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Media Literacy

Media History in Your Hand

Our smartphones contain many technological inventions developed over decades. Do you use your phone mostly for music, photography, videos or communicating with text/email? Trace the evolution of that technology in the display.

Hover/select the historical technology to see its modern smartphone equivalent.

Zenith Television, 1958

Smith Premier Manual Typewriter, 1896

Cylinder phonograph, 1905

Newspaper, 1845

city street map, 1910

Telephone, 1900ā€“1920

AT&T Answering Machine, 1989

Folding camera, 1902ā€“1904

Portable car phone, 1985ā€“1995

Military Letter, 1861

Rolodex for phone numbers, 1960sā€“1980s

Cassette recorder, 1982ā€“1985

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