[ShadowAce]

[a fool in paradise]

When did the basic idea become practical? Experimentation with mobile phones continued for decades, but they only started to make sense in 1983 when Motorola shipped its DynaTAC, the first true cell phone–a full seven decades after Hanson’s experiments.

There are movies from the 1950s with carphone technology. "Made sense" when lawyer yuppies in LA got them, I guess.

[a fool in paradise]

When did the basic idea become practical? The introduction of the Sony Walkman in 1979 kicked off the era of pervasive, portable prerecorded music.

I'd point to the transitor radio.

And when Sony first tried to make pocket sized electronics, they made shirts as well with a slightly larger pocket.

[a fool in paradise]

When did the basic idea become practical? Businesses began using overhead projectors as a presentation aid in the late 1950s, and presentation software such as Harvard Graphics in the mid 1980s.

The author must have never seen a filmstrip with a synched sound soundtrack (DING).

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

A nickel book, two inches thick, would contain 40,000 pages.

And paper cuts would slice off your finger.

[GunRunner]

No mention of Tesla's ideas for energy beam weapons and wireless power. That guy could think big.

Edison might have been a genius at marketing and self-promotion, but Tesla was the real engineering master.

If Edison had his way, we'd all still be using DC.

Money does not represent such a value as men have placed upon it. All my money has been invested into experiments with which I have made new discoveries enabling mankind to have a little easier life. --Nikola Tesla

[6SJ7]

The Pennsylvania Railroad used a similar technology in the 50's for their "Train Phone".

[TexasRepublic]

Here is another view of the future, as foreseen by Hugo Gernsbach in 1922: http://www.hvra.org/1922future.htm

[martin_fierro]

Keeps people from taking my lunch in the office refrigerator.