Today, cell phones have become a necessity rather than a luxury. The history of the cell phone can be traced back to the early ’40s. It was then that police, taxi cabs and other vehicle services began to use two way radios to communicate with one another or a central base. The first “mobile phone” was used by Swedish police in 1947. The technology was limited and drained the car battery after only 6 calls. The technology that we use today, that is towers that send signals in three directions instead of two like a bi-directional antennae, was developed in the 1960s; however, it took decades to mature into the system that we now know and use every day.
AT&T petitioned the FCC for a license to use “Cellular Service,” but it was not until 10 years later in 1982 that the request was granted. The “First Generation” cell phones were bulky, weighed several pounds and had a short battery life. This meant they could only be used with any practicality in cars. The first true mobile cell phone was introduced by Motorola in 1983. Weighing in at only 28 ounces, it was light weight. The phone became known as “The Brick Phone” because of its square dimensions. Throughout the ’80s mobile phones grew in popularity, largely due to the fast improvements that were being invented which allowed the phones to become smaller and more powerful. Throughout the ’90s and into the new millennium, cell phones quickly became so common that now almost every adult and most teenagers have one.
While most people now own a cell phone, I have found through my experience in the industry, few use their device to the fullest potential. The term “Cell Phone” is a bit of a misnomer. Even the very basic cell phone devices have calendars, note pads, address books, alarms and a host of other functions which complement the use as a voice device. However, these functions are rarely used on a regular basis. This