HISTORY OF CELL PHONES
Amrisa Bhagwandin
Compare cell phones on the market today to the first prototype created by Martin Cooper in 1973, and you will probably find yourself in awe of how far technology has come. Thoughts of carrying those dark, clunky devices in your pocket might also have you chuckling at the 90s version of yourself. Remember those absinthe colored LCD screens that displayed nothing but phone numbers and the time? An even more drastic change can no doubt be seen when comparing cell phone service from then to now and the actual capabilities of the devices.
Cell phone aesthetics have been a major deciding factor for consumers within the past decade and a half. The seemingly serious devices that were first released throughout the 80s and 90s went through some major alterations. Designers saw that mobile phones could be appreciated for more than their obvious purpose. With time, the designs reduced in size and the world’s cell phone users greatly appreciated the sleek and tiny devices that were barely noticeable in pockets. Thin and chic was the new black. The market today offers devices of nearly all shapes, colors, and designs, to satisfy the aesthetic needs of customers. The improvement of quality of display on cell phone screens is one thing that cannot go unnoticed. The addition of color and complex graphic designs has certainly changed the way we literally see things. Screen display is easier on the eyes due to the riddance of blocky letters on plain bright screens. Depending on what kind of device you have, your cell phone wallpaper can be an image of nearly anything or it can even have moving graphics.
Today, the capabilities of mobile devices seem nearly limitless. Text messages are a communication gem amongst all age groups. Running late, don’t have time to make a call, or simply feeling lazy? Just tap a few letters and hit send. The ability to set up and check e-mail accounts while on the go has increased efficiency and saved precious time for individuals, and not to mention small and large businesses. Of course, there are cell phones on the market today that offer so much more than that. The iPhone, Android, and Blackberry lines of smart phones offer truly incredible capabilities. You can do almost anything with one of these devices. The iPhone and Android devices have changed the way we do everyday things by offering an endless list of add-on applications. Lock and unlock your car door from wherever you are, play your favorite game, print a document, and literally discover the universe with the right application.
The difference between 1G and 4G network speeds is incredible. Today, users can access the internet at top speed for any reason. Google maps on super capable devices today can help a lost driver or explorer on foot find their way or provide one with information they need right in the moment. The ability to communicate with others who may be thousands of miles away while you are almost anywhere is certainly something to be appreciated. The swiftness of network connections has also improved within the past two decades.
Overall, cell phones have come quite far from their original release. They are probably the most important communication devices we have in the world today and work amazingly well to connect people no matter how far they are from each other. Cellular devices also force us to work harder and faster as opposed to the thought that they have made us lazier. These mini machines have come far while pushing our own capabilities as humans to help us accomplish much more than we once thought possible.
