Make your own ringtones on AT&T
AT&T today announced two enhancements to its AT&T Mobile Music service that will let users use music to customize their cell phones. With mSpot's Make-Ur-Tones (couldn't they have come up with a better name?), AT&T customers can create their own ringtones using an application downloaded to their cell phone. While that in itself is hardly new, the application gives aspiring musicians a lot more freedom than you might expect. Instead of just offering a selection of Midi tones, users will be able to download an actual music track and then cut their favorite portion for a 30-second ringtone. Of course, there will be a fee involved. Make-Ur-Tones is available will require a monthly subscription of $6.99 for three ringtones, with additional ringtones costing $2.99 each.
Remix, also from mSpot, will let you use your handset and AT&T's network to access music saved on your PC. Not only can you play songs using the Remix player, but also the track download to your handset's memory card. At $9.99 per month Remix is more expensive than Make-UR-Tones, but you'll be able to download 75 songs. If you go past your amount, you can can get a "Remix booster pack" for $2.99, which will give you 10 additional song downloads.
Though the two services each accomplish something pretty nifty, we're not fans of the subscription model. Charging $7 to $10 per month is a bit steep and we don't like how it locks you into a set number of transactions (use it or lose it!). Here's hoping that AT&T also comes up with a purely a la carte mode. Also, the services won't be available on the same selection of AT&T phones, which is rather odd. While Make-Ur-Tones will work on the Samsung Sync SGH-A707, Samsung SGH-737, Samsung SGH-A747, and Motorola V3xx, Remix will be available only on the Samsung Sync SGH-A707, Samsung SGH-A737, and LG Shine CU720.
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent.
http://www.pdaaccessories.com/at-t-cellphone-accessories.asp