Classhack v2: Get the Mosquito Ringtone
Monday, January 8, 2007 by Admin Re: Classhack: Turn Your Phone Off in Class
I don't know for sure, Kelly, but I think the stress you're talking about is the feeling you get when your phone goes off, the professor notices and either gives you a dirty look or, even worse, actually says something directly at you. So, yeah, you could turn it off, or you could turn it on silent, or you could turn it to vibrate. But... Aren't we HackCollege? I'd like to introduce you all to the mosquito ringtone (what I personally recommend):
Teen Buzz (or Mosquito Ringtone) is a popular ringtone that was hijacked from a technology that was originally used to repel loitering teenagers from shops in the United Kingdom. Inventor Howard Stapleton developed the "Mosquito device" for Compound Security Systems. This device emits a modulated 17khz sound that proves to be a great annoyance to teenagers or anyone younger, but leaves most over twenty years of age unaffected. This is due to Presbycusis, a normal loss of acute hearing that occurs with advancing age. Teen Buzz was developed using the same technology, but as a constant 14.4khz high frequency ringtone. It is primarily used in the classroom, allowing students to be alerted of incoming text messages on their mobile phones without the knowledge of their teachers.
FreeMosquitoRingtones.org hosts several tones from several frequencies, so you can choose the highest one you can hear, download it, and then send it to your phone using mobile17. You'll hear it when you get a text or a call. Your professor won't. Stress... Gone!
So, you'll all have to let me know how it works. Unfortunately, like I said before, my phone still only supports polyphonic ringtones. Tear.
Reader Comments (20)
Damn, that's a good find.
I guess I'm just worried about my phone in general. Regardless of whether or not the professor hears it. One less thing to worry about.
And I share your pain with the polyphonic ringtones. =(
[...] Classhack v2: Get the Mosquito Ringtone [...]
Cool!
Hello hackcollege
I never knew that teenagers are so sensitive to hearing. Aah and i remember my college days.......
[...] ClassHack v2: Get the Mosquito Ringtone [...]
I DJ in a bar and when it gets too full of obnoxious kids I will mix that tone in. It does work, even above music.
My seven-year-old daughter and I just downloaded the mosquito ring tone. Neither of us had any trouble hearing it. When I downloaded a pure sine wave at 17KHz, neither of us could hear that. (By the way, I'm 37, but I haven't been to too many rock concerts.)
Haha, this is very interesting to know. I guess 17khz or 14 khz, whatever the frequency, as long as we use the one that works for us, we can secretly get notifications/rings without alerting others.
Yeah I hear what tim's saying about not able to hear certain frequencies even though we haven't mistreated our ears. I guess our audible ranges differ from person to person and some of us are gifted with a bit more "range" than others!
I'm 14 and I can hear all of the frequencies, but the funny thing is, my mom, who is 49, has HORRIBLE hearing, and has been to plenty of loud rock concerts, can hear all of them too, even at a very low volume. Weird...
Yeah, it's funny how different people lose different range of hearing with age. My dad has not been to rock concerts nor has he been around loud environments much at all, but he is having trouble hearing anything with a slightly high frequency.
So I think in this case it's a combination of both nature and nurture.
How well does it work when there is other background noise. I can imagine it's excellent in the classroom.
Sounds good to me since I'm in the age range that doesn't hear that annoying sound. Although, maybe that's why I also get bit a lot by mozzies?!
Good to see some ageism in reverse here - glad my ears are past the point of hearing such annoyances.
I'm glad there are advantages to getting older.
Maybe this is one way to identify the true age of people?! Set the ringtone off, and see who gets annoyed.
Thanks for the providing good information - this is really helpful information about Ringtones.I found another good one that helped me find a great website for Mosquito Ringtone,they have a great collection of ringtones.
"Thanks for the providing good information - this is really helpful information about Ringtones.I found another good one that helped me find a great website for
Mosquito Ringtone,they have a great collection of ringtones.
"
Thanks for the providing good information - this is really helpful information about Ringtones.I found another good one that helped me find a great website for Mosquito Ringtone
Thanks for the providing good information - this is really helpful information about Ringtones.I found another good one that helped me find a great website for Mosquito Ringtone