First telephone

History of the Telephone

By jacbuc0202

  • First Telephone Message

    First Telephone Message
    Alexander Bell called his colleague, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you." Alexander Bell and Thomas Watson were both in different rooms when the call was made. Watson went to Bell's room to tell him that the telephone worked. It was a success. To use the liquid variable-resistance transmitter, you had to lean over and speak loudly and clearly into the vertical bell of the unit. Dooner, Kate. Telephones Antique to Modern. Atglen, PA:

    Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2005.

  • Centennial Exhibition Phone

    Centennial Exhibition Phone
    Alexander Bell exhibited his newly designed "iron box" to Emperor Dom Pedro of Brazil at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. He recited Shakespeare into the electromagnetic transmitters. The emperor shouted, "My God, it talks!" Gearhart, Sarah. Turning Point Inventions: The Telephone.
    New Canaan, CT: CommonPlace Publishing, 1999.

  • Butterstamp telephone patented

    Butterstamp telephone patented
    Alexander Bell patented the Butterstamp telephone on January 30, 1877. The Butterstamp telephone is a combined transmitter and receiver that could be held in one hand. This is the first commercial hand telephone. It was made of wood and resembled a dairy butterstamp, which inspired its name. Source: http://mizbee.net/central2.htm

  • The Coffin Telephone

    The Coffin Telephone
    A formal agreement was drawn on August 1,1878 giving Charles Williams Jr. exclusive rights to manufacture telephones for the Bell Company. The Williams' coffin telephone used two of Bell's Butterstamp hand telephones, one for speaking, and one for listening. Watson's magneto and ringer were included in this telephone, giving it the first practical means of signaling. Meyer, Ralph. Old-Time Telephones! Design, History, and
    Restoration: Atglen PA. Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2005.

  • The Blake transmitter is patented.

    The Blake transmitter is patented.
    The Blake transmitter was patented in England on January 20, 1879 and in the United States on November 29, 1881. All Blake transmitters carried all the names and patent dates as well as the patent numbers of all the people involved - Bell, Berliner, Edison, and Blake. This transmitter was known to
    transmit the best quality of voice. The walnut case has been
    mounted on an adjustable stand to make one of the earliest desk telephones. Source: http://mizbee.net/central2.htm

  • Strowger telephone patented

    Strowger telephone patented
    This 11-hole digit dial was invented by a mortician named Almon B. Strowger. He was given a patent on March 10, 1891. The Strowger automatic exchange came into being. This later became the Automatic Electric Company. Later models of the Strowger desk stand had a porcelain mouthpiece. This was preferred in the sanitation-conscious days of the early 1900s because it was thought to be germ free.
    Dooner, Kate. Telephones Antique to Modern. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2005.

  • Automatic Electric Handset Desk Stands

    Automatic Electric Handset Desk Stands
    Automatic Electric was the first to introduce a modern looking handset desk stand in 1925. They called this the Monophone. The Monophone desk stand has a surface mounted dial and a long cradle neck. It was made of bakelite, a type of plastic resin. Meyer, Ralph. Old-Time Telephones! Design, History, and

    Restoration: Atglen PA. Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2005.

  • Push button telephone is introduced.

    Push button telephone is introduced.
    The Bell Telephone Company introduces the push button telephone. It replaces the use of a rotary. A prototype was made by the Bell Company but was shelved during World War 2. It was brought back after the transistor was developed. Henry Dreyfuss worked for the Bell Telephone Company and is given credit for the invention of the touch tone telephone. Source: http://www.k-grayengineeringeducation.com/

  • First call using a portable cellular phone

    First call using a portable cellular phone
    While general manager of Motorola's Communications Systems Division, Martin Cooper placed the first call using a portable cellular phone on April 3, 1973, His goal was met for personal wireless communications, different from cellular car phones. After a 10 year period, Motorola introduced the 16-ounce "DynaTAC" phone into commercial service in 1983, with each phone costing $3,500. Source: http://inventors.about.com/cs/inventorsalphabet/a/martin_cooper.htm

  • Simon is the first smartphone introduced on August 16, 1994.

    Simon is the first smartphone introduced on August 16, 1994.
    The Simon Personal Communicator from IBM and BellSouth was the first smartphone, combining mobile phone, personal organizer, fax, and pager. It has a touchscreen instead of buttons for dialing and typing. It had icons you tapped or poked with a stylus for e-mail, calendar, and clock. By plugging a memory card, you can use the camera, maps, and music. Its talk time was less than 30 minutes and it retailed for $899.
    Source: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-29/before-iphone-and-android

  • Apple launches the first iPhone.

    Apple launches the first iPhone.
    iPhone was introduced by Apple at MacWorld in January 2007 and officially went on sale June 29, 2007, selling 146,000 units within the first weekend of launch. The phone has been regarded as revolutionary with its advanced mobile web browsing, music and video playback, and touch screen controls. Later models can function as a video camera, camera phone, and portable media player. Apps provide games, GPS navigation and social networking.
    Source: http://www.crunchbase.com/product/iphone