Cakewalk Pyro 5 is out now. This is the latest version of Cakewalk’s CD mastering package, though it does quite a bit more than just burn CDs. Essentially, it deals with music recorded on any medium — apart from the obvious CD mastering and burning functions, you can also rip CDs or copy music from cassettes, vinyl, the Internet and so on. You can also put your audio down onto DVD (including dual layer DVD), data CDs, MP3 players or mobile phones. And I don’t mean MP3-capable mobiles. I mean ringtones.

Yes, this is the killer new feature of Pyro 5. You can take any audio, and it will transmogrify it into a ringtone and upload it to your mobile phone. Finally you can become a Ringtone Composer and make your fortune! The website promises unlimited ringtone creation from MP3 or CD: “Cakewalk Pyro incorporates ToneThis technology for the ultimate ringtone generator, with no complicated PC to phone connections.

1. Start with any CD track, MP3, or record your own audio
2. Use simple mouse-clicks to set the start and end time of the ringtone
3. Hit “Upload to Phone” to send an unlimited number of custom ringtones across the internet directly to your phone”

OK, it does lots more, but the ringtone thing is definitely the most amusing. Here’s the full list of Pyro 5’s capabilities:

• Create ringtones from any music source, that are easily sent to your phone
• Advanced burning capabilities including: DVD data disc burning and copying; dual-layer DVD burning and copying; disc image (.ISO) burning, copying, and writing/saving
• CD-extra burning (create audio and data hybrid discs)
• Redesigned, easy-to-use interface with new tabs and transport control to help you get started using Pyro 5 quickly—even if you are new to digital music and media software
• Listen to music using Pyro’s dockable Mini Player
• Improved CD ripping with updated CD-look up engine
• Print and copy track lists and disc content
• Create, save, and open playlists (.M3U and .PLS) with easy transfer to portable players
• Improved audio editing
• Rip CDs, make MP3s, and manage your digital music collection
• Make DJ-style megamixes with crossfades for CDs or your portable player
• Record audio from any source: LP, Cassette, Internet broadcast, microphone
• Digitize and clean LPs and cassettes, and transform them into CDs or MP3s
• Record Internet broadcasts, then put them on CD or your portable player
• Cakewalk-quality editing of audio files
• Locate and organize all the music files on your PC
• Instantly download song, album, and artist names
• Burn and share mix CDs of your favorite music
• Archive important data files to CD, DVD, or Dual Layer DVD
• Create backup copies of your favorite CDs and data DVDs
• NEATO CD-labeling graphics package

Buy Pyro at SameDayMusic.com