Did you know that when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, no one saw its full potential, including Bell himself? Western Union’s executives shrugged it as ‘an electrical toy’. Did you know Bell’s patent number 174,465 became the single most valuable patent ever granted? But even more surprising is the fact that he merely put together the components that had existed for over thirty years and a German schoolteacher Philipp Reis had built a prototype device in 1861 itself – albeit, it did not really work because it lacked the dust and dirt required to transmit speech with stellar fidelity.
Reis had kept his equipment meticulously spic and span and, thus, never knew he had come so close to a working equipment. Did you know that Bell beat Elisha Gray with just a few hours in filing a proper patent? It was his comrade Thomas A Watson that did something really useful for expanding the functionality and reach of this invention, the patent for the distinctive ringing bell. Yes, because, believe it or not, before that, the only way to know if someone was trying to reach you was to pick up the phone every now and then.
Besides, it was a theatrical engineer Henry Dreyfuss who actually changed the ‘candlestick’ phone to the sleek and boxy modern design on which the handset could rest easily, and which allowed the user to handle the hearing and speaking functions from a single handset.
Agreed, a lot of these sentences may sound wispy and wooly. Amusing, but too amusing to be true. However, as humorous as Bill Bryson is, he does put in a lot of research in his books – so turns out that all these things about communication that we take for granted actually began somewhere.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Businesses in a quandary as India battles mobile spam
TRAI's new SMS regulations target spam but could disrupt legitimate business communications, while OTT platforms like WhatsApp remain difficult to regulate
Coca-Cola cloud brings a golden harvest for Infosys
Infosys is set to significantly benefit from Coca-Cola and Microsoft's cloud alliance, highlighting India's pivotal role in enabling digital transformation worldwide
India's cosmic odyssey: Reaching for the Moon and beyond
India's space ambitions extend beyond Chandrayaan-3, with plans for lunar sample returns, a national space station, and cutting-edge launch vehicles
SMEs scale new heights with cloud
Cloud technology empowers Indian SMEs in BFSI with scalability, innovation, and security, enabling them to compete with larger firms and drive growth
Not a chip off the same block
eSIMs are reshaping connectivity with seamless switching, enhanced security, and loT integration while navigating challenges in adoption and regulation
Powering 'Tech Olympics' in Paris
How the Paris 2024 Olympics redefined global sports, blending Al, 5G, and digital twins to set new standards and pave the way for the future of sporting events
"5G has consistently influenced complementary technologies"
With over 34 years of experience in the IT services industry, Dinesh Rao currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Co-Head - Delivery at Infosys.
"AI applications and hybrid work models are drivers of SASE adoption"
With extensive experience in leading product management for Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SDWAN), and Security Service Edge (SSE) solutions across various enterprises, Andrew Winney currently serves as the General Manager and Global Head of SASE Business at Tata Communications.
TELECOM'S GREEN SIGNAL FOR GROWTH
As technology leads India's sustainable transition, innovations like 5G and green energy are paving the way for inclusive growth and environmental stewardship
The BIG Leap
As Indian enterprises embrace 5G, they are driving innovation, unlocking new possibilities, and paving the way for the next industrial revolution