The Mosquito Ringtone

Updated: 10/01/06: And now it’s a dance track
Updated: 06/12/06: New York Times picks this up a couple of weeks later and has a front page story today on this ringtone, here, and also link to a sample of the ringtone, here.
NOTE: Because of the lower sound quality for the MP3 file most people can hear the tone, therefore use the WAV version which is available here.
I’ve been following this in Ringtonia with a great deal of amusement…British company Compound Security Systems has been marketing a device to “chase away those annoying teenagers!!!”, which is based on the property that teenagers have better hearing than adults, and can hear sounds of a higher frequency. So, the device emits a high-pitched buzz that is audible to teenagers but inaudible to adults. Of course, teenagers are a resourceful lot, so they’ve simply recorded the buzz to use as ringtones and message alert tones for class — when they’re not supposed to be using mobile phones.
So now Compound Security is offering the buzz as a ringtone, but perhaps recognising that teenagers may not want to help a company that deliberately set out to annoy them Compound security has said it will donate all the profits from sale of the ringtones (and wallpaper) to “one or more child oriented charities”. Don’t try and outdo teens at their own game…
Another interesting ringtone tidbit from Ringtonia: Whoscallingme.com is offering Named Ringtones, which can be linked to people so it tells you who is calling. There is also “the office calling” and “your mum is calling”…

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