The Misrepresentation of the History of the Answering Machine
Did you know voicemail is over a century old? Nothing is new.
Voicemail is Over a Century Old
The history of the answering machine has been misrepresented for quite some time. This article is proof that digital preservation is critical for the future. Nothing is new.
The History of the Answering Machine
Many sources state that Willy Müller invented the first automatic answering machine in 1935, but as early as 1917, E. J. Cressey & the American Ansophone Company had invented the Ansophone which took voice messages up to 10 minutes long and delivered to recipients. This endeavor received backing from investors (2). This is not to be confused with the “Ansafone” that was created by inventor Dr. Kazuo Hashimoto for Phonetel in 1960, which essentially did the same thing.
Facts to this date credit the invention of the answering machine as early as 1935, but patents and news articles show early as 1917.
Phone Will Do The Listening (1935)
“John Collins, Waco, Tex., today demonstrated before a meeting of the Independent Telephone Association an “ansophone’ which, when Installed In the telephone, will receive messages when the telephone user is absent and later transmit them In the sender’s own voice to the person for whom the message was Intended. The housewife of the future. It was pointed out, on returning home from marketing, may expect to find anything when she turns on the telephone, from the latest neighborhood gossip to a message from the husband that he won’t be home for dinner (1).”
Conclusion
Although most of us are not worrying ourselves to pieces that the history of the answering machine has been misrepresented in modern day, it is important to note that a lazy researcher, and digital archives have both created and solved this question of accurate representation. What may be represented of our own generation’s work will be represented inaccurately in the future and how can we preserve accuracy, intent or context?
Citations & References
- The San Francisco Examiner, (San Francisco, California), 19 Oct 1928, Fri, Page 1
- The Wichita Beacon, (Wichita, Kansas), 02 Mar 1917, Fri, Page 10
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