How Old????

[NooNoo]

I'm guilty of it too, thinking that some inventions have only been around for a few years... I didn't realise that the mobile phonehas been a reality for nearly 50 years... and I certainly didn't appreciate the idea had been around even longer than that!

[TechZ]

50?! wow, that is old.

I figured maybe 10yrs max.

[confus-ed]

At most, three subscribers could make calls at one time in any city

Sounds like me trying to figure out how to make a conference call..

Now this is a mobile phone:-

[Deanodriver]

I thought they were first sold in the 1980's...

[MacGyver]

Mobile phones are all about marketing and gimmicks now, each company trying to outdo the other. Why do I need some complicated wireless phone/mp3/camera/pda/web browser thing when a plain old land line works just fine without airtime charges?

[3fingersalute]

50?! wow, that is old.

I figured maybe 10yrs max.

Well, I knew it was longer than that, cause I had one in the 80's, but I didn't know they were 50 years old.

[Platypus]

The concept of spread-spectrum broadcasting that makes mobile phone and other mobile communications technology practical was co-developed in 1940 by Austrian-born actress Hedy Lamarr, believe it or not:

http://www.answers.com/topic/spread-spectrum

[DonJ]

I first heard of car phones from a TV show in the early 60's called "Burke's Law".
http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/burkes-law_trivia.htm

Burke owned a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I (1955-1959), finished in shell grey, in the pilot and a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II saloon (1959-1962), also finished in shell grey with blue grey hide, during the regular series

The interior was replete with the finest and most expensive hides and woods that money could buy. Burke's Rolls was fitted with a cocktail cabinet, telephone, radio and TV, coffee maker, record player, stereo tape deck, electric windows and air conditioning.

Now, that's a nice ride.

And of course, Batman had one in his Batmobile. But that was just make-believe.

[DonJ]

Mobile phones are all about marketing and gimmicks now, each company trying to outdo the other. Why do I need some complicated wireless phone/mp3/camera/pda/web browser thing when a plain old land line works just fine without airtime charges?

I agree for the most part. But I do need a cell phone as I am on the road a lot on the job. But I think I'm a dieing breed. I must be the last person in the world that still has a plain cell phone...without internet access, no IM'ing capabilities, no pics or MP3's, etc. Just a plain Jane cell phone, no bells or whistles. And, I like it that way.

[Platypus]

My chunky Nokia 5110e is still going strong, on the original battery. I don't need anything more sophisticated, certainly not web browsing.

[El_Squid]

Plain Nokia here as well. Pre-paid minutes, no contracts, etc. Just a means of communication for emergencies and such. I won't answer the darn thing if I'm driving, however.

[amyb]

My chunky Nokia 5110e is still going strong, on the original battery. I don't need anything more sophisticated, certainly not web browsing.

But web browsing is fun especially when you are waiting in the dr's office or in traffic..