iPhone 1.1.1 "bug" unleashes music over Bluetooth

According to Engadget, the iPhone 1.1.1 update has a hidden surpris Bluetooth audio streaming is now available off of your iPhone, meaning you can finally listen to music from the phone wirelessly.

China Mobile’s Music Promise, And Challenges

China’s mobile operators are playing a central role in forging a legal digital music industry—as opposed to the huge, illegal, pirated one that already exists—through their sales of legit ringtones and other handset-friendly music services. But they still have a ways to go before capitalizing on the biggest ticket item of them all: full music downloads.

... Chinese mobile operators have a window of opportunity in the full-track download market because iTunes is not yet an active player in the country, and a release date for the iPhone in China is not clear. But if it’s true that most music downloads in China are pirated, perhaps that gives a clue as to why Apple has not yet pursued trying to crack this market.

[via MocoNews]

Samsung launches Girls Aloud phone

Samsung has teamed up with girl band Girls Aloud to launch a new handset exclusively with UK independent mobile retailer Phone 4U.

The Samsung F210 Purple is designed as a fashion accessory for girls and, in addition to its striking colour scheme, the phones comes with a 1GB memory card featuring the latest Girls Aloud track, 'Sexy No No'.

[via Mobile Choice]

Apple Releases iPhone 1.1.1 Update

The iTunes 7.4 update might have heralded Apple's entry into the ringtones business. But third-party developers who offer ringtone creation tools of their own think there's enough room for more than one application-even one that comes directly from Apple.
PC World reports.

... "The toughest challenge facing third-party ringtone makers may not be drumming up interest in their product but in making sure their software stays compatible with the iPhone even after software updates.

The Recording Industry Association of America declined to comment when asked for its position on ringtone makers. However, record companies may not look too kindly on applications that circumvent users paying for a ringtone. In 2005, ringtones were estimated to bring in $2 billion annually for the record companies."

MTV, Real, and Wal-Mart Shake Up Digital Music

The digital music industry is headed for a crossroads, as more stores and record labels try out DRM-free music sales, and as some of the bigger names in digital music team up to offer a new service. PC World reports.

"MTV and Real Networks announced in August that they would create a new music service based on Real's Rhapsody service and MTV's music content and packaging. Verizon will deliver portions of the service through its V Cast music offering.

Verizon will eventually allow for tunes purchased through V Cast to be accessible through a Rhapsody account and for transfer of music from a Rhapsody account to a mobile phone.

At press time, MTV and Real had not set a launch date for the new service.

Meanwhile, Rhapsody and Wal-Mart began selling DRM-free selections from Universal's music catalog, and Real Networks CEO Rob Glaser believes that 2008 will be the year DRM-free goes mainstream for purchased digital music.

Recently, B>Apple debuted a new iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store that lets iPod Touch and iPhone owners purchase songs directly on their devices. The devices will also enjoy free Wi-Fi access at Starbucks locations in 2008. "

Amazon launches Music Store: Amazon MP3

Amazon launched an early version of its highly anticipated digital music download store, which is seen as a potential rival to Apple 's dominant iTunes system.

Amazon's store, named "Amazon MP3," allows users to buy music without copy protection technology, so that the songs can play on a variety of devices including Apple's iPod.

[via The Washington Post]

Ringtone business model under attack from startups

Record labels and carriers are looking for creative ways to keep the lucrative ringtone party alive. But a handful of startups have taken a cue from music group REM, asking, “Why don’t we give it away?” RCRWireless News reports.

Ford in ‘Sync’ with wired world

No longer the domain of expensive cars, new technology is working its way into the vehicles everyone could soon be driving -- transforming vehicles into "offices on wheels."

Nowhere was that innovation more evident than at the 2007 North American International Auto Show, where automakers yesterday unveiled such advances as the ability to receive text messages through the speakers of a car, as well as voice-activated access to MP3s.

Partnering with Microsoft, Ford announced that starting this fall, it is making available on many of its models a factory-installed "Sync" system, a voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system for cellphones, digital music players such as the iPod, and other media-storage devices.

Sync will give drivers the ability to make hands-free calls, receive and reply to messages, use advanced calling features such as caller ID, select their favourite music -- by genre, album, artist or song title -- simply by saying it out loud, or by using the vehicle's steering wheel or radio controls.

Names and numbers in a cellphone's address book can be wirelessly transferred to the vehicle. Ringtones can be selected. Incoming messages will play over the car's speakers and the system will even recognize commonly used text-messaging expressions as LOL, cyberspeak for "laughing out loud."

... Sync will be available in 12 Ford models beginning this year, starting with the new Focus, unveiled yesterday at the show, now in its 100th year."

[via Driving.ca]

YouNeverCall offers $100 for the first Crazy Frog ring call from the moon

File under fun. YouNeverCall, the popular online cell phone superstore, today announced a $10,000 prize award for the first cell phone call placed from the moon.

This announcement follows on the coattails of Google's announcement of $20M in prize money for landing a craft on the moon by Dec. 31, 2014.

... In order to claim the $10,000 prize a cell phone call must be placed by a device or person present on the Moon's surface. This call must pass through a commercially available cellular phone to YouNeverCall's corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, CA.

Furthermore, the company is offering a $100 bounty to the first party who receives a cell phone call on the Moon that rings using the infamous Crazy Frog Ringtone.

[Press release via SMS Text News]

Vodafone preps unlimited music download serv

As Vodafone prepares for another busy holiday season, it's pulling out all the stops to entice customers to activate service.

Starting in November, customers in the United Kingdom can subscribe to unlimited music downloads with no additional data charges for as little as $4.02 per week.

They'll have access to over a million songs from four major labels and independents as well.

[via EngadgetMobile]

iTunes update tackles iTunes Plus ringtone errors

An update to iTunes released Monday fixes a bug that prevented users from making ringtones out of iTunes Plus songs. [via MacWorld]

"Version 7.4.2 of the music jukebox application “addresses an issue with creating ringtones using iTunes Plus song purchases,” according to the release notes provided by Apple. The update also features other unspecified bug fixes aimed at improving stability and performance.

The updated version of iTunes is available via the Software Update feature on your Mac or through Apple’s Web site."

Crazy Frog Racer Video Game

Crazy Frog gets a videogame and as always, some bad press: "Yet another cash-in on this unreasonably popular marketing icon and much like the Annoying Thing himself, Crazy Frog Racer is a stupid and shallow racer that is never entertaining and not worth your time."

[via Thunderbolt Games]

SpiralFrog to Offer Free Music Downloads

SpiralFrog.com, an ad-supported Web site that allows visitors to download music and videos free of charge, was scheduled to launch Monday in the U.S. and Canada after months of "beta" testing. ABC7 News reports.

"The music service, which has arranged to pay record companies a cut of its advertising revenue, aims to lure music fans who normally flock to online file-swapping networks to share and download music for free. The recording industry has sued thousands of computer users for doing so in recent years.

... At launch, the service was offering more than 800,000 tracks and 3,500 music videos for download. Much of that content comes by way of Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group, the world's largest record company and the only major label that has licensed its music and videos to SpiralFrog.

Downloads cannot be burned to a CD, but they can be transferred to dozens of digital music players. The content, however, is not compatible with Apple's Macintosh computers or its market-leading iPod.

Users are allowed to copy their downloads to no more than two portable music players or compatible mobile phones at one time."

David Pogue on iTune ringtones

Favorite David Pogue from The New York Times, on custom ringtones for the iPhone - A how-to from A to Z. With a question mark on the baffling world of ringtones in general and Apple's pricing policy in particular. Welcome to my world.

Verizon Still a Bob Marley Provider

According to E! Online, Verizon Wireless started selling Marley ringtones again Friday, less than a week after briefly removing the content from its Website because the late reggae icon's estate threatened to sue for trademark infringement.

Previously:

-- Verizon Drops Marley RIngtones After Lawsuit Threat

-- Bob Marley family says to sue Universal, Verizon

Verizon Drops Marley RIngtones After Lawsuit Threat

Verizon Wireless will drop all Bob Marley ringtones, ringbacks and pictures after being threatened with a trademark infringement lawsuit, representatives for the late reggae star's family said on Thursday. The Huffington Post reports.

"The decision comes in response to a statement last month by the Marley family that it would sue Verizon Wireless and Universal Music Group for using the iconic star's name, likeness and image without permission."

BBC In Concert Series To Go Mobile In Europe

BBC Radio has signed a deal to put the In Concert series on mobile via spodtronic.

It features over 1,000 exclusive concerts from bands including Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, AC/DC, Coldplay, Muse, Chemical Brothers and Avril Lavigne.

[via Moco News]

Report: Customers Will Choose Phone for Music

Forrester Research recently announced that it expects growth of MP3 players to slow as more consumers choose to access music on their mobile phones. Wireless Week reports.

"The findings were part of Forrester's 10th annual guide to consumers' technology adoption and attitudes. The report also found that adoption of cameraphones will continue to grow, jumping from 41.6 million households at the end of 2006 to nearly 97 million households in 2012."

Apple flips switch on iTunes ringtone support

A new Ringtones source item has suddenly become available in the iTunes software yesterday. Keep in mind that you might have to go to the General pane in iTunes preferences to switch it on.

... If you attempt to convert one of your songs purchased from the iTunes store into a ringtone (easily done by right-clicking and choosing 'Create Ringtone...'), you will be taken to the iTunes store to make the purchase, and a new Terms & Conditions is presented upon your first attempt to purchase a ringtone. For now, users cannot make custom ringtones from non-iTunes Store purchased files, but look for a writeup from us on how to work around this soon.

[via ars technica]

New iPhone service on holiday horizon

Not content to rest on its laurels, Apple has unveiled its master plan to extend its digital music dominance into the coming holiday season. Here is how one of latest developments shakes out related to the iPhone. Reuters reports.

Ringtone Service

"What it is: Allows users to create a custom ringtone from any of the 500,000 songs in the iTunes catalog approved for ringtone use, for an additional 99 cents. At press time, Warner Music Group and Sony BMG confirmed that they were providing music for the service. Sources close to the situation say Universal Music Group is not participating at this time.

What it means: Ringtones were noticeably missing from the iPhone debut this summer. While this new service fixes that problem, it's also led to complaints about consumers paying an additional fee to create a ringtone out of a song they already own -- particularly when multiple programs are available online to create ringtones out of existing files for not only the iPhone, but many other devices as well."

Apple attempts to block free ringtones with iTunes update

Apple has released an update to iTunes that blocks users from creating free custom ringtones and then syncing them to an iPhone. But despite Apple’s best efforts to thwart users, a workaround has already been found and posted to the Internet, reports MacWorld.

"A method of using iTunes to create ringtones for the iPhone using songs not purchased from the iTunes Store was first posted by MacRumors on Friday. Users confirmed after installing iTunes 7.4.1 last night that the method no longer worked.

However, an Engadget post on Saturday details a workaround for the update, again allowing the free ringtones to be synced to the iPhone."

Vodafone UK Offering Unlimited Music Downloads

Cellular News reports that Vodafone UK has announced that its customers will have unlimited access to over a million tracks from all the major record labels, as well as leading independents, on a range of new handsets for Christmas.

"Through an exclusive agreement with Omnifone, the UK based mobile music company, Vodafone will roll out their MusicStation, giving customers the ability to download tracks from Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, EMI Music and Warner Music Group direct to their handsets, even while on the move.

Customers will be able to sign up for unlimited downloads from MusicStation for £1.99 (US$4) per week. The MusicStation service will be accessed through Vodafone live! on a wide range of music handsets."

The Ringle: A combo of singles and ringtones delivered on CD

Coming this fall from the major labels: the “ringle” —explained by Billboard as a combo of singles and ringtones delivered on CD for suggested retail of $5.98-6.98. Moco News reports.

"Each ringle would come with three songs and one ringtone.

According to Billboard’s sources, the idea comes from Sony BMG but has been approved by the RIAA; there’s even an industry logo.

Sony BMG is slated to release 50 titles in October and November; UMG will have 10-20."

Know Your Rights: Is it illegal to make my own ringtones?

So, is it illegal to make my own ringtones?

... "As long as you're talking about music you've ripped from a CD, go ahead -- no one's trying to stop you. Since making a ringtone doesn't count as a derivative work, you're not infringing any copyrights. Just don't sell or distribute anything, and you should be fine. "

An excerpt from "Know Your Rights", Engadget 's new technology law series (great idea!), written by their own copyright attorney Nilay Patel.

Britney to open VMAS, hawk ringtones

The 2007 MTV Video Music Awards will kick off Sunday night with Britney Spears's new single "Gimme More".

Fans will be able to immediately purchase the ringtone well as the "It's Britney, b****" ringtone exclusively through MTVMobile for two days prior to any other service.

Fans can text "Gimme" or "Brit to 33633 to buy the ringtones.

[Mp3.com:Music News]

Apple Posts iTunes 7.4 with Ringtones Support

MacRumors reports on Apple's release of iTunes 7.4.

In their own words: With iTunes 7.4, sync your favorite music and more with the new iPod nano (third generation), iPod classic, and iPod touch, plus create custom ringtones exclusively for iPhone with many of your favorite songs purchased from the iTunes Store.

You can now also play purchased videos with closed captioning (when available), easily rate your favorite albums from one to five stars, and watch videos at a larger size inside the iTunes window.

Apple announced Ringtone support during their September 5th event. Ringtones conversion will be available in select iTunes store tracks. This functionality isn't expected until next week.

Luciano Pavarotti - real music tones

The world has lost one of it's greatest tenors. Luciano Pavarotti has just died.

US Mobile subscribers can download some of his music here, from Decca Label.

New iTunes Allows to Create Custom Ringtones from Any iTMS Song

A new version of iTunes has just been announced at the Stevenote and it's available since yesterday.

It has a built-in graphic ringtone creator to convert any song you buy from the iTMS into a custom ringtone.

You will be able to pick any segment of the song for the ringtone, using a graphic editor to customize them to a total length of 12 to 21 seconds.

The ringtones will sync automatically with your iPhone. And yes, for 99 cents on top of the song price, it's a rip-off.

[via Gizmodo]

The Ringtone Society and The Rise of Ringtone Art

The Ringtone Society, a platform initiated in the Netherlands by Muzieklab for the artistic development of the ringtone, has been invited by the Grand Canyon Music Festival to take part in the festival's 2007 Native American Composers Apprentice Project for a unique new ringtone initiative in Arizona.

The objectives of The Ringtone Society are to stimulate "The Art of Ringtonism", and the investigation of the possibilities for the mobile phone as a medium for music production and distribution.

According to Theo Andriessen, initiator of The Ringtone Society, the public is fed up with terribly produced ringtones that overflow the market. "It is time for an artistic offensive. The ringtone offers a new creative challenge for musicians and composers and a chance to be heard by a new public at several different locations."

The Ringtone Society has already collected more than 500 unique ringtones, poetry tones and videotones worldwide and has been a featured presenter at the popfestival Lowlands in Holland and the Melbourne International Art Festival in Australia.

Plans are underway to make The Ringtone Society a regular collaborator with GCMF and NACAP.

All ringtones recorded during this project can be downloaded free-of-charge at: ringtonesociety.com.

Press release

Downloading concerts legally on mobile phones

An Aussie website lets you legally download shows by top musicians. Lia Timson reports for The Sydney Morning Herald.

"It was just a matter of time before someone worked out how to improve those dreadful mobile phone recordings of live concerts we love as souvenirs of a great night out.

... As of last week, those who attended Paul Kelly's Stolen Apples show at the Sydney State Theatre can legitimately download the full performance - live banter, crowd noise and all - from www.liveband.com.au for $15.

The Australian singer-songwriter is one of several artists who, along with their recording studios, have agreed to allow start-up Liveband to produce and sell the recordings as keepsakes."