Virgin Mobile unveils Studio V

Virgin Mobile yesterday announced a new feature that lets its subscribers take personalization on their phones to a new level. Studio V will allow users to create their own ringtones and wallpapers in an online community. Virgin Mobile gives you a ringtone mixer to create your work and you'll be able to manipulate photos and graphics to your liking.

The pricing scheme is a little quirky. Though you'll be able to use Studio V for free, you'll have to pay to download your own content to your phone. Wallpapers will be $1.99 each and ringtones are $2.50. While paying to use your own work seems a little unfair, there is a bright side. You can upload your creations to a public gallery where other Virgin mobile customers can buy them. And if they do, the carrier will credit your account 10 cents. On the other hand, if you prefer your privacy, you can shield your work from the public.

There are some catches in the content as well. To avoid DRM complexities, Virgin Mobile won't allow you to upload your own music; instead you'll have to work with a selection of Virgin Mobile-approved audio files. That may seem limiting, but the carrier promises a wide variety of musical genres. On the other hand, you will be able to upload photos that you've taken. Studio V is available on all Virgin mobile handsets, including the new Kyocera Wild Card.