Ring tones

Today's ring tones are very diverse, and allow for customization and personalization.

New cell phones allow to associate different ringtones with different phone book entries. Some companies allow users to create and upload their own ringtones using their own music, such as CDs or MP3s. There are specialized software packages, which allow user to easily navigate and pick a specific part of the son, which will be used as a ringtone. Other packages allow users to create their own ringtones using loops, samplers and composers.

The problem is that many of these features are proprietary to specific mobile phone brands and models. However, many phones allow to use generic formats such as MP3 of MIDI, but they have to be downloaded to the phone first before they can be used as a ring tone. Music labels and other companies are taking advantage of these features and whole new industry has been developed around this. Here are some most popular artists which you san find ring tones for:

One of the latest novelties is something called Karaoke Ring Tone, which combines a musical track and user’s voice in a mix adjusted in tune and time.

Ringtone News

p2pnet.net

paidContent - Group Sues AT&T Over Ringtones Heard In Public Washington Post Already ringtones are more expensive than a full-length song-and pay a higher royalty to the artist than a normal track-but the music industry is trying to ... Lawyers claim ringtones are public performanceRegister ASCAP demanding royalties for ringtones played in public, EFF ...Mobile Burn ASCAP wants money for your ringtoneBetaNews Wired Blogs -Los Angeles Times -Ars Technica all 34 news articles »

WALA-TV FOX10

AG, Verizon reach agreement over ringtones Bizjournals.com The charges include ?free? ringtones and other cell phone content customers either didn't order or didn't realize would result in a monthly charge. ... McCollum reaches settlement with Verizon over "free" ringtonesLegal News Line Verizon To Refund Millions For Unwanted Ring TonesDslreports Verizon to refund customers after charging for free ringtonesABC Action News Wireless Week -Mediapost.com -The Associated Press all 180 news articles »

ABC News

Obama interrupted during speech by journalist's quacking duck ringtone Daily Mail So this poor journalist's mortification is understandable - though she gets no extra sympathy for her choice of ringtone. Barack Obama was giving a speech ... Obama Speech Interrupted By Duck RingMyFox Washington DC OBAMA INTERRUPTED BY DUCK PHONEDaily Star Obama tells gay activists: 'Judge me by the promises I keep'PinkNews.co.uk all 667 news articles »

Mobiletor.com

Michael Jackson fans flock to Sprint Music Store Mobiletor.com Even Jackson ringtones are experiencing a similar rise in sales, with 28 percent of total sales on Friday belonging to Jackson. ?Thriller?, ?PYT? and ?Don't ... and more »

ASCAP Makes Outlandish Copyright Claims on Cell Phone Ringtones 7thSpace Interactive (press release) Millions of Americans have bought musical ringtones, often clips from favorite popular songs, for their mobile phones. Mobile phone carriers pay royalties ... and more »

Kicking songwriters for fun and profit Register And it's the US that's the global exception, since ringtones are a "public performance" in the UK, the rest of Europe, and most of the rest of the world. ... and more »

Telegraph.co.uk

President Obama Pokes Fun at a Ringtone GeekSugar.com Not even the president of the United States of America is impervious to annoying cell phone ringtones! I don't know what's funnier: the ringtone itself or ... Obama Press Conference Interrupted by Duck Ringtone [Video]Mashable Barack Obama interrupted by quacking duckTelegraph.co.uk Obama: "Whose duck is back there?" Kari ChisholmBlueOregon Newstrack India all 11 news articles »

Ringtone ruckus - Digital rights group battles music industry over ... ITBusiness.ca A digital rights group is contesting a US music industry association's assertion that royalties are due each time a mobile phone ringtone is played in ... and more »

Quacking Ringtone Interrupts Obama Press Conference Switched The press corps laughed, but then the president delivered a real zinger when he said, "Where do you guys get these ringtones, by the way? I'm just curious. ... and more »

Shanda to Buy Ringtone Stake Wall Street Journal The offer from Shanda, a Chinese online-entertainment company, matches the one made last month by a Chinese investor group seeking control of the ringtone ... Shanda to Buy 51% of HurrayMorningstar.ca Shanda Pays $46.2 Million for Majority Stake in China's HurrayDigital Media Wire mocoNews - Chinese M&A: Shanda Offers To Buy Out Digital Content ...Washington Post PR Newswire (press release) all 120 news articles »