The telephone that we use today dates back to the mid 19th century. The basic telephone was invented by an Italian, Antonio Meucci, in 1849 (Elon University/Pew Internet project, n. d., p. 7). However, the Elon University/Pew Internet project said, it was not until 1876 when Alexander Graham Bell was recognized for the first United States of America (USA) patent for the device, when it became popular in the USA. The telephone, since then, has been a technology device that has been recognized by all societies, worldwide. This emerged technology has gone through a series of progressions, thereby, making it an emerging technology device. This tetrad has grown as a chain of events as it progresses over the years.
Bell's first telephone
The Telephone Tetrad
Tetrad of the Telephone
ENHANCES: The telephone, once a regular land line communication technology device, enhances the communication of people worldwide. People is closely connected with each other than they were without this form of communication. It reduces the time people travel between distant places, which results in savings of transportation cost. The increased mobility of communicators worldwide has given rise to the mobile telephone, with the emerging technology version of the smart phone. This mobile communication technology device, not only allows for telephone services, but acts as an instant messaging (texting) medium, and an Internet connection link that allows for communication through email and social networking sites like Facebook, and Skype. Other features include audio and video connections like radio, music and video download, camera connection for picture taking, and video recording. The access to many of these features is through free or paid applications that can be easily downloaded to the mobile device.
OBSOLETES: The telephone obsoleted the telegraph system. The communication between people no longer requires a third party medium as in the case of the telegraph system, where the sender had to go to the telegrapher who sends the message to the receiver. Direct communication is between two people only, unless a third party is invited in the case of three-way calling. It also obsoleted the music iPod, as users of the mobile device also use it to listen to their favorite songs while traveling.
RETRIEVES: The telephone rekindled interest in the telegraph system that it replaces through text messaging, but instantly. This is like communication between individuals who telegraph each other from different locations, especially long distance, which can include another country. It also retrieves, through the use of its mobile system, the iPod system of listening to music, but through download, and watching televised recordings, which was once only seen via television.
The smart phone
REVERSES: The telephone, through its emerging smart phone technology, sets the stage for the inclusion of other applications, most of which are currently been used without the input of this emerging technology device. Examples of some of theses future applications could include the use of the smart phone as a credit card, a mass transit fare card, a ticket to entertainment, and as personal identification (I.D. card).
Reference
Elon University/Pew Internet Project. (n. d.). Imagining the Internet: A history and forecast: Back 150 timeline. Retrieved from http://www.elon.edu/docs/e-web/predictions/back150years.pdf
Amanda. Mar. 7, 2012. Alexander Graham Bell and the First Telephone. Geni
Genealogy Research. Retrieved from http://www.geni.com/blog/alexander-graham-bell-and-the-first-telephone-373198.html
Milton,
ReplyDeleteThe development of the telephone as a communicating device that eliminated the need to have a third party or a decoding system was a remarkable invention of that time period. Going from a device that used the transmission of signaling to decode a message to a device that used direct sound and was immediate was a drastic change. If there was a creation of a device before the introduction of the telephone, what may it have looked like? What would it have been capable of doing?
Tameka.
DeleteThanks for reading ‘The Tetrad of an Emerging Technology – The Telephone’. The telegraph preceded the telephone. That was when the telegrapher called the receiver after the sender went to him to send his message. An example of which is the Bell’s harmonic telegraph. Please see the link: http://jamadots.olhblogspace.com/?p=619 As in the case of the harmonic telegraph, there was not much it could have done in comparison to today’s technology, but what it did then was of importance to that age.
I think that phones are one communication technology that will be replaced quite soon, at least the simplistic telephone (look at the rise of smartphones; it is a stretch to consider them even phones in a traditional sense b/c they use satellites instead of wires as well as there multiple uses as a computer that has a communicative function to speak with others). Soon replacements could include holographic or 3-D communication where people (more than just one other person) can communicate face to face virtually. Even communication avenues in virtual worlds like Second Life might eventually replace telephone technology as we know it. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteMicah,
DeleteThanks for reading ‘The Tetrad of an Emerging Technology – The Telephone’. You are a very optimistic technologist. I like that. The name ‘telephone’ will not mean what it means now, as technology emerges. You are absolutely correct. Smartphones have definitely leads the way. Holographic or 3D will definitely be the way forward in communication.
The questions are, however, 1) How long will these communication features last? 2) What will replace them? Do you care to address these questions, if possible?
I like to think of telephones as the foundation for all of the change that has taken place with communication over the years. While the phone has evolved over the years and most rapidly in recent years, it still remains the staple of communication. Every office and desk still has one. Will we ever see the disappearance of the phone? I am not convinced that it will be gone for good in the near future. However, it may look quite different soon.
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading ‘The Tetrad of an Emerging Technology – The Telephone’. I tend to want to agree with your statement about the telephone being the foundation of all change that took place with communication over the years, except that the word 'all' blew me away. This is a strong and powerful word to use here. I would probably say 'some'. What do you think?
My next question was asked in reply to your comments on my blog, so I will not bother to ask it here.
Jamadots Speed Test
ReplyDelete