14 DAY TRIAL // One of the leading providers of mobile software, Vringo has announced the availability of its new Facetones application as a paid beta on the Android Market.
Google's Android is the first platform that receives Vringo's application, but the developer stated that additional versions for other mobile operating platforms are going into development soon.
Facetones creates an automated video slide show out of friends' photos and then plays this video each time a user makes or receives a call.
Similar to a picture that one can attach to a contact stored in the phonebook, Facetones allows users to attach short clips to any contact.
However, the Facetones for Android will initially connect with Facebook to provide users who are into social media with a significantly enhanced mobile experience.
By connecting with a Facebook account, the application automatically matches the contacts in the phone with the friends' profile pictures.
When a call from a friend is received, an automatically generated slideshow will play on top of the usual audio ringtone.
“Vringo has always been about making ringtones social and visual. We now are taking this to a new level with Facetones,” said Jon Medved, Vringo's chief executive officer.
“We believe the fun and exciting experience of getting an automatic video slide show update from your friends before speaking to them will help define the future of social mobile experiences.”
Furthermore, Vringo hopes to integrate Facetones with additional social networks and photo sites in the near future, but no development schedule has been disclosed yet.
Although Facetones for Android is still in beta stage, those who wish to try it out are required to pay $2.99 to be able to download it from the Android Market.
Currently, the application is compatible with devices running Android 2.0 or later and requires a mere 600KB of storage.
