Are you kidding? How did we ever use this primitive technology for so long? And why are some people still using it? Every Thursday, CTS will highlight the good, the bad, and the ugly of technology from days gone by in our #TBT Technology blog. Enjoy reliving the good old days!
BEEPERS
When they were invented: 1949
Purpose: Sending (and sometimes) receiving simple text messages; playing voice messages
Who still uses them: Doctors and nurses
Why they’re still used: In 1994, there were 61 million pagers in use. Today, there are only around 5 million. The drop off is unsurprising, given cell phones, which are more capable, to say the least. But compared to cell phones, pagers have much longer battery lives use stronger signals that can penetrate the labyrinthine interiors of hospitals. Rather than sending out a single signal that uses earthbound cell towers, pagers simulcast, sending out the same signal from multiple satellite-based transmitters at the same time. Plus, there’s tradition. — Popular Mechanics