Chapter 140 New Products
July 12, 1868.
Berlin Power Company showed the world the latest research results.
Due to the preheating in the newspapers, this experiment attracted many people to watch it.
The experiment was carried out in Berlin, and many dignitaries also came to join in the fun.
Because before this experiment started, the Berlin Electricity Company advertised in the newspaper that this was an invention no less than the electric light.
The weather is sunny this day.
Berlin Power Company set up a temporary site in the city center, and reserved positions for Berlin's dignitaries and various newspaper reporters in advance.
Morning, ten o'clock.
There was a lot of voices, and many Berlin citizens came to join in the fun.
The staff removed the curtain covering the experimental equipment.
Two semi-open pavilions separated by 100 meters appear in front of people.
"Everyone, everyone is welcome to visit the latest product launch conference of our Berlin Electric Power Company. This time we will definitely bring you another shock. The Berlin Electric Power Company was established in..."
The host held a loudspeaker and introduced the excellent history of Berlin Power Company and the company's business scope.
"As we all know, technology is advancing day by day, and Berlin and Germany are the centers of this civilization, so this experiment will declare that the Germans are once again at the forefront of the world..."
Seeing that the audience in the audience began to get a little impatient, the host quickly cut off the topic and refocused on the experimental activities.
"Please ask the staff to uncover the red cloth, we are about to witness history."
The staff waiting on both sides of the pavilion opened the cloth on the table, and a set of strange-looking equipment appeared in front of people.
"Can anyone guess what this is?" the host asked the audience.
Tuo, who had been arranged in advance, shouted in the crowd: "This kind of thing doesn't seem to have any connection with our lives. From the appearance, who can tell what it can do? This is not a toy that uses electricity!"
The dialogue between the two really made the audience a little curious. What can these two strange-looking things do?
"Since everyone is curious about the purpose of this thing, let me first reveal to you that the name of this machine is 'telephone'. Can you guess its function from this name." The host asked the audience road.
"telefon, distant voice? (English etymology derived from Greek, here German the arranger called out from the crowd.
"Sir, it's amazing that you can guess the meaning of this word. It really originated from ancient Greece." The host and Toto improvised there.
If you dig deeper, the words of two people can’t stand up to scrutiny at all, but this is a product launch event, no one cares about these details, and the company can be called whatever they like.
"The function of this thing is very similar to the telegram, but the difference is that the telegram can only send messages, while the phone can be used for long-distance calls." The host revealed the puzzle.
There was an uproar at the scene!
"You mean, this thing is for conversation?" Someone asked distrustfully.
"Everyone, the telephone is to use the line to transmit human voice to a distant place, so it can naturally be used to communicate with each other. If you don't believe it, we can demonstrate it on the spot. Is there anyone willing to try it for themselves!"
Someone in the audience raised their hand.
"This gentleman! How to call it."
"Mr. Baron, do you want to try this experiment yourself?"
"Of course!" Baron Akela said politely.
"Sir, please come this way!" The staff invited Baron Akela to the telephone booth,
"This is the earpiece. Hold it to your ear. The one below is the microphone. After we turn on the power, you can think of a sentence and say it into the microphone. Our staff will record what you said." The staff handed the receiver and microphone to Baron Akela.
Afterwards, the staff connected the phone to the line, and as the switch was pressed, the staff said to Baron Akela: "Your Excellency, you can start."
Baron Akela thought about it for a while, and said a series of numbers: "18450214."
The staff of the telephone booth in the distance heard the numbers that Baron Akela said, wrote the numbers on the drawing board, and then showed the drawing board to everyone.
"Baron Akela! Is this what you said?" the host asked from the side.
"That's right, but I still don't believe it. I can only believe it if you can let the people over there pass this sentence to me through this machine." Akela said.
"Your Excellency, please hold the receiver!" the staff said to Baron Akela.
Akela complied.
The staff ran to the telephone booth opposite, picked up the receiver, and called Baron Akela back: "Hello, Your Excellency, 18450214, can you hear my voice!"
"Of course, it's incredible!" Baron Akela was completely impressed.
Everyone wanted to try it when they saw Baron Akela's shocked expression.
"Gentlemen, you can all come over and try this cross-age invention." The host said respectfully to the upper-class people and reporters in the audience.
The powerful, that is the next customer of the Berlin Electric Power Company, and the reporter is responsible for publicizing the emergence of the "telephone".
Like electric lights, in this era, only the rich can afford the luxury of a telephone.
Of course, electric lights are much cheaper now. Although ordinary people cannot afford them, municipalities in some big cities still have the ability to purchase them.
The dignitaries and reporters who came to the scene were very interested in trying this new thing called a telephone.
Of course, high officials and dignitaries are only real top aristocrats compared to ordinary people. I saw them a few days ago.
The Prussian and Austrian courts have begun to install related system applications.
Especially William I, when he saw this thing at first sight, he realized its strategic value and planned to promote part of it in the Prussian army.
The telegraph also has such a function, but it needs to be operated by professionals, while the phone only needs to be connected by the general before he can dictate instructions.
Speaking of the invention of the telephone, Ernst made a coincidence that Antonio Meucci was the actual inventor of the telephone.
Antonio Meucci was an Italian-American. From 1850 to 1862, he immigrated to the United States. Antonio Meucci made several different forms of sound transmission instruments, called "long-distance microphones". But Meucci could not afford to pay the $250 patent filing fee to obtain the telephone patent.
Americans are obviously not aware of the important role and value of the telephone. Antonio Meucci announced his invention in Italian newspapers in the United States long ago, but obviously no one cares, so that no company bought his patent.
Ernst sent people to the United States to look for Antonio Meucci based on the information he knew from the Italian newspaper in his previous life. The result is obvious that the Italian newspaper has a small audience, and Antonio Meucci is also somewhat famous in the Italian community. .
So this Antonio Meucci was quickly found, and the staff of the Hechingen Consortium bought the patent for the telephone from him.
Different from Antonio Meucci’s announcement of the phone call, Berlin Power Company has full influence in Europe because of electric lights, so the new product launch has attracted the attention of the whole society as soon as it was launched.
But it is a pity that after getting the money, Antonio Meucci rejected the invitation of the Berlin Electricity Company. Instead, he planned to take his wife back to Italy and live an idyllic life.
In these years, Antonio Meucci was exhausted. In order to study the telephone, the family’s life has been very difficult. Therefore, in order to compensate his wife, Antonio Meucci decided to return to Italy, return to the countryside, and stop inventing.
(end of this chapter)