People have been trying to establish specific identities through hair styles , clothing, and the entertainment sites they choose to patronize. With the introduction of cell phones, people found another way to establish their identity by choosing ringtones that define who they are in terms of uniqueness or generics as well as in musical preference. Aside from performing the usual function of alerting phone owners of incoming calls, ringtones are increasingly being used as a way of creating a public image.Â
Ringtones that call attention can speak volumes for its owners in the same manner that “generic” ringtones may suggest a person’s preference to conform to general standards. While the former successfully identifies a person within a crowd, the latter allows the phone owners to be part of the crowd. This is a phenomenon closely associated with the propensity of some ringtones to cause a “disturbance” in public, thereby eliciting a response that inadvertently results to judgment of a person, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Monophonic ringtones are largely regarded by most people especially the young as boring thus the preference for more exciting versions such as truetone, singtone, and even video ringtones. The ringtone business is considered one of the most profitable aspects of the music industry where consumers are willing to pay up to $ 3 to avail of mobile music through ringtones. The public is given a wide range of choices consisting of pre-existing songs or uniquely created tunes and mixes of these songs. Royalties are paid to the owners of the songs although a significant portion of the price goes to the provider.
There are a good number of reliable sites offering downloadable ringtones for free or through fee payment. While others require payment for every download, some provide unlimited number of downloads for a fixed membership fee. Personalized ringtones can define who you are so it would be advisable to give the choice considerable thought before its use results to a less favorable public reaction than what is desired.