All this fun with ringtones and logos is driven by mobile phone enthusiasts as well as profit-oriented websites. There are hundreds of ringtones to choose from. They range from Mission Impossible and X-Files signature tunes to pop music by Britney Spears to classical favourites such as Four Seasons by Vivaldi. Logos run the gamut of rebellious South Park icons, mushy 'I Love You' graphics and even 'adult' logos to add a touch of shock value. The popularity of Nokia and Ericsson phones has also led to more content created for these two makes, with a smattering of sites catering to Motorola, Siemens and Panasonic handphone users.
Most websites offer a free preview for ringtones and logos.
The ringtones are usually previewed as .wav or .mid files that a PC equipped with a sound card and speakers can play. It really pays to preview the ringtones as the tunes can be tinny and quite unrecognisable from the original. Phone logos are usually previewed as .gif graphic files. Only a few sites offer free downloads or free trial downloads. Most sites charge for downloading their content via a pre-paid system where you pay online via credit card for a set number of credits.