Google to Roll Out Oktoberfest Ringtones for Its Nest Doorbells

pcmag.com:

Google wants to help you celebrate the change of seasons (or forget that it's still hot AF in much of the country) with some new Nest Doorbell chimes.

In addition to the usual suspects—a ghost or witch's voice for Halloween or a carol at Christmas—Google will release(Opens in a new window) fresh tunes for Lunar New Year, Diwali, and "other global celebrations" soon.

First up: an Oktoberfest-inspired jingle, available to download(Opens in a new window) in the Google Home App from Sept. 5 to Oct. 5. Based on the sounds of Germany's traditional traveling folk festival, the accordion polka features an original composition by Google Nest audio UX designer Benjamin Decker.

"I listened to and analyzed the musical arrangements and styles of a variety of traditional polka songs," he wrote in a blog post, explaining how he turned separate piano melodies into traditional German accordion tracks—"sped up … so it was doorbell-friendly."

It's really a group effort, according to Decker, who said he tests his edits with different Google teams to find what works best. Some, like the Oktoberfest ringtone, use traditional instruments. Others, like the Thanksgiving option, require more "creative solutions." (Not only did Decker study the intricacies of turkey gobbles, he recorded the sound using his own voice.)

"Since we started creating these doorbell ringtones, they've been a nice surprise for Nest users and a fun project for our team," the blog said. "There are a lot more ringtones in the works, so keep an eye out for announcements. In the meantime, I hope this new ringtone whisks you away, even just for a moment, to an Oktoberfest celebration somewhere in Germany."

Turn on any of Google Nest's seasonal themes to surprise guests,