LOS ANGELES (AP) – Fans of Cartoon Network shows such as “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” will be able to interact with their favorite characters through their cell phones by year’s end.
Cartoon Network New Media, a division of Turner Broadcasting System Inc., announced Wednesday that it is rolling out CallToons, software that takes over a cell phone’s main functions, replacing them with character voices, ringtones, wallpaper and other features.
The technology can come packaged with a mobile handset as well as be available as downloads from a carrier, the company, a unit of Time Warner Inc., said.
Unlike typical standalone ringtones or wallpapers, CallToons characters are more tightly integrated with cell phone functions, the company said.
For example, if a phone’s battery is weak, instead of the usual static display on the phone’s screen, a specific character could appear saying “Plug me in, I’m fading fast,” said Ross Cox, senior director of entertainment products at Cartoon Network New Media.
In another example, a character voice could serve as a ringtone, but deliver a more frustrated response if a user decides to ignore calls from a particular person.
“It’s a narrative voice that responds in real time to the state of the phone and behavior of the owner of the phone,” Cox said.
Turner is in talks with Swedish mobile phone maker Ericsson regarding delivery options. The service is expected to launch in the fourth quarter.
CallToons will use characters from Cartoon Network in phones aimed at children, while characters from the network’s “Adult Swim” programs will be in phones aimed at adults, the company said.
In the kid’s version, characters can also be programmed to provide guidance, Cox said.
“If a stranger were to call and the number is not in the phone book, the ringtone could say, “Hey, a stranger is calling. Maybe you should hand this to your parent or let the call go into voice mail,” he said.
Turner will also license its technology to other companies in the future, the company said.
Pricing details and deals with carriers were not released Wednesday.
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