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.
Alec Saunders is the Vice President of Developer Relations for BlackBerry make Research in Motion. This is his personal blog, with his personal viewpoints. Prior to this Alec was the CEO and co-founder of Calliflower — the easiest way to hold a meeting, online, on a conference call, or on the go. A double-decade veteran of product management and marketing, he spent nine years at Microsoft where he helped launch Windows 95, the first two versions of Internet Explorer, the Universal Plug and Play initiative, the push into home markets, opt-in email marketing and what might well go down in history as the very first direct email list ever.
