1/07/2008

Can you hear me now?


First Public Transatlantic Telephone Call (1927)
The telephone has come a long way since its earliest incarnation. The switches used to route phone calls, which were once electromechanical, have now been replaced by digital electronic switching systems that make features like "caller ID," "call waiting," and "call forwarding" possible. Cordless phones, cell phones, and satellite phones have also changed the way that people communicate. I can remember when my mom had a rotary phone in the kitchen. The thing weighed like 6 pounds and for some reason red was the popular color to have. At times I felt like Batman waiting for the red phone to light up when the Commish would need me to save the day. Also when calling the relatives during the holidays it felt like I was waiting in line during a huge sale right before the store opened. When calls were placed to Boston, my aunts and uncles had numbers that started with nines so by the time you got to the last number you were pretty bored watching the dial go back to the beginning. Phones have come a long way since it's birth especially when you compare the old with the new.

No comments: