Reason #1 Not to Let Your Phone Loose

Like many in the wireless industry, I was at CTIA this past week and I attended a number of evening events. At one party at Roe, there was pretty loud music so it was a bit hard to hear. A gentleman walked up to me at the bar while I was waiting for a glass of wine. He began talking to me about his ring tone company. I couldn't hear what he was saying (and now I can't find his business card either), but I did hand over my phone at one point so he could download the application so I could listen later on. Again, couldn't hear anything.

I was working at home today when this voice began to whisper to me. This voice was telling me to answer my phone. Huh? I was thinking who is rude enough to ring me and demand that I answer my phone? and how are they doing that? I answered the phone, but there was a different voice. I told the person (press in the wireless space) on the line that my phone was whispering to me … I wasn't quite ready to focus on the call as I was so taken back by the voice. Then it all clicked for me as I realized it was a ring tone that someone had loaded on to my phone. He said, "that's funny, I heard music." (his first ring back tone).

Then I played it again – the ring tone. It's George Bush and he's yelling at me to answer my phone, but I somehow can't get the volume up above a whisper. I can't believe he's being paid royalties for this. An imitation ring tone?

And what about taking your phone to the bar after work on a Friday? I just received this message from my friends who are at their Stamtisch at their favorite sushi bar in NYC:

"ree rove rou"

Sent by a Blackberry