Sony joins battle for music downloads

Sony, the consumer electronics firm, yesterday added its muscle to the growing market for legal music downloading by announcing plans to launch a service early next year. The venture will pitch Sony directly against Apple Computer and Microsoft, which have already staked claims in the burgeoning market for online music. Apple's iTunes service has already been a big success in the US. Sony disclosed the plans at a conference in Paris. Sir Howard Stringer, Sony's vice-chairman and head of the group's entertainment businesses, said the move was crucial to combat internet piracy. The company would launch a handheld device to download songs, making it compatible for personal computers and wireless phones. Sony, which owns one of the world's largest music recording businesses, said it expected to feature artists from all major labels. Sir Howard said illicit music downloads had cost the industry about $7bn (£4.4bn) over the past two years, while Hollywood film studios had lost $3bn-$4bn from the growing black market for movies. He said 500,000 copies of films were traded online everyday. Details of Sony's new service, which will launch in the US and Europe next spring after being unveiled in Japan, were scant. But it is likely to follow the Apple and Microsoft model of offering downloads of single songs for around 99 cents (63p) each. Microsoft stole a march on Apple when it launched its pay as you go service in Europe two weeks ago. Users can legally download any of 200,000 songs from 8,500 artists. In July, Apple said US Mac users had downloaded 6.5m songs since iTunes was introduced in April. The company is planning to extend the service to Windows users by the end of the year but has not announced a launch date for Europe. Sony said details would be revealed closer to launch.

Download Music, Movies and Games for Free - A Hot Issue

The Internet is used by a lot of people to download music, movies, games and various other soft wares for free. The legality of this practise is, and will be for a long time, a hot issue. Some countries want to totally stop the downloading of copy wright protected materials, like the U.S.A. Other countries, like France, want to allow this type of downloading, but only for personal use. And there are quiet a few countries who do not care at al.The Internet has no borders, and it will be a very long time before all the counties of the world have agreed on how to legislate this music, movies and games downloading. Of course there is an etical issue.A lot of people consider the downloading, for free, of copy right protected material as theft.I have heard all the arguments by now.I did hear them in the 70’s when casette recorders became available and very popular.I heard them when CD wrighters became available and I hear them now when downloading over the Internet is becoming more and more popular. In my opinion it is theft if you copy anything and sell it.If you copy something for your own use, that is o.k. with me.I have noticed that I, and a lot of people I know as well, still buy the "real thing" if we like it ,and I allso have noticed that I am getting selective. I hardly buy anything anymore from the real top performers.I think they simply earn enough as it is.If I come along a new group I like I usally copy a few songs, and I might go out and score their CD if I really like them.I noticed that I must have been doing this for a long time. I had a look at my CD’s and saw that most of the originals were indeed the earlier work of a certain group.If I had more of them, it were usualy copies.I had downloaded some how from the Internet. I know there are quit a few people who use this "selective downloading".A friend of mine loves the music of a certain performer, but, as he told me, he refuses to pay for his records.He refuses to contribute a single penny towards the legal team that is defending this guy in a child molest case.He has downloaded the music of this performer, for free, from the Internet. But all this free downloading has a downside. A lot of people are having computer problems because they downloaded something from the Internet. The Internet is a jungle and there are a lot of predators around that are searching for their prey. Predators like spy ware and ad ware. Little programs that you sometimes download as well and that hide on your computer without you knowing it. Some can be very harmful indeed, like the so called key loggers. These programs "remember" every keystroke you make, and send this info to their "owners". This way sensitive info, like passwords or credit card numbers, can get in the hands of the wrong people. I advice every one who wants to download music, movies, games or any other program for free from the Internet to be very careful. Make sure your computer has very good spy-and ad ware protection, and when in doubt, do not download.If you are not a very experienced Internet user than the best way to download music, full length movies, games and various soft wares for free is to get a download site membership . These download sites will provide you with the right soft ware to search for, and download, all sorts of files from the Internet. They also provide a helpdesk in case you run into difficulties and need some assistance.

Ringtones in the future

Ringtone is the most popular accessory of mobile phones. More and more technologies are coming into picture as time is changing. Now you can make your own ringtones with these technologies. Audio Ringtones Each mobile phone available today in the market has an audio recorder that could record at least of three to four minutes of any kind of voice or sound. As such mobile phone is used as a dictation device where you can record and assign these recordings as your ringtone. You can record anything from the chirp of a bird to the voice of your dear ones. Mp3 ringtones The future of ringtones obviously belongs to Mp3 music files that are used to save songs in the computer too. To create MP3 ringtones you should have sufficient memory because Mp3 file has weight more than three megabytes. Most of the PDA mobiles include Mp3 ringtone function because these have a palmtop computer and mobile phone with additional memory. As there are camera mobile phones, manufactures are motivated to have mp3 ringtones functions too. Sound Mixers There are new trendy cell phones launched by different mobile phone companies having a concept called audio mixers. Audio mixers allow one to mix preset rhythm or sound so as to create a new ringtone. Previously evolved mobile phones had a capacity to play four notes at a point of time with a four chord ringtone engine. But now new phones have come up that could play 16 notes at same time. Ringtone creators will use these channels to add some special effects such as reverb, portamento or echoe. Ringtone themes Now Microsoft has also introduced smart phone operating system fro upcoming mobile phones and is promoting themes. Theme is similar to computer desktop theme that you can easily download. For example you can download a jungle theme, where you will get ringtones along with wallpapers and pictures of birds or animals.

The Ringtone Business

Each year marks a growth in the mobile ringtone industry that has ultimately taken up the music business. Ringtone industry used to be a passing craze but now it accounts to more than 10% of the global music market and has overtaken the CD business earlier than what it was expected. No one would have ever thought that monophonic ringtones of the 90’s will turn into a million dollar business till the beginning of 20’s. Music business is not able to ignore the ringtone market that has embraced its future and influence on the present youth culture. The hip hop industry makes more than half of the downloaded ringtones. Many successful music artists now accept the fact that ringtone is no more a niche product. The reason for this success is the creation or full customization of mobile phones with ringtones, wallpapers, screensavers, logos, picture messages and games. This is why there is a huge demand by people for endless catalogs of music and themes for mono and polyphonic phones. Another reason for its increasing popularity is the media impact. This popularity could have continued for some time but new advances in sound quality by use of mp3 and real music. There remains even more music markets to be explored as music loving Latin Americans shall provide the next big growth area. With the increasing mobile culture where the youth has a craze to download all the latest music ringtones in their mobile phone, the ringtone business shall grow with times but it shall depend upon the ability of the major mobile phone manufactures such as Nokia, Motorola, T- Mobile and others who combine the latest technology with wide range of compatibility that is increasingly important in this industry.

What you should think of - finding legal free ringtones

One of the first and very noticeable features of cell phones is ringtones, which are easily available over the net. However the question lies is, whether they are free or charged? You usually search of websites that let you download ringtones for free, and there are websites that let you do that. But honestly, not all websites allow downloading for free. There are hidden costs charged to them, which you might notice only after you've got your phone bill or a certain amount has been deducted from your balance. Websites usually display a lot of ringtones, some of which are free and some of which are not. The ones that are charged, generally, are a form of royalty that the website has to pay to the artist for the songs. Many websites have three to four pages as a part of their process to get the ringtones. One of those pages might include a long list of the terms and conditions, which, majority of the times, contains the word 'subscription' and service pricing. So when we unintentionally, ignore these terms and click on "I agree", the blame of being charged is very conveniently shifted from the ringtone supplier to the customer. Next is the page which asks us of our mobile number, which we very happily type in, in the excitement of getting our so called 'FREE' ringtone, which actually is charged. And then we have no choice but to either pay the money or lodge complain and by the time things get back to square one, the damage has already been caused. So it is always better to read the text displayed on the websites from where you are going to download the ringtones. Some of the things that you should keep in mind before downloading free ringtones: - •Read reviews of the websites offering free ringtones and make a wise choice. •Most of the popular music is copyright protected, any use of the music, such as in free ringtones, requires royalties to be paid to the artist, make sure that the website mention that on their pages. •Do not mention your credit card number to any of the websites, even if they are legitimate sites, it might be risky. •Make sure that the website you visit is free of virus, because if you avoid this little advice, the virus might not only enter your computer hard drive but also your phone, which would happen while transferring the ringtone from the computer to your phone. Now, that would be a two-in-one damage for you. Apart from downloading ringtones from the websites, there are other legal options too of getting ringtones. You can download ringtones by getting your GPRS connection activated, this way; you can be worry-free about viruses and worms. Another beneficial way would be to transfer ringtones from your friend's or relative's cell phone via Bluetooth or infrared. Even tough you can adopt these methods for getting free ringtones; the above mentioned list of factors to be kept in mind should not be avoided.

Mobile Phone Ringtone Converter

Are you fed up with the same ring tone that plays on your mobile phone? Why not try using a ring tone converter. Ring tone converter is basically computer software which helps you to add new ring tones to your mobile phones. Mobile ring tone converter can be used for both Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac Systems. The system allows adding new ring tones in the mobile phones without the use of expensive cable network or premium rates SMS services. The software is designed in such a way that you do not need to have any musical or technical knowledge. The software on its own takes care of all the details. The following points will help you understand as to how you can add new ring tones on your mobile phones: 1) Firstly you need to download the ring tone converter for generating different ring tones on your computer. 2) Once the software is installed check whether the software starts and displays the screen. 3) The next step is to select the model number of your mobile phone or similar model number from the first drop menu box. Once you select the model number the picture of your handset will be viewed. 4) From the second drop menu box select the ring tone you want to add in your cell phone. 5) Once you have finished selecting the ring tone you need to click the convert button. Once you hit the convert button the software will automatically convert the tone into a key press sequence, which you can type in your mobile phone. 6) In order to type the key press sequence you need to locate the ring tone composer in your mobile phone. It is mostly found near the menu area of the phone. It is normally called a Ring tone composer or a ring tone editor. 7) After locating the ring tone composer type the key press sequence provided by your ring tone converter software. As long as you press the keys in the sequence shown by the software, the tone should go into your phone and play for you

Hail Nokia N80, The King of cell phones

The Nokia N80 has been the leader of the phone wars since November 2005 when it was unveiled. Many have wondered why it is still so popular a year later, having seen a dozen or more newer models make their way onto store shelves. Maybe it's the versatility or possibly the many features crammed into its tiny shell. I like the whopping 3 megapixel camera feature and the numerous sharing options. Speak No Evil Voice activation has come a long, long way and the Nokia N80 shows off just how far. Simple commands that used to confuse phones of yesterday now do exactly what they're supposed to. If you say "Call home", the N80 dials your home number instead of calling "Paul Knome". With super easy set up, voice activated calling and other commands like "Calculator" or "Email" won't leave you throwing your manual into the fire. The integrated hands-free speaker is pretty standard nowadays, but Nokia shows off their advancements with the speaker on the N80. Talking while driving won't require any special equipment or earpieces with the ease of the N80's sensitive speaker. You won't have to take your hands off the wheel to lock your keypad once your conversation is over, either, since you'll have the option of the hands-free keypad lock command. Hear No Evil Ring tones range from cute to relaxing to downright annoying. We all know a very important person with the most irritating, loudest ring tone. You can download your best friends favorite song as the ring tone when he or she calls and your mother's dogs bark as the tone when Mom calls. The audio features of the Nokia N80 are good for much more than ring tones, though. Download MP3, AAC, m4a, eAAC and wma files to listed to stereo audio on the integrated digital music player. Quick USB hook up to your computer allows for speedy drag and drop of music files to your phone from your PC and back again. Not into downloading music? Do you like to listen to local talk radio? The N80 also has a stereo FM radio receptor, all you have to do is plug in a headset. Music videos more your style? Would you like to download episodes of your favorite TV show to watch on your cell phone? Now you can, with the Nokia N80. Streaming video can be played on the RealPlayer multimedia player in the N80. Just download your favorites in 3GPP or MPEG4 formats, transfer from your PC to your phone with the USB connector and watch movies, videos or television shows on your morning commute (unless, of course, you are driving.) See No Evil Besides the ability to watch videos and television shows, you can take photos that flirt with professional quality. A 3 megapixel camera is integrated in the N80. The flash is LED with an optional red-eye reduction mode. A 20 x digital zoom will assure you can snap a shot from high up in the bleachers at a football game. A close up mode will help cut down on blurry face shots. Your pictures will save as JPEG (.jpg) format, easily readable by any computer and any camera phone on the market. The scene setting will adjust the flash and color capture based on the setting you choose. Scene settings include: auto, portrait, landscape, night portrait, night landscape, sports, candlelight, user programmed, close-up and document close-up mode. Other camera features include a timer, contrast, sharpness, brightness, color saturation, white/black hue balance, exposure compensation, color adjustments, image quality settings. Besides still snapshots, you'll be able to capture high quality video with your Nokia N80. Save it as MP4 or 3GP format, upload to your computer if you wish or send via the email messaging service. The 5x digital zoom is smooth and easy to use. Of course, if you find you need to edit out some not-so-flattering shots, the image and video editing features will allow you to make your changes, save them and send them along to anyone you wish. The video stabilization feature will keep your captures from being too jumpy. Web Access and Messaging The Nokia N80 offers an Internet browser, email access, multimedia messaging (MMS) and SMS (essentially, text messaging) to facilitate communication. Surf the net, download Java games and applications and check your email without plugging into a PC. Integrated wireless Internet access is included, as is UPnP (Universal Plug and Play). Bluetooth technology comes standard in the N80 Other Features Possibly my favorite feature of the N80 is the super simple Bluetooth wireless transfer and printing of my photos. While it does require Nokia XpressPrint, it's worth the savings in time of formatting, cropping, cutting, adjusting, etc. Just lay the N80 in the docking station, press a few buttons and BAM! my photos are printed. Print email, documents and calendar, including contacts, within seconds. Nokia Xpress Solutions and Xpress Transfer make office management and data transfer and storage a snap. The user interface and inputs are very familiar and user friendly. Instant camera activation with a dedicated camera key – great for catching the kids during their "Kodak Moment." Other keys include two softkeys, send key, multimedia key and a 5-way scroll key. Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents can be viewed with the included viewers. A calendar, contact list and task list are included with the advanced S60 PIM application. Internal storage of up to 40MB available for storing all your pictures, video, messages, calendar notes, contacts, email and documents. If 40 MB isn't enough, there's a slot for miniSD card to expand your storage capacity. Bad News The most noticeable disadvantage of the Nokia N80 is the short battery life. While Nokia reports 3 hours of continuous talk time and 8 hours of standby time per charge but with all the other things the phone does, you'll likely run out of juice each and every day. A back up battery or portable charger is a must-have for this all-in-one camera, video, wireless communication cell phone. What You'll Pay It slices, it dices, it even takes video! You won't pay $1000 for the Nokia N80. You won't pay $800 for it. For under $650, you'll get this 4.7 ounce phone that measures 3.76 x 1.97 x 1.02 inches. Another $40 for a back up battery or portable charger and $100 for other accessories and you'll be ready to go.