Ah, Alexander Graham Bell. A name synonymous with the birth of the telephone. But, dear readers, imagine with me, if you will, an alternate universe where instead of shouting "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you" into his primitive contraption, Bell simply tapped an icon on his shiny new smartphone and FaceTimed Watson directly. “Alex, you Glorious Tech Genie!” you might exclaim, but bear with me, for this could very well have happened!
The Ring of a New Age
It was the year 1876, and dear old Bell was on the cusp of greatness. In our reality, he would go on to patent the telephone as we know it, but let’s slide down the rabbit hole of possibility and see what might have transpired if he'd stumbled across a mysterious sleek rectangular device... the elusive smartphone.
First off, Watson wouldn't need to be in the adjacent room to answer the call. Picture Watson at home, chilling in his favourite chair (probably a chaise longue adorned with an ungodly number of tassels, as was the style) as his phone buzzes with an incoming call from Bell. "Ahoy, Watson!" Bell might say (since Alexander was never actually fond of "Hello"). "I'm trying this newfangled gadget, rather than shouting down that tin funnel!"
The Inventive Chat App
You see, a smartphone's existence in Bell's world would be akin to handing Marie Curie an energy bar and saying, “Here, discover this!”. Instantly, the need for experimental trial and error with wires and bulbs would lessen because, lo and behold, there's an app for that! Bell, no doubt, would devise his very own chat application – let’s call it “Bell-a-gram” – for the sole purpose of scientific discourse. Move over, WhatsApp! Who needs to mess about with copper wires when you can send voice notes to your peers with perfect clarity?
The Text Message That Might Have Been
Imagine the efficiency! Alexander Graham Bell might have texted Watson instead: “Watson, pls come. Gotta show u something cool. #NoMoreStringsAttached” Yes, even in this Victorian makeover, Bell probably would've found the art of the hashtag rather fetching.
Better yet, think of the eureka moments captured through voice recordings or the crisp photographs of Bell’s sketches he could have shared with other scientists across the globe. Tweet an idea here, Instagram a discovery there, and just like that, science and innovation would leapfrog years ahead, almost like a game of digital leapfrog.
Conference Calls in the Corset Era
Now, picture Bell hosting a conference call. Blissfully uncorseted, as these meetings undoubtedly required an air of comfort, Bell would organise international symposiums right from the comfort of his study, occasionally interrupted by his cocker spaniel misinterpreting vibrations as a knock at the door. Scientists from around the world could join in, curious to see what this Bell fellow was up to with his rectangle of wizardry.
Dealing with the Competition
And here’s a funny thought: Bell might upload the design of his primitive telephone as a meme! Patents? Who needs those when you can apply for a copyright at the speed of light? Meanwhile, his competitors, the Elisha Gray’s and Edison’s of the world, fraught with envy, would try to one-up Bell’s smartphone prowess. Imagine the hustling and bustling through Silicon...er, Copper Valley!
A Legacy Texted Through Time
Years down the line, schoolchildren would thumb-type their essays about Bell's remarkable invention… or rather, reinvention. The timeline of the telephone would be littered with acronyms and emojis in history textbooks. "Bell’s breakthrough moment" might end up featured as an NFT, etched forever into digital history.
In this digitally-dialled dimension, Bell would not have been merely the inventor of the telephone. No, dear reader, he would have been heralded as the father of smartphone technology long before anyone thought devices could be smart. His contributions would revolutionise communication centuries ahead of schedule and possibly leave future innovators pondering: If only we had more plagiarism checks than Bell-a-gram can handle!
So, next time your mobile rings, and you see the name “Mum” flash across the screen, just think about the curious exploration of Alexander Graham Bell. What might have unfolded if he'd held a pervasive link to the world in his hands? That's certainly a call worth taking, don't you think?
