Who’s Blowin’ Up?

As cell phones become more and more popular, ring tone sales skyrocket into multi-billion dollar industry

By Kelsey May

Type in the words “Cell phone ring tones” on Google’s Web site and you’ll get 24.5 million results (in .14 seconds).

I understand there is an incalculable amount of songs out there, but that’s almost 25 million Internet pages dedicated to a cell phone feature. And now Billboard has developed a chart dedicated to ring tones.

Since my parents pay for the luxury of my phone, I can’t get ring tones. If I do, they’re a package deal, complete with a fatherly call demanding $2.95.

There’s quite a difference between asking someone for three dollars in person and asking for it from 900 miles away.

But that’s what happened two years ago when I downloaded Disney’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “I Can Show you the World.” So I haven’t really been in the market since.

I’m actually relieved I’m forbidden from this fad because if not, I know I would give in and relentlessly be downloading songs.

Myspace and Facebook are the duo of procrastination tools I use far too often.
I know I would be absolutely sick and take the ring tone thing way too far, contemplating which song I’d rather hear,
“California Dreaming” or “California Here We Come” when my aunt calls from Newport Beach every month.

In class, people seem to get so bent out of shape when ring tones sound. I personally find it more annoying when I hear someone’s technology vibrating for ten minutes because the student thinks no one else can hear it.

I prefer hearing choruses like ‘Gonna take it right … in … to … the danger zonnnne!’ and get this wicked enjoyment as I listen to the poor soul scramble for the phone and find ‘ignore’ as quickly as possible.

Some professors have strict policies about phones ringing in class, but Jerry Noloboff and Thomas Graham prevail for most unique.

I have heard that Dr. Graham suggested tossing his noisy students out of his fourth floor window in Kenan when their phones disrupt class.

However, if you have class with professor Noloboff, his policy is a bit more light-hearted. When your ring tone sounds, you must get up and dance to it.

Some professors have succumbed to the rage themselves. If you happen to hear the James Bond theme song on campus, you won’t see Pierce’s silver Porsche whizzing the wrong way down Sevilla, but you’ll know that Graphic Design Instructor Randy Taylor is close by.

As for me, La Cheapa, I’m sticking with Verizon’s ring tone No. 8.