telephone

One of the most important and revolutionary inventions which impacts greatly upon modern day communication is the invention of the telephone. The idea behind the telephone is simple, a system which converts sound into a series of electrical impulses of differing frequencies, and then reverses this procedure to re-create the sound, typically a human voice. Sounds simple enough, but it took many years and an array of different inventors to finally succeed with the technology.

As early as 1831, Michael Faraday proved that vibrations of metal could be converted into electrical impulses. This was the basic principle of the telephone, but no one made use of such technology until 1861, when German inventor, Johann Reis, successfully built an apparatus that converted sound to electricity and back again. The apparatus had many flaws, incapable of transmitting many frequencies and therefore was never fully developed.

This idea was elaborated on by two men in the United States, who simultaneously began experimenting and creating what would be known asthe telephone. Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell (a Scottish inventor), both worked hard to produce the equipment, and amazingly both filed for a patent within hours of one another, Bell beating his rival by merely two hours on February 14th, 1876.

Despite Gray building the initial diaphragm / electromagnetic receiver two years prior, he was unable to produce a working version of his transmitter until after Bell. Bell worked effortlessly, whereas Gray became disheartened by the exhausting invention process.

The first comprehensible telephone conversation was said to have taken place between Bell and his assistant, who was sitting in another room. Bell said, "Come here, Watson, I want you" which Watson successfully heard via the receiver and the invention ofthe telephone was complete. The Bell Telephone Company (AT&T) was soon established and grew to be the largest telephone company in existence.

The following year, in 1877, the first telephone system was put in place in Hartford, Connecticut, whilst the first exchange which linked two cities, was established between both Boston and New York in 1883. London hosted the first exchange put into practice outside the United States in 1879. The system however proved time consuming, as the exchange was controlled by a large switchboard with a number of operators working manually to divert the calls.

The first automatic exchange was patented by Almon Strowger in 1891 and instilled in 1892, although manual switchboards remained in place until the mid-twentieth century. In 1889, William Gray invented the coin operated telephone, whereasthe first rotary dial telephone was produced by Frenchman, Antoine Barnay, in 1923.

The Bell Telephone Company later developed the mobile telephone which was used by New York police cars in 1924. The first commercial mobile service was created in 1946, in St Louis, Missouri but it did not become commonplace until a following four decades.

Touch tone systems, which used sound tones rather than electrical pulses, were installed in 1941, however the need for central switching made the idea too expensive, yet Bell'scompany were curious as to the potential of touch tone employment. As electrical circuitry prices fell, the touch tone systems could finally be deployed in common households, which occurred in 1962.

AT&T began experimentation with cells within mobile technology, primarily based on hexagonal geographical regions. As the caller moved from one cell to another, the communication link would remain intact, by automatically switching to the new cell without any form of disruption. This foundation for mobile phone technology was put into place in the United States in 1983.

The invention of the telephone is a hot topic within the inventor circle, and the recognised inventor is somewhat sketchy. Many believe it to be Alexander Graham Bell, whereas others believe it to be Antonio Meucci, Philip Reis or Elisha Gray.

Stress Watch Indicates Your Stress Levels

This watch not only looks fantastic, but serves a great purpose which really should have been invented before now. But alas, it is now available.

The stress watch is aimed at busy people, with hectic lives, as it monitors stress levels throughout the day, and indicates your levels via a black bar graph on the screen. The blues and greens indicate a mellow mood, compared to pinks, reds, and oranges which indicate a stressed out individual.

Thankfully, the watch also tells the time (as you may expect), so you will never miss an appointment or meeting, though these meetings may cause your stresslevels to soar. Once the stress levels hit a peak, you can take a rest and watch as your levels (hopefully) begin to drop.

The device is currently only a prototype, but one which many, many people would like to see come into production. Myself included.

Touch Sensitive Faucet (24 comments)

This gadget may not be particularly ground-breaking but it certainly does offer a very valuable benefit to those in the kitchen. We've all been in the scenario of having our hands full, and needing to contort ourselves just to turn on the tap, to wash our hands.

Well, let me introduce to you the touch sensitive faucet. Both the spout and handle are touch sensitive, so one small touch on either part will cause the water to fall. The faucet comes in two different styles, the chrome finished faucet and the stainless steel version, which will cost slightly more. The faucet can clevery differentiate between a touch and a grab, so temeperature levels are not going to constantly fluctuate.

Vuzix Wrap 310 Video Eyewear (11 comments)

Vuzix Corporation, the leader in video eyewear for the consumer, defense and low vision markets, is thrilled to be shipping the Wrap 310 worldwide. The game-changing Wrap 310 challenges the status quo of traditional video viewing devices by looking and feeling like normal sunglasses. The Wrap 310, featuring twin high-resolution video displays and projecting a 55-inch screen at 10-feet is now available through Vuzix.com and a number of other retailers and distribution partners.

"The Wrap 310 promises to change the game in portable video and we're thrilled to officially deliver this product to the masses," said Vuzix CEO, Paul Travers. "The Wrap 310 also brings advanced features to the video Eyewear category that no product has. With capabilities to add tracking and cameras that enable augmented reality and incredible gaming experiences; there is nothing like it on the market" added Travers.

Whether you are an executive business traveler or want an immersive console gaming experience, the Wrap 310 gets the job done in style. With composite video input and optional VGA and component compatibility adapters, the Wrap 310 is the most versatile pair of video eyewear on the market. Additionally, as the first video eyewear designed for upgradeability, the Wrap 310 features an expansion port designed to provide the product with near limitless compatibility. In addition to the VGA and Component adapters available later this year, Vuzix has plans for new and exciting accessories designed to keep the Wrap 310 on the cutting edge.

The Wrap 310 also features an improved on-screen user interface, included independent focus adjustments for users with corrective lenses and still features compatibility with all major 3D video formats. Powered for up to 6 hours on just 2 AA batteries, the Wrap 310 will accept video from almost any video player, including the iPod and iPhone. The Wrap 310 has a MSRP of $249.95.

Compatible Devices Include:
• All iPod/iPhone models
• Portable DVD players
• Mobile phones with video output
• PCs and laptops*
• DVD/Blu-Ray players
• Portable media players
*Requires optional VGA cable adaptor

HP has announced new HDX16 and HDX18 consumer notebook PCs and TouchSmart IQ800 series desktop PCs, pushing the boundaries of personal computing desig

For soccer fans everywhere, looking forward to the World Cup next year in South Africa, there have been a series of soccer shaped fans manufactured. These solar powered fans are soccer-shaped and provide a touch of relief from the warm Summer weather. This clever, solar-powered Soccer-shaped fan circulates the air to help reduce the temperature without the need for standard electricity.

It is handy and easy to use. The blades will spin as long as the round fan is opened and the sunlight falls on the solar panel. The solar fan is really a must for soccer fans or people going out.

HP HDX16 and HDX18 notebook PCs and TouchSmart IQ800 series desktop PCs announced

HP has announced new HDX16 and HDX18 consumer notebook PCs and TouchSmart IQ800 series desktop PCs, pushing the boundaries of personal computing design that makes it even easier for people to enjoy photos, music and other important content with anyone and anywhere.

“HP’s new consumer notebooks and TouchSmart PC deliver smart and creative ways to engage the wealth of photos, videos, music and entertainment that was previously stuck on our PCs gathering digital dust,” said Stephen DeWitt, senior vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP. “HP is developing new products and solutions that help make connecting to people and information simple and fun and create a truly personalized computing experience.”

The new HP Notebook PCs come with striking new designs and amazing features for the demanding users who want access to friends and family, TV, photos, movies, music, games and online information wherever they are.

These notebooks bundle up vivid bright 1,080-pixel displays, built-in TV tuners, HP MediaSmart, Blu-ray disk capabilities, built-in Wi-Fi networking and home-theater-quality audio/video options like Altec Lansing speakers, an HP Triple Bass subwoofer and Dolby Home Theater software.

The HP HDX16 sports a 16-inch diagonal widescreen and 1,080-pixel resolution display while the powerful and visually captivating HDX18 comes with an 18.4-inch diagonal Ultra BrightView 1,080-pixel screen. It also equips graphic capabilities.

The HP TouchSmart IQ800 series PC features a 25.5-inch diagonal high-definition widescreen, user touch interface of the HP TouchSmart, crop, edit and share photos, watching TV with a tap or swipe of a finger, image resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels, Blu-ray player.

The HP IQ800 series also equips a powerful, energy-efficient Intel Core 2 Duo processor, HP power management technology saves 45 percent energy compared to other PCs, webcam, colored HP Ambient Light, media card reader, high-speed hard drive, Pocket Media Drive Bay and premium speakers.

The starting price of HP TouchSmart IQ804 PC is $1,899 (approx Rs. 87,837) and is expected to be available on September 21 while the HP TouchSmart IQ816 PC starts at $2,099 and is said to be available on October 12. The HP HDX16 comes at a starting price of $1,299(approx Rs. 60,100) while the HP HDX18 carries a starting price of $1,549 (approx Rs. 71,890). They are expected to be available later this month.