“The Mosquito” rediscovered by CNN
It appears that CNN has just recently rediscovered The Mosquito and ran an article about the teen repellent device that launched the whole concept of the Teen Buzz Mosquito Ringtone. The device uses the same ultrasonic frequency that the ringtone is based off of. It appears that the device might actually be catching on here in the United States as devices are being sold and installed to prevent teens from loitering in certain places.
What do you think? Is using high pitch frequencies a good idea to keep teens away from high end shopping centers and condo buildings?
To get the Mosquito Ringtone for your cell phone, visit the source most teens use, Free Mosquito Ringtones, to get their Teen Buzz ringtones!
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:24 pm
That is horrible … those poor kids … (it’s actually a good idea to keep the trouble away) but what about babies and small kids that are in the area ???
Good and Bad!
Darin
April 24th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I’m 41 and can hear all of the ringtones as plain as day
I’ve spent my life listening to loud rock music blasted through headphones
Either I’m a statistical outlier or this is all a hoax
April 24th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Terry, I’m 31 and as the owner of this website I can tell you without a doubt it’s true. When I started this 2 years ago I could easily hear the 17.4khz but that was all. My kids could hear all of them! I can now only faintly make out the 16khz one and can hear the 15khz without any difficulty.
I have test the Mosquito sounds with many different people of varying ages and for the most part they are accurate. Some people however are not affected by Presbycusis or have yet to show signs of it. Statistically, I believe you are in the minority.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:35 am
I’m 18 and I can not here the 22 khz which is really weird when I was 17 about a month and a half ago, I could here all of them, now I can’t here that one. One thing is that I do not understand is that how does it hurt the ear drum? it dont me. someone in my class has it, and I was like “What is that? oh yeah that Mosquito ringtone” while everybody else started to go, “oh ouch”. I also listen to hard rock music, and I herd that listening to loud things does affect the way you can here the tones.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Also when I play a tone, it attracts my cat, she comes up to me starts meowing not the pain meow, just the “in heat” meow.
May 18th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I’m 16 love loud misic and can’t hear anything under 1400
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 am
yeah, i’m only 19 and i can’t hear anything past the one for 49+. I go to concerts occasionally, but I don’t even listen to an iPod like most young adults and teens, and yet i am apparently going deaf already! what gives?
May 26th, 2008 at 2:22 am
jess-
I totally know what you mean. I’m 19 also. I was finally able to hear just about all of them, but only with the TV muted and the sound on my laptop turned all the way up (at vol25). At first I couldn’t even hear the one meant for 30+ when my lappy was at vol8.
I hardly ever listen to loud music (but I am a fan of my iPod). Maybe there’s a reason for our not being able to hear it?
That being said, using these sounds to keep the teenagers away is diabolical. In a good and bad way. Very clever, but very rude, especially if we’re wise to their annoying little tricks. It’s poor advertising if anything, and only keeps stores from selling their products. (I’m visiting London for two days this summer. I wonder if I’ll encounter the infamous buzzing.)
September 15th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I downloaded the ringtone into my cell and the next day I took it to class. I put all my alarms, ringtones,etc. on it and every time it rang, my teacher couldn’t hear it! So technically I texted all day during class.
Also, I went to the zoo and when my ringtone rang,these elephants started acting all weird and running all over the place. huh. guess they have sensible hearing. And my grandparents kept saying, “what the hell is that???” my grandparents are like 60, so idk how they can here it. my little 4 year old sister couldn’t hear it. Neither could my mom or dad….i think it was in the very low frequency………..
October 27th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
I’m autistic… 25 years old… and can hear ringtones that are supposed to be audible only to people 14 or younger. Apparently this is pretty common because autistic people often have auditory sensitivity and will instinctively protect themselves from loud sounds–thus preserving hearing much longer than most. I and a few other autistics checked on it, and some as old as their 30s can hear the ringtones.
What’s more, said auditory sensitivity can drive us crazy when we are exposed to–especially–high-pitched sounds. I have a battery charger that makes a noise higher-pitched than the “mosquito ringtones” I’ve heard on the Net, and I have to leave the house when I charge the batteries. Otherwise I feel like I am standing next to someone constantly running their fingernails across a chalkboard. It is that annoying to me.
So, please, be kind to the autistic people in your neighborhood: We are trying hard enough to deal with our other sensitivities, without also having to cope with things deliberately meant to be annoying.