A tiny company called Xingtone on Thursday said it has developed technology to enable users to load digital songs onto cellphones for the first time, but admits the software may hit a sour note with the embattled music industry. The software converts MP3 files, onto wireless phones, which would take the current ring-tone phenomenon one step beyond providing the robotic sounding renditions of tunes currently playing on phones.

It is no surprise that some recording executives said Xingtone's service, offered without any licensing from the labels, appeared to be encouraging yet another form of digital piracy. "It's much easier for them to license the content and sell it legitimately, than to encourage thievery," said Jay Samit, president of digital distribution for EMI Recorded Music.

Brad Zutaut, one of the developers, said 3,000 people have already used the service, launched a few weeks ago at http://www.xingtone.com The company said phones made by Sanyo and Samsung on the Sprint PCS Group PCS.N network already enable users to add MP3 songs to their phones and that other carriers and phones are in the process of being added to the service. Currently, wireless carriers limit clips to 30 seconds, but as soon as carriers open this restriction, Xingtone said it has the capability to send entire songs to cellphones. In addition the software is reported to be able to send a MP3 file to anyone whose cell number you know.

Let freedom ring!!!

eh music on a cell phone?
A little too much of a novelty. I'd stick to just a dedicated player.

same here, but it's still one of those cool 'hey look what MY phone can do' sort of things...

Noooo... I've only just recovered from the Polyphonic ring tones of the Samsung T100. I just want to be able to call people.

Playing one song will probably kill the battery lol

*XING*tone?

Dont I suffer enough whenever I hear Eminem playing from someones pocket? Now I have to hear the words too

The actions of the cell phone companys will be important here. Many of them dont like users entering their own tones because it ruins any potential profit for them. Thats why not all phones will let users enter tones via the keypad. Its more profitable for the networks if tones have to be sent through a text message, and when the networks are doing well so are the handset manufacturers, in terms of bundled "buy the latest phone dirt cheap if you accept a one-year contract" deals. So the capabilites of phones will vary greatly between manufactuers. Some may allow users to transfer MP3 files via infrared, serial or MMC. Some may allow users to transfer mp3s, but only for a fee. Others may not let people transfer their MP3s at all, and only accept tones from approved sources.

The Xingtone free music page appears to be "temporarily down". Boy, it doesn't take the RIAA Gestapo long to suppress technology does it? Maybe they should re-read that part in the Constitution about PROMOTING THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE that they so proudly display on their website.

Xingtone should take a pro-active approach now and encourage indies to send them as much music as possible to load up on their pages. They could even create things like contests for the most active indie downloads. I'm sure they have a few free phones to give away.

They will allow MP3's on phones...they can make money off of that.

How? The user points the IR port at his computer and sends over a file, or connects a USB lead? A nice idea, but wheres the money in that? More likely the phones will play MP3 files, but only if they are uploaded via a multimedia message. Which means every time someone wants to change ring tone, the network gets a little more cash. Or why not go one further, and only accept ringtones from authorised ringtone sellers, who pay a per-sale fee to the network or phone manufacturer?

Where do these idiots come from?:

"It's much easier for them to license the content and sell it legitimately, than to encourage thievery," said Jay Samit, president of digital distribution for EMI Recorded Music.

First off, transferring mp3's you legally own is fair use and completely legal. Yes, you would like to have IBM's "Business Time machine" but I'm afraid that was just a commercial. It's too late, you have lost, you can't put the cat back in the bag, and you don't even realize it. Consumers have rights too.

Second, Jay, assuming your perfect world existed (I would have to check with/pay you every time I displayed, listened to, updated, copied, or otherwise accessed a copyrighted work and Xingtone had to license their content shifting technology) Why would it be easier for Xingtone to license the content? Today they do nothing, to license it they have to strip any useful features and bend over for you to *************. That was a really impressive response for the president of digital distribution at one of the largest record labels in the world. It really shows your technology depth.

BTW, anyone know how much money copyright owners got last year from crappy sounding ring tones? Give up? $71,000,000 Search www.theregister.com for the story

Ugh.. it's bad enough EVERYONE has a cell phone, but now there will be music? The general public's taste in music sucks as it is, I mean look at the Billboard Top 40.. all shit. Now I gotta hear this shit rap music everywhere I go on god damn cell phones? I like the idea of pissing off the labels, but I think we've reached a point where technology is so good, people have lost taste in what to use it for.