Use the Right Tones for the Situation
Lately I've been really busy. And whenever my smartphone would ring I'd feel the stress notch up a bit.
Then I realized I was a masochist, setting a sinister-sounding ringtone to blare out at maximum volume whenever a call would come in. I chose that tone because I wanted a sound that would grab my attention, even in a noisy place.
Unfortunately, when it was quiet, the phone would startle me when it rang. It also didn't help that the ringtone's melody was quite menacing. The sound would make unconsciously worried. I actually found myself dreading calls as they came, which isn't exactly a great way to live in today's mobile environment.
So, I guess it pays to make use of tone profiles. Now, my "General" scheme uses more subtle tones; they catch my attention without relying on shock and awe. And when I find myself in a noisy place like a party or concert, I set my phone to "Loud."
Suggestion to Manufacturers: let your users use sound "schemes," so that they can easily change their smartphone or PDA's sound settings to fit the situation.
