Vibrating alert
{{onesource|date=December 2009}}
{{short description|Feature of communication devices that notify users by vibration}}
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A vibrating alert is a feature of communications devices to notify the user of an incoming connection or message.{{Cite web |last=meganburroughs |date=2021-05-29 |title=Vibration Alerting Applications |url=https://www.precisionmicrodrives.com/vibration-alerting-applications |access-date=2024-10-14 |website=Precision Microdrives |language=en-GB}} It is particularly common on mobile phones and pagers and usually supplements the ring tone. Most 21st-century mobile phones include a vibrating alert feature, as do smartwatches.
Vibrating alerts are primarily used when a user cannot hear the ringtone (a noisy environment or through hearing loss) or wants a more discreet notification (such as in a theatre). However, when a device is placed on a hard surface, the noise caused by a vibrating alert can often be as loud or louder than a ringtone.
The vibrations are produced by an electronic component called a vibration motor (alternatively called a haptic actuator). This component typically consists of a small electric motor with an off-center weight fixed to its output shaft.