PhoneZoo is a new service that allows you to upload any audio file, clip out a part of that file for a cell phone ring tone and share that with other users. The company’s early investors include Tim Draper.
There are two things that are notable about the service; the first is that unlike some other lightweight services like this PhoneZoo actually works, the second is how the company handles use of copyrighted music.
PhoneZoo scores high on ease of use, users set the duration of the tone and drag a marker over the segment of an audio file they want to excerpt. Metadata for sharing can be provided, copyright status of the file is asked and with one click a link to download the ring tone is sent to your phone.
On the copyright question, PhoneZoo lists two types of ring tones available for sharing. Public domain files can be downloaded by anyone. Ringtones from copyrighted music can be listened to, discussed, searched for – but not downloaded until you upload a copy of the whole song yourself. It’s an interesting way to get around having PhoneZoo held responsible for copyright violations.
When you upload a copyrighted song, the ring tone creation tool opens with the same tone duration, title fields and excerpted section of your file as the ring tone you wanted to receive from some one else. You can then make any changes you want, for example you might like the section of a song someone has excerpted but want to extend it by 2 seconds to capture another couple of beats. I can imagine people enjoying that.
It’s all opt-in of course, there’s nothing enforcing any kind of copyright protection – no rights detection software apparently, for example. It’s an intriguing system. Best of all it’s relatively simple and it works.
The social element may or may not prove compelling. The company is working on a widget that would let you display your most recent or favorite ring tones on a social networking site. That could appeal to many people.
PhoneZoo received a variety of coverage when it launched yesterday. Oliver at MobileCrunch says there are many questions about the service’s viability that remain unanswered. Emily Turrettini at Textually thinks PhoneZoo is “fabulous.” Carlo at TechDirt says PhoneZoo is headed for an uphill battle in the legal department.
Time will tell whether ring tone sharing is something people want and whether the song upload requirement on copyrighted works will hold water.
this is a cool idea.. could be a hit among teen’s .. and more the legal issues.. better the publicity
There is a need for services like this. 3gforfree is okay but this sounds more promising and could actually support the community. With EVDO and data plans becoming more affordable these companies are coming up at the right time.
finally, i can get the extended guitar intro from journey on my phone. dreams do come true.
Being a music industry fella in a way (purely digital music however
– I find this a superb service, and the fact that it works smoothly is definitely cheering.
MYORMR from Faspay also works very nicely actually.
Next gen of music services has to evolve around the essential consumer needs, not around traditional music industry thinking.
Phonezoo joins the emerging movement of radical new models for music experience in the digital age.
yawn…most people will use this once, maybe twice and move on.
Hmm interesting, did some consulting for another company that has been doing this for much longer. They just recently received their first round of funding.
Company is http://www.myxertones.com
Here is the info on their funding:
http://home.bus...amp;newsLang=en
Mmmm…Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. But they might be able to establish licensing with the music industry and become like a Napster.
This service is great! I never purchase ring tones, but checked out MyNuMo when it came out. Trying PhoneZoo with my Sprint Samsung A920 worked like a charm… and working around Sprint has always been a pain. I think this is going to be a hit.
These sort of services have serious legal issues by hosting potentially tons of copyrighted content and allow people to share it etc.
Services such as http://www.tonethis.com avoid this liability and may actually give you more control by using a desktop application to accomplish the same thing.
I was able to download a copy of Green Day’s “American Idiot” ringtone without paying anything or even uploading anything. PhoneZoo is simply NOT checking the uploads to see if they are copyrighted.
SHAME ON YOU MR. DRAPER.
This is another attempt to rip off artists. There are legitimate companies giving independent artists the ability to upload and sell ringtones. They deserve the support of the venture community.
Let’s see how long these folks get away with another ‘Napster’.
Blake,
MyNuMo is now running on Sprint (as well as Verizon, Cingular, T-Mobile, and Dobson).
Bill
Apologies in advance if someone already covered this but PhoneZoo and other Consumer Initiated Media networks are going to contribute to a new bubble if they haven’t already. From user generated video and so on and on on on…
Revver comes to mind…
Note: USPTO made it legal to allow phone owners to unlock their phones. Coupled with Verizon’s recent news and other carrier’s walled gardens eventually disintegrating, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve got a deal with a carrier or not–not to say that it isn’t essential at the moment–you need a multi-tiered and multi-channel destination to address the array of consumer points of presence online and offline and in between.
CĂ©zanne Huq
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