Country Music Ringtones Gain Momentum

Sales of ringtones based on Country songs lag somewhat behind those in other formats, with no Country songs included among the Top 10 mastertones of 2007.

Still, Country Music did start hitting impressive sales numbers last year thanks to Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" (915,000 downloads) and "Jesus, Take the Wheel" (291,000) and other country singer hits.

Full article in Country Hound.

South Korea Telecoms Offer Unrestricted Music Downloads

South Korea's three major mobile communications service providers SK Telecom, KTF and LG Telecom are set to boost the music market by showcasing digital rights management-free music files. Digital Chosunilbo reports.

"SK Telecom and KTF both announced the launch of DRM-free products on Tuesday. If people buy music files at their respective sites melon.com and dosirak.com, they can keep, copy or transfer them regardless of the gadget they are using. LG Telecom will launch a similar product in mid-August.

... DRM-free is the global trend. Major online music sites like Apple's iTunes and Amazon have been selling DRM-free music from last year in a bid to maximize customer satisfaction to boost the market."

Slydial Takes You Straight To Voice Mail, Bypassing Ringtones

Here's a new telecommunications wrinkle: a service that allows you to call someone without having to actually talk with them. courant.com.

"Boston-based Slydial lets you connect directly with another person's cellphone voice mail, bypassing the traditional ringing process that often results with someone actually picking up on the other end.

Users call 267-759-3425 from a cellphone or a land line and are prompted to enter another person's cellphone number."

After playing a short advertisement — unless users pay a subscription fee or 15 cents a call to skip ads — Slydial puts callers directly into their target's voice mail."

You would use it to avoid an awkard conversation, or not want to bother someone.

Just tell your side of the story: You just partied hard last night and going to work is just not on your radar today. You dread having to call your boss and answering any awkward questions he may have. Instead just leave him a simple voicemail letting him know that you won't be coming into work today.

At last - they've got the rip-off text message

More than 2,000 complaints are pouring in every month to mobile phone regulators over "free" text messages promising games, ringtones and other services that rack up bills of £50 within a couple of days. The Guardian reports.

"Many users have been charged for services they never requested, while others who signed up for a free service have found themselves locked into subscriptions. When customers try to complain, tracing the companies sending the texts is virtually impossible and, even when located, they often fail to halt the messages.

Regulator PhonepayPlus - previously known as Icstis - told Guardian Money that it has received 10,000 complaints this year about text messages, and is now taking urgent measures to combat the problem. For the first time it is promising to immediately ban companies which fail to stop sending text-based services once requested.

... Last week, the European Commission said it was investigating the industry after it found 80% of the 500 websites offering ringtones and "phone wallpaper" breached regulations.

Zipclip.com - Share Media from Your PC to Your Mobile

ZipClip is a nifty new two-part downloadable application, one for your computer and the other for your mobile phone, that links the two together and allows them to share media. Users can download videos and other media onto their computer, and instantly send it to their mobile phone for viewing later on.

Users may also send video and media clips to other people’s cell phones, even if they have not downloaded the Zipclip application.

Furthermore, Zipclip allows the audio portion of the delivered clips to be converted into ringtones.

[via KillerStartups]

Net firms in music pirates deal

Six of the UK's biggest net providers have agreed a plan with the music industry to tackle piracy online, reports the BBC.

"The deal, negotiated by the government, will see hundreds of thousands of letters sent to net users suspected of illegally sharing music.

But the music industry wants people's internet cut off if they ignore repeated warnings, something the web firms say they are not prepared to do.

The six firms are due to be named when the deal is officially confirmed later."

Cassette tapes are big business. In prison

Apparently, cassette tapes aren't dead after all. But who on earth still listens to them? Inmates, according to a post on boingboing, that quotes an interview from Pack Central, a company that sells popular recordings on cassette.

Who is buying (owner Bob) Paris' cassettes? America's 2.3 million prisoners. Which brings us to the second advantage of tape over compact disc: a tape can't be broken apart and used as a shiv. Prisoners are allowed to have them. 60% of Paris' business is in cassette tapes.

Paris' excited conclusion: "[By selling cassette tapes] I have dodged every conventional bullet that has hit most music retailers," Paris says. "I don't have to worry about downloading, legal or illegally. The beauty of it is that prisoners don't have Internet access and never will."

Related: - Music Retailer Thrives Serving Captive Audience

Sky launches net music service

Skyis launching a new music subscription service for internet users in what it claimed is a world first, according to the BBC.

"The satellite television company, which also offers broadband access, is teaming up with Universal Music to offer digital access to hundreds of thousands of songs for a monthly fee.

Sky said other music industry partners may soon join the service.

... Sky claimed the service was a "world first" because of its combination of unlimited streaming, downloads to keep, access to the whole Universal catalogue and the fact that the music can be played on any device."

ABBA mania in full swing with ‘Mamma Mia’

Mamma Mia!, the ABBA-inspired musical romance has earned $100 million at the worldwide box office after just two weeks of release, reports Advertising Age.

"The accompanying soundtrack debuted at a staggering No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart Wednesday, doing much better than any ABBA album ever did.

... Online initiatives with social networking sites and such destinations as AllMusic.com, Broadway.com and About.com, have delivered 18 million impressions, while mobile carriers are promoting ABBA ringtones/ringbacks."

Shazam Launches iPhone App

Mobile music discovery specialist Shazam has released a native version of its mobile application for the iPhone. The application is available now on the Apple App Store.

Shazam fully integrates with and complements the iPhone, allowing users to seamlessly discover, buy and share tunes simply by holding their iPhone up to a music system for just a few seconds.

[via Mobile Marketing]

EU Says 80% of European Ringtone Websites Break the Law

The European Union's Consumer Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva has today announced the results of an EU-wide investigation into websites offering mobile phone services such as ring-tones and wallpapers.

The enquiry, which was carried out on more than 500 websites across the 27 Member States along with Norway and Iceland, found that 80% of the sites checked need to be further investigated for suspected breaches of EU consumer rules. Many of the websites target children and young people.

[via Cellular News]

SendMe to let users use Warner entertainment songs on cell phones

SendMe Mobile, a San Francisco cell phone content provider, closed a deal with Warner Music Group to use the entertaiment firm's properties in a variety of mobile platforms on Wednesday.

SendMe lets users send content from the web to mobile phones. Thousands of new ringtones, videos and wallpaper images -- from Madonna to Fleetwood Mac -- are now available to SendMe users.

[via SF Business Times]

Local musicians eye cards as new way to sell tunes

A new card-driven download system is what Soundtrax backers hope becomes as ubiquitous as CDs for sale at concerts and coffeehouses across the country. Deluth News Tribune reports.

The idea is to create something tangible musicians can sell after performances, as increasingly music becomes bought and sold as MP3 downloads.

... An artist can pay $500 for 1,000 cards, and space on Soundtrax servers for their songs. ... This method provides a cheaper alternative for selling songs, Volna said.

And because there is no digital rights management — unlike with iTunes — the song can be downloaded and copied or burned onto CDs or MP3 players.

The shift away from CDs continues growing, as new generations accustomed to computers and songs on MP3s become buyers."

Ringtone websites’ hidden charges ‘exploiting’ children

More than 90% of websites selling ringtones for mobile phones to children and teenagers are misleading them with unclear charges and confusing information, an investigation by the European commission has found. The Sunday Times Online reports.

"The tactics include signing up users to subscriptions when they believe they are downloading one-off tunes and using free offers to lure them into long-term paid contracts.

Brussels is to announce this week that it will launch inquiries into dozens of British ringtone websites, in addition to many others across Europe."

Airport scans for illegal downloads on iPods, mobile phones and laptops

iPods, mobile phones and laptops could be examined by airport customs officials for illegal downloads under strict new counterfeiting measures being considered by G8 governments this week, it is claimed. The Telegraph reports.

"The measures form part of an international agreement aimed at stamping out piracy, but there are fears that individuals who have illegally downloaded songs or video clips on to MP3 players and phones for personal use could also be caught out.

They coincide with plans by the European Parliament for Internet Service Providers to be held liable if their users download illegal content, and in extreme cases, forced to disconnect people who are doing so."

Image from PCWorld

Growth remains slow for mobile music services

According to Forrester Research, U.S. music fans purchased $1.7 billion worth of music downloads in 2007 (singles and albums combined) but spent only $249 million on subscription services.

While the firm projects download revenue to surge 65 percent this year to $2.8 billion, it expects subscription revenue to climb a far more modest 15 percent to $287 million.

[via Reuters]

Olympic Team USA Soundtrack from AT&T

To inspire and support the U.S. Olympic Team at this year’s summer games AT&T will record a soundtrack with some of today’s top talent.

Team USA Soundtrack will include music from 3 Doors Down, Army of Me, Colbie Caillat, Clique Girlz, Sheryl Crow, Flipsyde, Lady Antebellum, Mere, Nelly and Kate Voegele.

Music can also be accessed at att.net and through NBCOlympics.com. Proceeds from the tracks will benefit Team USA.

[via Mobile Crunch]

MEPs back contested telecoms plan

European politicians have voted in favour of amendments to telecoms law which campaigners say could be used to curb privacy online and file-sharing.The BBC reports.

"Digital rights groups in Europe have formed a loose coalition to highlight their opposition to the amendments.

But MEPs have denied that the amendments are aimed at throwing file-sharers off the net. MEP Malcolm Harbour, who helped oversee the so-called Telecoms Package, said it was "about improving users' rights".

... But campaigners say one of the amendments - which could allow governments to decide which software can be used on the web - makes it easier to enforce the controversial "three strikes" law which the music industry is keen to use in order to clamp down on file-sharers."

EMI and Infospace Reach Settlement on Ringtone Royalties Lawsuit

EMI has settled its ringtone royalties lawsuit with Infospace reports MocoNews, though the terms were not disclosed.

"It did disclose the settlement in an SEC filing late yesterday. Infospace was sued by the music label in early 2007, to the tune of $100 million for underpaying royalties on using its music for ringtones.

... EMI’s publishing also alleged InfoSpace was selling expressly restricted songs, such as John Lennon’s “Imagine,” and selling ringtones in worldwide markets where it had not been granted license. Since then Infospace has closed down or disposed off its mobile content related businesses."

Letters go to music file-sharers

Virgin Media has sent about 800 letters to customers warning them that they should not be downloading illegal music files via file-sharing sites. The BBC reports.

"It is part of a 10-week campaign it is running in conjunction with the BPI to "educate" users about downloads.

The BPI, the body which represents the UK record industry, told the BBC that "thousands more letters" would be sent.

Its stricter stance on illegal downloaders might result in some ISPs being taken to court, it told BBC News."

Atrinsic Acquires Ringtone.com

Atrinsic, a premier Internet media and mobile entertainment company, today announced that it has acquired the assets of Ringtone.com, a popular mobile entertainment destination for downloadable mobile content and a highly valuable Internet domain which receives more than 1,000 signups per day.

[via Centre Daily Times]

Mobile Phones Change Birds' Tune

Many wild birds are able to imitate the simple ringtones of mobile telephones, German ornithologists report, underscoring the influence of humans on the evolution of birds. InfosShop News reports.

"These birds can "sing up to 78 different phrases, and many of the simplest telephone ringtones coincide with them," ornithologist Matthias Werner, of the government's bird protection agency, told Tierramérica. The common titbird (Parus major) can sing 32 different songs," he said.

... "It's in the nature of these birds to imitate sounds in their environment that correspond to their own musical capabilities," said Richard Schneider, of the NABU Bird Protection Centre in the city of Mössingen (600 km south of Berlin).

"They can imitate those sounds so well that sometimes it is very difficult to hear the difference," he told Tierramérica.

"That's how evolution is: there is no predetermined scheme, and the influences of the environment, even if they are artificial, turn out to be considerable," he added."

Related: - Birds mimic ringtones

Video Ringtones For the iPhone

iFoneTec have developed VideosTone, which lets you play back a standard formatted-for-iPhone video whenever someone calls. You can pick different ones for different people.

[via Gizmodo]

Links to related video ringers.

Nokia's Comes With Music service signs Warner label

Warner Music Group will license music to Nokia's Comes With Music service, a Warner Music spokeswoman confirmed Monday, reports C/net.

"The service allows you to download music for 12 months and then keep it as long as you own the device or transfer to a PC."

[via engadget:mobile]