Israeli video ringtone company Vringo just announced that they're opening a US office. I haven't tried this app — it's in private beta. It sounds pretty cool though. With Vringo you will be able to share video ringtones. Available later this year, according to the press release.
How easy is it going to be play those ringtones, though? After all, although more and more phones are arriving which are video capable, the stranglehold which carriers have on distribution and content means you may not actually be able to get the phone you want. The open access proposal in front of the FCC would address that, but you can expect the incumbents to fight it as hard as possible.
It begs the question: as mobile innovators continue to crank out new products, where will they sell them?
It boggles the mind, and cries out for a firm hand on the wheel to reform the wireless business.
Google has launched an antitrust complaint alleging that Microsoft's decision to incorporate desktop search into Windows Vista is anti-competitive. Their issue?
"The search boxes built throughout Vista are hard-wired to Microsoft's own desktop search product," said Google's Ricardo Reyes, "with no way for users to choose an alternate provider from these visible search access points. Likewise, Vista makes it impractical to turn off Microsoft's search index."
Having used Vista and Office 2007 for a few months now, I feel pretty confident in saying that search belongs in the operating system for two reasons:
- In a world where gigabyte email boxes, and terabyte disk storage are both becoming the norm, it's simply impractical to rely on folder and file paradigms to find the information you want. How many times have you seen otherwise intelligent people claim that the computer "ate" their files when they have simply forgotten where the file was stored? It's common. Desktop search is simply a better user experience. More importantly, however, integrated desktop search is a better experience than the add-on model used before Vista shipped.
- Integrated search is a "price of entry" feature in the OS. Macintosh already had it. To stay competitive, Microsoft needed to provide it.
I haven't used Google Desktop Search since shortly after Microsoft's own desktop search became available a couple of years ago. Why? The Microsoft experience, including the installable filters and a better screen layout, was simply better. When it became integrated with the OS the Microsoft search tool took an even bigger leap forward.
Google should be focusing on improving their own tools, rather than antitrust. Google is barking up the wrong tree.
UPDATE: WSJ Article (behind firewall)
