Complex new technology revolutionizing communications...

[headscratcher4]

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/04/how-to-use-a-te.html

Circa: 1930.

;)

[mhaze]

That is quite interesting. Clearly the utilization of the object reveals it to be a telephone. Careful examination of the video reveals quite a bit more:

1. The phone has a coiled security cord attached. Likely this is made from steel cable and is intended to prevent theft. (?) The security cord attaches the phone securely to the base unit.

2. There is a base unit which may well be a charger. It has a round spinner on top with circular cutouts for fingers to spin it. Conjecture is that this is a quick charge mechanism, through which by spinning the dial a few times, current may have been stored in a capacitor sufficient for one or two calls. A handy feature if the phone was completely dead or if line power went out!

3. There is a large, thick rectangular object next to the phone which appears to be constructed of about a thousand flat plates of minimal thickness and high flexibility, possibly made from crushed plant fiber.

4. Marketing for the phone appears to have been thru Youtube.

5. The product was obviously a failure, since we don't see them around anywhere.