Verizon Wireless teams up with Facebook for Ringback Buddies
Ringback Buddies
(Credit: Verizon Wireless)If you're not a fan of the preloaded ringtones on your cell phone, Verizon Wireless is providing an alternative way to get more catchy tunes on your mobile. On the eve of CTIA Fall 2008, the carrier announced Ringback Buddies, a Facebook application that lets you browse, purchase, and manage ringtones and "jukeboxes" from the social networking site.
You can install the Ringback Buddies application by searching for the word "ringback" on Facebook, and from there you can do a number of things. First, you can see what songs your friends like or want, purchase them as ringback tones, and then assign them to your friends so they hear the track when they call you. There's also a Top 10 list of popular tones and jukeboxes (a group of tones) that you can preview or buy.
While free to add the app to your Facebook page, individual ringback tones are available from Verizon Wireless for an annual fee of $1.99 while prices vary for premade jukeboxes. In addition, there's a 99-cent monthly subscription for customers using ringback tones.
Bonnie Cha is a senior editor for CNET, covering smartphones and GPS. When she's not testing the latest gadgets, you can find her chasing after her crazy lab or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California. E-mail Bonnie.

