Nikola Tesla predicted mobile phones in 1909

His "World System" pretty much describes a large part of the tech world today to me...<p>1. The inter-connection of the existing telegraph exchanges or offices all over the world<p>2. The establishment of a secret and non-interferable government telegraph services<p>3. The inter-connection of all the present telephone exchanges or offices on the Globe<p>4. The universal distribution of general news, by telegraph or telephone, in connection with the Press<p>5. The establishment of such a "World System" of intelligence transmission for exclusive private use<p>6. The inter-connecting and operation of all stock tickers of the world<p>7. The establishment of the World-System of musical distribution, etc.<p>8. The universal registration of time by inexpensive clocks indicating the hour with astronomical precision and requiring no attention whatever<p>9. The world transmission of typed or hand-written characters, letters, checks, etc.<p>10. The establishment of a universal marine service enabling the navigators of all ships to steer perfectly without compass, to determine the exact location, hour and speed, to prevent collisions and disasters<p>11. The inauguration of a system of world-printing on land and sea<p>12. The world reproduction of photographic pictures and all kinds of record

Not to diminish Tesla's genius, but doesn't this read more like he predicted the hand-held radio instead of the mobile phone?<p>"The song of a great singer [...] may thus be delivered to an audience all over the world" sounds like radio to me. And the part about the businessman dictating in New York is followed by the qualifier "from his desk"--I'm not sold.<p>While technically radio transmission was invented earlier, according to Wikipedia the first radio station only went online in 1920 so there was still plenty of room for this kind of prediction in 1909.

Usually when inventors take off on flights of fancy regarding the implications of their inventions, they embarrass themselves. Witness Dean Kamen and his goofy little scooter.<p>Tesla is a whole different thing. Its not only fascinating to read how many things he foresaw, but also some of the things he predicted that still haven't happened and might. He was good at predicting both how devices would work and how they would effect society almost to the point where you start to wonder if he didn't invent that time machine after all and managed to keep it a secret.

It's a pity that schools teach more about Edison than Tesla. Tesla was a genius, just as much if not more so than Edison.

I have often wondered whether modern computers would have been possible with Tesla's envisioned wireless power permeating the air. Large-scale wireless power transmission is the only thing in that article that hasn't yet been integrated into society.

Tesla was an undisputed genius. Crazy, yes (I particularly liked his portrayal in "the Prestige"). But one of those rare super geniuses that history looks back on reveres as something just a step up the evolutionary ladder.

Great related read: <a href="http://www.badassoftheweek.com/tesla.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.badassoftheweek.com/tesla.html</a>

Not bad considering the first mobile phone call (from a car) wasn't placed until 37 years later, in 1946.

I never realized the extent of Tesla's clairvoyance. This is a pretty cool read.

He seems to be confused between wireless transmission of information and transmission of power. He says he can power a boat from shore, which is ridiculous, but I assume he's only controlling it from shore. Did people understand the difference back then?

why dont we have wireless power then?