Photo Illustration by: David Harden/Arizona Daily Wildcat First year pharmacy student Becky Hunter poses with cell phones. Musical ring tones, text messaging, games and phones that take digital pictures have made cell phones a portable distraction for students both in and out of class. "I use my cell phone like 80 times a day," Hunter said.

Ring tones among many new cell phone amenities to hit UA campus

Students sat attentively in the lecture hall, copying notes from the professor, trying to stay within the lines while keeping an open ear. And then ...

The open ear is molested by the sound of a cell phone, and students begin searching feverishly in their bags for a relief from the watching eyes. Whose phone was it? But wait, something else was strange about this cell phone.

"You can find me in the club, bottle full of bub. I'm into having sex, I'm not into making love."

Oh snap, who knew that 50 Cent was up in here?

Students got on top of their seats and the dance party had started. The bewildered professor could only join in the fun, loosening his tie and popping a bottle of Cristal.

The students could thank the glorious ring tones - musical cell phone ringers - that now adorn the cells of students across campus.

Perhaps this is a fictional account of the power of ring tones, but the reality may be just as startling.

From the Muzak-like rings of yore to the near-CD-quality sound of current ring tones, ring tones are big business, responsible for over $3.5 billion in wireless revenue last year, according to Wired Magazine.

This 40 percent increase can be heard all over the UA campus. While all cells come with a few traditional rings, students are downloading to have a greater variety.

"I have a bunch of Disney ring tones," said pre-physical education freshman Nick Voss, who also goes on the Internet and plays games on his phone.

The tiny tones, which range in price from 99 cents to $2.50 and can be downloaded straight to your cell phone, help Voss show off his creative side.

"If you're just a normal person, you might not care; but if you have some creativity, then you get a ring tone," he said, as he showed off his "Bear Necessities" tone.

Sprint spokeswoman Vicki Soares said that the tones are great for personalizing your phone.

"Ring tones really help users identify their caller. You can assign certain songs," she said. "You can also download voice ring tones from celebrities. It's a fun way and a creative way to help identify your callers."

It's a fun way and a creative way to help identify your callers. - Vicki Soares Sprint spokeswoman

But there are some at the UA who don't even own cell phones, and others who just started using them.

"I was in a couple of jams where I could have used one," communication

senior Evan Adams said. "And I was tired of using pay phones, or if I ever had to call long distance in my apartment. I just use it to call my grandparents."

Adams, who got his first phone as a Christmas gift, doesn't plan on downloading ring tones or games, and said his phone is a "very simple Motorola."

Kelly Brumit, a psychology senior, uses her cell phone frequently, but has never downloaded a ring tone.

"I'm just not that kind of person. I'm not the kind of person who sits on the computer and searches for new things," she said.

Even without Brumit's help, Beyonce has gone gold, selling over 500,000 ring tones of "Crazy In Love" and "Baby Boy."

Cell phones and ring tones have become an expensive status symbol for some students.

"I think that people feel that they have to have the newest and best type of cell phone," education freshman Amanda Hager said.

However, Sprint disagrees about this being a negative aspect of the mobile community.

"That's just personal preference, like buying an outfit, a car, so Sprint always makes sure there is such a variety that it pleases everybody. It's only a status symbol, just as the latest outfit, or purse," she said. And, like many status symbols, ring tones have been most heavily marketed toward the 18 to 25 demographic.

Hager, whose current ring tone is a Michelle Branch song, says the marketing showcases the quality advancements.

"All the commercials use actual songs. I think it's really weird how cell phones are turning into boom boxes," she said.

And as rings become more ear-catching, so do the classroom distractions.

"Usually, people are often very embarrassed when their phone goes off (in class) because they know it makes a distraction for everyone in the class," said Kyle Tusing, communication assistant professor.

This distraction is heightened by personalized ringers, Adams said.

"I think it's kind of obnoxious. The ring tones are songs, and they're really long. And they can't turn it off. So, say it does go off; it's not like ring ... silence ... ring. It's continuous," he said.

Musical ring tones aren't the only cell phone trend, though. Enter the camera phone, which allows its owners to send and receive small digital photos that they snap through cameras attached to their cell phones.

"If I had the money, I would definitely get one (camera phone)," Hager said.

Hager would be part of a worldwide trend that is rapidly making its way to America, according to Soares.

"First and foremost (among cell phone gadgets) is picture mail. That is a huge trend overseas and is rapidly gaining speed and awareness. We've had over 50 million camera phones sold to date," she said.

Ring tones, games and camera phones are still trying to catch up to one of the first cell phone novelties: text messaging. The short, e-mail-like messages generated $40 billion last year for mobile phone companies.

All the cell phone costs may be a burden on students, but there are also illegal options to get unofficial games and ring tones on the Internet.

Although the ring tone industry is expected to grow to $5.2 billion in the next few years, poor students may continue to find ways to get their pirated version of "In Da Club."