Apple axes RingTone iTunes Plan?

[Applespider]

Interesting article in The Register (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/16/apple_iringtones_axed/) suggesting that Apple were set to announce iRingtones which could be transferred by Bluetooth to mobiles as part of iTunes and iLife 06.

They are saying that the phone companies kicked up a fuss... although as far as I'm aware most ringtones in Europe aren't sold by the phone companies but by people like Jamster who I'd love Apple to put out of business.

I'm also curious about this since some US carriers cripple Bluetooth so that it can only transfer certain data on the phones so not sure why this was going to irritate those companies anyhow.

[Lacero]

Ringtones is like a $3 billion a year industry for the cell phone companies. Anybody trying to compete in what is historically a competition-free segment will be met fiercely at the Gates.


Here's to the Crazy Ones http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=35452 (http://www.uriah.com/apple-qt/movies/think-different.mov)

[SummerBreeze]

Ringtones is like a $3 billion a year industry for the cell phone companies. Anybody trying to compete in what is historically a competition-free segment will be met fiercely at the Gates.


Here's to the Crazy Ones http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=35452 (http://www.uriah.com/apple-qt/movies/think-different.mov)

Wow, $3 billion a year? What's wrong with the regular "ring ring" sound that phones are supposed to make? And who in their right mind spends $3 on a 30 second clip from a second rate pop song?

[mikeyredk]

Wow, $3 billion a year? What's wrong with the regular "ring ring" sound that phones are supposed to make? And who in their right mind spends $3 on a 30 second clip from a second rate pop song?

I make my own ringtones from garageband

[Mord]

chavs, i swear they have to have at least 30 "bling" tones on their phones, personally if i had a phone i'd make my own, and i'd end up just using imperial march.

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

TheRegister.co.uk claims (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/16/apple_iringtones_axed/) that Apple had big plans to introduce ringtone sales into the iTunes Music Store. Users were also reportedly given the capability to remix the ringtones before transfering them to their phone.

The new feature was reported to be a headline feature of iLife (http://guides.macrumors.com/ILife) '06 at Macworld San Francisco (http://guides.macrumors.com/Macworld_San_Francisco). According to The Register, however, it has been cancelled just weeks before the supposed announcement.

A source described the feature, which included integration with GarageBand and Flickr, as "giving ringtones the Apple makeover".

It's unclear why the feature was cancelled.

[runninmac]

Sounds cool for all the tenybopers with the cool cells

[otter-boy]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

TheRegister.co.uk claims (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/16/apple_iringtones_axed/) that Apple had big plans to introduce ringtone sales into the iTunes Music Store. . . The new feature was reported to be a headline feature of iLife (http://guides.macrumors.com/ILife) '06 at Macworld San Francisco (http://guides.macrumors.com/Macworld_San_Francisco).

A part of iLife cancelled from the iTunes Music Store? This sounds like a fundamental misunderstanding of the Apple product line.

Even if the ringtone feature were part of iTMS, I have a hard time believing that it would also depend on iLife.

[noel4r]

Oh well, personally I've no use for it. I just use the mp3 files stored in my cell as my ring tone.

Hopefully, they have much much more bigger things to announce at Macworld than ringtones....

[nagusjim]

just leave the things on vibrate anyways. then we don't have to hear them going off in rude places all the time!

~runs and hides~

[narco]

I'm sure it has something to do with the cellular carriers. They're almost as bad if not worse than the RIAA.

Fishes,
narco.

[rendezvouscp]

Headline feature? Integration with GarageBand and Flickr? I just don't get it.

First off, ringtones as a major feature? Doesn't make sense, or they've somehow revolutionized a ring. Right.

GarageBand, alright, but Flickr? What in the world does Flickr have to do with ringtones?
-Chase

[iJon]

Gotta love the MP3 feature on my SE 710a. I just go pick out my favorite song in iTunes, snip it up a bit and transfer via bluetooth. Nice, free and easy.

jon

[Applespider]

just leave the things on vibrate anyways. then we don't have to hear them going off in rude places all the time!


It's much more fun having them vibrate in rude places anyhow :p

[bigandy]

how bizarre to be planning something so big and shelve it so near to launch... that's definately the work of the mobile providers...

[Mord]

though i have to admit it's a close call between thriller and imperial martch, the trouble is if my phones playing out thrilla i'm more likely to wait a bit before picking up.

[Lord Blackadder]

It's much more fun having them vibrate in rude places anyhow :p

HA! :D

I really don't care much - I use the default ring on my cell and don't ahve the inclination to change it.

[Loge]

They are saying that the phone companies kicked up a fuss... although as far as I'm aware most ringtones in Europe aren't sold by the phone companies but by people like Jamster who I'd love Apple to put out of business.

So what if they did? It's no business of the phone companies what Apple sell over iTMS, which can subsequently transferred to phones that support such music files.

[mkrishnan]

It's much more fun having them vibrate in rude places anyhow :p

Vibration in rude places is never a bad thing. Sometimes a naughty thing, yes. But never bad. :D

[Lord Blackadder]

Vibration in rude places is never a bad thing. Sometimes a naughty thing, yes. But never bad. :D

Naughty is definitely good.

[SiliconAddict]

$10 says greed is involved in some form or another. *coughs*RIAA*coughs*

[wjdennen]

ring tones are annoying. bleah.

[SiliconAddict]

Vibration in rude places is never a bad thing. Sometimes a naughty thing, yes. But never bad. :D

Yah well a friend of mine does kilt. OK he has one. The kilt in question he has, has a pocket strategically placed right in the front. So when he sat down it sat between the legs. Imagine his surprised at a party, I was there, when his Treo went off in vibrate mode. :eek:

[mkrishnan]

Yah well a friend of mine does kilt. OK he has one. The kilt in question he has, has a pocket strategically placed right in the front. So when he sat down it sat between the legs. Imagine his surprised at a party, I was there, when his Treo went off in vibrate mode. :eek:

When I first received a pager at work, I was playing around with it while seated in a meeting, and I dropped it in my lap while I was doing something else, and it went off in vibrate mode, and I almost jumped out of my chair. :eek: ;) :D

[SiliconAddict]

ring tones are annoying. bleah.


All but one. I want a sound bite of Majel Barrett Roddenberry saying "Incoming subspace Communication" with a good 4 seconds of silence afterwards so it doesn't repeat over and over and over again immediately.

*shrugs*
Its a geek thing.:D

A friend of mine has a Pocket PC Phone edition where he used the text to speech synthesizer in Windows XP to capture everyone's name in his address book then associated each number with an MP3 that says the person's name and phone they are calling from. So x number would say "Silicon Addict is calling you on his cell." Y number would say "Silicon Addict is calling you on his home phone."
A lot of work but oh so cool.

[zv470]

thank goodness! custom ringtones are annoying.

[m-dogg]

I don't buy it...

And I certainly hope that wasn't a headline software announcement for MWSF - I'm expecting much more than that! ;)

[nagromme]

Thank goodness, because scientists have recently developed an even-better, truly amazing ring technology!

The way it works is this: your phone rings, but no sound comes out! Instead, you "feel" the ring. Pyschic phone? Not exactly, it's a vibration produced by the phone, so only the person wearing it or very close to it feels the vibration. It's like a vibrating pager... only it's a PHONE! Seriously, there are products in the market today that have this exciting option.

The benefits:

* You don't have to bother everyone in the room with your noise. Common courtesy comes to the digital age! Imagine a day when people can get calls in a restaurant or movie theater and nobody else has to hear the racket!

The downside:

* You can't show off that you are so cool and own a mobile phone ;) No more joy of seeing everyone's heads turn, and imagining how much you are impressing them.


Pulls plug on sarcasm machine. It was starting to overheat.

[reyesmac]

Its better that they take it out now before it ever was made into a product. I am still disappointed at the way they took away broadcasting your iTunes library over the internet. They made it so easy.

[SiliconAddict]

Its better that they take it out now before it ever was made into a product. I am still disappointed at the way they took away broadcasting your iTunes library over the internet. They made it so easy.


You can thank the RIAA for that.

[Super Dave]

I mean ringtones weren't annoying enough before some moron who can't carry a tune remixed them with GarageBand.

David :cool:

[unfaded]

I actually would have liked this feature. It would have enabled me to put my own band's ringtones on my phone so people could ask me "wow, who was that?" and I could reply "why, it was me, lets make out."

[abrooks]

Is it just me or has nobody heard anything of this ringtone thing up til now?

Not only has this whole thing being sprung upon us, but since when have the The Register been a rumour site, sounds like bull to me. :rolleyes:

[Xenious]

I'm sure it has something to do with the cellular carriers. They're almost as bad if not worse than the RIAA.


Let's get all the carriers back to providing just connectivity!

[abrooks]

Let's get all the carriers back to providing just connectivity!

That'll be the day

[DaPt]

Is it just me or has nobody heard anything of this ringtone thing up til now?

Not only has this whole thing being sprung upon us, but since when have the The Register been a rumour site, sounds like bull to me. :rolleyes:

Luckily I haven't been aware of this rumor yet.
I wouldn't want to think of Apple building such a "feature" into iTunes.
What would've been next, modding stuff from Apple?

[aegisdesign]

A part of iLife cancelled from the iTunes Music Store? This sounds like a fundamental misunderstanding of the Apple product line.

iTunes and Garageband are part of iLife, ergo, it's a feature cancelled that was part of iLife.

[Peace]

This news is purely designed to get folks away from the REAL stuff happening at MWSF2006..

A purposefully designed news story to try and deflect the rampant rumors surrounding MacWorld.
In otherwords ....It was planted by Apple..

[Loge]

I actually would have liked this feature. It would have enabled me to put my own band's ringtones on my phone so people could ask me "wow, who was that?" and I could reply "why, it was me, lets make out."

Can't you do that already?

[GregUofMN]

I, personally, cannot stand ringtones. However, I think it would be neat if you could create tunes through Garageband and convert them into ringtones. Not a very purposeful application, but a fun one similar to the photobooth ap that is found on the new iMacs.

It would coincide well with the motorola/cingular/iTunes phones and maybe actually help sales... not like it would hurt sales. ;)

[GregUofMN]

Headline feature? Integration with GarageBand and Flickr? I just don't get it.

First off, ringtones as a major feature? Doesn't make sense, or they've somehow revolutionized a ring. Right.

GarageBand, alright, but Flickr? What in the world does Flickr have to do with ringtones?
-Chase

Oops. Next time I'll read previous posts. But I agree with you.
(Read my previous post if you have no idea what I'm talking about.)

[~Shard~]

So with the myriad of rumors surrounding what will be released at MWSF 06, we now find out about one thing that was supposed to be released which is being axed - something which never came up as a possible rumor, not even once. Geez, what else is Jobs going to surprise us with during the keynote? ;) We're so busy discussing things we think will be announced, yet there may be things we have no clue about! Ah, it is indeed a fun time of year... :cool:

As for the concept itself, it sounds neat, I wonder why it was axed...

[Doctor Q]

...what else is Jobs going to surprise us with during the keynote? ... As for the concept itself, it sounds neat, I wonder why it was axed...Perhaps Apple has come up with something better than ringtones. :eek: :confused: :cool:

[~Shard~]

Perhaps Apple has come up with something better than ringtones. :eek: :confused: :cool:

Well, they already have those "true ringtones" or whatever they are marketed as, which are much better than the basic ones... and this concept sounded like it definitely would have had potential to be "better than ringtones", yet it was axed... odd... leave it up to Apple to always keep us guessing!

[Yvan256]

I'm sure it has something to do with the cellular carriers. They're almost as bad if not worse than the RIAA.

Fishes,
narco.

Can't agree more. After all, they're the ones who are charging 2.50$US+ for a 15 seconds polyphonic ringtone and/or 30 seconds clips of real songs (which are 4 minutes long and available for 0.99$ on the iTMS).

[lopresmb]

even if this were true, my initial response was "who cares???"

[LastLine]

Interesting thought here, can the ROKR and the new iTunes Razr andle AAC ringtones? I'm intrigued on it. Would make sense given loads of phones can handle MP3 tones, and these too include Apples DRM.

[hyperpasta]

Flickr integration? You've got to be kidding me.

This reeks of fakeness.

[Dr. Dastardly]

Well really who cares if it was fake or real, it got axed so you won't see it anyway.:p

[Militar]

I do prefer ring tones over the harsh, unflattering sound of a cell phone ring, but $3 a ring tone is the real piracy here. But if the model is successful and Apple were to include such a feature, it would really be a cash cow.

[Motley]

I make my own ringtones from garageband

I do the same, which is why I specifically got a phone that I could connect to my mac and transfer ring tones to.

I always thought the idea of paying 3 bucks for a ring tone that expired in a few months (if you're lucky) was just stupid.

[Greenjeens]

I used to think the whole ringtone deal was only a bunch of BS for kiddies. However, it's a huge money maker for some cellular carriers. My cellular carrier, Verizon makes it nearly impossible to create ones own ringtones. A concerted group effort has been going on to create ringtones for the new Nokia 6256i and due to the use of protected files, it's so far, impossible to make one's own ringtones for each contact.

I started to see the value in assigning an identifiable sound to a few VIP callers, to let me know who's calling, without looking at the phone, provided it's appropriate to have a ringing phone at all. Animal sounds make it easier for me to remember, it's also a small guilty pleasure too!

A custom tone for an individual caller is a very handy feature, under certain conditions, say an emergency/prority calling, like elderly parent, pregnant wife, work, etc, which can be quickly identified while driving, where one may generally not want to be distracted. Allows for the quickest recognition and call back without looking at the phone.

FYI, there's a nice piece of software for Mac's and (Verizon+ others) Nokia's called Phonedirector, which allows a great deal of Bluetooth connectivity for those Nokias, which had been PC only.

-
David

[~Shard~]

Well really who cares if it was fake or real, it got axed so you won't see it anyway.:p

How can something that doesn't exist get axed? :p ;)

[EricNau]

It's unclear why the feature was cancelled.
Clearly it's because there wasn't anymore room at the keynote for another product to be released. Steve already as reservations for lunch at 11:00. :D

[~Shard~]

Clearly it's because there wasn't anymore room at the keynote for another product to be released. Steve already as reservations for lunch at 11:00. :D

There are already too many products to be released within the timeframe of the keynote. ;) Intel iBooks, PowerBooks, Mac mini PVRs, iLife '06 incl. Front Row 2.0, iWork '06, new displays, iPod stuff... ;) :cool:

[EricNau]

There are already too many products to be released within the timeframe of the keynote. ;) Intel iBooks, PowerBooks, Mac mini PVRs, iLife '06 incl. Front Row 2.0, iWork '06, new displays, iPod stuff... ;) :cool:
It better go late. :p

[areyouwishing]

To the people that use plain ringtones and don't understand the mentality behind having different rings...

Just like desktop wallpaper, ringtones are extension of your creative self, just by a quick ring someone can tell what kind of music you are into, just like if someone looks at your background on your computer, it adds to the pleasantries of the small things in life that make people unique.

I have a treo 650 on Verizon and make my own ringtones, and before that I had a v180 on cingular and did the same and used a PC to upload them. It is a bummer that I can't make ringtones from stuff i have bought from Apple unless i burn a cd... bummer

[~Shard~]

It better go late. :p

Yeah, but then there's that lunch reservation Steve has booked already... :p :D

[MacQuest]

Wow, $3 billion a year? What's wrong with the regular "ring ring" sound that phones are supposed to make? And who in their right mind spends $3 on a 30 second clip from a second rate pop song?

Apparently 1 billion people do.

[Lacero]

And who in their right mind spends $3 on a 30 second clip from a second rate pop song?
The same people who whittle away their time putting digital santa hats on their avatars. :p

People don't seem to mind spending $3 on something they cherish so much as their personal cellphones. This is really true of people in Asia, especially in places like Japan. Too much discretionary income.

[d.perel]

Interesting thought here, can the ROKR and the new iTunes Razr andle AAC ringtones? I'm intrigued on it. Would make sense given loads of phones can handle MP3 tones, and these too include Apples DRM.
This roadblock must be exactly why the feature was cancelled. Any content from the iTunes Music Store would have Apple DRM to get to record company approval. Most phones cannot support this DRM, or any, for that matter with respect to ringtones. Therefore, Apple would have to sell ringtones without DRM, opening the closed system to a world of non-Apple peripherals. This would then make consumers wonder why this same principle would not apply to regular songs, in effect bringing down the whole ITMS system. Whew, good thing that isn't happening...;)

[generik]

The same people who whittle away their time putting digital santa hats on their avatars. :p

People don't seem to mind spending $3 on something they cherish so much as their personal cellphones. This is really true of people in Asia, especially in places like Japan. Too much discretionary income.

Wait a sec.. you mean that santa hat is not originally in the photo?

Wow... that is some good Photoshop skill.

[xsnightclub]

It is a bummer that I can't make ringtones from stuff i have bought from Apple unless i burn a cd... bummer

Its actually quite simple:
-open Quicktime.
-select New Audio Recording under the File menu.
-select Built-In Audio Internal Microphone under the Recording menu in Prefrences.
-Press the Record button in your new Quicktime window while your audio selection is playing.
-Export to 3G or convert it to an MP3 if your phone can't take 3G

(Note: if you want your phone to tell you who is calling, open Text Edit type in what you want your phone to say, and record the computer voice of your choice)

[obeygiant]

It's unclear why the feature was cancelled.


prolly cuz they realized that rigntones are a total waste of time and money

[winmacguy]

It's much more fun having them vibrate in rude places anyhow :p
That depends on which pocket you have yours in....;)

[EricNau]

It's unclear why the feature was cancelled.


prolly cuz they realized that rigntones are a total waste of time and money
Tell that to the millions of people who buy ringtones. :rolleyes:

[Goliath]

As others have mentioned Ringtone sales are a multi billion dollar industry- which is why Jamster in the UK could afford to spend £40million in less than 3 weeks advertising the "Crazy Frog" ringtone on all TV channels and print! Their advertising spend was more in that month than Tesco- the UK's largest advertiser and whose sales top £20billion anually

There is NO WAY Apple will be allowed to undermine and kill such a lucrative market- not if they want to face the backlash of the media, content providers, advertisers, distribution channels or any one that has their grubby little fingers in that particular pie!!!

I can make my own ringtones, wallpapers, mobile videos etc and for free and no one is stopping me- but I am not your average joe that still scratches their head when you mention "bluetooth" or resizing pictures or mp3, a.a.c

Luckily in the UK and Europe our phones aren't crippled to suit the phone companies- I find it hard to believe that this is the case in the US. So much for the "land of the free"

YOU GUYS NEED TO FIGHT BACK!!!!!!

[iMeowbot]

I make my own ringtones from garageband
Yep, that's why this rumor reeks of BS, iLife can already do that if the handset allows it... Any software like this to come from Apple would be bundled with some sort of Apple branded phone to ensure customer lock in, following the iPod model.

[Mechcozmo]

Gotta love the MP3 feature on my SE 710a. I just go pick out my favorite song in iTunes, snip it up a bit and transfer via bluetooth. Nice, free and easy.

jon

Takes a while to transfer that kind of stuff via BT though, doesn't it?

$10 says greed is involved in some form or another. *coughs*RIAA*coughs*
$10 is how much they were going to charge.
:rolleyes:

[LethalWolfe]

You can thank the RIAA for that.

Or the people that feel they are entitled to take whatever they want from whomever they want. Your choice. But that feature of iTunes was active until it was hacked and abused so obviously the RIAA wasn't opposed to the feature if used as intended.


Lethal

[sluthy]

Dunno whether this is good or bad:

Good: I really really hate the intrusive annoying ringtone market making the public believe it is cool to have the likes of the Crazy Frog on EVERY phone in the world

Bad: that very market is making a *****load of money, which given the success and exposure (and target market) of the iTMS would have lined Apple's pocket quite well.

Oh well. Good for society and Apple's image, bad for Apple's bottom line.

[jliechty]

I'm sorry, but phones are supposed to ring.....

If upon receiving a call.....your phone plays a song, then you my friend are a douchebag....plain and simple.........

Now, ringbacks on the other hand........

[ATone]

somebody thought about this being some part of the "vingle-patent" mentioned in early october...?

[iMeowbot]

somebody thought about this being some part of the "vingle-patent" mentioned in early october...?
There are three Vingle applications on file so far. (1 (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78728939) 2 (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78728964) 3 (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78728980)). Whatever the branding weirdos at Apple have in mind, it looks a lot bigger than ring tones!

[zv470]

All but one. I want a sound bite of Majel Barrett Roddenberry saying "Incoming subspace Communication" with a good 4 seconds of silence afterwards so it doesn't repeat over and over and over again immediately.

*shrugs*
Its a geek thing.:D

well true. :)
I wonder what ever happend to the Startrek communicator based cell phones? There was a company that was going to make them. I can't remember who. :)

[ASP272]

There are already too many products to be released within the timeframe of the keynote. ;) Intel iBooks, PowerBooks, Mac mini PVRs, iLife '06 incl. Front Row 2.0, iWork '06, new displays, iPod stuff... ;) :cool:
Let's hope we get a keynote that spectacular! Especially the Mac mini PVRs, that would be awesome! :D

[Platform]

Let's hope we get a keynote that spectacular! Especially the Mac mini PVRs, that would be awesome! :D

Yeah..go mini...

Anyway, why not, sounds good to me :D

[1984]

Wow, $3 billion a year? What's wrong with the regular "ring ring" sound that phones are supposed to make? And who in their right mind spends $3 on a 30 second clip from a second rate pop song?

One Billion idiots?

[~Shard~]

Let's hope we get a keynote that spectacular! Especially the Mac mini PVRs, that would be awesome! :D

That would be amazing, but I almost wonder if it's still just a bit too soon. Guess we'll find out in a few weeks!

[Uragon]

Perhaps Apple has come up with something better than ringtones. :eek: :confused: :cool:


iPhone.... by tuesday....

[gauriemma]

ring tones are annoying. bleah.

I'd like a ringtone that sounds like a phone ringing. Surprisingly, that's the ONE choice my phone didn't come with...

[obeygiant]

It's unclear why the feature was cancelled.


prolly cuz they realized that rigntones are a total waste of time and money

Tell that to the millions of people who buy ringtones. :rolleyes:



*ahem*

Millions of people who buy ring tones..

you are totally wasting your time and money.

http://www.interflop.com/forums/nusmi/run.gif

[maya]

Well don't have a mobile, and even if I did these ring tones would not interest me as I would place mine on vibrate. ;) :)

[Super Dave]

This news is purely designed to get folks away from the REAL stuff happening at MWSF2006..

A purposefully designed news story to try and deflect the rampant rumors surrounding MacWorld.
In otherwords ....It was planted by Apple..

Agreed. Expect more.

David :cool:

[Super Dave]

One Billion idiots?

There's actually 6.5 billion idiots (http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/worldpop.html). Only one billion of us have cell phones though. ;)

David :cool:

[fluidinclusion]

There are three Vingle applications on file so far. (1 (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78728939) 2 (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78728964) 3 (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78728980)). Whatever the branding weirdos at Apple have in mind, it looks a lot bigger than ring tones!

Nah, it means video jingle. For cells with video phone.

Or for iChat Video when it is coupled with broadband phone in 2006. you get a video jingle (like a ringtone) when someone calls you via iChat.

[dernhelm]

It's unclear why the feature was cancelled.

It's also unclear why anyone would actually PAY for a ringtone in the first place - there's no accounting for taste. :D

[dernhelm]

There are already too many products to be released within the timeframe of the keynote. ;) Intel iBooks, PowerBooks, Mac mini PVRs, iLife '06 incl. Front Row 2.0, iWork '06, new displays, iPod stuff... ;) :cool:

Careful! You are setting yourself up for disappointment! :(

[manu chao]

Thank goodness, because scientists have recently developed an even-better, truly amazing ring technology!

The way it works is this: your phone rings, but no sound comes out! Instead, you "feel" the ring. Pyschic phone? Not exactly, it's a vibration produced by the phone, so only the person wearing it or very close to it feels the vibration. It's like a vibrating pager... only it's a PHONE! Seriously, there are products in the market today that have this exciting option.

The benefits:

* You don't have to bother everyone in the room with your noise. Common courtesy comes to the digital age! Imagine a day when people can get calls in a restaurant or movie theater and nobody else has to hear the racket!

The downside:

* You can't show off that you are so cool and own a mobile phone ;) No more joy of seeing everyone's heads turn, and imagining how much you are impressing them.


Pulls plug on sarcasm machine. It was starting to overheat.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

But I can tell you about an example of even more intelligence at work in using a cell phone:

I have an office mate whose phone rings several times a day while he is away and most conveniently his cell phone, which is usually placed on his desk, almost always rings right after =every unsuccessfull attempt to reach him on his office phone, getting louder with every ring, almost bursting your ears towards the end.

[~Shard~]

Careful! You are setting yourself up for disappointment! :(

No need to worry about me.... ;)

[itsa]

ring tones?... that like so... old school!

[~Shard~]

ring tones?... that like so... old school!

I wouldn't know, I don't even own a cell phone... :eek: :o

[dantec]

the register.co.uk = complete bull*hit!

always has... always will be...

ARN MOVE THIS TO PAGE 2 !

[Super Dave]

Nah, it means video jingle. For cells with video phone.

Or for iChat Video when it is coupled with broadband phone in 2006. you get a video jingle (like a ringtone) when someone calls you via iChat.

While I'm impressed with your confidence, have you any evidence?

David :cool:

[Lacero]

the register.co.uk = complete bull*hit!

always has... always will be...

ARN MOVE THIS TO PAGE 2 !
Erm.......................... v v
37081

[iMeowbot]

Nah, it means video jingle.
The "common" meaning (not that the word was especially common), since before Apple picked up on it, has been video single (paid videos by way of disc or download).
For cells with video phone.
Meh. The trademark applications (take a peek at 'em) really, really, really point toward an interactive service with a feature set very much like that expected for the Viacom Urge thingmabob (not to imply that Apple would be joining them, but perhaps competing).
Or for iChat Video when it is coupled with broadband phone in 2006. you get a video jingle (like a ringtone) when someone calls you via iChat.
I think that a new Apple keyboard with tiny self-resetting mousetrap mechanisms on every button would be more welcome.

[CmdrLaForge]

I never understood why the kids want to change their ringtones. Anyway - what I even understood less is why they are not making them on their own. When I was young we did everything on our own (made music with my Commodore 64 :p )

[~Shard~]

I never understood why the kids want to change their ringtones. Anyway - what I even understood less is why they are not making them on their own. When I was young we did everything on our own (made music with my Commodore 64 :p )

Good point, I know what you mean, I was the same way - are "kids these days" just getting lazy? :p ;)

[Super Dave]

Good point, I know what you mean, I was the same way - are "kids these days" just getting lazy? :p ;)

No, just rich. Annoying ringtones are the price of the opulence of the west. Whoot!

David :cool:

[~Shard~]

No, just rich. Annoying ringtones are the price of the opulence of the west. Whoot!

David :cool:

Gotcha - that makes sense. ;)

[electronboy]

who cares? I am much more concerned about apple dumping firewire on new PowerBooks and using the universal slow bus 2.0 instead.

[Doozy]

Headline feature? Integration with GarageBand and Flickr? I just don't get it.

First off, ringtones as a major feature? Doesn't make sense, or they've somehow revolutionized a ring. Right.

GarageBand, alright, but Flickr? What in the world does Flickr have to do with ringtones?
-Chase

My thoughts exactly, maybe Flickr was being used to show a picture of the person calliing, but I would think access would be to slow. I am intrested in hearing how they would integrate.

Anyway, I hate annoying ringtones, I use the one closest to an old style ring. Well I do have one of my buddies incoming calls access the seinfeld theme for one of my ring tones.