The only thing that was in my mind when we made that first phone call was, 'Is it going to work?' We had all these parts hand soldered together, engineers standing by with the soldering iron - just in case.
Martin CooperRead
Somehow in the last 100 years, every time there is a problem of getting more spectrum, there is a technology that comes along that solves that problem.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Technological innovation often arises in response to challenges, especially in fields like communication.
Martin Cooperβs quote highlights the relationship between technological advancement and problem-solving. Throughout history, whenever there has been a limitation or problem in accessing resources like spectrum in communication technologies, innovative solutions have emerged to address these challenges. This reflects the resilience and ingenuity of human creativity in adapting to and overcoming obstacles.
Themes
TechnologyInnovationSpectrumProblem-SolvingCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a technology conference to emphasize the importance of innovation.
More from Martin Cooper
All quotes βPeople are mobile. They move around, and anytime they want to communicate, if you tie them to the wall or the wires, you're restricting them, you're infringing on their freedom.
Martin CooperRead
As I walked down the street while talking on the phone, sophisticated New Yorkers gaped at the sight of someone actually moving around while making a phone call. Remember that in 1973, there weren't cordless telephones, let alone cellular phones. I made numerous calls, including one where I crossed the street while talking to a New York radio reporter - probably one of the more dangerous things I have ever done in my life.
Martin CooperRead
When you are doing one thing - talking on your phone, texting, whatever - you are automatically not doing something else. What is the greatest scarcity in the world today? It's not oil. It's time. Time is precious. Don't throw it away.
Martin CooperRead
It pleases me no end to have had some small impact on people's lives because these phones do make people's lives better. They promote productivity, they make people more comfortable, they make them feel safe and all of those things.
Martin CooperRead
We did envision that some day the phone would be so small that you could hang it on your ear or even have it embedded under your skin.
Martin CooperRead
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