Tingling ringtones.(SHORT MESSAGE: Around the wireless industry)

Wireless Asia, May, 2006

For the 0.75% of the world's mobile users who actually worry about their ringtones disturbing others in movie theatres, meetings and public transport, vibration mode is always an option, but even that's too loud for some people. Motorola has patented a novel alternative: an electrified stimulator pad.

According to the Mobiledia, when an incoming call or message is received, "an electric potential is placed across the electrodes and physically stimulates the body, such as areas of the epidermis and underlying muscles, alerting the wearer of the incoming call in a completely silent manner."

Put simply, incoming calls will give you a tingly sensation. And a therapeutic massage, says Motorola.

"The stimulus patterns can be manually programmed...