I’m not sure why it took so long for Sony’s music publishing arm to fully “go mobile,” but whatever the reasoning is, it’s good to see them finally taking this route.

The company has partnered with Azuki Systems to optimize the web destinations of its artists for viewing on mobile phones. Not surprisingly, Michael Jackson’s official website is the first site to launch under the initiative.

Located at m.michaeljackson.com, the Michael Jackson mobile website features news, photos and streaming access to classic videos such as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” and “Thriller.” The site is optimized to work with all of the latest higher-end devices such as the iPhone/iPod Touch, BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Store, Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre and Android-powered devices; though we’re guessing some other phones will do the job just as well (Symbian S60 devices)…

And of course, Sony Music wowed to roll out mobile versions of other artists’ websites in the coming months.

Push-email solutions provider Emoze unveiled what they say is the first “pushed content” application dedicated to football/soccer news – Soccer Updater. The app release doesn’t come as a surprise considering that we’re slowly approaching the 2010 World Cup that will take place in South Africa. The application costs $5 and once you grab it, there are no other fees involved — you’ll get the latest news from now until after the tournament’s final in July.

In addition to the latest news, Soccer Updater also features player of the day pictures (in html format), game venues, scores and of course full tables of the team groups. The opening splash screen features a real-time countdown to the big games in South Africa, and then once the tournament starts, countdowns to individual games.

As for the platforms supported, Emoze’s app works on any Symbian and Windows Mobile powered smartphone, with Java phones to follow shortly. Download is available from Emoze’s website.

Back in July of last year, we talked about Verve which at the moment got $3 million from Associated Press and other investors. Now we’re finally seeing some fruits of the co-operation as the two companies [Verve and AP] have unveiled an initiative to help publishers create white label, branded mobile apps for their content. The idea is to take a piece of the advertising being placed on other publisher’s apps in exchange for the application design.

The package comes with a content management system, allowing publishers to fully control their content, as well as ads that will appear in the application. In addition, standard metrics are also provided, as well as advertising delivery module.

The applications will be available for an array of platforms — including Android, BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM), iPhone, Symbian, Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre and Windows Mobile. Additional details are available from Verve’s website…

[Via: MobileBurn]

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.

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.

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.

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]

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.

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…

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…