# "False" noises like the camera noise that cell phones make **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183 "2019-07-16T21:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/1 "2019-07-16T21:15:50Z")
Are there any other noises made by technology that mimic a past noise that was an intrinsic part of the action, like the subject noise? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/2 "2019-07-16T21:21:18Z")
[This one may surprise you.](https://www.pcmag.com/commentary/345577/the-sound-and-the-fury-of-fake-engine-sounds) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/3 "2019-07-16T21:24:52Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > [This one may surprise you.](https://www.pcmag.com/commentary/345577/the-sound-and-the-fury-of-fake-engine-sounds) Some pure electric cars also have [gadgets installed to make noises so pedestrians can hear them coming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_warning_sounds); while in some cases these are more like a car horn or the “beep-beep-beep” of a truck or a forklift that’s backing up, in other cases they’re basically mimicking the sounds made by a more old-fashioned car (engine noises and so on). ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/4 "2019-07-16T21:27:46Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Are there any other noises made by technology that mimic a past noise that was an intrinsic part of the action, like the subject noise? Cell phones that ring like it is 1965? Or electronic doorbells that mimic gongs or chimes? White noise machines with rainfall on the roof. POS card readers that ring like a cash register opening when it is time to remove the card. ETA: Outside alarms that mimic air horn / air raid sirens. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/5 "2019-07-16T21:29:37Z")
I believe in the past when you called someone and heard the brrrrrr (pause) brrrrr (pause)it was actually the on/off signal activating the bell or ringer on the physical phone of the person you were calling. Today you still hear the brrrr (pause) brrrr (pause) but for all you know the person has a ring tone of Stairway to Heaven. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/6 "2019-07-16T21:31:41Z")
As I understand it the clicking sound made by cars’ turn signals is another example. In old cars the sound was made by a device called a thermal flasher, an electro-mechanical device that would physically turn the lights on an off as it heated up and cooled off, and it clicked as it did so. Nowadays the flashing is done electronically, and the clicking sound is added so you know you turn signal is on. In fact my 2019 Mazda actually has an option to adjust the turn signal volume in the infotainment system, although it’s disabled in mine. I guess you have to get the top trim level if you want to change your turn signal volume. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/7 "2019-07-16T21:46:37Z")
ATM machines make an unnecessary counting-out-the-money noise purely to reassure customers that the machine is doing something. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/8 "2019-07-16T21:53:05Z")
> [@PoppaSan](#): > > ETA: Outside alarms that mimic air horn / air raid sirens. Good one. I believe they mostly mimic [pneumatic sirens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siren_(alarm)#Pneumatic). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/9 "2019-07-16T22:03:29Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > As I understand it the clicking sound made by cars’ turn signals is another example. In old cars the sound was made by a device called a thermal flasher, an electro-mechanical device that would physically turn the lights on an off as it heated up and cooled off, and it clicked as it did so. Nowadays the flashing is done electronically, and the clicking sound is added so you know you turn signal is on. > > In fact my 2019 Mazda actually has **an option to adjust the turn signal volume** in the infotainment system, although it’s disabled in mine. I guess you have to get the top trim level if you want to change your turn signal volume. By any chance can you download custom turn signal sounds? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/10 "2019-07-16T22:04:47Z")
The AI attendent can be heard ‘typing’ while looking up my account when I call Comcast. Gambling machines have fake coin drop sounds. The wheels on a ‘mechanical’ slot machine are predetermined, too. Most church bells around here are electronic speakers. Same with a lot of ‘pipe’ organs. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/11 "2019-07-16T22:17:28Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > By any chance can you download custom turn signal sounds? > > 😃 No, but that would be awesome! Although you know some immature jokers would just set their turn signals to fart noises if they could. And I’m disappointed that I can’t adjust the turn signal volume in my car, because honestly I find the default too quiet, and I keep looking down at the dash to double check that the turn signal is actually on. > [@jnglmassiv](#): > > The AI attendent can be heard ‘typing’ while looking up my account when I call Comcast. Good one. And there are also the “typing” sounds from most on screen smartphone/tablet keyboards. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/12 "2019-07-16T22:21:41Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Some pure electric cars also have [gadgets installed to make noises so pedestrians can hear them coming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_warning_sounds); while in some cases these are more like a car horn or the “beep-beep-beep” of a truck or a forklift that’s backing up, in other cases they’re basically mimicking the sounds made by a more old-fashioned car (engine noises and so on). I believe that London now requires EVs to make noise when they’re moving below a certain speed so as to alert blind pedestrians. The only thing is, they don’t specify what noise needs to be made, so each manufacturer will come up with their own. Or let the driver choose a noise. When EVs become more common, there’s going to be a real cacophony when cars start off after a red light. As far as the OP, Harley Davidson electric motorcycles will/could make noise like their gas-burning forebears. Don’t know if they’ll vibrate like them too, but it wouldn’t surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/13 "2019-07-16T22:26:17Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > By any chance can you download custom turn signal sounds? > > 😃 I don’t know. Probably sometime soon. My 2018 sounds to me like fine teak sticks being clicked together. I don’t know why I think teak, but it sounds so pleasant! ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/14 "2019-07-16T22:35:03Z")
This thread made me realize that I had no idea how cell phones and the like actually produce their various sounds, clicks, and vibrations, and so led me to [haptics]([Do You Know How Haptics Work?. Haptics make our devices more… | by Calum McClelland | IoT For All | Medium](https://medium.com/iotforall/intro-to-haptic-technology-368340400375) vv). Some cool stuff out there. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/15 "2019-07-16T22:36:01Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > As far as the OP, Harley Davidson electric motorcycles will/could make noise like their gas-burning forebears. Don’t know if they’ll vibrate like them too, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Correction on this. I misunderstood some article I read on them. Instead they sound like: [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skzQcCiwpFc) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/16 "2019-07-16T22:56:45Z")
I built [this](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0c/f2/ce/0cf2ce39b96b2ed111fec2b9752058ac.jpg) Heathkit electronic metronome when I was a kid. It used a wooden sounding board with a washer glued to it to produce its “tick.” The washer was attracted by an electromagnet. Heath made a big deal of it’s “authentic sound,” and it _did_ sound very nice… ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/17 "2019-07-16T22:59:01Z")
Lots of cars are now pumping engine noise into the cabin via the speakers. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/18 "2019-07-16T23:10:11Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > No, but that would be awesome! Although you know some immature jokers would just set their turn signals to fart noises if they could. What do you mean ‘mmature’??? I’m a highly-trained Flatulist. (Studied at the playground of Syndal South Primary school during recess. I still practise most days, as well…) I’d actually like some Murray Walker - perhaps ‘He’s going for the inside line!’ or the legendary ‘I’m not sure what’s happening here’. Actually, my wife usually says that when I’m driving anyway. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/19 "2019-07-16T23:16:55Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > What do you mean ‘mmature’??? **I’m a highly-trained Flatulist.** (Studied at the playground of Syndal South Primary school during recess. I still practise most days, as well…) Pfftt. The preferred term is “fartiste”. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2019, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183/20 "2019-07-16T23:27:05Z")
My e-reader can make page turning sounds. Stupid. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-noises-like-the-camera-noise-that-cell-phones-make/837183.md?page=2)