Phone Sherpa expands services for musicians

Seattle's Phone Sherpa, a 22-month-old startup that lets cell phone users create customized ringtones and wallpaper, is expanding its product line, reports Seattle Intelligencer.

"It has added a service that lets musicians, music promoters or recording studios create ringtones, and then sell them on their own Web pages, using an interface and payment-processing supplied by Phone Sherpa.

The new offering also lets visual artists sell their art as cell-phone wallpaper, or screen backgrounds, from their own sites.

Nokia's XpressMusic 5700

My next phone.

The Nokia 5700 XpressMusic with a a dedicated audio chip for enhanced music performance, features an iconic twist design that easily switches between four modes at the flick of the wrist - music player, 2 Megapixel camera, video call and smartphone.

Should launch in Europe second quarter 2007.

[via Yanko Design and picture from Engadgetmobile]

Ghetto Blaster Cell Phone

Spotted on mad4Mobile Phones, a Chinese Thunder Super Radio HiFi phone> complete with FM radio and bulging speaker on the back. ... The extra screen on the back can display track information such as artist and song title.

[via gearfuse]

UpSNAP teams with MuseGlobal for mobile content metasearch

UpSNAPis a mobile search provider for audio entertainment. MuseGobal is a search management systems provider. Both have partnered to create mobile metasearch technology that finds ringtone or other audio and music content for consumers.

Basically the search technology searches multiple sites simultaneously. So all the ringtone sites are found and placed in one result. Duplicated searches will be erased and the results will all be unique.

[via GoMo News]

BMI: Ringtone Revenue Will Drop in '07

Performing rights organization BMI which collects publishing royalties for songwriters, composers, and publishers, has tracked 520,000,000 ringtone sales since 2001.

During that time, ringtone sales rose, but according to the organization, 2007 will mark the first year in which U.S. ringtone revenue decreases (from $600 million in 2006 to a projected $550 million in 2007).

Wired

Sprint to cut mobile phone song price to 99 cents

According to Reuters, Sprint plans to cut its digital music download fee to 99 cents per song, matching prices at iTunes. It currently charges $2.49 per song.

"The price cut is an about-face for Sprint, which has long maintained that consumers are willing to pay a premium to buy songs on the go. It has sold 15 million wireless song downloads since it launched its music service in late 2005.

By comparison, iTunes has sold more than 2 billion songs since its inception in 2003."

Napster, AT&T in wireless music tie-up

Napster Inc. and AT&T Inc. said on Monday that they had agreed to a deal to provide some of the top U.S. phone company's wireless and high-speed Internet customers with free digital music. [via Reuters]

"The service will be available to AT&T wireless customers beginning April 1 and will enable users unlimited access for one year to more than 3 million song tracks through Napster To Go. Those customers can transfer some tunes to compatible wireless phones and music devices."

Can the album survive in the digital world?

As all attention turns to iPod singles and cell phone ring tones, the music industry continues to rethink the traditional long-playing medium, writes the Buffalo News.

... "It’s premature to pinpoint an outcome of the digital music revolution. It might be argued that iPods and their attendant music-downloading capabilities have made real music fans out of folks who might not be otherwise.

... The significant paradigm shift brought about by the digital music movement means that looking backward for old solutions to new problems is no longer an option. It’s not just the rules that have changed — the game itself is hardly recognizable any more."

The Virtual Ringtone Advisor

Phat Tonez, the world's first ringtone company, is launching a state of the art new ringtone site that intuitively recommends ringtones based on your musical interests and your artist preferences.

Special technology developed by Phat Tonez means that your recommendations get better the more ringtones you listen to and download. This is the first time a ringtone company has offered this level of interactivity.

Additionally, for the very first time you will be able to write your own comments on each ringtone page and instantly have your comments visible to other people on the site. With more than 20,000 unique visitors to the website each day that is equivalent to having your own billboard in a very busy highstreet.

Press release

Ring Tones and Mobile Phone Downloads are Generating Income for Local Musicians in Africa

While musicians in the West are supported by a highly regulated regime of copyright protection, most African musicians have little chance of seeing any royalties. Now Public reports via digg,

"But a solution to this problem is being pioneered in Botswana. A partnership between mobile phone provider Orange Botswana and Small House Records/Mud Hut Studios, ensures musicians get a slice of the profit pie.

Managing director Solomon Monyame of Small House Records has signed a contract with Orange to share the profits from ring tone and song downloads to mobile phone subscribers.

With more than 76.8 million people currently subscribing to mobile phone services in Africa, and the number growing by about 58 percent each year for the last five years, the potential royalties market for African musicians is vast if this initiative is replicated across the continent.

Bay City Rollers sue over unpaid royalties

The Bay City Rollers are suing their record company for allegedly failing to hand over millions of dollars in unpaid royalties, reports InTheNews.co.uk.

"In the lawsuit filed in the US district court of New York, the 1970s Scottish pop group claim that Arista Records have not paid the right amount for the past 25 years.

Royalties are said to have been withheld from album sales, film rights, merchandise, ringtones and rights to commercials."

Sir Elton's ringtones

Sir Elton John is to make his back catalogue available for digital download, reports Blackpool Today.

"The collection spans four decades and comprises more than 400 tracks.

... The star is also making his biggest hits available as mobile phone ringtones and a selection of his most famous video clips.

The music catalogue will be available from March 26. Until April 30 it will be available exclusively from iTunes."

Musicphones Used Mainly With Sideloaded Music

M:Metrics has released data about musicphone use showing how much more prevalent sideloading music is compared to downloading over the airwaves. Moco News reports.

"M:Metrics analyst Jen Wu put the results down to the fact that the two main barriers to mobile music adoption, accessability and fair value, are lessened with sideloaded music.

... The idea that the immediacy of downloading a song over the network adds value that people will pay extra for is incorrect—at least at the moment. "

Endangered Species Ringtones Reach 50,000 Downloads in 50 Countries

The Center for Biological Diversity’s endangered species cell phone ringtones, available for free download at www.rareearthtones.org, have been so popular since they were unveiled on December 18th that more than 50,000 people have the endangered species calls on their cell phones.

Cell-phone users in over 50 countries have downloaded the ringtones, primarily in the United States, Britain, Italy, China, Canada and Brazil. Currently there are over 1,000 new downloads each day.

The Web site features free ringtones of the howls, croaks, chirps, songs and calls of more than 40 rare and endangered animals from around the world.

A ringtone roar of a polar bear was added today. The polar bear ringtone is also being made available to the 10,000 or more friends of the polar bear signed up on the Center’s polar bear page on myspace.com. [Press release]

Related: - Endangered wildlife ringtones

Walkman phone - with speakers

Sony Ericsson has come out with a neat new Walkman phone - with Snap-on speakers for out-loud listening. P2Pnet reports.

"The W660 also features TrackID able to identify music you don't recognise by recording a few seconds of it either via the microphone or by tagging a clip straight from the phone's FM Radio, says the company.

"The W660 Walkman phone can store up to 470 full-length songs on the 512MB Memory Stick Micro supplied," says Sony Ericsson.

It also deliver RSS feeds to the phone's desktop and includes a packs a 2.0 megapixel camera and Picture Blogging capability, as well as Bluetooth."

Read more.

Thailand's Culture Brigade is on the ringtone lookout

According to the Bangkok Post, a department under the Ministry of Culture of Thailand, whose mission is to 'protect the nation's culture and values through the process of surveillance,' is on the lookout for everything from inappropriate ringtones to promiscuously worn university uniforms.

"... While the Surveillance Centre has had its eye on culture and issues of national morality for a decade now, the office has taken on new importance to clean up the nation's morals.

According to its director, Ladda Thangsupachai, threats for cultural mutation are greater than ever these days because of globalisation, the growing presence of international media and cultural imports, and developments in technologies and communications.

Ladda says surveillance efforts are targetted to guard against four particular cultural offences: inappropriate representation of national or religious symbols, offensive language, violence, and sexual content."

Music.com Launches Music Download and Ringtone Service

Music.com announced the launch of their Artist-controlled Music Download and Ringtone service yesterday.

Music.com's provided a platform where artists and bands have more control over their career, music, and profits by setting their own pricing for their own music and selling their music as downloads, mobile downloads and customizable ringtones directly to their fans.

[via PR Newswire]

'ADD kiosks' to download film songs at Chennai airport

Touch screen "ADD Kiosks", which facilitate complete downloading of thousands of devotional, classical and film songs, have been installed at the domestic air terminal of India's Chennai Airport, according to The Hindu. And later, such kiosks will be launched in Mumbai and Bangalore Airports.

"Besides devotional, classical and film songs, the public could download monophonic and polyphonic midi ringtones into IPODS, USB-MP3 players and pendrives etc."

Coldplay's Chris Martin slams ringtone generation

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has hit out at the music industry, insisting "proper" music is no longer held in high regard.

The singer has criticised the trend for mobile phone ringtones of chart tunes, insisting it is killing the current music scene. He says, "All that matters in music today is that your song becomes a ringtone." [via Contact Music ]

Chris Martin has voices his ringtone rage before, but in a lighter way, when The Crazy Frog tune beat Coldplay to the No 1 spot in the charts. "The point is that little thing should have its legs chopped off. I'd like to eat them in a restaurant."

Norwegian rockers release a single exclusively for mobile phones

Norwegian rock band Turbonegro is releasing a single exclusively for mobile phones, according to Telecoms.

"The song "Do You Do You Dig Destruction?" is taken from Turbonegro's forthcoming album and is available from Norwegian operator Telenor's djuice portal in partnership with Universal Music."

Related:

-- Irish singer to launch mobile album - This is not really the first time an album is released excusively on a mobile phone. Other artists have pre-relased their albums as early as 2003. In June 2003, Ricky Martin released his new album in South Korea, on cellphones, six days before the worldwide release.

In April 2004, the German music group "SUPER SMART" released its complete album "Panda Babies" as polyphonic mobile phone ringtones with integrated voices and instruments only - and not on traditional media like CD or vinyl."

Join the Lily Allen mobile club

Lily Allen’s rocking the mobile frontier, with her very own WAP site, writes Pocket Picks.

"The Lily Allen Mobile Club has news, tour dates, and a photodiary, which will all make you, ahem, Smile.

Better still, there’s a Downloads section offering realtones, ringtones, full tracks, wallpapers and screensavers... To access the WAP site, text LILY CLUB to 84477."

Not related to ringtones, but alot of fun, Lily Allen Sims-Language Song Contest where contestants can record and upload their own "Simlish" version of Lily Allen's "Smile," sung in the Simlish language featured in its "The Sims" game franchise. [via DMWmedia].

The winner will receive the chance to record a song in Simlish for possible inclusion in a future Sims video game."

Watch Lily Allen: "Smile" Video.

EMI licenses lyrics for mobile game

According to The Inquirer, record label EMI, has decided to licence the lyrics from its extensive back catalogue as part of a new mobile phone game.

"... Lyric EMI, works a bit like 'hangman' where players have to guess who sang a particular lyric. The list of artists whose lyrics will appear in the game should appeal to old groovers since it includes Queen, Sting, the Rolling Stones plus numerous Motown bands."

Samsung Boosts Cell Phone Memory to 8GB

Samsung Electronics has begun shipping samples of an 8 GB flash memory chip, enough to store up to 2000 songs on a mobile phone, the company said on Monday. PC WOrld reports.

"It expects to begin mass producing the moviNAND chip, which it called the highest-capacity embedded flash memory device developed so far, by the end of the year."

Call of the Rainforest. Ringtones to raise money

The Brazilian aid group Cidade Movel is raising money for the Xavante Indians who live in the Amazon rainforest by selling ringtones based on their traditional chants .

According to a Reuters article tones like “the hunt song” and “the healing dance” have already garnered tens of thousands of dollars for the impoverished community.

The group has also created ringtones for two other regions as well: Praia da Pipa and Ponto de Cultura Flutuante."

[via ALR ]

City pupils facing mobile phones rap after insults

Scottish teachers have taken legal advice over an abusive rap song being played by pupils on mobile phones at city schools, according to the EdinburghNews.

"The words to the rap - which include personal insults of named teachers - have been recorded by pupils over music downloaded on to their phones.

Separate versions of the song are understood to have been heard by staff in at least three different city high schools.

Lawyers were called in after teachers took advice from Scotland's biggest teaching union, the EIS. Their advice was that the song could be viewed as a criminal offence of harassment."

Wisin y Yandel, with Golden Cell Phone

The popular reggaeton duet Wisin yYandel will be awarded the Golden Cell Phone for the excellent Real Tone and Ringtones downloads of the songs of their latest album, “Pa’l mundo".

[via VoyMusic]

Yahoo China Sued For Copyright Infringement

Yahoo China is being sued by music labels including Warner Music Group and Universal for providing links to unlicensed music, reports Reuters via paidContent.org.

"The case was filed in January by 11 companies and seeks damages of 5.5 million yuan ($710,686)."

According to Digital Music News, "229 Chinese and English songs are involved, including ringtones and lyrics".

Karib-Tones, Ringtones from the Caribbeans

Karib-Tonez.com is tapping into the niche market of the Caribbean by offering the ever growing fan base of Dancehall, Reggaeton, Kompa and Soca their favorite songs in the form of new ringtones for mobile phones.

Geared toward the Jamaican, Haitian, Hispanic and Trinidadian demographics, this customer base has proven to be eager for any available online content. Karib-Tonez.com aims to supply that content.

In addition, the KTZ Lyfestylz is an online community where Caribbean internet users can interact and connect at local events geared toward their interests. The Karib Konnection is the message board where the voice of the Caribbean can be heard. With a mobile messaging system, party promoters will be able to send text messages directly to site members to promote any event.

Press release

Mozart ringtones to relieve hayfever and stiff shoulders

muPass has just launched another range of therapeutic ringtones for their standard ringtone service, reports Wireless World Japan.

"This time they’ve teamed up with Dr Wago, a professor from Saitama Medical University, who has released two CDs of Mozart music called"The Mozart Therapy: Dr Wago’s music therapy".

muPass has selected 10 pieces from the CDs which they are releasing as ringtones, including "Hayfever” and "Stiff shoulders” - to help relieve anyone with those symptoms.

Other ringtones launched before with a purpose:

-- Therapeutic ringtones -muPass ringtone has eveloped in collaboration with the Japan Acoustic Lab and the Japan Ringtone Lab, ringtones with a calming effect.

-- Pherotones are ringtones with names like Testeroni or El Cuddlero that claim to make you irresistible to the opposite sex.

-- Samsung launched Phone which generated alpha waves that are supposed to enhance memory and concentration.

-- A member of the Aum Shinrikyo cult launched (very successfully) a ringtone which claimed tomake a women's breasts grow larger - just by listening to it

Latino Models in Video Ringers from Warner Music

Warner Music Latin America is launching a series of video ringtones with Latin models synchronized with some Warner tracks, reports MocoNews.

"The video tones are available in 30-second, one-minute and 90-second versions"