I behave strangely in my kitchen, sprinting from one end to the other, trying to open a microwave just as its beeping ends. Joel Corelitz and Colin Coogan from Starling have found a way to make those annoying sounds a thing of the past without changing any hardware.

The beep has plagued humanity since the 1970s when piezoelectric buzzers were first mass-produced by Japanese manufacturers. They're cheap, simple—perfect for microwaves and other gadgets. But Corelitz and Coogan have created a series of sounds that are worlds away from traditional beeps using just code.

The pair's solution is both elegant and innovative, allowing manufacturers to update the user experience simply by programming new sounds. None sound like a microwave; all are a thousand times better than the high-pitched tones we dread each morning.

But wait, there’s more! Starling has even re-created the soft, premium click of smartphones for when you cycle through the menu options. The response on Instagram suggests people would willingly pay extra for such improvements, indicating that sound aesthetics are not just about user experience but can be a significant selling point.

Richard Hughes from Volvo highlights that many appliance companies lack internal audio expertise and thus default to boring, functional designs. Corelitz and Coogan’s work might just change that, proving that even microwaves can have some personality.