Computer Software

Polyphonic ringtones have turned cell phones from an ordinary communication tool into a multi functional device with a variety of purposes—one of which is entertaining bored children.

As a father of an active toddler, I often find myself in situations where my child is a) about to break something very expensive, b) screaming in a public place. The most obvious solution, of course, would be to give him a toy to keep him amused. But as any parent knows, toys do not work when they are supposed to. They will be flung to the floor (or worse, at the strangers sitting at the next table). In emergency situations like that, I bring out my phone.

There’s something about the polyphonic ringtones that provide a hypnotic, calming effect on small children. They listen to it, over and over again. My son’s favourite, the end credit theme of Sponge Bob, has been known to keep him seated in one place for five minutes. For an 18 month old, that’s nothing short of a miracle.

For that reason, I always keep a number of polyphonic tones that my son might like. The Barney Song—the anthem of all toddlers and their unfortunate parents—is armed and ready whenever we enter a restaurant. There is also, for some mysterious reason, Brian McKnight’s “One Last Cry.” I don’t know why he likes it, or even when he first heard it, but we use it whenever he goes to the paediatrician and needs to stay still for a shot. (For those who will accuse me of not raising my child properly by exposing him to cheesy ballads, I defend myself by saying that he also likes The Beatles and John Coltrane.) Yes, even the most modern songs have been converted into polyphonic tunes. Of course the classics are there—my wife’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies” sounds particularly fairy-like in its polyphonic form. Download whatever you like. Or whatever your child likes, even if you hate it, because we all know he’s the boss.

I have a theory that the reason children like polyphonic tones is that it has that music box quality: delicate, tinkling rhythms. Though deeper and less metallic than the blips of music boxes of old, it still sounds equally as magical to the innocent ears of a child. And, of course, there is the advantage that polyphonic tunes are now more diverse than the standard music box themes of Fur Elise, and I do not have to deal with a pink ballerina. (Barney is bad enough.)

Who would’ve thought that a mobile phone could be such a useful babysitting aid, or that polyphonic ring tones would rank as high as disposable diapers in the parents’ list of modern inventions to be thankful for. While it does have a lot of uses in the adult world—with everyone in the room carrying a mobile phone, having a unique ring tone lets you know when it’s your call—its greatest contribution to society is the peace it provides frazzled parents. Yes, music does have the power to soothe the “savage beasts”.

Although making use of an SMS API to send text messages from one’s website or software application can sound like a fairly daunting task, many SMS providers offer simple HTTP SMS posting allowing one to send SMS text messages directly through their gateways. Generally speaking, one will need to setup an account with an SMS gateway provider in order to get started. Most providers will offer a bunch of messages with which one can test the service; thereafter one will need to purchase more messages. One of the world’s most popular SMS gateway providers, Clickatell, offer real time HTTP SMS setup online through their website.

In the tutorial below, I will explain in a few simple steps how one can manually send SMS messages via the Clickatell HTTP Post. Note, that it is intended that developers will code their own commands around this API such that the relevant data can be extracted from their own systems. To that end, most providers offer additional code samples to assist with this sort of integration.

Step 1
Logon to their site www.clickatell.com and find the “SMS gateway” tab. Register for an HTTP API account. Once having done this you will be issued with what is called an API_ID. In order to send SMS via HTTP you will need the following bits of information:

Username (this you select when registering)
Password (this you select when registering)
API_ID (this gets issued to upon completion of registration)
The mobile number/s you would like to send the message to in international format e.g. a UK number would look like this: 448311234567
The message text itself e.g. “Meet me at the cafe in 10 minutes”

Step 2
Open your Browser (e.g. Internet Explorer), and type in your info in the address bar in the following sequence:

a) The basic start is http://api.clickatell.com/http/sendmsg?
b) Adding your personal authentication detail – you will then type the following into the browser:

http://api.clickatell.com/http/sendmsg?user=xxxxx&password

=xxxxx&api_id=xxxxx&to=448311234567=Meet+me+at+the+café+in+10+minutes

Press “Enter”, and your message will be sent. If the message is sent successfully a confirmation code will appear in your browser. If not, you will receive an error message.

Most International prepaid cell phones today are classified as a GSM or Global Service for Mobil cell phone that operates on the GSM 900 and GSM 1800 frequency. The phones themselves are not prepaid but a card called SIM, which is the “brain” of the international prepaid cell phone, and where minuets can be stored. Sims have a small computer chip inside that stores the cell phone number, settings, messages and other data necessary for the phone to function. With the right sim card an international prepaid cell phone can provide service coverage in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific Rim, including Australia . To use, insert the sim card into the phone and your ready to go. When all of the credit is used up, all you need to do is call the service provider and receive more credit. Just as some countries drive on the other side of the road. Some countries use different TV systems (remember this when buying videos and DVDs internationally). And, unfortunately, most countries use different types of international prepaid cell phone service, too. However, more countries are slowly switching to the GSM system. Make sure you check this when your thinking of getting a international prepaid cell phone.

The SIM “chip” fits into a slot or tray where metal sensors make contact with the gold contact surface on the SIM card. Please note that certain SIM cards only work with GSM international prepaid cell phones that are compatible for use overseas, don’t forget to make sure you getting the right card to use with the international prepaid cell phone system, like the dual-band GSM phones for use in over 190 countries, and the tri-band versions with service in the United States and Canada. Equally important, Europe, Africa and Asia not only had the foresight to adopt the same international prepaid cell phone standard, but they also decided that their international cell phone networks would operate on the same frequencies (the 900mhz, initially and later the 1800mhz band). This explains why the same cell phone that works in London will work equally well in Johannesburg , Beijing and Sydney .

The bottom line: Most countries around the globe – more than 205 at last count – have adopted the GSM wireless technology and if you want to go travel outside of North America and want the convenience of carrying a cellular phone, then you’re going to need a GSM international prepaid cell phone.

Mobile phones have become one of the most prominent status symbols. It has gone beyond a mere tool to make and receive calls. It’s an expression of identity; a fashion statement; and with Mp3 ringtones, a way of injecting your own groove into your daily grind.

An Mp3 is a compressed audio file. For years, music lovers have exchanged these files on the Internet, playing them on their PCs or from dedicated Mp3 players. But then the mobile phone companies latched on to a brilliant idea: why not use those music files as ringtones, replacing the dull and sometimes annoying clanging sound that has been the trademark alert for incoming calls.

There is a wide variety of Mp3 ringtones, as wide as the range of music itself. From Mozart to Madonna, the Beatles to Britney Spears, or even commercial jingles, national anthems, cartoon themes, gospel music, nursery rhymes, even beat poetry. If you’ve ever hummed it, sang it, or tapped your feet to it, there’s an Mp3 version waiting to be played on your phone.

Mp3 ringtones can also be a good measure of how a movie or a sitcom has infiltrated into pop culture. There are ringtones that are actually snippets from famous scenes of Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings; while themes from The Brady Bunch bring smiles to anyone who has ever watched the show.

But there’s more. Mp3 ringtones aren’t even limited to just music. You can pick from a wide variety of sounds. A baby crying. A cow mooing. A woman moaning in ecstasy (how’s that to break the monotony of your board meeting?).In the Philippines, when wiretapped phone calls between the president and an election commissioner revealed possibility of election fraud, fragments of that phone call were even used as Mp3 ringtones—either as a sign of protest or to make fun of the situation.

All these ringtones are easily downloadable, but for those who truly want a unique sound they can even make their own ringtones. Some record the voices of their children. Others save romantic missives from a loved one. People also record the laughter of friends, or a fragment from a child’s Christmas performance, or even a beloved pet’s barking. While other people may not appreciate the Mp3, the fact that it has a personal meaning makes those ringtones music to the owners’ ears.

So why do people use Mp3 ringtones? The same reason they pick the shirt they are wearing: it reflects the owners’ personality. When they say my phone, they mean it in more ways than one. Sociologists say that people are driven to express identities in external symbols. It is part of our communal nature: this is me, this is the group I belong to. Primitive societies wore jewelry beads and animal teeth; some developed tattoos; and later on, developed clothes and other accessories. The phone is no different. Like feathers on a tribesman cap, it signals to everyone else who we are.

Ok, so you decided you want or need a wireless phone. You have some idea of what you want. But oh, the choices and decisions to make!

Selecting a phone is not so bad but all those wireless plans is just absolutely confusing. Believe me you are not alone, wireless plans are probably the most confusing aspect of this entire market.

In fact, there are books that are written just on this subject alone to help unravel all this confusion that providers sell. So let’s get started and try to give you some basics on finding the best plan that will suit your style and your budget!

There is a huge selection of wireless phone plans to choose from today. But the question is, how do you choose the best wireless plans?

Dependent on your location, you could have as much as five or more providers that offer services in your area and each one has a variety of plans for you to consider, according to your needs and intended usage.

It is very important that you do your homework before meeting with a provider so you know exactly what you need them to offer you.

Let’s take a look at what you need to consider.

It is critically important that you know how much local, regional, and national coverage you are going to need in your plan.

If you travel alot out of your region, you probably should consider one of the nationwide plans in order to be covered. Once you have decided on the coverage you need, then you need to consider the number of minutes you can expect to use each month. By looking at previous bills or prepaid card receipts you should be able to work this out fairly easily in an effort to find the best wireless plans.

The size and type of phone that you need is usually determined by the options you want to include. If you are planning on using the phone to send and receive email, then you will need one of the higher-end phones that are Internet ready and that comes with a plan that offers economical rates for data transmission.

If you do not need internet access, then you can get all the features you need in a phone that is much less in price.

Frequently, service providers offer you a reduction in the cost of the phone with the purchase of their plan. The best wireless plans generally are either a one-year or a two-year contract.

But before you sign up for service, be sure you have a clear understanding of the terms of contract termination. This is critically important!

If you have to move or break your contract for whatever reason, there can be and in every plan I have studied a sizeable penalty which can at times be equal to the monthly repayment multiplied by the number of months remaining on the contract, so it is important that you know and understand every part of the contract before you sign it and are aware of any exit clauses that exist.

I can’t stress this enough. Thoroughly read and understand your contract before signing. You certainly don’t want to have Murphy’s Law kick in and find out that you have to pay two hundred or more dollars to cancel your service.

I can customize everything else, but can I make my Nokia cell phone unique? The answer, I found, is that I can do so very easily with a Nokia face plate. Cell phones, to many of us, are a big part of who we are. Our friends are in the contact list, we use the phone for calls, emails, and even to surf the internet. If that is the case, then, shouldn’t we make our phones unique to us? Of course we should, and it is possible. Even though so many cell phones look exactly alike, with the use of Nokia face plates, you can make your phone unique to you.

The face plate is basically the front of your phone. A Nokia face plate offers a very easy way to change that front to show off a theme, color, or idea without putting a lot of effort into it or having to tear apart your phone too much. It is easy to change a Nokia face plate so that you can get the look you want in what is likely a very important and highly personal possession.

In this day and age, personal expression is a big deal. You want to be able to express yourself and display who you are to everyone in every aspect of your life. There was a time when you couldn’t really do that with a cell phone. That is not true anymore, though. Thanks to the easy to use Nokia face plates, you can make your phone unique http://www.tahomatimes.com/category/technology-reviews/. Change the ring tone to fit you then add a cool new face plate that best represents you and you are ready to go. Your phone will then not only be your planner, internet browser, contact to the world, and lifeline to your own schedule, but it will also be an representation of who you are to everyone who sees or hears it.

The other advantage to an easy to change Nokia face plate is that you can change it often. You can, if you so desire, change your Nokia face plate to reflect your mood on a given day. Face plates, as a rule, are not very expensive, so it would be easy to make sure you have plenty of them on hand. You will be able to get up in the morning, think about how you feel that day and how you want to show the world you feel and do so with a new Nokia face plate. The options are almost endless in the message you can send when you combine ring tones with face plates to make your phone a total message sending source of self-expression.

Cell phones were once mundane pieces of chrome coloring and digital numbers. Now, though, you can change all of that with little trouble. By using Nokia face plates, can you can turn your cell phone into an expression of who you are or even of your mood on a given day. By adding changing ring tones, your options for your phone’s ambiance become limitless. So go out there, grab yourself some Nokia face plates, and start expressing yourself to the world through your phone!

In today’s technologically advanced world, just about everyone has a cellular phone. Adults, teenagers, and even children carry around portable models of the telephone. What is really hard to believe is that just 15 years ago seeing a cellular phone was quite rare.

The history of the cellular phone is very interesting and shows just how the portable wonder became what it is today.

The history of the cell phone begins with a skilled, analytical chemist named Michael Farady. In 1843 he began exhaustive research to find of space could conduct electricity. He told of his findings, and these advances of 19 th century science and technology have had an immeasurable effect on the development of today’s cellular phone.

In 1865 a dentist by the name of Dr. Mahlon Loomis became what is thought to be the first person who was able to communicate wirelessly through the atmosphere. Between the dates of 1866 and 1873 he was able to transmit telegraphic messages 18 miles between the tops of the Cohocton and Beorse Deer Mountains in Virginia.

Loomis developed a way of transmitting and receiving messages by using Earth’s atmosphere as a conductor. He launched kites, enclosed with copper screens, that were linked to the ground with copper wires. He was awarded a $50,000 research grant from Congress to continue his studies.

Fast forward to 1973 when Dr. Martin Cooper became who is thought to be the inventor of the first portable handset. A former general manager fro the systems division of Motorola, Dr. Cooper was also the first person to make a call using a portable cell phone.

He set up a base station in New York with the first working prototype of a cell phone, called the Motorola Dyna-Tac. Both he and Motorola took this technology to New York to show the public.

In 1977 cell phone went public and public testing began. Chicago was the home for the first trials with 2,000 people. Later trials appeared in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. It spread to Japan in 1979.

Typical technologies changed in 1988 when the Cellular Technology Industry Association, or CTIA, was formed to lay out practical goals for cell phone providers. Included was research for new applications of development.

In 1991 the Telecommunications Industry Association set a new standard with the creation of the TDMA Interim Standard 54.

The history of the cell phone has had quite a long journey. Even though there was a great demand for cell phones, it took a total of 37 years for them to become commercially accessible in the United States.

It’s hard to believe that, since the cell phone has only become popular over the past couple of decades, wireless service was actually invented almost 50 years ago.

According to the CTIA, there are more than 60 million people who own cell phones. Just 25 years ago the cellular business had a $3 million market, while today it has grown to be an industry worth close to $30 billion per year.

Marketing is a fundamental aspect of virtually every business that is out there. For many companies, this is where most of their budget goes: advertising. There are hundreds of ways for you to advertise from coffee shop windows to on the web through banner ads. The goal is of course to target your key audience at the exact right time. This is not an easy task nor is it on that you should take lightly.

One of the most intense types of marketing that is geared towards people no matter where they are and where they go is mobile marketing. Consider this. You could pay for one hundred banners to be put on the sides of buses in one major city. This will cost thousands of dollars in marketing. Those who see the ad will be able to react to it. But, in order for them to see it they need to be at the right place at the right time to see the bus go past them. In the end, your target audience is quite difficult to target in this medium.

But, when you consider mobile marketing, the tables are turned. What is the one thing that you insure you have when you grab your keys to head out the door? You mobile phone! And, so does about half of the population out there. Marketing through mobile phones is an excellent way to get your message out to individuals who are going to take this medium with them where ever they go.

Mobile marketing is fast becoming the talk of the town simply because it is so very effective. Because you can target such a large or such a specific group of people, it makes sense to take advantage of this type of marketing no matter what your product or service is. Because it can be very targeted and very broad, mobile marketing can serve many companies marketing needs: effectively.

There are very few people in this world who posses the kind of social graces intrinsic to the characters in an Austen novel. Some would argue the children of the “information revolution” lack social propriety altogether. Despite the rumours that etiquette is dead, many of us do manage to exercise a little common courtesy toward our fellow man. After all etiquette exists simply to make the whole society caper a little less confrontational. The introduction of wireless communication has taken social interaction to an unprecedented level. Mobile technology allows people to communicate regardless of time or location, giving rise to a raft of contemporary etiquette concerns. Foremost among these concerns is consideration for the sensibilities of those in our physical presence when we take a call. Is it impolite, for example, to conduct a phone conversation whilst engaged in a carnal act? The contemporary socialite must also extend courtesy to the absent caller. Is it offensive to conduct a telephone conversation whilst using the toilet? This article offers guidance to the bewildered and brutish.

1. It is a truth universally acknowledged that cell phones must be switched off in the theatre. There is absolutely no excuse. Offenders shall be tarred and feathered. Obviously, this also applies to the cinema, the symphony and spoken word and performance art. Rock concerts and hip-hop shows are generally considered exempt, however, a punter with his fingers in his ears screaming “Huh? huh? huh?” into his cell is a frightful sight.

2. When piloting an automobile, use a hands-free device or resist answering incoming calls. Not only is it dangerous to talk and drive, it is illegal in many countries. Care should be taken not to incite road rage in other motorists. Furthermore, chatting vacuously on your cell while mounting the footpath will pique pedestrians.

3. Conducting loud cell phone conversations on public transport should be avoided at all costs. To believe that other commuters ought to be interested in your conversation is narcissistic at best, to subject travelers to your confabulation is an indulgence. Moreover, as one clever blogger puts it, there is a special circle of Hell reserved for people who, upon buying a new phone, cycle through every available tone on the bus or train on the way home.

4. When in the company of others, neither take nor make telephone calls. Nothing is more irksome than being spurned by a friend whose frequent cell phone conversations take precedence over live tete-a-tete. Answering an incoming call in an interview or business meeting is a faux-pas that is to be avoided at all costs.
To observe basic cell phone etiquette is neither difficult nor inconvenient. Technology such as cell phones create many possibilities for the advancement of society; society is founded upon mutual regard for one another. Always refer to the fundamental principle of good manners: treat others as you yourself wish to be treated. As for holding a cell phone conversation on the toilet…ignorance is bliss.

There is nothing worse than being duped. Not only do you feel like an idiot, you are left to pay for an item or service you don’t want. The latest scam is the ringtone subscription service. Companies advertising free ringtone downloads, targeted at teenagers, have caught many users in expensive subscription ‘clubs’. The con is simple: Aggressively market your product as “free”, wait until a user enters their mobile number to access the “free” download, then send the user 30 ringtones a month at a cost of 5 USD per ringtone. Premium SMS subscription services, like ringtone ‘clubs’ allow mobile phones to be used like credit cards.

Legality is addressed in the terms and conditions agreement, a small box on the subscription form that must be ticked before processing. Written in practically illegible 9pt sans serif text, terms and conditions usually pop up in a small window which must then be maximised. Typically, the word ‘subscription’ and service pricing appear only in the terms and conditions. For example:

By clicking the “COMPLETE” button you agree to subscribe to Any Club’s ringtone service. You will be sent your choice of ringtone FREE of charge as a bonus for joining Any Club. The service allows you to download up to 4 ringtones each week. The US$4.95 charge will be billed to your mobile bill twice per week. To stop this subscription service at any time, SMS “STOP”, to short code 77777777. Your phone must be polyphonic compatible, be Internet-enabled and have text messaging capability. You must be the owner of this device and either be at least sixteen years old or have the permission of your parent or guardian. Artist names used for identification purposes only. Standard text messaging rates apply. For help contact customer service at 1-123-456-789.

This standard terms and conditions script can be found at any ringtone website purporting to provide free content. In practice, terms and conditions protect the ringtone supplier, once the box is checked the customer can be said to have recognised the stipulations of the agreement. Thus the blame is conveniently shifted from the ringtone supplier, to the customer. The customer, it is claimed, should have read the terms despite being (mis)led to the website on the pretense of free content.
Recently, thanks to a spate of consumer complaints, several ringtone providers have been forced to change their advertising policy. In the UK complaints of misleading advertising against ringtone company Jamster! have been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority. In the US a lawsuit has been brought against Jamster!, accusing the ‘Crazy Frog’ proprietors of fraud, false advertising, unfair business practices. Legal action may result in greater transparency on behalf of operators like Jamster! However, consumers should recall the cliche “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”, and be highly suspicious of any website offering free mobile content.