Stuff You Should Know Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Mobile Phones
Jul 23, 2020
Delve into the fascinating world of mobile phones! Discover the amusing history behind the first mobile call and the transformative journey from clunky devices to sleek smartphones. Learn about the rise of text messaging and its impact on communication. Explore the evolution of mobile technology through generations, from analog to 5G, while also addressing smartphone dependency. The hosts mix humor with insightful stories, making for an engaging discussion on the wonders of mobile devices we often take for granted.
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Field Phones
- Chuck Bryant's dad had field phones when he was a kid, which they used while camping.
- These phones, resembling large walkie-talkies, operated on radio waves, demonstrating early mobile communication.
First Mobile Phone Network Idea
- D.H. Ring's 1947 memo at Bell Labs proposed a network of towers in a hexagonal pattern to hand off signals, creating the first true mobile phone concept.
- This idea, though initially internal, laid the foundation for modern cellular networks.
Cellular vs. Mobile
- Cellular networks are named for their hexagonal grid layout, resembling cells in the human body.
- Technically, devices are 'mobile phones' communicating over 'cellular networks', not 'cellular phones'.