Name that tune with new cell phone service

Have you heard a song on the radio that you adore, only to miss the name and artist? Help is only a few cell phone punches away, if you don't mind spending a buck to solve your dilemma. 411-Song has been around for several years, with a slick solution to the phantom tune.

To use the song I.D. service, simply dial 866-411-SONG on your cell, then hold your phone up to the speaker for 15 seconds. The service searches its database of millions of tunes to find a match for this snippet, then sends you a text message with name, artist, related data, and the opportunity to buy the tune and/or a ring tone. AT&T customers can follow an embedded link; customers of other cell providers will have to use their PC to retrieve the goodies.

The significant downside: the company dings your phone bill 99 cents per song I.D. Add this to the cost of receiving a text message, and the total exceeds the cost of buying the song download. Too much, imho. An easier solution? Most radio stations post their play lists on their web site; if you can remember the time you heard the tune, you can Goggle the station and the relevant play list. Then spend your buck on the music, instead of info about the music.