The Telephone of the Future, as Seen in 1953

[Qs Laptop]

An article purportedly from the Tacoma News Tribune, dated April 11, 1953:

 

[VanWinkle]

I wonder if that guy could give us some stock tips!!!

 

[sengsational]

In 1946:

 

[RobbieB]

I have the phone of the future. When I go for errands, I leave it at home.

When I go further I leave it in the car.

No, I don't want to talk to you. Last time on the boat I left what I was doing, hurried up the steps and found "spam call" on the phone. Twice. Why bother?

My wife wants me to have this thing more than I do. But I get more spam calls than her calls. And it always causes me to stop what I'm doing and move. Which is a pain in the ass.

"Just leave a message, maybe I'll call" (Joe Walsh) -

 

[street]

An article purportedly from the Tacoma News Tribune, dated April 11, 1953:


View attachment 44257

That is interesting. I bet people that read that in 53 thought the guys was on drugs.

I carry a phone at all times even though most places here the coverage is iffy. It is a good thing for me to carry one with being so remote, but I dislike talking on a phone. When I worked, I was on the phone all day with calls and calls I need to make.
I tell people to text and not call if at all possible.

 

[pb4uski]

Mr. Sullivan nailed it! True story per snopes.

He was born in 1896, made the prediction in 1953 (at age 57) and he died in 1985.

These cellphones were available ~1985.

 

[JoeWras]

Some recent predictions include implants of some type. I think it will happen.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

In 1946:

IIRC, Dick got a wrist TV in about 1967.

 

[CaptTom]

Some recent predictions include implants of some type. I think it will happen.

Sign me up! I want an expanded memory port in the back of my skill. And some eye implants which do face recognition and tell me who it is I'm talking to, and where I know them from.

I almost always have my phone with me, and I'll answer it if it's convenient. There are just too many "unknown numbers" calling me which turn out to be important (to me.)

It's no bother to just hang up on the spam callers, plus I get to learn which phone scams are popular these days. Oddly, spam calls have really tapered off. I'd be surprised if it's more than one a week lately.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I have the phone of the future. When I go for errands, I leave it at home.

When I go further I leave it in the car.

No, I don't want to talk to you. Last time on the boat I left what I was doing, hurried up the steps and found "spam call" on the phone. Twice. Why bother?

My wife wants me to have this thing more than I do. But I get more spam calls than her calls. And it always causes me to stop what I'm doing and move. Which is a pain in the ass.

"Just leave a message, maybe I'll call" (Joe Walsh) -

Your mistake is, you actually use your phone as A PHONE! I keep the ringer silent on mine, and don't answer it if I don't recognize the number AND need to talk to that person. My spouse, college-age child, and even my MIL use Facebook messenger or text to communicate like normal people.

 

[ERD50]

Actually, there were papers in Bell Labs in 1947 that even went so far as to outline the basics of the current cellular networks.

They envisioned the miniaturization that transistors would bring, and started working to develop the concepts, so they'd be prepared as the technology improved enough to make it a reality. I doubt that video was a part of their thinking at the time though!

For me, more amazing than the existence of mobile phones and video is that today we get full color, high frame rate video conferencing essentially for no added cost. The original video-phone prototypes were low frame rate, flickery, low resolution, black and white, and were expected to cost big $$$ per minute. And you had to go to the site to use them, there were no home installations, AFAIK.

-ERD50

 

[ls99]

I like the modern phone, in my pocket, turned off. If needed power it on, make the call, then tun it off again.

 

[Walt34]

Cell phone, whazzat? I used to have one but it broke. Before that the only time I ever used it was to call DW about every other month from the grocery store and ask her to elaborate about some item on the grocery list.

I keep meaning to get another one but I haven't missed it so now I'm thinking why bother. Like RobbieB, I don't want to talk to any of those spammers anyway. Why would I pay to make it easy for them to annoy me?

 

[Ronstar]

I answered a few phone calls today on my watch a la Dick Tracy. Crazy that they could see that coming 75 years ago. Probably where the Apple folks got the idea.

 

[JoeWras]

Here's one of many articles about implanting cell phones in your head. I guess the writers made sure to get this written down so that in 2090, when your lumpy blob of flesh is floating in a nourishing fluid while you "talk" with each other, they'll bring up this article to amaze everyone that it was predicted!

Oh wait! The 2016 dated article says 2023 is the start date. And we'll all be using self driving cars next year too because that roll-out was to go live in a big way by 2020. Nevermind.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-...of-the-future-will-be-implanted-in-your-head/

What are some of the predictions that will shake up our world? Think Kate Beckinsale in the remake of the sci-fi thriller "Total Recall" video chatting with her boss using the phone embedded in her hand. Experts say embeddable "phones" or devices that are implanted in the body that use wireless technology could be commercially available by 2023.

 

[Gumby]

My cell phone mostly sits on my desk next to the computer so that I can get the 2FA code when I log into my accounts.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

My cell phone mostly sits on my desk next to the computer so that I can get the 2FA code when I log into my accounts.

If it's an Android, you can read and send texts in a browser tab: https://messages.google.com/web/conversations