Telephone?

Introduction

I included the question mark because "Are the devices we carry around with us on an almost permanent basis just telephones?"

I started with dial-up, ringing phones and have used faxes, scanners, and enjoyed what science fiction told us to expect in the twenty first century, like the Star Trek Tricorder.

So many things we were promised, but the only things that seem to be hugely developing are the bank balances of of few lucky manbabies. That is not quite true, despite that poverty is less than it was although it could be easily eradicated. The resources are there, but in the hands of greedy bullies.

But this is not about thit , it is about the telephone.

The Telephone?

The first electronic had held device I think I had was a pocket calculator, which certain people said would destroy the learning of mathemeatics, but most kids just used them for this:

Then we got digital watches with LED displays which were cool. Almost all watches now are battery driven, but wind up watches never need a battery. As you can see all of mine need batteries replacing, but I love the designs and often just wear them because I like the look of them, but with a dead battery.

I remember someone I knew got a "mobile" phone around 1990. It consisted of a heavy case and a big handset with an aerial. It did not fit in his pocket.

In the early noughties my daughter Juliet gave me her old mobile phone so I was not dependent on landlines when I was working away. I think I got a Nokia and a digital camera when we went on holiday to Mexico. I also got an MP3 player as well so I could listen to music on my walks.

I think the Nokia had the Snake game on it. I can't remember if it had a camera.

In 2007 I started work for Orange and eventually I had my own work phone. I saw phones change from things you could make calls on without a landline, and even send text messages, then came the camera and the ability to listen to music and watch video.

The ability to install applications to do things has turned what were mobile telephones into all purpose devices. In many ways like the Star Trek Tricorder but with even more options. This is now a fully fledged computer with a hell of a lot more processing power that the mainframes I worked on through the last three decades of the last millenium to the noughties in this one.

I can use it to watch films, deal with my bank and other financial applications, I can have a video call with anyone in the world as long as we both have a signal.

I still love this Orange advert with Elton John and hope you can see it. The final lines are class.

Orange Guy: "One video phone for you and one for Mrs John"

Elton: "I'm Gay"

Orange Guy: " You're Gay, We're Ecstatic"

Orange

The phone has brought us all a lot closer together (if we want to be) but I suppose it has also made us all more open to any contact even if we don't want it.

The main thing that is missing in a teleport function. Imagine being abke to teleport to Canada for a coffee in Tim Horton's with a friend (lthough we have Tim Hortons all over the UK).

Conclusion

I know we all have mobile phones, but mine still feels like something that would not be out of place in any science fiction film.

Thank you for reading.

The music is "Telephone And A Rubber Band" by The Penguin Cafe Orchestra based on a landline engaged tone.