How Kids Set the (Ring) Tone

摘要

When he needs to figure out what his company should be doing next, Daniel Kranzler often seeks expert advice—from his 18-year-old daughter. Kranz-ler's company, Mforma, makes games and ringtones for cell phones and, by staying plugged in to teens like Kat, has seen sales double every few months. He's not alone. An explosion is under way in the cell-phone business, as innovative new companies are popping up, feeding not just teen tastes but also, in the process, defining a new future for wireless communications. Kranzler inked a deal in Dcecmber for Mforma with Marvel for exclusive access to its comic-book characters and is working on a next wave of cell-phone services. "My daughter lets me know what she thinks of the products—with a baseball bat," he says. "Her favorite is, 'Oh, Dad, you so don't get it.'"