iPhone ringtones will cost you

[beachtrader]

http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9736272-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

MacRumors has confirmed that the forthcoming version of iTunes will contain a built-in ringtone creation utility for songs purchased via the iTunes Music Store. Users will be able to right-click on purchased songs and select "Make into Ringtone," which will give them a small audio workspace to select the 30 seconds they want to use as a new ringtone. According to MacRumors, the use of this feature will cost $.99 per track--a fee which goes toward licensing the music for your mobile phone. That means the total fee for a ringtone is $1.98.

There's no confirmation of whether users will be able to use this feature on music ripped from CDs or other DRM-free tracks.

All things considered, this isn't a bad price for a ringtone. However, for many mobile phone users, iTunes has long been a fairly simple way to convert music tracks into mobile ringtones using its importing tool. It's been confirmed that the iPhone won't play your full music tracks as ringtones.

iTunes 7.3 will be required for both activation and sync of the iPhone. Apple is expected to release the updated software Friday morning.

 

[bruckwine]

LOL... money money money!

 

[beachtrader]

This makes sense as Apple is now the 3rd largest retailer of music.

 

[bruckwine]

No doubt, no doubt. The king is dead, long live the king.

 

[Pearl_Diva]

I use my own MP3s as ringtones all the time and so do many others. I don't know why iPhone insists on such restrictions! This makes it LESS user friendly.

 

[oalvarez]

agreed...but have you ever heard of iTunes?

those people who have probably care less.

 

[Pearl_Diva]

I have iPods and iTunes, and STILL use my own ringtones! Now what?

 

[oalvarez]

wait and see!

no one is forcing you to buy it

 

[bruckwine]

All I can say is that the iPhone seems like for some it'll be more addictive than any known drug...and it looks like it'll cost as much to keep the habit!

 

[oalvarez]

but it will be less costly than buying countless third party programs and rom customizations to get the device to do what you want it to do.

the iPhone buyer will care nothing about those things.

i'd say that the Treo user has the real bad habit.

 

[bruckwine]

but it will be less costly than buying countless third party programs and rom customizations to get the device to do what you want it to do.

the iPhone buyer will care nothing about those things.

i'd say that the Treo user has the real bad habit.

depends on who they wre e.g. past smartphone owners or past "razr category" owners..
As to cost...well, SOME ppl will have paid more for their treo aps than others (some won't have paid at all )...but once again it's still choice rather than necessity. And you can get plenty treo apps (and games) for the cost of one month of iPhone service.

 

[oalvarez]

"Treo Apps and Games"

has it ever occurred to you that the iPhone buyer may not care about those apps?

this is why many have started to abandon the Treo...they don't need it, they don't need the headaches. there is a marketplace for that.

 

[dutchtrumpet]

with the price of ringo, callfilter and lightwave, I could of bought quite a few itunes ring tones. Also there is no official word on using your own itunes library with a possible itunes tool for ringtone creation.

 

[MacUser]

depends on who they wre e.g. past smartphone owners or past "razr category" owners..
As to cost...well, SOME ppl will have paid more for their treo aps than others (some won't have paid at all )...but once again it's still choice rather than necessity. And you can get plenty treo apps (and games) for the cost of one month of iPhone service.

My iPhone service will be $5 cheaper than I'm paying now...

And, I guess if having a stable Treo is a choice, then you don't have to buy the 3rd party apps/utilities to get it to "work". For me, I didn't feel like I had a choice...cha'ching.

 

[JNGold]

And you can get plenty treo apps (and games) for the cost of one month of iPhone service.

If you have a Treo you need a voice and data plan - no matter who what service you have. The ATT plans are pretty darn cost effective. For 60 bucks a month 450 mins and unlimited data is pertty good.

Even if you have a basic 29.99 voice plan and lets say 20.00 unlimited data plan. That's 50 bucks right there, and that doesn't include any included text messaging options. Not much money left for Treo applications that usually range anywhere from $5 to $25 bucks per app.

 

[Pearl_Diva]

I have to say that the restrictions are adding up enough to make me UNaddicted real quick!

$600 GSM phones are usually free of restrictions.

 

[Pearl_Diva]

with the price of ringo, callfilter and lightwave, I could of bought quite a few itunes ring tones. Also there is no official word on using your own itunes library with a possible itunes tool for ringtone creation.

Speaking of call filtering, is there something to avoid unwanted callers for the iPhone? If not, it's a 3rd party app requirement. As with most phones.

 

[oalvarez]

great! one less device for you to worry about!

 

[bruckwine]

"Treo Apps and Games"

has it ever occurred to you that the iPhone buyer may not care about those apps?

this is why many have started to abandon the Treo...they don't need it, they don't need the headaches. there is a marketplace for that.

Once again it depends on who the buyer is doesn't it? My wife loves her nokia 6101..one of the reasons - she can play tetris whenever she's bored. She is the perfect example of a mass consumer (lol hope she doesn't ever read this)...she doesn't give a hoot that I can watch movies or read books on my phone. She just makes calls... she would not even notice the GUI on the iPhone (she hasn't so far) except that she'd have no choice but to swish to get things done and so not ALL mass consumers are attracted to it - how many ppl liek that exist? Prolly most of the folks who DO go for this thing are like us who love their techie toys - apart from that the fanboys will just go for it cuz Jobs said so and it will be exclusive and an iExperience.

OTOH I wasn't too far from this mass consumer profile say 2 yrs ago. I had my laptop so why do I need a smartphone that costs $800 US?? But the prices dropped I tried and I love it! Apps galore, customisation etc. - paradise despite theoccasional hiccup.

Now say I go for the experience and GUI on the iPhone...sweet but after a while everything gets bland I suspect I will miss the functionality(I've been using OS X since inception and nowadays I don't even notice the difference when I switch to my windows laptop - i just go on either system and do work).

This is because despite what apple offers from what I can see it is a more glossy expensive way to do what I do now and LESS. I can drive a benz or a toyota...once they don't break down on me and I get the same place they function no? But one has a DVD player but a cooler exterior, in addition the other also has GPS, FM, sirius, etc though it's nice but nto as nice on the exterior (plain normal as a matter of fact).

Personally I think I'd miss the one with more options despite them both working to do the main purpose..but that's just me.

And once more I don't discount the GUI Apple brings and personally I hope other companies adadpt similar strategies - can only be good for all. but it doesn't negate the fact I think the iPhone is missing a lot.

Hooray for the mass consumer who buys it and reaches nirvana but I'll wit on version 3 which i suspect will converge even more into the type of device I have already, but with prettier GUI.

 

[bruckwine]

If you have a Treo you need a voice and data plan - no matter who what service you have. The ATT plans are pretty darn cost effective. For 60 bucks a month 450 mins and unlimited data is pertty good.

Even if you have a basic 29.99 voice plan and lets say 20.00 unlimited data plan. That's 50 bucks right there, and that doesn't include any included text messaging options. Not much money left for Treo applications that usually range anywhere from $5 to $25 bucks per app.

A lot of treo apps are also FREE..and depending on what you want that means you could get ten apps for $5 or 2 for $25 each...but there is choice and customisation isn't there? And that is in addition to the built in apps that cover all teh phone and PDA functions. My point...I would be so much less critical if the iPhone OS was an open platform (as OS X is and I love OS X..and windows ) - the security concern was bogus and even the experts agree. Just an excuse to control ppl's experiences (and wallets) imo.