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BlackBerry Predicted a Century Ago By Nikola Tesla

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the and-he-looks-like-david-bowie dept.

andylim writes "According to the Telegraph, the BlackBerry was first predicted more than a century ago, by Nikola Tesla, the electrical engineer. Seth Porges, Popular Mechanics' current technology editor, disclosed Tesla's prediction at a presentation, titled '108 Years of Futurism,' to industry figures recently in New York. Recombu.com has published the original Popular Mechanics article in which Tesla predicts a mobile phone revolution."

6 of 253 comments (clear)

  1. Yet another example of why... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Tesla was a freakin genius.

    Our entire modern world wouldnt exist without him. And he never got any credit while he was alive.

    Hell, theres STILL stuff he came up with that we have no understanding of. Yet.

    1. Re:Yet another example of why... by dave420 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      ... Stuff he completely refused to document or explain, making it perfectly indistinguishable from the rantings of once-great scientist who has slipped into mediocrity, or even insanity. It's strange how you think the 'stuff' he came up with, that you don't understand, is somehow noteworthy. Surely that is irrational, as you don't know what it is. It's as if you are worshipping at the altar of Tesla. You're not a conspiracy theorist, are you?

  2. Free advertising going too far by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So the guy predicted text messaging. Impressive. But why does everything have to be a product placement nowadays?

    This case is especially stupid, since what really enables worldwide access to messaging are $20 phones.

  3. Funny, I heard that one differently. by Abstrackt · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Way back in the day when I was in high school I heard Tesla predicted the Internet, using exactly that quote. There's no arguing that Tesla did a lot of amazing things but he's no technological Nostradamus, no matter how much people try to shoehorn him into the role.

    --
    They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
  4. Re:That's all fine and good by Jurily · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually, Tesla was talking about the Nokia N900, but the submitter never heard about that one.

  5. Count the misses, not just the hits. by SanityInAnarchy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Hell, theres STILL stuff he came up with that we have no understanding of. Yet.

    That stuff is either genius or failed experiments. How would you know the difference?

    Note that this article predicts both the Internet and wireless technology, but with no mention of the digital aspects. It also predicts wireless power, such that a ship could be sent across the Atlantic, powered by a single wireless power station on one side. It predicted all of this would happen in something like 5 years.

    So he was wrong about how long it would take, and he threw out at least one other idea in that article that we haven't seen happen, and have no evidence can happen.

    I like Tesla as much as anyone else, but I'm not sure how to call this one. Fuzzy, at best. I think Orwell had it closer.

    --
    Don't thank God, thank a doctor!