will "ringing" phones become obsolete?

Soviut

I work at an animation studio. I'm one of about 2 and a half developers in a company of 100 people or so. We don't get many calls, people usually just walk over and ask us questions or give us requests.

So when the phone rang just now I joked out loud "what the hell was that?! Did you guys hear something? It sounded like some kind of ringtone".

It got me wondering. With all the new music ringtones and different tone sequences that cells have today, is the traditional "ring" going to become obsolete. I mean, I already kind of associate a phone call with the default Nokia ring now.

Junk food for thought.

littleguru
<3 Seattle

I have an "old phone" ringtone on my cellphone. You should look at the faces of the people when my phone rings: half laugh the other half is like WTF Big Smile

A friend of mine has a ringtone that's like if an old phone is broken. That's also a lot of fun.

YearOfTheLinuxDesktop
Seven of Niner! Resistance is Futile!

Soviut wrote:
I work at an animation studio. I'm one of about 2 and a half developers in a company of 100 people or so. We don't get many calls, people usually just walk over and ask us questions or give us requests.

So when the phone rang just now I joked out loud "what the hell was that?! Did you guys hear something? It sounded like some kind of ringtone".

It got me wondering. With all the new music ringtones and different tone sequences that cells have today, is the traditional "ring" going to become obsolete. I mean, I already kind of associate a phone call with the default Nokia ring now.

Junk food for thought.

my house is rings and beeps free since 2004 (poliphonic rings on all mobiles and cordless) :O

JohnnyAwesome
Eggshell with Romalian type. What do you think?

My phone rings with the tone from Fox Televisions 24. Which I think is a Cisco phone sound? Can anyone verify that?

W3bbo
The Master of Baiters

Soviut wrote:
Junk food for thought.

Crass consumers will happily be taken up the tailpipe by their phone service providers when it comes to downloading the latest fad ringtones and wallpapers from Jamba/Jamster.

The rest of us, the discerning percentile of the human race, just use the default.

But FWIW, I modified my phone so it plays an assortment of torture sounds and screams when an incoming calls gets in; "New mail has arrived" in a demonic voice when I get new SMS or Email, and the "Posses" sound for notifications. Straight from the "Dungeon Keeper - Windows 95 Plus! Themepack"

Anyone else have a nostalgia for mid/late 90s games and their obligatory desktop themes? Microsoft should bring them back.

Sven Groot
My name has 9 letters. Coincidence? I think not...

The basic design rule for Japanese phones seems to be this: make the maximum volume for ringtones so low that they're completely useless.

"Manner mode", the official term for "silent mode", is the only accepted way to use a phone here.

jamie

W3bbo wrote:

Soviut wrote: Junk food for thought.

Crass consumers will happily be taken up the tailpipe by their phone service providers when it comes to downloading the latest fad ringtones and wallpapers from Jamba/Jamster.

The rest of us, the discerning percentile of the human race, just use the default.

But FWIW, I modified my phone so it plays an assortment of torture sounds and screams when an incoming calls gets in; "New mail has arrived" in a demonic voice when I get new SMS or Email, and the "Posses" sound for notifications. Straight from the "Dungeon Keeper - Windows 95 Plus! Themepack"

Anyone else have a nostalgia for mid/late 90s games and their obligatory desktop themes? Microsoft should bring them back.

i too must quote "junkfood for thought"

cool... must write song...

Sven Groot
My name has 9 letters. Coincidence? I think not...

I still have this idea to use the "Sink rate. Pull up." sounds from the Ground Proximity Warning System of most aircraft as a ringtone. Smiley

System

JohnnyAwesome wrote:
My phone rings with the tone from Fox Televisions 24. Which I think is a Cisco phone sound? Can anyone verify that?

I believe so. I also use that ringtone. Its great.

HumanCompiler
Compiling humans...and code

Sven Groot wrote:

The basic design rule for Japanese phones seems to be this: make the maximum volume for ringtones so low that they're completely useless.

"Manner mode", the official term for "silent mode", is the only accepted way to use a phone here.

Werd.

My phone is on vibrate 95% of the day and when the ringer is on, it's a regular sounding phone ring (couldn't stand the default one since half of our hallway has the same phone [Palm Treo 700w SmartPhone]).

Yggdrasil
Pour me a cab, 'cause I can't drink no more.

W3bbo wrote:
The rest of us, the discerning percentile of the human race, just use the default.

That sentence just... feels wrong. You can't be a discerning connoisseur when using the default for ANYTHING. The default is for the masses, doncha know?

Me, I've found that the Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" makes for a good ringtone, even on a non-polyphonic sound chip.

Soviut

Yggdrasil wrote:

W3bbo wrote:The rest of us, the discerning percentile of the human race, just use the default.

That sentence just... feels wrong. You can't be a discerning connoisseur when using the default for ANYTHING. The default is for the masses, doncha know?

Me, I've found that the Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" makes for a good ringtone, even on a non-polyphonic sound chip.

Ironically, I think you CAN be discerning if you use the default. In the case of cell phones, most people change their ring immediatly. In order to be unique, I've left mine with the default Nokia ring.

W3bbo
The Master of Baiters

Soviut wrote:
Ironically, I think you CAN be discerning if you use the default. In the case of cell phones, most people change their ring immediatly. In order to be unique, I've left mine with the default Nokia ring.

This is my point.

Said crass consumers feel the need to "express themselves" through the procurement of ringtones embodying elements and figures from today's popular culture.

By keeping the default (or something utilitarian and does the job, i.e. a simple ringing and/or vibrate as your needs entail) you're having a kind of passive-aggressive protest against the capitalist establishment where products are advertised to you everywhere. You're saying "no!", you won't allow your phone to be used as a marketing tool for celebrities or other consumer products.

PerfectPhase
"This is not war, this is pest control!" - Dalek to Cyberman

W3bbo wrote:

Anyone else have a nostalgia for mid/late 90s games and their obligatory desktop themes?

My ringtone is the theme to Hybris (old Amiga game), was just thinking about changing it Xenon II. Message alert I stole from the movie Crank.

ben2004uk

Vibrate only ever since I got phones which support it (Old Nokia 3210 didn't, think most of the time it was on silent).

Personally, I can't stand ringtones.

shrtcrt

I get annoyed by the ring tones. People have them on the loudest setting and half the time ignore them. If you don't want to answer it, press the button on the phone to turn off the ringer. I love technology, bu people and their bluetooth headsets need a lesson in manners. Do you need to wear it all the time, NO! Take it off at restaurants, movie theaters, etc. When I see grandpa with one, that just cracks me up. I can not stand Nextels. For the love of all that is good and just, I don't want to hear both sides of the conversation in in the grocery store! That walkie talkie feature is annoying.

Cool things are invented, but them some people need to respect others around them. Vibrate is the best feature on a phone!

Soviut

W3bbo wrote:

Soviut wrote:Ironically, I think you CAN be discerning if you use the default. In the case of cell phones, most people change their ring immediatly. In order to be unique, I've left mine with the default Nokia ring.

This is my point.

Said crass consumers feel the need to "express themselves" through the procurement of ringtones embodying elements and figures from today's popular culture.

By keeping the default (or something utilitarian and does the job, i.e. a simple ringing and/or vibrate as your needs entail) you're having a kind of passive-aggressive protest against the capitalist establishment where products are advertised to you everywhere. You're saying "no!", you won't allow your phone to be used as a marketing tool for celebrities or other consumer products.

I believe its from the same vein as "You non-conformists are all the same". Its tough being an individual when everyone's doing it, hehe.

Soviut

shrtcrt wrote:
I get annoyed by the ring tones. People have them on the loudest setting and half the time ignore them. If you don't want to answer it, press the button on the phone to turn off the ringer. I love technology, bu people and their bluetooth headsets need a lesson in manners. Do you need to wear it all the time, NO! Take it off at restaurants, movie theaters, etc. When I see grandpa with one, that just cracks me up. I can not stand Nextels. For the love of all that is good and just, I don't want to hear both sides of the conversation in in the grocery store! That walkie talkie feature is annoying.

Cool things are invented, but them some people need to respect others around them. Vibrate is the best feature on a phone!

It drives me nuts that phones have "broadcast" or "boom box" features to play their tinny grainy ringtones or mp3s out loud. Sorry kid, but you're neither a playah nor a gangsta sitting on the bus behind me playing akon rings.

I once got so pissed off that i turned around and told the kid to "please answer your phone" and then gestured with my hands as if i was snapping a pencil in half, indicating that I'd be doing that to his clamshell in a few seconds if he didn't comply.

PerfectPhase
"This is not war, this is pest control!" - Dalek to Cyberman

shrtcrt wrote:
I get annoyed by the ring tones. People have them on the loudest setting and half the time ignore them. If you don't want to answer it, press the button on the phone to turn off the ringer. I love technology, bu people and their bluetooth headsets need a lesson in manners. Do you need to wear it all the time, NO! Take it off at restaurants, movie theaters, etc. When I see grandpa with one, that just cracks me up. I can not stand Nextels. For the love of all that is good and just, I don't want to hear both sides of the conversation in in the grocery store! That walkie talkie feature is annoying.

Cool things are invented, but them some people need to respect others around them. Vibrate is the best feature on a phone!

Can't remember where I heard this, but someone described a phone as the equivalent of someone walking into the room and shouting 'Talk to me now' repeatedly at the top of their voice! Smiley

Lloyd_Humph
If Blackberrys are addictive cellphones, Channel9 is the ultimate addictive website.

Yeah its annoying. Once I got thrown off a bus because the kid sitting behind me was playing loud music - we both got thrown off - when I hadn't done anything.

I complained and got a year bus ticket for free Big Smile

Still, an inconvenience Sad

I ended up walking 4 miles home Tongue Out

*I especially hate the ringtone: Message.. Message! MESSAGE!!! until you blow the driver in your phone or something. I (l) my treo Big Smile

thank the lord for vibrate.

Sven Groot
My name has 9 letters. Coincidence? I think not...

PerfectPhase wrote:
Can't remember where I heard this, but someone described a phone as the equivalent of someone walking into the room and shouting 'Talk to me now' repeatedly at the top of their voice!

I distinctly remember hearing this somewhere too.

Could it have been Stephen Fry on QI who said that?

PerfectPhase
"This is not war, this is pest control!" - Dalek to Cyberman

Sven Groot wrote:

PerfectPhase wrote: Can't remember where I heard this, but someone described a phone as the equivalent of someone walking into the room and shouting 'Talk to me now' repeatedly at the top of their voice!

I distinctly remember hearing this somewhere too.

Could it have been Stephen Fry on QI who said that?

That sounds like it!

shrtcrt

People can be annoying with their persoanl products. Learn a bit of respect for others around you. The best is seeing someone yelling in public on their phone and then giving you a dirty look when you look at them. People need a course in cell phone ettiquete before they take it home. I would love to fine people for being ignorant on the phone. I think we as a society need to start yelling at them when they do that crap. Just like I lay on the horn when I get cut off, or someone does something stupid. I also dislike the people who think they are too good to pull into a parking spot and instead park in front of the building with their hazards on waiting for people. I get behind them and lay on the horn until they move.

kettch

dupe

kettch

shrtcrt wrote: People can be annoying with their persoanl products. Learn a bit of respect for others around you. The best is seeing someone yelling in public on their phone and then giving you a dirty look when you look at them.

Seriously, what's up with that? Why do people have the need to yell? Say what you want about phone companies, but most networks are able to provide a clear and understandable phone conversation. However, most people still think that they are talking on a static-y analog connection.Of course equally annoying is when people get angry about how rude I am when I am talking on a cell phone in a resturant or some place public and I am not talking a single decibel louder than if I was talking to someone right across from me in person. Heck, most of the time I'm way too quiet for anybody around me to hear my end of the conversation.I guess people see someone on a phone and assume that just because they themselves are a loud, inconsiderate (I need to watch my language) when they are on their phone, that everybody else is as well.

shrtcrt wrote: Just like I lay on the horn when I get cut off

Technically speaking, it is illegal (not enforced, probably not really possible) in many places to use your horn unless there is a valid reason, and I don't think that vindictiveness is a valid reason.

On the subject of ringtones, my phone(s) are on vibrate 95% of the time. The rest of the time is usually when it's on the charger, but still somewhere that I can hear it, or while driving because vibrate doesn't usually punch through the vibrations of the car. Handsfree is usually a must as well.

When I do use ringtones, most of the people in my phonebook have a personalized ringtone that I've made with Audacity. It's mostly a 19-20 second lyric-less chop out of the bridge of some song that fits the person's personality, or some attribute of theirs.

will &quot;ringing&quot; phones become obsolete?