via TechMissile
1. Customisable ringtones born in 1996
It’s only been 16 years since the first mobile (the NEC Digital Mova N103 Hyper) was released that featured the ability to change the preset ringtone tune (by altering the MIDI file). Later the same year the Digital Minimo D319 allowed users to load an original melody. But it wasn’t until 1997 and the ringtone maker Harmonium that users were able to fully customise their ringtone. It was, of course, released to work with Nokia’s smart messaging.
via ez4mobile (old school instructions on making ringtones)
2. Crazy ringtones
We all remember the Crazy Frog (some more fondly than others), but did you know that the animation was originally born to accompany the sound effect of an old German car? For another annoying ringtone that did the rounds a few years ago that you might not have heard in your country, the Banana Phone is something you might not be able to get out of your head. I actually once had a colleague (who shall remain nameless) who had this as her ringtone, and wouldn’t answer for many seconds just to hear the music. The most heard ringtone of all (as we all know) is the Nokia ringtone – heard 1.8 billion times per day worldwide.
3. Music is life
According to a Juniper Research document ‘mobile music remains the key driver for mobile entertainment’ and that expanded memories and prolonged battery lives means people are relying more and more on their phones for their portable music needs. This is backed up by the straw poll we took here on Nokia Connects a couple of weeks ago in the Big Debate where we asked whether people used their phones for music or games.
4. Nokia Mix Radio (UK) has over 40,000 handpicked songs
There are 300+ unique mixes available on Nokia Mix Radio, equating to well over 40,000 songs. Easily personalisable, I did a little bit of maths (based on an average song length of 3 minutes) and this means that over 2,000 hours of music is available, or 83 days. To listen to it all, you may have to charge your battery once or twice.
5. Soundtracker radio is available for all
Released in the Nokia BetaLab, Soundtracker Radio has millions of tracks available, but does more than that. It’s Geosocial Internet Radio tracks your location and offers ‘hyperlocal listening that allows users to tune into nearby stations created by other users’. It is offered for Nokia users with Windows Phone, Symbian, Meego, S60 5th edition, and Series 40 6th Edition devices, so there’s no excuse not to get listening.
Do you have any musical nuggets to add to this list? Leave us a comment below, or drop me a line @Nokia_Connects.