EMERGING TECHNOLOGY TETRAD

Probably no means of communication has revolutionized the daily lives of ordinary people more than the telephone. The actual history of the telephone is a subject of complex dispute. The controversy began with the success of the invention and continues today. Some of the inventors credited with inventing the telephone include Antonio Meucci, Philip Reis, Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell. Bell's experiments with his assistant Thomas Watson finally proved successful on March 10, 1876, when the first complete sentence was transmitted: "Watson, come here; I want you." (The Great Idea Finder, 1997-2007, p. 1).

Telephone technology has come a long way since Watson, come here, I want you. Cell phones as an emerging technology also have its own history. In today world, we can communicate with each other whether we are in the grocery store, the mall, from our cars, planes, and train. We can talk to each other while we are walking down the streets. Practically, we can talk to each other from everywhere, without using land phone. What a magnificent invention. We have progressed from land, wireless, and mobile phones. Dr Martin Cooper, a former general manager for the systems division at Motorola, is considered the inventor of the first portable handset and the first person to make a call on a portable cell phone in April 1973. The first call he made was to his rival, Joel Engel, Bell Labs head of research. (Cooper, M. (n.d.). Inventor of the cell phone, p. 1).

What does this technology do that is new?

Enhances, the way we communicate from the clouds. This new cell phone technology has a touch button screen and allows users to make calls, it allows the user to connect to the internet, search the Web, take a picture and create videos and upload and sent videos, text and receive messages, send and receive email and with this newest technology; play all types of games and have GPS functions as well as can upload e-books.

What does this technology replaces?

Obsolete: It has the potential of making old cell phone technology obsolete such has the cell phone that required you to type in the telephone number of your contracts and only allowed the users to take pictures and play simple games.

What does this technology bring to mind (or retrieve) form the past?

Retrieve: It rekindles how we communicated with each other in the past using the telegraph, which was invented in 1806, and telephone which was invented in 1876.

What might replace this technology in the future, or what might it cause to occur?

Reverses: As a technology futurist I project that this technology will morph into waistband cell technology that is activated by voice. This technology will be able to activate all your tools and applications. Show images on the walls and have GPS technology embedded.

Resources:
http://www.cellular.co.za/cellphone_inventor.htm
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/telephone.htm
http://affordablephones.net/HistoryCellular.htm
http://cellphones.org/cell-phone-history.html
http://www.htc.com/us/products/t-mobile-mytouch-4g?view=1-1&sort=0