O Motorola DynaTAC 8000X it was the first commercially available cell phone and it changed the way people communicated with each other. Weighing approximately 1 kg, the DynaTAC 8000X was recognized as the first portable phone and paved the way for the smartphones we know today. Today, April 3, he turns exactly 50 years old.
History of the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X
Motorola started working on developing cell phones in the 1970s. At the time, the idea of a portable phone seemed like a pretty far-fetched thing and many people thought it would never happen. But Motorola believed in this idea and invested in technology to make the dream come true.
O DynaTAC 8000X was developed by a team of engineers led by Martin Cooper. The project started in 1973 and took ten years to get ready. When it was finally released on April 3, 1983, the price was pretty hefty at around $4,000, which is more than R$ 50 thousand in today’s cash.
This cell phone weighed approx. 1 kg and it was huge! It was 25 cm long, 4.4 cm wide and 8.9 cm thick. The battery only lasted a few 30 minutes of conversation and it took regarding 10 hours to charge. It’s also worth remembering that it used an analog network and had very limited space to store phone numbers.
But despite all these limitations, the DynaTAC 8000X was a milestone in the history of technology. It paved the way for the development of more sophisticated and affordable mobile devices, which today are an indispensable part of our lives. Just imagine, before this cell phone, we might only make phone calls from a landline, if only we had one at home!
4 facts regarding the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X
See some interesting facts regarding the DynaTAC 8000X. Did you know that…
1. The DynaTAC 8000X was originally called “Martin Cooper’s Handheld Phone” in honor of its creator.
2. The DynaTAC 8000X was featured in several famous 80’s movies, including “Wall Street” and “Goonies”.
3. The first phone call made with a DynaTAC 8000X was from Martin Cooper to his rival Joel Engel, who was working on a similar project at Bell Labs.
4. The DynaTAC 8000X was featured on an episode of “Miami Vice” in 1984 where it was used as a tracking device.
The DynaTAC 8000X was the phone that changed the game and paved the way for the world we know today. Who knew that such a big and heavy cell phone might have such a big impact on our lives? It is proof that we should never underestimate a good idea.
Happy birthday, Motorola DynaTAC 8000X!
