History according to Code 2: The Cell Phone

Cell phones have become a part of our everyday life. People use them for much more than calling. You can text, email, tweet, play games, and even J Date on your phone now days. Phones are a staple in our society and many of us wouldn’t be able to function without one.  Even Obama tried giving up his crackberry and couldn’t do it.

Cell phones are truly amazing, but where did they come from? Over here at Code 2 Avenue we’ve been doing some research and investigating to bring you the truth about cell phones. Why? Because we don’t have anything better for The Intern to do and he needs to earn that college credit. I digress.

Most people think cell phones were started with the creation of hexagonal cells for mobile phones by D.H. Ring from Bell Labs in 1947. This is not the case. Mearly a ploy by the man to keep everyone ignorant. Listen up because your boy Jonny D is about to eff you up with some truth.

The cell phone was really invented by a man named Clarence Arthur Cell. He often used the abbreviation C. A. Cell because he knew that white people wouldn’t accept technology from some brother named Clarence.

Royals Dad

The year was 1946. Cell was working as a mid level researcher at Bell Labs after serving his country as a communications officer in WWII. Assigned to some dead end project because he was the only black guy to be hired at Bell and let’s face it, America wasn’t acting right yet.

Cell decided to do some independent work on his own time and come up with something so amazing that he “Wouldn’t have to slave for these white devils ever again”. His words straight from his diary, not mine. Cell was an angry man, let’s not judge.

Cell spent years developing his new invention sometimes going days without sleeping. By the time his prototype was done the year was 1965. The phone cell developed was big, bulky, and weighed 102.93 lbs.

Not practical whatsoever….but it worked. It worked damn well. He even had the 2 way feature which he added a bird “chirping” sound to as an homage to carrier pigeons. This feature is still seen today in the nextel direct connect. Fact. Although the 2 way feature was pointless because noone else had a cell phone it was still pretty bad ass.

Upon completion of his phone Cell decided to pitch the idea to his boss Edward Zacharia Morris. He set up a meeting where he showed off the new technology. He told his boss that with the right resources they could reduce the size of the phone and make it more portable but instead of praising Cell for his work he immediately fired him for improper use of company time and stealing parts to create his phone. Edward told Cell that noone would want a portable phone.

After firing Cell, Ed Morris took his creation and invested all his resources into creating mobile phones. As an additional slap in the face he kept the name “Cell” phone. Morris went on to develop phones for the next 20 years and finally got them into the mainstream.

Edward Zacharias Morris

Ed Morris built his empire based on the life work of Clarence Arthur Cell without giving him any credit. Making millions and promoting “his” phone was what he was all about. You can still see evidence of this today….don’t believe me?

Coincidence? I think not…

- Jonny D