Nest doorbells are getting even more festive this fall with new seasonal ringtones
Google periodically updates its Nest doorbells with seasonal ringtones. For the past few years, we’ve regularly seen limited-time tones around winter holidays likeChristmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, andLunar New Year, plus tones forHalloweenand eventhe Fourth of July. In a blog post authored by Nest audio UX designer Benjamin Decker,Google has announced it will be adding new toneslater this year and into 2023 for several global holidays—plus a sweet polka ringtone for Oktoberfest, which starts in just a couple of weeks.
New holiday ringtones will include selections for Diwali, which begins in the third week of October, and Lunar New Year, which falls on January 22, 2023, plus ringtones for “other global celebrations.” These ringtones will presumably be available a couple of weeks in advance of the occasions they’re meant to celebrate, so we should expect to see them relatively soon.
Oktoberfest’s ringtone, a five-second polka riff composed and recorded by Decker, is set to be available from September 5 to October 5 to coincide with the real Oktoberfest in Munich, which is being held from September 17 to October 3. Interestingly, Decker says he wrote and recorded the ditty on piano and converted the track to accordion samples in production software.
Decker went on to explain some of the process that goes into selecting, composing, and recording new Nest doorbell ringtones. Tones have to be 10 seconds or shorter, contain no lyrics, and use either original or royalty-free compositions—so while you’re likely to get instrumental versions of standbys like Jingle Bells and Auld Lang Syne every year, you won’t be hearing any recent chart-topping hits on your doorbell. Decker also revealed that, because real-life recordings of turkeys typically aren’t suited for commercial use, he had to imitate a turkey gobble to make Nest’s Thanksgiving ringtone. Talk about dedication.
The Nest Doorbell is Google’s latest smart doorbell, and the company’s first battery-powered option. While it lacks the 24/7 recording of the older Nest Doorbell (wired), its larger camera sensor and wider aspect ratio make it a better tool for seeing packages left on the doorstep or visitors in low light.
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