horizontally displays the playlist, equalizer settings and song information.

... The click wheel navigation gives users hassle-free control of the music functions. The built-in 1 GB memory allows for storage of 250 songs. Users can also download audio files from CNN or BBC website by podcasting function."

Hollywood writers, studios spar over digital works

Hollywood's rush to offer programs on the Web, iPods and cell phones may be slowed by growing resistance from writers and actors who want a bigger slice of revenues from digital media. ZDNet reports.

"Compensation for digitally delivered media threatens to be among the more hotly debated topics in contract talks with unions representing writers, actors and directors over the next two years and could hold up some studios' plans, industry experts said.

"There's a lot of confusion out there," Mike McNulty, national director of communications for SAG, told Reuters. "There's a lot of gray. The real crux of the thing is which formula the studios are going to pay under," he said.

... "We're at the earliest stage of seeing the influence and impact of this new media on audiences, advertising, piracy and on our traditional business models," a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers trade group, said. "Some of these things are strictly promotional," she said.

But writers argue they should be compensated and that the networks do, in fact, reap advertising dollars from streaming their works online even if they call it promotional. "

... The studios and talent are currently operating under labor contracts that predate the latest technologies and are ambiguous in terms of what pay structures should apply to content delivered beyond television or movie screens."

Nokia's Ghetto Blaster

Nokia's new crystal clear ghetto blaster is sure to be the hottest new audiophile must-have this holiday season, reports Core77 and Engadget Mobile.

"Nokia plans to launch the portable audio device at beaches and parks in Finland, urging the masses to take their jamz outside of the house."

[via Cool Hunter]

Cingular to offer music to cell phone subscribers

Cingular Wireless plans to team-up with XM Satellite Radio Holdings and Web music subscription services Napster and Yahoo to let its customers play songs on their cell people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. [via Reuters]

Samsung SGH-X830 mobile music phone

Samsung have finally released their new Samsung SGH-X830 mobile music phone, looking more like an MP3 player than a mobile phone. [via Mobile Mentalism]

Thumbplay Inc., an online retailer of mobile entertainment content, has just launched a special collection of Latin ringtones and wallpapers, highlighting the hottest talent from past and present Latin GRAMMY nominees, with music from Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, India, Grupo Mania, Wisin y Yandel and others.

"The demand for Latin content is huge and Thumbplay.com features the broadest selection of artist coverage from Reggaeton to Banda to Latin Pop," said Are Traasdahl, founder and CEO of Thumbplay.

[via Reggaeetonline]