ringtones

Not long ago, CNET Editor Brian Tong gave an instructive Insiders Secret video on creating your own iPhone ringtones using only iTunes 8. Although he only used one program as promised, there was quite a bit of cobbling involved to turn that song into a phone tune. Truth is, I'm a little lazier than that. I'm looking for one application to make me a decent-sounding ringtone I can get on my phone with the least amount of hassle possible.

ToneThis is a good fit for this endeavor. I've reviewed this freeware application in the past--it was the … Read more

A few days before CTIA Fall 2008 began, the National Geographic Society announced a new effort to bring its content to mobile devices. The society will launch a WAP site next month that will offer photos, animal ringtones, articles from National Geographic magazine, and video from the society's television shows. Though exact content and the URL are still under development, mobile division vice president Aaron Kohn said that there also will be an online "green" guide with tips on eco-friendly products and shopping for sustainable fish.

Kohn confirmed that National Geographic is not looking to form an … Read more

Verizon Wireless has launched three new applications that interact with the voice recording feature on select cell phones to allow users to create new content. The content can be used on the phone or shared with other Verizon customers.

With Sonic Boom's ToneMaker users can create their own music by layering their own vocals on prerecorded tunes. You can then use the clips as a ringtone or pass them on to others. ToneMaker is $3.99 per month on handsets with Verizon's Get It Now Internet service.

YouTones from FunMobility takes the same concept in a slightly different … Read more

If you're not a fan of the preloaded ringtones on your cell phone, Verizon Wireless is providing an alternative way to get more catchy tunes on your mobile. On the eve of CTIA Fall 2008, the carrier announced Ringback Buddies, a Facebook application that lets you browse, purchase, and manage ringtones and "jukeboxes" from the social networking site.

You can install the Ringback Buddies application by searching for the word "ringback" on Facebook, and from there you can do a number of things. First, you can see what songs your friends like or want, purchase … Read more

Love dogs. Love the Japanese even more for their highly bizarre gizmos. No other country has consistently amused and amazed the world with its weird and wacked-out inventions. Try topping this latest idea: Ringtones audible only to dogs, from Tokyo-based interactive content provider Dwango (PDF in Japanese).

Lest you think it's an error in translation, Dwango describes the download service very clearly as Inu ni shika kikoenai chakushinon--which translates to "Ringtones only dogs can hear," according to CrunchGear. But since this is available specifically for DoCoMo's i-mode phones, only Japanese dogs need apply.

(Source: Crave Asia) … Read more

A personalized ringtone is worth a thousand preset tones. It's no wonder why so many users produce their own, and why so many developers join the talent show. While all ringtone-making software share some commonalities, they usually vary by some degree of pricing, audio editing sensitivity, and delivery mode. RingtoneExpress, for instance, is light on editing tools, but offers four methods for loading MP3 and WMA content onto the phone. The pricing is kept low, about $10 for limitless ringtone creation, and uniquely, it can also suck the audio out of YouTube videos for conversion to an MP3 ringtone.… Read more

If movie theaters are indeed facing extinction as some believe, Columbia Pictures and Regal Entertainment deserve credit for experimenting with free and readily available technology to help stave off the pending obsolescence.

To promote Adam Sandler'sYou Don't Mess With Zohan, moviegoers will encounter a novel prop in the lobby: a hair stylist's chair that they can sit in and then download Zohan voice clips to their Bluetooth cell phones. Six "voice tones" will be available for free as part of a "proximity marketing" campaign coordinated through Blue Media, which will distribute them … Read more

AT&T today announced two enhancements to its AT&T Mobile Music service that will let users use music to customize their cell phones. With mSpot's Make-Ur-Tones (couldn't they have come up with a better name?), AT&T customers can create their own ringtones using an application downloaded to their cell phone. While that in itself is hardly new, the application gives aspiring musicians a lot more freedom than you might expect. Instead of just offering a selection of Midi tones, users will be able to download an actual music track and then cut their … Read more

With so many "Best of 2007" lists, we couldn't let the year end without showing you the most popular ringtones of 2007. We didn't actually compile the results; instead we're relaying which tones were the most popular for AT&T customers. So here the are, the top tunes of 2007.

1. Shop Boyz - "Party Like a Rockstar" 2. Mims - "This Is Why I'm Hot" 3. Soulja Boy - "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" 4. Nickelback - "Rockstar" 5. Akon - "Don't Matter&… Read more