AT&T Agrees To Reimburse Fla Customers For Misleading Charges

The nation's largest cell phone carrier has agreed to pay thousands of Florida consumers who were billed for services like ringtones and text messaging that were advertised as free. Money CNN reports.

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum announced the settlement with AT&T Mobility, a unit of AT&T.

The agreement allows consumers to seek refunds for the fraudulent billing, so the amount the Atlanta-based company will pay will depend on how many customers do so.

Officials in the attorney general's office say the amount could be in the tens of millions of dollars."

Number Two U.S. Music Retailer is iTunes

Apple’s iTunes digital media store has beat out Best Buy and Target to become the second largest music retailer in the United States. Wal-Mart is still number one according to data released today from the tracking firm NPD Group.

[via Mobile Crunch]

Private Telephone Concerts

The Danish music-poetry duo Bo hr Hansen & Nils Lassen has come up with a novel - and potentially very time consuming - way to promote their latest CD "Hvem er jeg?" (Who am I?).

Those buying the CD are offered a free private concert - via telephone.

In order to qualify for the concert, you need to send them an MMS (a photo via mobile phone) of yourself holding the CD, preferably with the receipt. Upon receiving the documentation, the duo will do their best to find a concert date and time that suits all of you.

[via Guerrila Innovation]

The Value of the Mobile Music Market

The total value of the global mobile music market is expected to rise to more than $17.5bn by 2012, driven by rental music services and full-track downloads, according to a new report by Juniper Research.

According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, "I think it's fair to say that 2007 marked the tipping point as far as mobile music adoption was concerned. Far more subscribers began downloading and subscribing to music content in developed markets, and it must be said that that the publicity surrounding the iPhone launch undoubtedly contributed to consumer awareness of mobile music services per se."

However, the Juniper report also argues that current prices for ringtones are unsustainable and that the market for such services may already have peaked in a number of developed markets, arguing that competitive pricing allied to a steady migration to ad-funded and/or self-generated ringtones will lead to a gradual decline in global ringtone revenues. "

[via Press release]

Ringtone bid to woo exotic birds

Staff at a Wearside nature reserve have been using a mobile phone to encourage two South American birds to mate. The BBC reports.

Washington Wetland centre is home to a pair of crested screamers, which use their distinctive calls to mark their territory and attract a mate.

However, the centre's birds have shown no interest in mating.

A recording of a screamer's call has now been downloaded from the internet onto a phone and is being played to the birds in a bid to get them in the mood.

Warden Owen Joiner said: "They're a prehistoric species and this is reflected in the way that they move - everything happens at an incredibly slow pace. "

College fight songs ring up ringtone profits

Independent music publishing company Carlin America purchased the rights to the fight songs of Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana State and about 95 other universities when it acquired another publishing company in 1999.

Now it's making about $100,000 annually selling rights to fight songs played by all sorts of gadgets for fans. While schools make money licensing their names and slogans for products like T-shirts, they generally don't profit from their own fight songs.

[via USA Today]

Thumbplay Partners With Sony BMG For Mobile Content

New York-based Thumbplay said it now has distribution agreements with three of the top four record labels with the latest addition of Sony. MocoNews reports.

"The new partnership adds about 7,000 pieces of content to its catalog of more than 80,000 ringtones, wallpapers, games and videos.

The company already had relationships with EMI and Universal Music Group. With the addition of Sony BMG, Thumbplay has access to content from artists such as Dido, Michael Jackson, Chris Brown and Alicia Keys.

Sarkozy's SMS made into a song

This year's most talked about SMS, purportedly send by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to his ex-wife Cecila eight days before his marriage to singer Carla Bruni saying: "If you come back, I'll cancel everything" - has been made into a song by Jeanne Cherhal and posted on her MySpace page.

So far it's been viewed 66,000 times.

Source: Libération

MySpace in talks on music downloads

MySpace, the world’s largest social networking site, is gearing up to partner with the major record companies to create an advertising-supported service that would allow consumers to listen to music for free on their computers. The FT reports.

"... Assuming the venture takes flight, News Corp would join Amazon.com, Wal-Mart and a group of other competitors who are trying to challenge Apple’s dominance of online music through its iTunes store.

Unlike iTunes, the MySpace service would be built around online advertising. Consumers would be permitted to stream songs for free, according to people familiar with the matter, while MySpace would then sell ads based on the traffic.

The service would probably also include a means for consumers to click on a link and pay to download songs. "

Virgin Mobile USA: Ringbacks on the rise

According to Virgin Mobile USA and content partner LiveWire Mobile, more than 100,000 customers now subscribe to its Ringback services, with an average of two ringbacks per consumer.

The number of U.S. ringback subscribers tripled last year, based on industry research.

[via FierceMobile Content and Press release]

Silent CD tops charts

A song that is only audible to dogs and inaudible to humans has become a top-selling hit in New Zealand is set to be released worldwide, reports Ananova.

"A Very Silent Night, said to be recorded at a frequency that can be heard only by dogs, was issued as a charity CD by the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

To widespread surprise, it rocketed to the top of the charts.

Some remain unconvinced, however. Since the video appeared on YouTube, several viewers cast doubt on whether there is actually any sound at all.

But another countered: "That's amazing! I cranked my speakers up full volume and played this, and the dog across the road went ballistic!"

Watch on video on YouTube.

Apple teams with 'American Idol'

Apple has become a signature sponsor for "American idol," acquiring exclusive audio and video performance download rights to the hit Fox competish. Variety reports.

"Effective immediately, "Idol" downloads will now only be available on Apple's iTunes store. Also, iTunes will sponsor online streaming of contestant performances on the official "American Idol" website, where it will also have a substantial branded presence.

On the show, Apple's iPod becomes the official digital music player for "Idol," while the iPhone becomes the show's official handset

Apple brands will also be integrated into the show."

People Really Are Using Music Capabilities On Their Handsets

A recent study from M:Metrics shows that as the adoption of music phones has increased, so has the use of mobile music by consumers. Some highlight from the press release brought to light by SMS Text News:

-- Nearly 11% of mobile subscribers in the U.S. and Western Europe use their handset for music

-- Primary source of mobile music is still the PC, at 83% of active listeners

-- In every country other than the U.S. and Spain, more music was shared via bluetooth than loaded from the PC

-- Music phone penetration grew over 50% between Nov 2006 and Nov 2007, with the U.S. the fastest-growing at 63.6%

iAno piano application for the iPhone

iAno is an iPhone application which turns the device (if it's jailbroken) into a functioning digital piano.

See how it works on YouTube.

[via Uberphones]

LIFT song now online

The LIFT songs are now online. Check them out here, and be sure to listen to Marie Laure's winning tune.

LIFT SONG is an interactive musical performance. The idea was simple: every attendee lifted by the conference atmosphere and drive had to imagine brief lyrics for the LIFT 08 soundtrack.

At the LIFT SONG recording booth in the activity room, they could record their own voice/song/lyrics/guitar track in a 20 seconds mp3 format.

Cheap new digital tunes available to download

The established retail website Play.com has announced that it will be offering a selection of cheap, unrestricted music to download. Mobile Marketing News reports.

"The move could spark a price war between rival sites - good news for mobile users who like to download music and ringtones on to their phones.

The service promises to have singles costing just 65p - 14p cheaper than rival Apple's all-conquering iTunes site.

For those with longer attention spans, albums will be put on the store's virtual shelves, costing £1 less than at iTunes.

Websites, such as iTunes, traditionally sell downloads with a code preventing them from being copied onto different devices. This will not be the case with Play.com's wares.

EMI has signed up to the new service, which hopes to attract other big hitters including Sony, Warner and Universal."

W910 Walkman Phone Awarded GSM Association’s Best Handset 2008

During Mobile World Congress 2008, Sony Ericsson’s W910 Walkman phone was awarded GSM Association’s Best Handset of 2008 specifically for its strengths in mobile music and entertainment.

The W910 Walkman phone was actually launched in 2007, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this cellphone, with its impressive music, 3D games, video, and high-speed HSDPA Web access, can stand up against most of the new phones introduced at MWC 2008.

[via DigitalTech News]

LG Electronics showcased LG-KM710 called Mark Levinson Phone

LG Electronics showcased its high-end music phone LG-KM710 during Mobile World Congress 2008, called Mark Levinson Phone. FeelPhones reports.

LG and Mr. Mark Levinson announced their collaboration to develop products that deliver enhanced sound quality and a differentiated, stylish design.

More pictures here.

Mark Levinson designs and manufactures industry-benchmark high fidelity and home theater equipment.

Ringtones too loud?

Rock and rollers used to say: "If it's too loud, you're too old." But according to a new survey, noise pollution is fast becoming a serious health problem. the Daily Record reports.

"Whether it's from snoring partners, barking dogs or even jumbo jets coming into land, more and more of us are having our sleep interrupted by excessive noise coming into our bedrooms.

And even if we're not actually woken up by the din, scientists have discovered that a noisy night can still lead to less rest, putting us at risk of developing heart disease, strokes, kidney disease or dementia.

... While they can be annoying at the best of times, mobile phone ringtones are also getting incredibly loud.

Some phones have been measured ringing at 105dB,with many others are in the eighties. People start to get annoyed with anything above 50dB."

Picture from XoWave

Omnifone announces MusicStation Handset

Apple may have thrown down the first gauntlet with the iPhone but the UK's Omnifone is responding with what it claims will be the first handset with unlimited free music downloads wherever you are — no computer necessary. The Associated Press reports.

"The first MusicStation Max handset will be offered by South Korea's LG and available in Europe and Asia-Pacific in the first half of the year.

LG expects to roll out a series of cell phones with free access to Omnifone's full MusicStation catalog — currently 1.6 million songs from the four major international music labels and hundreds of independents."

Illegal downloaders 'face UK ban'

People in the UK who go online and illegally download music and films may have their internet access cut under plans the government is considering, reports the BBC.

"A draft consultation Green Paper suggests internet service providers would be required to take action over users who access pirated material.

Under a "three strikes" rule they would receive an e-mail warning, suspension, and then termination of their contract.

... The proposals are part of a Green Paper - a consultation document issued by the government - on the creative industries that is due to be published next week."

The proposal is similar to legislation proposed in France by Nicolas Sarkozy last month.

Music on Mobiles found to be a Favorite in China

More than a third of mobile phone owners in China, the world's largest mobile market, use their handsets to listen to music, more than in Britain or the United States, a study showed. I4U reports.

"Some 34.8 percent reported they listened to mobile music every month compared with 20 percent in Spain, 18.9 percent in Britain and 5.7 percent in the United States, according to M:Metrics, a research firm that monitors mobile media usage."

Timbaland drops a digital album with Verizon

Super producer Timbaland is embarking on an interesting task to present a single every month to Verizon and at the end of the year he will release a compilation album. HipHop Galaxy reports.

Not everyone will buy a CD but everyone has a phone", he said and will reach more listeners. Verizon users will be able to download the album and singles as ringtones and ringbacks.

According to Moco News Timbaland will work with a guest artist every month to record a new track. As the bus tours through various cities, Verizon said fans will get to see recording sessions either in person or from their mobile phones. It will be interesting to see if Timbaland will be able to attract as many listeners as he normally does—that’s if they share the numbers."

Spice Up Valentine's Day with Mating Call Ringtones

eNature.com has released a special collection of Valentine's Day mating call ringtones.

The free ringtones include mating calls from well known species such as the coyote, African lion and elk, as well as appealing lesser-known species such as New Jersey's Pine Barrens Treefrog and the Snowy Tree Cricket.

Each ringtone on the site is accompanied by interesting details about the animal that produces it.

Press release

Sony BMG, Universal questioned about venture talks

The U.S. Department of Justice has requested information from Sony BMG and Universal Music Group about their talks to launch an online music subscription service, said a record company executive on Thursday.

[via Reuters]

Warner’s ringtone sales echo industry woes

The FT reports that sales of Warner Music ingtones in the US declined in the final three months of last year.

"Warner announced a $16m (£8m) first-quarter loss, a reminder of the struggle music companies face as they try to develop durable new digital products to make up for the continued erosion in physical album sales.

The US ringtones market grew 45 per cent to $873m in 2006, according to Jupiter Media. At the time it was viewed by many music executives as a vast source of new profits.

Warner’s results on Wednesday appeared to confirm other recent reports that the category had seen growth in international markets reach a plateau.

Jupiter predicts sales in the US will top out at no more than $1bn."

Web-based iPhone ringtones from Nakko

Nakko wants to give you free iPhone ringtones through their new web-based service. Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up for Nakko
2. Create your media “locker”
3. Synchronize your locker with iTunes
4. Synchronize your iPhone with iTunes

[via intomobile]

Brazil to Dominate Latin American Ringtone Marke

Latin American ringtones billing will reach US$1.6 Billion by 2012, with Brazil representing over 36% of the region's income, says a report from Signals Telecom. Cellular News reports.

"The Ring Tones markets in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela combined are expected to reach a 26.75% annual growth rate during the 2007- 2012 period. However, developments in Brazil's market will depend on removing regulatory hurdles in its music industry.

Signals points out that Ring Tones market growth is possible due to an increase in the youth segment of its user base, in addition to mobile data downloading as a basic application for digital musical reproduction."

"Scoregasm" brings musical climax to movie trailers

Not related to cell phone, just uh, interesting.

Film score producer and mix engineer Alan Meyerson is teaming with Sony/ATV Music Publishing's Extreme Music to produce "Scoregasm," a series of neo-orchestral music designed for use in movie trailers

"Scoregasm" features a 100-piece orchestra and 80-voice choir recorded in Lyndhurst Hall at Beatles producer George Martin's AIR Studios in London.

The first release, "Climactic Euphonic Ecstasy," contains 37 tracks, each featuring a choral and instrumental mix, and is scheduled for release during the first quarter of 2008.

[via Reuters[

Warner, Universal take action against Baidu over piracy

Three global record companies have launched legal proceedings against China's top Internet search engine Baidu.com Inc, accusing it of violating copyright by giving access to music files, an international music trade body said.

A court has asked Baidu to remove all links on its music delivery service to copyright-infringing tracks that they own the rights to, theInternational Federation of the Phonographic Industrysaid in a statement.

Separate action is also being taken against Chinese media firm Sohu.com Inc.

Yahoo China also faces proceedings after refusing to comply with a December ruling by the Beijing Higher People's Court which confirmed that the company violated Chinese law by committing mass copyright infringement, IFPI added.

[via The Washington Post]