In Search Of Less Annoying Ringtones
Or More Annoying Ones; The Choice Is Yours
By Jennifer Suggitt

As you stand waiting in line at McDonald’s or the bank, you suddenly hear Mariah Carey’s latest comeback hit or the theme song from “Star Wars” blaring from someone’s pants’ pocket. Five years ago, cell phone rings sounded more like a landline telephone or a handful of simple melodies such as a few notes from “Für Elise” or “Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.”

But today, we are used to hearing any number of tunes when someone’s cell phone rings, and it’s almost impossible to escape the dizzying variety that surrounds you anytime you go to a crowded place in public. You may not be able to control what ringtones others play on their cell phones, but you can search out some less annoying ringtones for your own phone. If you want to know more about where to find a fun ringtone that doesn’t make the people around you send striking glares your way, read on. We’ll tell you what kinds of ringtones you can find, where you can find them, and how you can get one that will work for you.

Narrow Your Choices

Personalized ringtones are extremely popular, especially among those in their teens and 20’S. According to an August 2005 report from marketing research firm Ipsos-Insight (www.ipsos-insight.com), 23% of Americans who own a cell phone have downloaded a ringtone. And a March 2005 Jupiter-Research (www.jupiterresearch.com) report indicates that revenue from ringtone sales jumped from $91 million in 2003 to $217 million in 2004, with a projected leap to $724 million by 2009.

One reason for this popularity surge: recent advancements in ringtone technology. Consumers finally have options that sound more captivating and entertaining than simple “Chimes” or “Ding” ringtones that were standard on cell phones in years past. Some ringtones today play harmonies along with the melody of a song, and you can even find ringtones that are short snippets of popular songs you hear on the radio. Considering the extensive list of choices, you should be able to find some options that don’t make you (and those around you) want to cringe yet still show off your personality in just the right way.

But before you scour the thousands of tones you can find online, if you don’t understand what kinds of ringtones are out there, you could easily be overwhelmed. Maybe you want a simple melody that doesn’t draw much attention to you, or maybe you want a soothing song that doesn’t send chills up the spines of your co-workers each time your phone rings at your desk. Listen to previews of the following types of ringtones (most Web sites specify what type each ringtone is and provide previews so you can listen before you buy) and then narrow your sound choice from there.

- Monophonic ringtones play a melody of a song one note at a time, with no harmonies.
- Polyphonic tones add harmonies to the song.
- Real-life ringtones include voices, quotes, or other strange, real sounds.
- Master tones are compressed clips of actual songs, as heard on the radio (not just their melodies or a simple harmonic version).

Find What You Are Looking For

Now you are ready to pick the perfect ringtone for you. Some Web sites may appear questionable, having limited ringtone choices, but you can never go wrong by starting your search at your cell phone provider’s Web site. Carriers offer ringtones that are sure to be compatible with at least some of the cell phone models it carries, and if you find a tone you like but aren’t sure if it’s compatible with your phone, you have direct contact information for someone who can answer that question for you.

Cingular helped launch the popularity of ringtones last April when it announced it would begin Cingular Sounds (www.cingularsounds.com), a music program that would debut new songs from hit bands such as Coldplay as ringtones before or simultaneously with the song’s radio debut. Cingular also offers many polyphonic ringtones that are based on today’s popular music. T-Mobile (www.t-mobile.com) offers master tones called HiFi Ringers through its Web site for $1.99 each, which is a fairly typical price for a ringtone. This mix of the music and mobile industries is improving business immensely for both sides while providing customers with exciting, new content for their phones.

Some Web sites are dedicated solely to providing ringtones for a variety of cell phone models and carriers. These sites usually provide information that tells you if your cell phone model is capable of playing the tone you selected. For example, RingToneJukeBox.com has an easy-to-find Compatibility link on the left side of its home page that gives you a list of cell phone models, such as those from Nokia, Motorola, LG, and Samsung, that should work with ringtones downloaded from this site. It also specifies if those cell phones support monophonic, polyphonic, or other forms of ringtones. This is a handy feature if you find just the right version of your favorite song on the site and want to see if your cell phone is capable of playing that type of ringtone.

Other Web sites that have a wide range of ringtones include Jamster.com, Ringtone.net, Ringophone.com, AOL Entertainment For Mobile (ringtones.aol.com), and GetPolyphonicRingtones-.com. Jamster.com, as well as many others, provides a list of popular polyphonic and real-sound ringtones and offers wallpaper and screensavers for your phone, as well. And software that you can order online, such as Xingtone ($19.95; www.xingtone.com), will let you create custom ringtones from audio files on your computer that you can then upload to your cell phone. (Note: Ringtone Web sites sometimes contain content that may be considered offensive. Browse at your own risk.)

You can also find high-quality-sounding ringtones in the least likely places. Warner Bros. Studios’ Web site (www.warnerbros.com) offers ringtones such as the “Scooby Doo Theme Song” and “Looney Tunes Merrily” for $1.99 each. And the movie studio’s hit summer movie “Charlie And The Chocolate Factory” offers a free ringtone on the flash version of its official Web site (chocolate
factorymovie.warnerbros.com). As the ringtone craze continues to grow, expect to see more ringtones such as these associated with new product and movie releases.

Shop Around

You may never again experience a world without cell phones and their loud and sometimes annoying rings, but as cell-phone technology continues to improve, you may at least be able to tolerate, and maybe even enjoy, the phone ringing in your purse or the stranger’s pocket next to you.