A FaceTime for a more civilized age.
It looks so cool, what is it?
Check out [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liAgTFd9Fo4](Century 21) for what was the inspiration. I believe the original Picture Phone was from 1958 and was oval in shape. But the concept didn’t stop in the 1960s, it was tried again and demonstrated by the Bell System in the 1970s, 1980s and with AT&T in the 1990s.
Incredible! In the 60s they had the future all figured out, they only needed the technology to reach maturity to fulfill their dreams
A “picturephone,” I think? AT&T developed and tried to sell a couple models in the 60s and 70s. I vaguely remember reading about a brief period where they tried to popularize them through paid public-access rooms. I don’t know what model that is, though.
Plus, those “You Will” commercials from the 90’s!
Will you be depressed that a dystopian future is coming? You will. And the company that will bring it to you? AT&T. ;-) (those commercials looked very cyber-punk)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=a2EgfkhC1eo&pp=ygUMQXR0IHlvdSB3aWxs
It also seems fitting since the same ad campaign was used for some of the first ever banner ads on the nascent web.
That does look pretty cyberpunk, actually, haha. The architecture in the scene at the one-minute mark especially.
Also, it’s interesting (and mildly terrifying) how there are a few things in this advertisement that you can actually do now… though most of them were not brought to you by AT&T.
This video could easily be it’s own post. A lot to unpack there haha