Video Ringtone Channels for Presidential Election

Vringo today announced Vringo Channels, a video ringtone channel service.

The first Vringo Channels launching this month, including those for Obama and McCain, will give fans of each candidate the ultimate badge of support: access to a daily updated roster of free video ringtones pulled from the latest news, commercials, events, speeches and choice campaign moments.

Press release

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.

Video ringtones for Facebook users

Vringo has announced a new Facebook application enabling users to import their Facebook friends’ profile photos to their mobiles, automatically matching them to contacts.

When Facebook friends call one another, their friend’s photos will appear on their phone screens as a type of visual caller ID.

The app will initially be offered free on a global basis for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices. It will be available for additional handsets in the near future.

[via Mobile Entertainment]

Turner tests mobile video ringtones

Turner Broadcasting System Europe is taking clips from its Cartoon Network and Adult Swim series and turning them into mobile video ringtones via a tie-up with specialist Vringo, reports C21media.net.

"Content from shows including Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends and Dexter's Laboratory is being added to the Vringo website, which consumers can then download.

Video ringtones deliver a two- to 10-second video clip to the mobile phone owner's handset when a call comes in. "

Vringo offers discovery channel video ringtones

Vringo has announced the addition of Discovery Channel video ringtones to its offering.

Vringo users can share video clips of volcanoes, bees, skyrockets and any of 20 other videos, using their mobile phones. Vringo subscribers worldwide will be able to personalize their own video ringtones, or 'Vringos,- by downloading free clips excerpted from Discovery Channel programming.

[via Press release]

AFP To Offer Video Clips As Ringtones

News agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) has signed a deal with Vringo to make its news video clips available as mobile video ringtones.

The service lets people set video ringtones to incoming callers, and also to assign themselves a video ringtone which is viewed by people they call (if that person is also a subscriber to Vringo, and on their buddy list).

[Press release via Moco News]

Vringo Offers Discovery Channel Video Ringtones

Vringo, the pioneer in video ringtone sharing, announced today the addition of Discovery Channel video ringtones to its offering.

Vringo users can share video clips of volcanoes, bees, skyrockets and any of 20 other videos using their mobile phones.

Subscribers to the Vringo service use their buddy lists to deliver 2- to 10-second personalized video clips announcing the caller to the person being called or to identify an incoming caller.

Press release

Betting on Video Ringtones

If it catches on, Vringo has the potential to be about far more than just sharing clips. TechNews World reports.

"To use the service, customers join the Vringo community for free and install a small piece of software onto their phones. Then, when one Vringo member calls another, instead of a ringtone, the recipient of the call is treated to a video clip chosen -- and paid for -- by the sender.

If it catches on, Vringo has the potential to be about far more than just sharing clips, though. Advertisers are intrigued by the idea of using mobile phones to pitch their products; Vringo offers the possibility of adding viral marketing Email Marketing Software - Free Demo to the mix -- essentially, having enthusiastic consumers spread the word for you. What's in it for Vringo users? Instead of paying for a clip, a caller might get five minutes of free talk time for sending his buddies copies of a new ad."

Swisscom Mobile introduces ad-supported music videos

Swisscom Mobile has launched an ad-enabled mobile music video service through its Vodafone live! portal, offering customers an extended choice of music from the biggest names in music to local artists and rising stars at a discounted price.

[via GoMo News]

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"

Timberlake Gets Dedicated Verizon VCast Channel

Justin Timberlake will unveil a mobile video channel on Verizon Wireless’ VCast video service called JT-TV at a pre-Grammy party, reports Billboard via Moco News.

"The move will make Timberlake the first artist to have his own branded channel on the VCast service, with content developed exclusively for the service. Timberlake will provide four areas of programming -- fashion, music, movies and lifestyle.

... The JT-TV service will begin airing in March with fashion and music programming, followed by movie and lifestyle content added in May or June."

Vringtones or video ringtones

USA Today writes up a New York company called Vringo.com , "that is offering a new way to share videos by mobile phone, by choosing what video ringtone plays on your buddies' handset when you call them.

"You record your video greeting (with a webcam) at the Vringo.com website, send it to your phone, and tell your friends to sign up for it. When you call their cellphones, they'll see your video. The free service will open to the public by late March."

Video ringtones have been around for quite a while, check out the video ringers category in Ringtonia.com.

Bell Canada Rings in Video

Bell Canada is now offering video ringtones to its customers, the first of this kind of service to be available in Canada, reports Hereshow.ca

"For $4 each, customers can download a video ringtone at www.bell.ca/ringtones, then program their compatible cell phone to play a music video when a call comes in, rather than just a simple audio ringtone. "

MobiTV, Universal Music Strike Deal

Now you can have your 50 Cent, and watch it, too, reports Wireless Week. Universal Music Group and mobiTV say more than 1,100 music videos from Universal's library will be accessible through MobiTV's service.

"Full-length music videos will be made available from more than 375 Universal artists in the hip-hop, pop, alternative, rap, rock and metal genres.

Among the artists in the video library are 50 Cent, Beck, No Doubt, U2 and others. MobiTV's service allows users to stream videos for no additional charges beyond the subscription fee. MobiTV initially will offer four channels of music videos.

Last week, MobiTV announced the availability of MobiTV2, an enhanced content service available on select handsets from Sprint Nextel and Cingular Wireless. "

AudioVisual ringtones

Chris for Pixelsumo writes: "Some mobile phone companies are using designers and sound artists to create unique content. London based Universal Everything have created a number of ringtones that fuse audio and visuals together:

-- Motion Garage is a series of tones for the Japanese market; "the movies display the physical energy of the sound, created using waveform analysis software".

-- Leave No Trace is a series of 6 ringtones created for a Nokia snowboarding event, only available for download via bluetooth at the event.

[via Eyebeam Reblog]

Mauj Telecom in India offers Video Ringtones

Mauj Telecom in India has introduced a Video Ringtones service, enabling customers with a Nokia 60 series phone to set a brief video clip to appear on their phones during an incoming call.

To avail the service, customers have to download video clips as standard Symbian application and install them just like regular ring tones. [press release].

Music videos resurrected by online, phone delivery

Music videos were stifled by the downloading that crippled record companies, but they have found new life in the past year on the Internet, mobile phones and DVDs, and are helping rescue the ailing music industry, reports Reuters

"Once considered nothing more than a costly marketing tool to help sell albums, videos by the likes of Madonna and Kanye West are now bringing in cash on their own as fans stream them by the millions while watching accompanying online ads, and pay to download them onto phones and Apple's new iPods.

Music companies are not saying just how they are being compensated for them or how much, but they acknowledge that the revenue will help videos pay for themselves for the first

"In a not particularly exuberant environment, this is one area of growth we're capitalizing on," said Thomas Hesse, president of the global digital business for Sony BMG Music Entertainment, the world's second-largest recorded music company."

"I think we're seeing quite a fundamental paradigm shift in the way videos are being used," he added. "We're much more confident about ways to monetise them."

Mobile Videos To Promote Unsigned Artists

Pro Hip-Hop is scouting for hip-hop music videos from unsigned artists to feature on a mobile hip hop network planned by Mobile Lingo to launch in the next few months. The idea is that the network will act as a promotional vehicle for the bands, who won't be paid.

[via Moco News]

3 to offer music video downloads from EMI

Mobile operator 33G mobile operator 3 is bulking up its video content after signing a deal with EMI Music to feature full-length videos from the record label's stable of artists. NMA reports.

"Music videos from EMI artists including Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Coldplay, Joss Stone and Gorillaz will be made available for 3's 3.2m customers to download onto their handsets.

3 currently features audio tracks from EMI, full-length video and audio tracks from Sony BMG, and music videos from independent label artists through online music video channel VidZone."

Sugababes promote single via 3G

Pop band the Sugababes are using 3G technology to market their latest single, which is released in the UK today, reports NMA.

"Fans of the band with 3G phones can dial shortcode 62003 to access a multimedia portal that contains video clips of the new 'Push the button' track, along with a videomail greeting from the trio.

The promotion is also being used to drive sales of the bands' new album, Taller In More Ways, which is released next week."

First video ringtones lauched in India

Wireless solutions provider Mauj Telecom has launched the first-of-its-kind video ringtones in India, reports Hindustan Times.

"... Essentially, the video ringtone is a brief video sequence from a music video or animation clip to announce the incoming calls. When a user receives an incoming call, the user will experience a high quality video clip on his screen announcing the call along with amazing sounds. The caller's name will appear on the display of the video, if it is already stored in your mobile phone memory."

Mobilkom Austria launches video ring-tones

Mobilkom Austria's A1 brand has launched a video ring-tone service, the first operator in the country to do so, reports DMeurope.

"Video ring-tones use brief video sequences taken from original music videos to announce incoming calls. A1 customers can access the service via the Vodafone Live portal or A1's own 'Handystyling' website.

Customers can choose from some 150 different clips to download. The selection ranges from current hits to animations, and will be regularly expanded."

Artificial Life launches V-disco

Hong Kong based Artificial Life, a provider of 3G mobile games and applications (incuding the "Virtual Girlfriend and Virtual Boyfriend), today announced the launch of the official website for its latest 3G mobile product ‘V-disco', reports DMasia.

"The V-disco is reported to be an interactive 3G mobile product that combines music streaming and music downloading to mobile phones with interactive 3D graphics and animated virtual characters (avatar).

Users and visitors of the virtual disco can select an avatar persona for themselves and join the virtual music club".

bitfilm Festival 05

The bitFilm Festival 05 (Hamburg) is looking for ringvideo submissions. First prize is euro 1'500 ($1'900.)

In their own words:

Why use just an acustic ringtone when your mobile has a colour screen to show videos?

Animated ringvideos will be the next big thing on the mobile market. You can prove that it is possible to create animated ringvideos that don't get on our nerves! They should work as a loop and have a length of about 5 seconds.

The audience decides about the 1500 Euro prize.

For preview we accept 3gp-, Quicktime- or .swf-files with a size of 176 x 144 pixels.

There is no submission fee. Deadline is July 1st 2005.

Infospace and Corbis Bring Universal's Film Catalog to Mobile Phones

Infospace today announced its partnership with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group, and Corbis, a leading provider of photography, to make iconic Hollywood content available for use in mobile phones. [via Internet Ad Sales]

"This mix of art, technology, and commerce has resulted in the creation of Infospace Mobile's new ScreenTones audio and video ringers for cell phones.

"Everybody has favorite lines and scenes from the movies," said Mark Levy, vice president, content and publishing for Infospace Mobile. "This relationship allows us to deliver those cinematic moments as ScreenTones(TM) to mobile users."

Sprint introduces music video ringers

This is a tough one, I don't know if it should be posted in Ringtonia or Picturephoning. Well here goes.

Sprint has now introduced video ringers, becoming the first wireless company in the U.S. to do so. Video ringers are compatible with the Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Phone MM-5600 by Sanyo.

Different callers can be identified with different video ringers, which will cost customers US$3.00 apiece.

[Sprint press release via Geek.com]