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Allison DuBois and D.A. Manuel Devalos discuss
their cell phone choices on "Medium."
Well, not really.
I'm not a statistician. I know how to look at a bell curve a bit,
I know what is involved in taking a good random sample to acquire
research data, but that's it. I did know a girl way back who was a
graduate student in Mathematics and whose area was statistics, but
it's not as if her knowledge rubbed off on me simply because I was
rubbing up against her at the time.
Back in June of last year I bought a Blackberry Curve smartphone.
By default the phone was set to a certain ringtone as it came out
of the box. It only took me a few days to find that the Blackberry
was actually loaded with about 60 ringtones and notifiers that they
didn't even tell you about. I guess they assume that anybody who gets
a Blackberry is a bit of a geek or closet geek and that they will go
through every single menu on the phone when they first get it to find
what's there.
Anyway, I didn't like the default ringtone much. So I went down their
offering of possible ringtones and listened to them. I wanted a tone
that was distinctive and perhaps unique, but one that wouldn't get
totally annoying after a few weeks or so (and I imagine that a lot of
them do). As a result I settled on a ringtone called Light Speed (or
Lightspeed). It's a nice ringtone that says "You definitely have a call
but I'm not going to drive you crazy about it." It was also a very clear
ringtone, which makes it easy to hear from a distance.
Well I didn't think anything about all that at the time. I picked a
ringtone, one among 60, no big deal.
A few months later, I think it was in October, I was watching an
episode of Medium on television. There was a scene in which Rosanna
Arquette's boss, the District Attorney, received a call on his phone.
To my great surprise his ringtone was the same as the one I had
selected — the Light Speed ringtone. I found it sort of cool really.
And I think my response was something like "Huh, imagine that, he's
got the same tone as I do!"
That was it for a while with regard to the ringtone. But in December
I was flipping through channels and came a across a movie. Pausing to
check it out briefly I watched a scene in which one of the characters
got a call on his phone. And it rang with the Light Speed ringtone. At
that point it seemed very strange. It seemed highly improbable that with
all the phones out there and with thousands of downloadable ringtones
available to choose from that somebody else — probably the prop
manager — had a phone with the same ringtone.
In January I was sitting having my lunch one afternoon watching CNN.
All of a sudden my phone went off. Or at least I thought it was my phone.
But no, after a few seconds I realized that one of the reporters on the
program must have inadvertently left their phone on. And hey, guess
what, they had the Light Speed ringtone. At that point the thing moved
from the realm of the strange to the realm of the bizarre.
But that's not all. I won't bore you with more details, but since then I
have run across 2 more programs where a phone used the Light Speed
ringtone. At which point it escalated from the bizarre to the freaky.
Like I said I know little about statistics. But it seems to me that assuming
everybody out there used a Blackberry Curve then there would be a perhaps
1 in 60 chance that they would also settle on the Light Speed ringtone
just like I did. But of course a person doesn't have to use one of the on-
board ringtones. You can download them just like any other phone. And then,
of course, there is the fact that the Curve is only one among hundreds
of phones out there. It would seem a lot more probable, in fact very probable,
that with all the phones and tones out there I would never run across my own
tone to the degree that I have, and that like most things in life people
have different tastes and chose different ringtones.
So I decided to look into the matter a bit. Using the string "most popular
ringtones" I checked out a good number of sites that listed what they called
the "most popular." I guess what was on my mind at that point was that the
reason I ran across the Light Speed ringtone so often was that it was in fact
a very popular ringtone. Well the first thing I discovered was that they all
listed different tones as being the most popular. In other words, they were
only getting part of the information needed to indeed represent the most
popular tones. It wasn't as if there was some overriding government or even
private agency keeping up with all the data.
I quickly became lost in all of it. Just too much data, too many download
sites, too many ringtones. But of course discovering all that only made
my original feeling of this being a incredibly improbable occurrence more
tenable.
And perhaps even more improbable? That somebody should have read
through this entire geeky post.
L2D2 said:
Geek here! I guess it just has a more universal appeal than the rap crap they have for ringtones. Sane people like to have non-annoying, less intrusive ringtones. And you are apt to have your ears set to hear that particular one. How about the many on TV who do NOT have that ringtone? Count em maybe. And the only time I had a cell phone, I had Deep in the Heart of Texas
musickna said:
😆 I did read to the end! I still have developed no love of cell phones. The last time I used mine was talking to you, Ed! 🙂
ellinidata said:
"I quickly became lost in all of it. Just too much data, too many download sites, too many ringtones. But of course discovering all that only made my original feeling of this being a incredibly improbable occurrence more tenable. And perhaps even more improbable? That somebody should have read through this entire geeky post.":doh: I did :lol:ad I was thinking all the way…I have my cell vibrate … I have my phone vibrate! :lol:which is true :p
edwardpiercy said:
@ Linda. That's the thing though, Linda. I don't think it's a matter of selective hearing, I think I listen pretty well. But I've hardly run across ANY other cell phones slash ringtones on television. A couple of times. Like the phones when I watched The Departed — none of those phones used Light Speed. But in the main a preponderance of the ones I've heard use that ringtone. That's what makes it so freaky. It's just not statistically likely, I would think.In any case, I've also seen that the theme from "Dallas" is available as a ringtone. :D@ Richard.Well if you want I can call you. Just so you remember how to punch the buttons and everything. :p :p :p
edwardpiercy said:
You know I'm really not surprised that bloggers might have read the entire thing, as I think we're all at least semi-geeky or we wouldn't be doing this kind of thing. As for people from the "outside" well, not so sure."I have my cell vibrate … I have my phone vibrate!"You sound very excited about that!!!!!!:lol: 😆 😆
ellinidata said:
Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
especially when it is in my pocket! 😆
ellinidata said:
:lol:Eddie I love seeing you and all our friends too! I forgot to mention the Avatar! "free willy" day? 😆 after the hanging all out I am not surprised! :lol:heyshortage of fish! see the image at this post :http://my.opera.com/ellinidata/blog/2010/02/04/relationships :p
edwardpiercy said:
Which reminds me Angeliki. My new avatar has a message for you –"Click-click-click-click-click-click-click!"I think that means he's happy to see you. Either that or he wants a fish. 🙂
musickna said:
:p 😆
ellinidata said:
Originally posted by edwardpiercy:
w00t! now we are talking! 😆
edwardpiercy said:
Free Willy was an Orca. This one is Yeeha Flipper!Just the sound of "fish" brings to mind about 500 photos I can't show. Including one of Julianne Moore's red snapper. :p
ellinidata said:
Gosh! linkage is demanded!!!!! :lol:you tickle my imagination Eddie! 😆
edwardpiercy said:
If you want I can post one of Johnny Depp's moray eel. :p 😆
ellinidata said:
:lol:fried with a bedding roasted tomatoes on the side ! :love: yummy!
edwardpiercy said:
Okay, if you insist.But view the "fish" at your own risk!
edwardpiercy said:
Pam those sound nice — well I don't think I could live with the Beavis one… :lol:The worst one I ever heard — or possibly the best — was one called Chainsaw Massacre. You'd hear a chain saw starting up followed by this hideous screaming.
PainterWoman said:
Yeah, pretty freaky I must say. I think I only heard a phone like mine once on the bus at ASU. My daughter has a Beevus and Butthead type voice saying 'It's me, hehehe, hurry up pick it up, I'm waiting, you're taking too long' or something like that. I cracked up every time I heard it. The three years I had a cell phone, I did enjoy it and the different ring tones. Actually, they were cute little tunes or parts of concertos. I made a different tune for each person so if I was in another room, I knew who it was and could ignore it or answer.
ellinidata said:
what an ugly thing! :lol:I am positive 😮 yes, I am ,Johnnys eel is beautiful! :love:
edwardpiercy said:
It took me a while too Star. Then thank goodness I came to my senses and fell back on my roots — burying my army men in the sandbox and digging them up again 3 days later. :lol:That girl I knew tried teaching me some elementary stat concepts. Unfortunately we always seemed to be on the bed when she tried explaining it to me and that pretty much lead to an anatomy class. :p
edwardpiercy said:
Okay, but don't blame me if Johnny's "moray eel" is embarrassing!Personally, I don't know how he handles something that big.
Stardancer said:
I had to take courses in stats for my engineering, business, and psychology majors in college. (Had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do. Long story. :D) Every stats course I had to take was different–fundamentally different–from the others I had to take.Most confusing load of crap I've ever seen in my life.:lol:
Stardancer said:
😆
gdare said:
😆 Great post. The most annoying ringtone I ever had was Gilette electric razor, it sounded like someone is realy shaving. It was loud and excellent to hear in crowded noisy areas or busses but it annoyed people around me a lot 😆 Then I switched to submarine sonar sounds, which is really cool and not annoying at all :happy: For messages I have Yoda from Star Wars series "A message from a Dark side, there is" :DI don`t mind phones that much but I read entire post in no time 😆
gdare said:
Always a pleasure :yes:
edwardpiercy said:
Ha! Gilette electric razor. 😆 The annoying aspect I was very concerned with. I might not go out much, but I certainly don't want all sorts of people turning around and looking at me because I have the "Hey Mickey" by Toni Basil ringtone. :lol:Thanks for reading!
Pineas2 said:
Deputy Chief Brenda Lee Johnson of "Closer" uses always the t-mobile-standard sound. I for myself prefer the sound of buffy the vampire slayer for calls and Kim Possibles Kimmunicator for messages. All cell phones I had in the last 6 or 7 years played the title-song of BTVS 🙂
edwardpiercy said:
You must really like Muffy the Vampire Slayer. I mean Buffy. Anyway, I don't watch "Closer" (I hate Sedgewick) but if I did I suppose that would be one instance where Lightspeed was not used. Which is good data, so thanks. :up:
Aqualion said:
I had a similar experience when I went to the cinema to see 'Casino Royale'. In one of the scenes with James Bond and the girl (don't remember her name)I hear my phone's message beep. Much to my suprise, since I always keep it on silence when I'm out. So, I found out I had the same message beep as James Bond's girlfriend. Is that gay?
edwardpiercy said:
That's pretty freaky too!And yes, totally gay! :p :pI'm surprised you don't compose your own ringtone. That short MP3 you sent me would work well I think.In any case that's one more ringtone that isn't light speed. You know I saw that movie like a few months ago — I do remember her getting calls but don't remember the tone. In any case that's one that I can put in the "not Light Speed" column.
Aqualion said:
I compose my own ringtones, unless of course I find a really cool ringtone. Right now my ringtone is the theme from a classic children's programme from the 70s. It brings smiles on people's faces when it goes off, because it's nostalgic. I still have that particular message beep. It's cheerfull and sort of happy. It's just a small 'dingeling', like a hotel desk bell. Oh yeah, I remember sending you a tune once. A bluesy theme of some kind, wasn't it?
edwardpiercy said:
A little bluesy and also techno, yeah. :up:
Aqualion said:
From my techno period.
edwardpiercy said:
Ha! :lol:Period 14: the "well known author who sleeps with all the hot literary groupies" period.:p
edwardpiercy said:
Ah yes, one of the "classic" periods….I think that right now I'm on the Period 43: the "life is short; the art is long" period.
edwardpiercy said:
Now that would be an interesting list: "My Creative Periods".Period 1: the "I have no idea what that author is doing" period.Period 2: the "I have no idea what I'm doing" period.Period 3: the "can actually put an interesting phrase together" period.etc etc etc.:D
Aqualion said:
Personally, I'm looking forward to my excessively rich and famous period.
Aqualion said:
This one is mandatory:Period 21: retreats from spotlight because of overexposure, develops exentric habits and/or goes to rehab thus getting even more exposure period
Aqualion said:
I'm currently in my almost bashing my head on computer keyboard due to fatigue period. So, I'll be off to the land of the semi-dead shortly…
Pineas2 said:
Well, isn't everybody a Buffy-fan? On the other hand, I never have to ask if this is my cellphone ringing. If it is a midi-version of Nerd Herders most successfull song, it is my phone.
Pineas2 said:
I wonder if there is a database what tv-series-character uses what cellphone and what ringtone.
edwardpiercy said:
"I wonder if there is a database what tv-series-character uses what cellphone and what ringtone."I doubt it. Maybe you could do that, the list. Attract all sorts of new readers!
Aqualion said:
…–……–…Holmes, is that you?…–…
Aqualion said:
Perhaps our 'Medium' has the answer to that one.
edwardpiercy said:
😆 :lol:Alexander Graham Bell's ringtone. Hmmm. Probably the only one available back then.
edwardpiercy said:
Ah yes! I'll invite her over and ask her. And serve some martinis. And some soft music…