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”…
i have 1
its really nice
my teachers cant hear it
I have it to its good for school :]
JORDAN IS COOL I AM COOL JUSTIN IS COOL SARAH IS COOL WE ARE ALL COOL!!!
Where can you download this ringtone to your phone?
OMG, I can hear it but the librarian can't!!!
Awesome, I started using this and now I can keep my phone on when I am with a client or even if I am in court!
Thanks,
Mark
Ok, I am old and I can hear it! My 7 year old can, too. My whole life I have heard a similar sound coming from TVs (and when I would ask other people if they heard it, the answer was no), I wonder if it is the same thing?
"mosquito ringtone" is the original "secret ringtone." A secret ringtone is any ringtone which is recorded above 15Khz. This sound was originally developed by Howard Stapleton of Compound Security Systems as a way to prevent young people from loitering around businesses. That product was named the Mosquito, because the sound it creates is like a very large swarm of mosquitos. The original Mosquito sound was recorded at 17Khz. This sound can be very annoying to those that can hear it and does work quite well for its intended purpose.