(Credit: DJ Nitrogen)Industrious cell phone users can always create their own ringtones, and lazy ones can buy them packaged. Sharetones 1.0 beta for Android, released to the Android Market on Tuesday, falls somewhere in between.
The premise is simple, but intriguingly computational. You create ringtones from songs you already own on your phone. Instead of asking you to do the tedious editing legwork, Sharetones will send your songs to a database of over 65,000 tones and return several options that someone else has created. One ringtone may capture the intro instrumentals; another may clip the chorus.
The key here is that Sharetones isn't shuttling any actual files to and fro. It's sending a musical 'recipe' based off of another user's edit, which tells your song where to start and end to form the ringtone. Once Sharetones receives the timestamp instructions, it will rip a ringtone from your own file on the fly--including fade-ins and fade-outs--and will save it as a separate MP3. It will save the metadata 'recipe,' too.
Since Sharetones deals in formulas rather than files, it can duck the usual legal tar pits of ownership, licensing, and fair use. But that doesn't mean Sharetones is free. It's still providing the service of quickly carving out a ringtone for your use. The app won't charge a thing on Android throughout the beta period, but after that it'll cost you $1.49 for 3 recipes, $2.49 for unlimited use for a month, or 7.49 for unlimited use for a year.
Interface and performance
The application's actual interface is a little sparse. It looks through your library at first launch, displaying how many available ringtones there are for each positively-matched song (remember that ringtone formulas are user-created). You can preview the ringtone, pausing or saving it. The menu button reveals options to sort by title or artist, to re-sync the library, and to view the ringtone, alarm, and notifications library. There is, however, no built-in ringtone editor and no album art. There's also no arrow navigation to scroll forward or backward on the preview screen through ringtone options, nor a way to tag favorite matches from a deep results list.
Those with a little more time on their hands can create ringtone recipes through the Sharetones plug-ins in Audacity or Songbird (links below). Alternatively, Ringdroid is an easy way to make free ringtones yourself.
Sharetones' music-matching is certainly an interesting idea. It might even be one some users are willing to pay for, especially those looking to acquire ringtones in bulk. The interface could use some polish, and we'd like to see a way for users to contribute new ringtones directly from their phones. An incentive program would be even better, where the author of a new ringtone recipe can download a different tone for free.
Sharetones is available now in the Android Marketplace for Android phones running version 1.1 of the operating system or higher. It has been tested for U.S. users, but should work elsewhere. Sharetones is expected to arrive for Windows Mobile and BlackBerry within a few months.
Note: We tested Sharetones on a T-Mobile G1 running version 1.5 of the Android operating system.
Related software
Sharetones for Windows
Sharetones for iPhone
Audacity 1.2.6 (Windows)
Audacity 1.3.7 beta (Windows| Mac)
Songbird browser (Windows| Mac)
Jasmine and Donald bring the Sony X-Series Walkman into the studio for some hands-on analysis. Creative shows signs of life with an FCC filing for a new touch screen portable media player. Apple laughs all the way to the bank.
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Click the pic to be taken to Creative's Web site.
The image above pretty much says it all. Creative Labs is celebrating Christmas in July with deep discounts on everything from headsets to sound cards to MP3 players. It seems like nearly every gadget is on sale, with varying levels of "instant savings," but the big news to me is the 16GB Zen Mozaic for just $110. That's the cheapest I've seen for an MP3 player with that much memory, and the Mozaic is certainly no slouch in the features or sound quality department. For more information on this device, check out the full review at CNET Reviews.
Meet the backs of the Creative Zii and the developer-edition Zii Egg.
(Credit: FCC)A filing with the FCC offers some evidence that Creative has a new touch-screen portable media player in the works. Named after the system-on-a-chip processor Creative showed off during CES 2009, the Zii (and the developer-only Zii EGG) include music and video playback capabilities, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and an HD camera on the back.
Little else about the player is revealed in the FCC filing, but it's pretty easy to connect the dots and see that Creative is playing catchup with Apple's iPod Touch. Creative is no stranger to playing second fiddle to Apple, but the company has no precedent when it comes to working with developers to create mobile applications (as the developer-edition Zii EGG model suggests).
Some speculate that the Zii will run on Google's Android OS, taking advantage of an established developer community. If so, Android seems to be iPod-killer OS of choice these days, as Sony has also announced plans to use Android in future versions of their Walkman line.
(Via EpiZENter)
X-Series Walkman takes on the Samsung P3
Q: I am finally ready to cross that bridge and get me a touch-screen player. I wanted to know your expert opinion on the Samsung P3 and the Sony Walkman X-Series. I purchase all my music from Napster, Amazon and some from Rhapsody. I use Window Media Player 11, so I need a player that is compatible with that. Please let me know what you think. -- bensworld411, via e-mail
A: Although I've only used a preproduction sample of the X-Series Walkman, I can tell you that I favor it over the Samsung P3. Granted, the X-Series is quite a bit pricier, but I personally prefer the onscreen interface and touch-screen implementation (though the P3's is certainly flashy). I also straight-up love the fact that the Walkman has tactile buttons on the top for controlling playback (say, while you have the player in your pocket). Both devices will work equally well with the system you use for music, and both offer excellent sound quality.
Really, I would narrow it down to two things: price and whether you prefer Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. If you want a cheaper device that includes the ability to sync up Bluetooth headphones, go with the P3. If you want something with a slicker interface that has Wi-Fi and built-in Slacker capability (free music!), go with the Walkman. Better yet, if you can hold off a few more days, I'm expecting a retail unit of the X-Series to be delivered to my desk tomorrow, which means we'll have a full review up for you very soon.
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Can't take the sweat? Get out of the gym.
(Credit: CBS Interactive/Corinne Schulze)Update: W-Series Walkman owners experiencing an issue with their players can visit the Sony help site for more information. It appears the issue is only affecting devices within a certain serial number range, so not all products should have the problem.
Original post: The Sony W-Series Walkman is an MP3 player built into a set of earbuds, which feature modules resembling Bluetooth headsets connected by a flexible neckband that loops over the back of the ears and behind the head. The design is undeniably innovative, and the player's ultralight weight and lack of headphone wires does appear to make it ideal for active applications. And in fact, I found this Walkman to be quite handy at the gym during my testing for the review. However, several Sony customers have logged complaints that the device isn't actually sweat-resistant, a rather important feature for any fitness-friendly gadget.
The main complaint is that the Walkman has a tendency to short out after just one or two particularly sweaty workouts. Volume gets wonky, or the music just refuses to play back altogether. In some cases, the player's Zappin feature will turn on and off on its own. Although our review unit did not suffer from such problems, and not all users have experienced the issue, there has been enough negative feedback to warrant a response from Sony, which is just what I solicited after receiving a couple of e-mails on the topic. Below is the company's reply...rather canned, if you ask me, but at least it's something.
Sony makes every effort to ensure that its products not only meet its own strict quality standards, but also support a positive customer experience.
Recently, there have been comments made about the W series Walkman (NWZ-W202), which has been available for purchase in the US and Europe since April 2009. These comments involved a small number of W series Walkmans reportedly malfunctioning following exposure to sweat or other liquids.
We take all customer feedback seriously, so we have implemented additional safeguards to promote sweat/moisture resistance. We are confident that these measures will ensure all W series Walkman models support increased customer satisfaction and meet our high quality standards.
Sony will provide information for contacting Sony Customer Support and replacement unit availability by Tuesday, June 30. We sincerely apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.
Sony promised to supply me with a customer support link as soon as it is up and running. I will post that here when I receive it.
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Apple's iPod Touch is one of highest-rated MP3 players on CNET, but it's also one of the most expensive, starting at $230. That's a lot of money to drop on an MP3 player, especially when a touch-screen competitor like the Samsung P3 delivers many of the same features as the Touch for about $80 less. The price difference is dramatic, but it's unclear whether the Touch is suffering from an inflated ego, or if the P3's price is too good to be true.
To determine which of these touch-screen, music- and video-playing portable beauties is really worth your time and money, we've subjected each device to five rounds of criticism from three of our toughest judges. So let's stretch those fingers, and break out the good headphones, because the battle of CNET's top touch-screen media players is about to begin.
Donald and Jasmine bow to listener pressures and dedicate (almost) an entire episode to Bluetooth. On deck: a description of A2DP Bluetooth technology in detail, some fascinating info about the iPod Touch/iPhone's partially crippled BT functionality, and product shout-outs for Bluetooth-capable headphones and MP3 players. Also, consider yourselves warned: the hosts spend several minutes discussing the ousted "porn" app that was released in the iTunes App Store last week (not overly explicit).
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Apple's iTunes software makes it dead-simple to copy music onto your iPod, but when it comes to moving files in the opposite direction--from the iPod to your computer--there's no obvious solution. I get an e-mail on this topic at least once a week, usually from someone who's had his laptop stolen or watched helplessly as his hard drive crashed. After an incident like that, it can be a relief to know your music collection (or at least part of it) is backed up on an iPod.
Of course, relief can quickly turn to frustration when you plug that iPod into a new computer and can't figure out how to grab those files. Worse yet, iTunes will sometimes prompt you to erase the iPod if it's not recognized. Saying yes will only end in tears.
To be fair, iTunes isn't completely useless when it comes to pulling media off your iPod. Under the iTunes File menu, there's an option for "Transfer Purchases From iPod" that will work to pull any content purchased through the iTunes Store back to your computer. It's a nice place to start, but to get the rest of your content off your iPod, you'll need to download some additional software.
There are two very useful applications out there that will transfer the rest of your music, videos, playlists, and metadata off your iPod and back to your computer. In truth, there are dozens of programs that can accomplish the same thing, but for the sake of simplicity, we'll stick with these two since they're easy to use, and work with all models of iPods and iPhones.
Update: an updated version of Pod to PC (version 3.02) offers compatibility with iPhone OS 3.0 but requires a $9.95 activation fee. The original, free versions of the software outlined in our slideshow and video are still available using the Download.com links below, however, they are not compatible with iPhone OS 3.0.
Depending on the type of computer you're transferring to, download Pod to Mac or Pod to PC from Download.com. If you're looking to get photos off your iPod, go ahead and download Pod Photo Transfer (PC only), as well.
To see how the process works, CNET's Tom Merrit made a handy video that walks you through the steps for retrieving files from an iPhone. The process is identical for iPods, so don't feel left out when Tom says "iPhone"--just overdub it in your mind with the iPod model of your choice. For a few extra iPod media transfer tips, check out our CNET slideshow.
The MP3 CD is the awkward love-child of audio CDs and MP3 players--a missing link from an era when the cheapest iPod still cost $300 and portable CD players were still the norm. Still, the format never went gangbusters, even in its heyday.
These days, even though MP3 CDs can be played on many recent models of DVD players, bookshelf audio systems, portable CD players, and aftermarket car stereos, most people are still pretty clueless about the format. It's really too bad, since the MP3/CD hybrid offers some practical advantages over standalone MP3 players like the iPod (no charging, easy to replace, no expensive cables to worry about).
Making an MP3 CD is easier than you think. All you need is a blank CD, a collection of MP3s, a computer with a writable CD drive, and five minutes. To see how it's done, check out my video tutorial and slideshow on burning your own MP3 CD.
Donald Bell is an electronic musician, a veteran record store employee, and a fearless hardware hacker. He's also CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 and digital audio.
Jasmine France is CNET's resident digital audio doyenne, writing and editing product reviews, crave blogs, and feature stories on all things MP3. And if you need advice on headphones, she's your girl.
