By Dusan Belic on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 1:11 AM PST
In Content, iPhone
Sony Creative Software has a new mobile content DVD called 1,000 Ringtones, which as you can guess for yourself comes with a bunch of ringtones grouped into three categories: music, sound effects, and spoken words and phrases. Users can select tones for incoming calls, emails and text messages.
Apparently, the DVD is developed with iPhone users in mind (though other devices will work just as well), hence the files are included in .m4r and .mp3 formats, and are ready for immediate use without any additional fees. To install, iPhone users can simply load the DVD, and move selected ringtones into iTunes for synchronization with their iPhone. The DVD includes a tutorial video that demonstrates these steps, so if you’re complete newbie, you’re covered as well.
If this is something you find interesting (i.e. like the idea of customizing your beloved iPhone), you can grab 1,000 Ringtones for $19.95 from Sony Creative Software’s website or from select retailers around the U.S.
By Dusan Belic on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 1:52 AM PST
In Applications, Content, iPhone

A company called Intermundia is hitting the AppStore with its Opera project, consisting of 24 applications with the librettos of the most famous and well-known Operas. In addition to lyrics/libretto, each of the apps include information about the plot, characters and history.
Applications/operas included in the project are: Aida (G.Verdi), Carmen (G.Bizet), Carmina Burana (C.Orff), Cavalleria Rusticana (P.Mascagni), Così fan tutte (W.A.Mozart), Don Giovanni (W.A.Mozart), Il Barbiere di Siviglia (G.Rossini), Il Trovatore (G.Verdi), I Pagliacci (R.Leoncavallo), La Bohème (G.Puccini), La Forza del Destino (G.Verdi), La Traviata (G.Verdi), L’Italiana in Algeri (G.Rossini), Le Nozze di Figaro (W.A.Mozart), Lucia di Lammermoor (G.Donizetti), Macbeth (G.Verdi), Madama Butterfly (G.Puccini), Nabucco (G.Verdi), Norma (V.Bellini), Otello (G.Verdi), Requiem (W.A.Mozart), Rigoletto (G.Verdi), Tosca (G.Puccini), and Turandot (G.Puccini). Each of the apps costs $2.99, except for Carmina Burana and Requiem, which are available for free.
In addition, there’s another app called Opera Top Collection, which features all of the apps/operas mentioned above and it costs whooping $34.99.
By Dusan Belic on Saturday, October 17th, 2009 at 12:41 AM PST
In Applications, Content, Web OS
CBS Interactive has recently launched the new CBS Mobile SURVIVOR mobile website along with the dedicated Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre application. As a result, mobile users will be able to access full episodes, clips and videos of the eliminated Survivors, manage their Survivor Fantasy team, and potentially win the weekly $10,000 prize when they vote in the “Player of the Week” competition.
In addition and as expected, you can also dig deeper in into the show to learn all about the cast, location, as well as access the latest Survivor Guide. There’s also the Survivor video trivia, where users can test their knowledge of the show.
The mobile website is located here, and the Palm Pre users can grab the dedicate application from the App Catalog.
By Dusan Belic on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 12:11 AM PST
In Content

Mobile operators in China have a new mobile content offering for their subscribers – communist ringback tones. So when you wait for someone to pick up the line, you can listed to such hits as “Guo Jia” (”Country” in Chinese), and sing along Mao’s favorite songs, or at least their excerpts.
As expected, these were made to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. We don’t have a song to share, but I’m sure you’ll find one on the Interwebs if you search for it.
[Via: textually]
By Dusan Belic on Friday, October 2nd, 2009 at 12:46 AM PST
In Announcements, Content, iPhone

To the “happiness” of all iPhone-ownin’ DRM haters, Modevity announced that their DRM solution ARALOC now supports content distribution and viewing on Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s iPhone and iPod Touch devices. As a result, content providers and publishers can “safely distribute their confidential and proprietary content for iPhone and iPod Touch viewing.”
Modevity is offering the ARALOC application on a Software as a Service (SaaS) basis to “minimize corporate internal resources and capital expenditures.” In that sense, they’re touting ARALOC is a cost effective way to deliver a powerful content rights management solution to those who need it, when they need it… AppStore link is here, and more information is available from this page.
By Dusan Belic on Friday, October 2nd, 2009 at 12:43 AM PST
In Announcements, Content, iPhone

Unicorn Media is extending its video publishing platform to the iPhone. As a result, interested developers will be able to download Unicorn’s SDK to integrate broadcast quality video within their apps. On the other hand, Unicorn’s customers will be able to choose iPhone as one of the many options for distributing their media assets.
For those not familiar with Unicorn Media (myself include), here’s an excerpt from their press release, explaining what they do:
Unicorn Media, Inc. is a recognized leader for Media-as-a-Service solutions, delivering a comprehensive suite of services to upload, manage, syndicate, analyze and monetize media content for any Internet-connected device. Unicorn’s next-generation video publishing solution enables content owners to “unlock” professional video/entertainment content that is not currently being distributed or monetized due to cost and complexity. Unicorn Media offers syndication solutions to any IP-enabled device, with the ability to reach established endpoints such as PC’s and Macs, set-top boxes including TiVo DVRs, game consoles, iPhone and other mobile devices, as well as major end-user video distribution sites such as iTunes, Boxee, Blinkx and many others. Unicorn’s proprietary Smart Syndication Technology allows content providers to connect with any site that accepts an inbound RSS feed, giving them maximum audience possibilities.
Finally, analysts among you should know that Unicorn co-operated with Washington D.C.-based PointAbout, which integrated Unicorn’s technology into its AppMakr.com service, allowing seamless video integration into any iPhone application…
By Dusan Belic on Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 1:22 AM PST
In Content

Mobile media company Airborne Mobile has teamed up with Fox Mobile Entertainment to develop and distribute mobile personalization content based on the newest FOX comedy – The Cleveland Show, premiering September 27th.
Here’s what they did (from the press release):
The Cleveland Show will showcase all the characters, random hilarity and cult-status catchphrases that fans have come to expect from FOX animated properties. The soft-spoken Cleveland Brown will come across loudly in a full suite of graphic and audio products. With voices provided by Mike Henry and Seth MacFarlane, mobile users can look forward to ridiculously funny ringtones. A slew of new characters, including talking bears and an abrasive redneck couple, will also be splitting spleens from mobile screens.
For the record, this isn’t the first time Airborne Mobile is working with FOX. The company did the similar thing for other FOX series — including Family Guy, American Dad, and King of the Hill — some of which were very successful (Family Guy in particular).
As for availability, The Cleveland Show mobile content is already up for grabs on all major North American carrier decks…
By Dusan Belic on Friday, September 11th, 2009 at 2:10 AM PST
In Content, Partnerships

Vringo and Marvel announced a partnership to create and distribute mobile videos and video ringtones based on Marvel’s superheroes. As a result, a new storefront and web-based editing platform has been created, allowing fans to purchase ready-made mobile clips and/or create their own from the Marvel archives.
Initially, the store features footage and pre-cut video ringtones from newer Marvel properties like the animated Wolverine & The X-Men, theme songs from the animated 1966 Marvel Super Heroes series, and the new content will be added every month. Of course, you will be able to turn and use all this content into video ringtones via Vringo’s application, which BTW works on BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Bold, Java2ME-compatible phones, as well as devices running Symbian or Windows Mobile. The first mobile video is available for free, while additional clips could be yours for $2 each. A dedicated website is there providing more information…
By Dusan Belic on Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 at 1:27 AM PST
In Applications, Content, Services, Symbian

Google (NSDQ: GOOG)’s native YouTube client for S60 has been updated — it’s now in the version 2.2.17 — to work with Symbian S60 5th edition smartphones such as the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) N97, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Samsung i8910 OmniaHD. As a result, now you can watch videos in full-screen mode. Moreover, the new version of the app also adds more languages and countries to the mix: Brazil, Czech Republic, Poland, Russia and Sweden.
But, and there’s always some “but”, the YouTube client still doesn’t allow users to log in and access their favorites and comment on clips. Hopefully, we’ll see this included in the next release.
In the meantime, if you own some of the devices mentioned above, point a web browser on your mobile phone to m.google.com and take it from there…
[Via: AllAboutSymbian]
By Dusan Belic on Saturday, August 1st, 2009 at 3:15 AM PST
In Announcements, Applications, Content

America Movil announced that it will use Qualcomm’s Plaza Mobile Internet offering to power its Ideas Widget service across all of its 18 subsidiaries in Latin America, reaching around 190 million wireless subscribers on the continent.
From the press release:
Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM)’s Plaza Mobile Internet is an end-to-end widget platform that will allow America Movil to provide its end users with immediate and convenient access to customizable Internet content from mobile devices across their device portfolio. In addition, users can quickly and easily download and manage an array of rich, customizable content, either from their device or online.
Plaza Mobile Internet enables publishers to develop widgets quickly and easily using open Web standards and tools. Through this solution, publishers and content providers will be able to develop and submit their creations to America Movil’s widget catalog.
And I thought Qualcomm’s solution will remain unused. Kudos to their sales team — hopefully, America Movil’s users will jump on board and actually use some of the widgets offered, or who knows, develop their own small apps. We’ll see…