Boycott iTunes Ringtones.

Seriously. The Macalope's not starting a campaign or anything, but is this not the worst "feature" you've seen from Apple since the iTunes update that removed Internet streaming?

It's overpriced (the way it's implemented -- for iTunes-purchased tracks only -- it should be free), buggy and ultimately just another way to let the record companies screw you. And, frankly, no one wants to hear how clever you are in assigning Rick James' the Commodores' "She's A Brick House" to your wife's contact anyway.

Ringtones are to this decade as skins were to the previous decade.

UPDATE: If you must use ringtones, use iToner or Rogue Amoeba's tools. Don't pay again for part of a song you've already paid for.

[CurtisW-FL]

Shut the f*** up

Seriously! Where is the boycott against the wireless carriers that change $2.50 and more for ringtones.

So if it is Apple its is so freaking wrong and great injustie to the people.

When it is Verzion, its okay?

You are nothing but a f***king idiot shrill!

[Macalope]

Hey, they're both wrong!

Let's say someone charges you $1 and kicks you in the groin. Does that mean
that it's OK because the guy across the street charges $2.50?

Use iToner, use Rogue Amoeba's tools. Don't pay for a poorly implemented
system that charges you twice for the same song.

[sticks1839]

iToner equivalent for XP??

Is there a Windows XP equivalent of iToner that works with the updated iTunes? As far as I know Apple fixed the workarounds, considering I made several ringtones that appeared in my library, but wouldn't upload to the phone..

[sticks1839]

To an extent...

I'm with you on this boycott to the extent that it's silly for me to have to buy a song I already legally own if I want to use it as a ringtone. But don't get mad at the 99 cent price point. I'd gladly pay 99 cents for making ringtones (as said above, much cheaper than most carriers); however, Apple has to let us make them with any song we have in our library, or at least every song in the iTunes store. Out of 13 ringtones I wanted to make from my own songs, only 2 were ringtone capable and I would have had to buy them(creating a duplicate), then pay for the ringtone...

Worst part is I bought a song yesterday just to use part of it as a ringtone before I realized it wasn't on the short list of ringtone songs...

[jaberg]

Brick House

Rick James would say "she's a very kinky girl..." (Superfreak). "She's a brick
house" should be attributed to The Commodores and/or Lionel Richie.

And that pretty much exhausts my expertise in this genre.

Rgds!

[spamarriffic]

Good grief.

"Brick House" was done by The Commodores. :/

Also, @Curtis, I believe the word you're after is "shill." And it would still be
wrong. If the Macalope was an Apple shill, he'd be arguing that 99¢ isn't so bad,
and you should buy every rington you can get your hands on. Actually, the
person who sounds like an Apple shill is, well...you.

[Macalope]

The Macalope's antlers are hanging in shame

He should have known that it was the Commodores.

[sticks1839]

iToner equivalent for Windows XP??

Hey Macalope...you know of an iToner equivalent for Windows that works with the updated iTunes? I made a bunch of ringtones, only to find they won't upload to the phone.

Thanks Wise One

[DTNick]

not all Apple's fault, but...

I'm not going to blame Apple for the 99 cent fee for making ringtones out of
iTMS-purchased songs; I suspect that this is the RIAA's doing moreso. I can't
say I like it, but I doubt Apple was behind that. The selection, however, is lame,
lame, lame. Also, the service was buggy as hell when I used it. It's a nice UI for
creating ringtones, but it's not without its pitfalls.

[brett_x]

Roughly drafted has the answer

Do you want to know why Apple has to charge $.99 for ring tones? I did to, and
it appears Daniel at roughlydrafted.com has some insight.
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/TechQ307/Entries/
2007/9/14_Apples_iTunes_Ringtones_and_the_Complex_World_of_Copyright_La
w.html

[pauldwaite]

whatevs to ringtones

> And, frankly, no one wants to hear how clever you are in assigning Rick James' the Commodores' "She's A Brick House" to your wife's contact anyway.

See, that?s why I can?t get too fussed about it. Ringtones are a racket, but having songs instead of an actual ring is surely a cute novelty at best. I?m sure Apple?s built-in rings are just fine.

[chris2x]

Can't boycott

Sorry, to boycott something implies that you actually want it but are not buying
it out of protest. In this case... I don't want it.

[grovberg]

Who cares whose fault it is?

It really doesn't matter if it's Apple's fault or if the record companies forced
them to do it. It doesn't matter if others charge more. There is no basis for a
consumer, legal or logical, for you to pay for a song twice in order for it two
play in two different contexts on the same device. If you buy into it, you are
validating it as a reasonable thing to do. It's not reasonable, so don't buy into it.

If you think it sucks, you should not buy a single ringtone. Otherwise , your 99
cents is telling everyone involved that you think it's a great idea.

[ripragged]

Hey. I like that song.

Full agreement here. There seems to be an unannounced competition to see who can get the most irritating ring tone to play the loudest in the most congested area.

Airports, offices, and grocery stores (with Muskrat Love being piped in for good measure) are a cacophony of asinine electronic noises.

Anybody in any public gathering with You Shook Me (All Night Long) by AC/DC for a ringtone should be shot without trial.

Thank you.

[ripragged]

What the heck?

No HTML tags? Can't even say s#!7 if I have a mouthful?

I am depressed.

I'm going back over to my place to talk dirty in bold italics.