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"I do think there is a link in that in both cases, writing fiction or writing a computer program, at any given moment you're focusing on a very specific and particular thing—one word, one line of code, whatever."
- Neal Stephenson
 |
| Pocket wireless phone | ||
| An entirely portable, pocket-sized, telephone. |
As far as I know, this is the first clear reference to a pocket phone.
| “Always ready with an excuse, B262H72476Male. I shall immediately investigate your tale.” From his coat pocket, the professor withdrew an instrument which, although supplied with an earpiece and a mouthpiece, had no wires whatever attached. Raising it to his lips he spoke: "Hello. Central Energy Station, please.” A pause ensued. “Central Energy Station? This is the professor of history at the University of Terra, speaking. One of my students informs me that the North Pole region was out of communication with the Visaphone System this morning. Is that statement true? I would — ” A voice, apparently from nowhere, spoke into the professor’s ear. "Quite true, Professor... “Ah ! Thank you,” replied the professor. He dropped his instrument into his coat pocket and gazed in the direction of the [Visaphone System] glass square whose image had so aroused his ire. “I apologize, B262H72476Male, for my suspicions as to your veracity — but I had in mind several former experiences." He shook a wanting forefinger. “I will now resume my talk.” |
| Technovelgy from John Jones's Dollar,
by Harry Stephen Keeler. Published by Black Cat in 1915 Additional resources -
|
As far as I know, this is an ordinary telephone conversation as it would have happened in 1915. The earliest telephones had no dials; it required that you speak to an operator. Once you picked up the instrument, you would tell the operator who you wanted to speak to, and she would connect your call.
As far as I know, the earliest efforts by engineers along this line occurred in 1917, when Finnish inventor Eric Tigerstedt filed a patent for a "pocket-size folding telephone with a very thin carbon microphone".
The British cartoonist W. K. Haselden described a "Pocket Telephone" and the cartoon was first published in The Mirror on March 5, 1919:
(The Pocket Telephone - When Will It Ring?)
Compare to the telephonoscope from The Coming Race (1929) by JD Bernal, the pocketphone from Heinlein's 1953 novel Assignment in Eternity and also this reference in Heinlein's 1948 novel Space Cadet - the portable telephone. Also the pocket receiver from The Magellanic Cloud (1955) by Stanislaw Lem.
See also the first reference to the idea of texting, the hand telegraph from Anno Domini 2000; or, Woman's Destiny (1889) by Sir Julius Vogel.
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