A few decades ago, mobile telephony went from being science fiction to a reality only within the reach of very few, given that they were very expensive phones, as well as large, heavy and very simple. Over time, mobile phones became smaller and smaller, until they made the leap to smartphones, which are pocket computers. From those old phones Since the 90s, many things have changed.
For example, some things you sure remember you did with those devices and that now sounds almost ridiculous. Here are the 10 most relevant things you would no longer do with a smartphone:
Not charging the battery for days or weeks
Currently, with a smartphone, if the battery lasts all day you can be satisfied. Many of today's mobile devices only have autonomy for a few hours. It is true that they have gained in performance and functionality, but they have also become authentic battery suckers.
However, a few decades ago, the batteries of those old mobiles could last days, even weeks. Long periods of time without having to charge the mobile. And no, don't think that they were very high-capacity batteries, but those phones had very basic electronics and didn't need as much energy.
carry it without cover
If you buy a smartphone, even if it is mid-range or low-end (much more so if it is a high-end one that can reach €1000), surely the second thing you do is buy a case or screen protector. If one of these devices falls to the ground and breaks, it is not only a significant loss of money, but it is also leaving you without one of the most practical tools that we currently have. There we have our contacts, our agenda, work center, leisure, etc.
En the case of old mobiles, buying a cover was something optional, and it was not used to be done in most cases. These phones didn't just look rugged, they were rugged. If they fell or hit, it is very likely that nothing happened to them. And even with the broken screen they could still work perfectly. In fact, there weren't even any screen savers as such.
Save contacts by hand
Now contacts, among other things, are synchronized with the cloud and are automatically saved to have them on any device. Or, you can also export them to a VCF file and easily transfer them to another mobile, PC, make a backup, etc.
But this it wasn't always like this. In the old mobile phones, the phone numbers could be saved only in the SIM card memory, or in the internal memory, or in both at the same time. If your mobile was lost or damaged, you lost your contacts, if you changed your card or it was damaged too. And, on many occasions, they had no function to export or import them, so you had to do it one by one.
Share files by IR
Now you can share files at very fast speeds, even with people who are in another country thanks to the Internet. Smartphones have opened up a range of possibilities when it comes to exchanging data, either over the network or via wireless connectivity, and even via USB wiring.
In old mobiles, when they began to modernize a little more, data could be shared, but by IR (infrared). So the mobile had to be close and it was quite slow. Then the Bluetooth revolution would come, which improved on that other method. But spending megabytes or gigas was almost unthinkable.
SMS and taps instead of instant messaging apps
In the old mobiles there was no trace of WhatsApp or Telegram, or any other instant messaging application. The most you had to contact someone via text were SMS, which cost a “grassland” (especially some numbers) and if you had a prepaid card they made it run out in a matter of minutes. Then came the MMS, a kind of SMS but that allowed you to attach multimedia files. Quite an advance!
On the other hand, it was also very widespread the culture of touch. When you wanted to let someone know that you were already waiting for them, or something else, what used to be done was to give them a knock. One call and hang up. Now, with instant messaging apps, you can notify them instantly in a better way.
pay for polytones
With the Android smartphone you have a multitude of ringtones for calls, for notifications, etc. You can even free download more if you need them, or maybe use the MP3 file of your favorite song as a ringtone. The possibilities are numerous.
But do you remember when getting a polytone meant paying (and even subscribing)? When did those ads appear on TV where they showed the SMS that you had to send to get the download of said melody? Well, that's how it was, until the arrival of free polytones.
Remove and put the antenna, or extend it
Today's smartphones have the integrated antenna, and can even have more than one. With these antennas they can have coverage to call or receive calls, as well as for other wireless networks such as LTE data, Bluetooth, etc. Something that makes them much more aesthetic.
But a few decades ago, the old mobiles had them external. Some could be removed and screwed on, others were rigid, and there were even some that could be unfolded and extended like those of the old radios. And be careful not to lose it or break it. Can you imagine that now?
choose the smallest
Smartphones have been growing in size (although it is also true that they are becoming thinner, with less frame, and lighter) to incorporate larger and larger screens. Currently, most mobile phones have screens between 5 and 6 inches. And, in the Android world, having it bigger was a luxury.
However, there was a time when it was the opposite. Having the smallest was synonymous with having the most advanced. And it is that from the first bricks that came onto the market, such as the first Motorola DynaTAC 8000X mobile (33×8.9×4.5 cm and 800 grams of weight), little by little they became more and more compact and easy to carry, to make the word mobile made sense.
Put a pendant on it
In the past there were some of the most peculiar fashions and gadgets, something that is not usually present for modern smartphones now. For example, they sold pendants or strips to be able to tie them to a hook that these devices had in order to be able to hang it, etc.
Then came other items, like that kind of stickers to paste on the back of the mobile, the stickies. Not only did they decorate, they also prevented them from slipping when placed on certain surfaces. You remember?
Open and close again
And lastly, many of the older cell phones used to have flips to protect the keyboard from unwanted keystrokes while you carry them. Then came the clamshell type, which opened and closed with a hinge, and even the sliders, which had a hidden keyboard.
With the advent of smartphones and touch screens, this disappeared. Although it has returned with the irruption of mobiles folding (foldable). Although they have little to do with those of the past.