Virgin Mobile USA and Kyocera Wireless have unveiled the Cyclops camera phone, featuring TXT tones and audio messaging. Cyclops is the result of an agreement between Virgin Mobile and Warner Music Group. Thanks to the agreement, U.S. cellular customers will have access to music-based TXT tones from Virgin Mobile.

TXT tones work just like ring tones. The facility helps users program a short clip of a song signaling that a new text message has been received on the handset. Each text tone is about three to five seconds long. Users can assign the tones to incoming text and picture messages.

Virgin Mobile is reportedly the first wireless provider in the U.S. to launch an exclusive text tone in collaboration with WMG.

Another innovative feature associated with the handset is Virgin Mobile Audio Messaging. Thanks to VAM, users can send instant messages by voice in place of keyboard. Other key features include a 1.3-megapixel camera, long battery life, cool games and Superphonic, real music ring tones.

“We know our audience looks for features to personalize their mobile phone experience, and these texting enhancements allow us to deliver on that,” said Dan Schulman, chief executive officer of Virgin Mobile USA, in a press release. “Throughout 2006, we’ve continued to add exciting and affordable new choices to our handset line-up and Cyclops is no exception.”

Tom Maguire, vice president of global marketing at Kyocera Wireless Corp. said the Kyocera phones are ideal for Virgin Mobile’s eclectic mix of texters, callers, IMers and photo takers.

“As the first music company to launch music SMS tones earlier this year in Europe, we are now delighted to make text tones available, for the first time in the U.S., to Virgin Mobile customers who want to personalize their handsets,” said Alex Zubillaga, executive vice president, Digital Strategy and Business Development, WMG, in the press release. “It’s exciting to take the lead in offering consumers unique new digital products, enabled by our partners’ platforms.”

For more information, visit www.kyocera-wireless.com or www.virginmobileusa.com.

---------

Niladri Sekhar Nath is a contributing writer for TMCnet covering telecommunications, service providers and networking.