Speed and convenience

I recently picked up an old BT phone at a car boot sale. Using it made me realise how using the phone has radically changed since my youth.

Then: In those days you remembered all your phone numbers- the frequently used ones at least. Others would be in a notepad that was close to the phone.

Now: Phones have memories, the notepad is in the phone. And frequently used numbers can be set as speed dial. (It’s an interesting question whether the move to from analogue to digital phones has had an impact on memory…)

Then: To make a phone call with x digits would take y seconds. Oooooh how slow and painful! The pleasure of the retro experience using the old phone soon turned to frustration. How long to dial a number? And if the number was engaged there was no such thing as a rapid redial.

Now: the fingers fly accross the keypad. Engaged? wait a few minutes and press redial.

Two words articulate the new experience; speed and convenience. The old BT phone sits in the lounge. It sounds cool when it rings. I may pick it up. But use it to dial numbers? I’ll stick with the modern experience of speed and convenience.