Ringtones are so popular these days there's even a Billboard chart, where, curiously, the Super Mario Brothers Theme currently rules. With ringtones selling for about the same or more than the full length song (although that short snippet of 50 Cent's Candy Shop might be enough for you), you should be able to hold on to your purchases even if you lose or replace your cellphone. I know most people upgrade every year or two--why should you have to repurchase your ringtones, wallpaper and other goodies?
Oasys Mobile makes it possible (at least if you're with Cingular, T-Mobile or Sprint) to store everything in a password-protected online locker. All you need is a phone with Internet access and text messaging capabilities. The catch? You must purchase the content from Oasys. The company does have a wide selection from Kelly Clarkson to Death Cab For Cutie, as well as loads of wallpaper designs and games. But it would be nice to have a place to store all of your media, no matter where it was purchased.
Another great feature available on certain cell phone models, including the Motorola RAZR V3 and the Nokia 6682, is the ability to wirelessly your contacts into your locker and export them if needed. That's definitely useful. I always end up wasting time, re-entering my contacts everytime I upgrade my phone. You can check their Web site to see if your phone is compatible with this feature.
This is a great service for teenagers and anyone who's really into customizing their phone. Buying content is easy--you can have it sent right to your phone and get billed through your wireless carrier. You can also use Paypal or a credit card, but I found it easiest to use my phone. I tested this service using a borrowed Motorola V400--my own cell phone, the LG VX8100 (Verizon) is not compatible. After you place your order with just a few clicks, you'll get a text message asking you to confirm the purchase. Once you do, you can find your content in your locker and in your phone within minutes. If you're away from your computer, you can purchase content and access your locker by visiting the company's WAP site (wap.oasysmobile.com) using your cellphone's browser. It's simple to adjust your profile if you replace or upgrade your phone, and it takes just one click to send the content to your new phone.
Oasys offers two plans, one free, and one with a monthly charge of $7.99. With the paid plan, you get three ringtones and three wallpapers each month, plus three free TrueTones when you register, and a locker with unlimited space. The free plan gives you space for 25 pieces of content. With both plans you get an online profile and the ability to rate the site's content and see what other members think. The company has recently added another cool feature--you can upload and save your camera phone pictures, text messages and blog entries in your Oasys locker.
Overall, I found the service easy to use and hope they continue to add more--and newer--phones like the Motorola Q or the Helio Hero to their list. It would also be cool if they added a plan that would include storage of non-Oasys ringtones and wallpaper. In addition, I would like to see an application in which you could create and share your own ringtones.
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