ringtones...cost $1...

You have to remember that Apple having iTunes does alot of business with the record labels. Technically it is not illegal to use your own music but since we both know the majority of the population is going to use copyrighted music, Apple is caught in a hard place of conforming tight ot the laws.
Now for fact, the DMCA does state that a seperate fee is needed to use a song that you legally own as a ringtone.
Also for fact: Apple is cheaper then all the other carriers for 2 reasons:
$2.00 is cheaper as others charge between $2.50 and $3.50 per song
and the above $2.50 and $3.50 per song with other carriers expires between 3 months and 1 year

Your itunes created ringtone does not expire.

How is that greddy of Apple to charge less the all other carriers and have it not expire?

If you think the price is too high, then don't buy ringtones. The phone comes with several built-in ring tones already that work just fine.

Also, if you compare Apple's price for ringtones with any other company that sells ringtones, you will find that Apple is quite competitive.

There are also other phone rings in your standard selection, like Old Phone, etc. Otherwise, there isn't anything else legal other than the songs you can turn into ringtones. Perhaps you can find a song you like and just snip a few seconds of it as your ringtone. You can do a search on google for songs taht contain phone rings inside them, and just use the phone ring, if that song is available for a ringtone. But otherwise, that is the way it is done on the iPhone without resorting to illegal hacks.

N/M alot more now then last time I looked

This is bit pushin it though, I understand for a ringtone you are using part of a song, but a sound effect which is 7 seconds should be allowed. But I guess I may go off and try to break the law and only use 3 seconds of it. hehe

Its only 2 bucks let it go guys

I don't mind paying 99c for a ring tone at all. But I do mind paying 99c more when I already own the song. That is my ONLY gripe. I would love to make ring tones of some of the songs I already have purchased in iTunes but to pay another 99c seems strange.

I'm not cheap and I do buy my music... But why must I pay another 99c for a ring tone of something I already paid for the right to listen to as often as I wish?

Cuz thats how Apple rolls. Actually I have no idea why. I can agree with a lot from Apple and usually I am just like that's the way it is like or leave it... but this doesn't make any sense at all. It is like paying an extra fee for something you bought the rights for to use.

Last year the RIAA "snuck" into DMCA law that ringtones are considered separate, and that profits have to go to the record label. This means that if you own a song and turn it into a ringtone technically it's "illegal". This is the only reason Apple is requiring you to pay for ringtones. Once again the RIAA is screwing people over.

Technically we don't own any of the music we've purchased - we have purchased a license only to use someone's intellectual property which includes restrictions. A ringtone of a song is considered derivative work and requires another license (at an additional cost) to use the derivative work as a ringtone. Agree or disagree but this is current law.

At least with Apple's method, you have access to the entire song that is also licensed to be used as a ringtone and you can designate/create the segment of the song that you wish to be used for your ringtone for a total of $2.00. This is one of the least expensive and with other ringtone providers, you don't get to choose which segment of the song you want to use as the ringtone - the segment is preset and cannot be changed and you don't have access to the entire song along with the ringtone license expiring within a year after the purchase which costs more than Apple's method.

I could care less about ringtones but Apple's method under current law seems very reasonable to me especially when compared to the competition. I don't see this law changing anytime soon since ringtones has become a huge revenue stream for the record labels.

No, the RIAA is NOT "screwing people over." They are running a business. You can choose to purchase their product, or to not purchase their product. If you choose to purchase it, then don't complain about getting "screwed over."

We are human beings. We can make our own choices.

Everyone keeps saying "other phones have ringtone costs". If you're talking about dumb phones, that's probably mostly true.

But if you're talking smartphones, I would guess most have easy ways to use your own ringtones. Certainly Windows Mobile does, and some Symbian phones even allow VIDEO ringtones.

Can we all agree that this comes down to 99% of the complaints are the same people who use limewire rather then itunes and would rather steal the song. Lets not hide behind any blankets shall we...

Sorry about being harsh

can you post the section from the law that states a song you already have paid for requires a separate fee to be listened to as a ringtone? i would love to read that its a fact and not just your interpretation...i would especially like to see their definition of a ringtone...thanks.

sure, next question

Every reproduction of a song is considered a derivative work and would therefore constitute a copyright infringement if the creator has not allowed ringtones to be created from it.

http://www.copyright.gov/docs/ringtone-decision.pdf

so if every reproduction of a song is a violation of a copyright law, wouldn't storing the song on your computer, and then copying it to your ipod be a violation? And, if it isn't, then how does Apple justify charging us twice for the same song?

I think I understand now. RIAA and the derivative work concept. Thanks Allan.

I really don't have a problem with paying for ring tones and Allan does make a point that with Apple's method we get the option of picking any part of the song we wish.

Unfortunately as we all know this will never remain an Apple/RIAA secret. iPhone is not even a year old and how many ring tone installers are there now? Yes Apple will patch and plug, some will work, others will not at least until the next round of updates.

I think RIAA would have been way smarter to say, ok... you bought the right to the song, you can make a ring tone but it will only play if you have the original song installed. Just my 2c... I think millions will be spent by Apple to try and plug this hole. I'd rather see them spend that time/money on new apps and fixes.