Startup Unveils Tools to Build Phone Apps Across Platforms [PCWorld]
Ribbit, self-proclaimed as “Silicon Valley’s first phone company”, announces that it has designed an online platform that allows developers to create telephony applications that they can embed in their websites and existing web-based applications. Ribbit supports existing services like Skype and developers utilizing Ribbit’s technology will be able to record, send, and receive voicemail, as well as make and receive calls on both landlines and mobile. The paid monthly service will be open to consumers sometime next year.
Ringtone Market Comes to the End of its Crescendo [IHT]
The global ringtone market is reaching a peak, with the percentage of mobile subscribers buying a ringtone falling in much of Europe and holding steady in the U.S. over the past 12 months. Reasons include: 1) many handsets enabled users to create or record their own tunes; 2) record labels promoted “master ringtones” for the same price as knockoffs, but with higher royalty fees; and 3) iTunes began selling ringtones along with their 99-cent singles. Next up: Video ringers.
Mobile Games Revenues to Hit $6 Billion by 2011 [Newswire]
While gaming is not seen as a “killer application for mobile,” some analysts believe mobile gaming will rise from $3.6 billion in revenue this year to over $6 billion by 2011. Pay-per-download games remain the most popular choice, followed by subscription-based and ad-funded models. Major gaming companies are already taking advantage the surge, with the creation of mobile off-shoots like EA Mobile and THQ Wireless.
Related: Mobile Gaming News Roundup [MobileCrunch]
Time Out New York Launches TONY Nightlife+ [mocoNews]
The popular NYC events mag launches a mobile community site, TONY Nightlife+, where users can find events and venues near their physical location, and receive instant feedback from other users already at those gatherings.
Alltel Feature Turns Voicemail to Text [AP via NYT]
Alltel, the wireless carrier, debuts Voice2TXT, a service starting at $4.99/month that uses voice-recognition software to translate voice messages into texts.
The Promise of Social Network Advertising [eMarketer]
37% of U.S. adults online used social networking sites in 2007, and that number will rise 49% in 2011, according to a report by eMarketer. 70% of teens currently use SNS on a daily basis, the study also found. eMarketer projects social networking advertising to increase from $1.2 billion in 2007 to over $4 billion in 2011.
Facebook to License Its Platform for Other Social Sites [IDG via NYT]
Following in the footsteps of Google’s OpenSocial announcement, Facebook will assist other social networks in running the 7,000 applications originally written for its platform.
Google Develops Wikipedia Rival [IDG via NYT]
Google announces the beta version of a Wikipedia-style online publishing site, where users can create entries—called “knolls”—on subjects such as geography, history, and entertainment.
Start-Up to Create Market For Trade of Virtual Goods [WSJ]
Live Gamer is helping online gaming companies from Sony to Funcom GmbH rein in illicit sales of virtual goods used in their games, creating a safe online marketplace for trading such items.
Hollywood Warned “Writers Will Move Online’ [FT]
The head of the Writers Guild of America warns that film and TV writers will flock to the Internet if the media companies don’t give in to strikers’ demands. “With every day that goes by, our members are exploring Internet TV,” said Patric Verrone, president of WGA West. “The ability to explore this business without media conglomerates is becoming a real possibility.”
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