Chapter 140 New Products
July 12, 1868.
The Berlin Electric Company presented the latest research results to the world.
Due to the previous warm-up in newspapers, this experiment attracted many people to watch.
The experiment was conducted in Berlin, and many dignitaries came to join in the fun.
Because before this experiment began, the Berlin Electric Company advertised in newspapers that this was an invention no less important than the electric light.
It was a sunny day.
Berlin Electric Power Company set up a temporary venue in the city center, with seats reserved in advance for Berlin's dignitaries and reporters from various newspapers.
Morning, ten o'clock.
There was a lot of excitement, and many Berlin citizens came to join in the fun.
Staff removed the curtain covering the experimental equipment.
Two semi-open pavilions a hundred meters apart appeared in front of people.
"Everyone, welcome to the launch of our latest product from Berlin Electric Company. This time we will definitely give you another shock. Berlin Electric Company was founded in..."
The host held a loudspeaker and introduced the excellent history of Berlin Electric Company and the company's business scope.
"As we all know, science and technology are 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 was starting to get a little impatient, the host quickly cut off the topic and focused back on the experimental activities.
"Please ask the staff to lift 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.
The agent who had been arranged in advance shouted in the crowd: "This thing doesn't seem to have any connection with our lives. Who can tell what it can do from its appearance? This can't be an electric toy!"
The conversation between the two really made the audience curious, what can these two strange-looking things do?
"Since everyone is curious about what this thing is used for, let me tell you first. The name of this machine is 'telephone'. Can you guess its function from this name?" the host asked the audience. road.
"Telefon, a distant sound? (The English word comes from Greek, here it is German)" the organizer shouted to the crowd.
"Sir, it's amazing that you can actually guess the meaning of this word. It does come from ancient Greece." The host and Tuo improvised there.
If you look deeper, the words of two people cannot stand up to scrutiny at all, but this is a product launch, no one cares about these details, and the company can be called whatever they like.
"The function of this thing is very similar to that of a telegraph, but the difference is that a telegraph can only send messages, while a telephone can be used for long-distance calls." The host revealed the mystery.
The scene was in an uproar!
"You mean, this thing is for conversation?" Someone asked distrustfully.
"Everyone, the telephone uses lines to spread people's voices to distant places, 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 here who is willing to try it for yourself?"
Someone in the audience raised their hands.
"This gentleman! What do you call him?"
"I am Baron Akela from Saxony."
"Mr. Baron, do you want to try this experiment yourself?"
"Of course!" Baron Akela said politely.
"Sir, please come here!" The staff invited Baron Akela to the phone booth.
"This is the receiver. Put 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 say." The staff handed the receiver and microphone to Baron Akela.
Then, the staff connected the phone to the line. As the switch was pressed, the staff said to Baron Akela: "Your Excellency, you can start."
Baron Akela thought for a moment and said a series of numbers: "18450214."
After hearing the numbers spoken by Baron Akela again, the staff at the phone booth in the distance 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.
"Yes, but I still don't believe it. Only if you can ask the people over there to pass this sentence to me through this machine can I believe it." Akela said.
"Your Excellency, Baron, please hold the receiver!" the staff said to Baron Akela.
Akela did so.
The staff member ran to the phone booth opposite, picked up the phone, and replied to Baron Akela: "Hey, Baron, 18450214, can you hear my voice!"
"Of course, it's incredible!" Baron Akela was completely convinced.
Everyone wanted to try it when they saw the shocked expression on Baron Akela's face.
"Gentlemen, you can all come over and try this invention that transcends the times." The host said respectfully to the upper-class people and reporters in the audience.
The powerful people were the next customers of the Berlin Electric Company, and the reporters were responsible for publicizing the emergence of the "telephone".
Just like electric lights, in this era, only rich people can afford luxuries like telephones.
Of course, electric lights are much cheaper now. Although ordinary people cannot afford them, municipal governments in some big cities can still afford them.
The dignitaries and reporters who came to the scene were very interested in trying this new thing called a telephone.
Of course, dignitaries are only relative to ordinary people. In fact, the real top nobles were seen a few days ago.
The Prussian and Austrian courts have already begun to install relevant system applications.
William I, in particular, recognized its strategic value the first time he saw this thing and planned to promote it in the Prussian army.
The telegraph also has such a function, but it requires professionals to operate it, while the telephone only needs to be connected by the general to dictate instructions.
When it comes to the invention of the telephone, Ernst took a trick: Antonio Meucci was the actual inventor of the telephone.
Antonio Meucci was an Italian-American. From 1850 to 1862, Antonio Meucci immigrated to the United States and made several different forms of sound transmission instruments, called "distance transmission microphones." But Meucci was unable to pay the $250 patent filing fee and was unable to obtain a telephone patent.
Americans obviously did not realize the important role and value of the telephone. Antonio Meucci had long published his invention in an Italian newspaper in the United States, but apparently no one cared, so that no company purchased his patent.
Ernst sent people to the United States to look for Antonio Meucci based on information he knew from the Italian newspaper. The result was obvious that the audience of the Italian newspaper was very small, and Antonio Meucci also had a small reputation among the Italian community. .
So Antonio Meucci was quickly found, and the staff of the Hechingen Consortium bought the patent for the telephone from him.
Different from the results of Antonio Meucci's announcement call, Berlin Electric Company's electric lights have full influence in Europe, so the new product launch attracted the attention of the entire society as soon as it was launched.
But it is a pity that after receiving the money, Antonio Meucci refused the invitation of the Berlin Electric Company, and instead planned to take his wife back to Italy and live a pastoral life.
Over the years, Antonio Meucci was tired. In order to study telephones, the family's life had been very difficult. Therefore, in order to compensate his wife, Antonio Meucci decided to return to Italy, return to the countryside, and stop inventing.