Ringtones are undoubtedly one of the most popular ways to personalize your cell phone, with a wide range of tunes available, from standard ringing sounds to the latest chart hits. You can choose your favorite sounds as a way to make your phone your own, so that you always know when it’s your phone that’s ringing. But the use of the great choice of ringtones available today doesn’t stop there – why don’t you take that personalization up a notch and use your ringtones to tell you exactly who’s calling?

Back in the mists of telephone history, we would have no idea who was calling when that ring went out. It could just as easily be the salesman from hell or the gorgeous guy you’ve been eying up for weeks on the other end of the line, but the only way to find out for sure was the answer. This wasn’t such a bad thing if you answered the call you wanted to receive, but being in the dark could have catastrophic effects if that annoying salesman made you miss a far more important call. But with the advent of the cell phone, we knew at a glance which one of the guys were calling, ensuring that we only answered the calls we wanted, when we wanted them.

But sometimes a little more advance warning would be nice. Like when you’re out with friends, you don’t want them to know you screen your calls! That’s your little secret, and using ringtones to help you identify who’s calling, you can keep it all to yourself.

By designating a particular ringtone to a particular caller, you will know who’s on the other end without lifting a finger, allowing you to short cut the call without making a fuss. And sometimes those few extra seconds are exactly what you need to compose yourself before speaking to that really cute guy – it could make the difference between taking the call with pose and bumbling your way through it. Think how impressed he’ll be!

And even if deception isn’t on your mind, personal ringtones for all your friends are a fun way to find out who is calling. Choose their favorite tune to make them recognizable, or even pick a song that includes their name! It’s the electronic version of being announced at the door – is there a cooler way to find out who is on the line?

So take your personal ringtones to the next level, and assign them to your friends. Talking on the phone just got even better.