Teleporting a modern smartphone in 1980

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hypothetical scenario of teleporting a modern smartphone to the year 1980, along with a pamphlet describing its features. Participants explore how a technician or scientist from that era might perceive and analyze the device, considering its advanced technology and the context of 1980's capabilities.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests imagining the analysis of the smartphone without destroying it, likening the technician to Sherlock Holmes.
  • Another participant, a particle physicist, humorously proposes smashing the device to deduce information from the remains.
  • A participant notes that integrated circuits were invented in 1959 and that many micro-computers existed in 1980, indicating that some components of the smartphone would be recognizable to a technician of that time.
  • It is mentioned that the smaller traces and multiple layers in modern integrated circuits would likely be surprising to a 1980 technician.
  • The LED screen technology, invented in 1977, would be recognized, but its size and resolution would be unexpected.
  • Touch screen technology, having been invented in 1963, would not be surprising to a technician from 1980.
  • Discussion includes the idea that using the smartphone's body as an antenna would be intriguing, but the lack of cell towers in 1980 would complicate its functionality.
  • One participant emphasizes that the major advances in cell phones are tied to the supporting infrastructure, such as manufacturing and communication networks, rather than the phones themselves.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on how the smartphone would be analyzed, with some suggesting destructive methods while others advocate for non-destructive analysis. There is no consensus on the implications of the smartphone's technology in the context of 1980.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge limitations in the analysis, such as the absence of supporting infrastructure like cell towers and the varying levels of recognition of technology components by a 1980 technician.

dendros
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This is just an imaginary experiment hence I post it in this section so the idea is that somehow I'm able to teleport my relatively modern smartphone, an Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro back in the year of 1980 together with a small printed pamphlet describing it as a computer with radio commmunications capabilities and with this configuration: 2 GHz octa-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB storage (extensible), FullHD display, 4G radio bands and Wi-Fi radio bands.
Imagine that you are a technician/scientist from that year and you're tasked with analyzing it, how advanced would it appear to you and what could you deduce about it, its hardware and software?
Just give it a try, I think it would be fun to imagine being in the shoes of that scientist/technician. Or would it be a nightmare?
 
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As a particle physicist ( I started in 1979 ), I would smash it and see what I can deduct from the remains ...
 
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Well, one constraint is that it should be analyzed without destroying it, otherwise there would be nothing useful to analyze. Imagine that you're a Sherlock Holmes type of technician :).
 
Any other constraints ? Are the cell masts teleported too ? And Google ?
 
No, just the device, its charger and the pamphlet. But you have 1980's tech at your disposal.
 
Integrated circuits were invented in 1959.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invention_of_the_integrated_circuit

In 1980 there were micro-computers-aplenty. Many were z80 or 6502 based.

Anybody with any technical "smarts" would recognize most of the components for computer chips. They would not immediately be able to recognize the precise means. The traces in a modern IC chip are a *LOT* smaller than they were in 1980. And they are arranged in many more layers than in 1980. A quick Google search did not turn up the date people starting doing multi-layer ICs. But it was not far off in 1980, if they were not already doing it.

The LED screen would also be recognized. These were invented in 1977. Though the size and resolution would be surprising. Touch screens were invented in 1963, so that would not be surprising.

Using the body of the device as the bulk of the antenna would be interesting. That might throw people for a short time. It requires particular ranges of frequency, and specialized cell towers. Cell towers that had not been put up in 1980. The first cell phone was in 1983, and it was a BRICK with a huge external battery and an antenna that you could use to smack people who got too curious about your phone.

The major advances in cell phones are not so much the phones themselves. It's the factories and manufacturing and support infrastructure like cell phone towers and comm relays and servers that can keep you connected to the net while you ride a commuter train. This is what has allowed them to be smaller, faster, have more RAM, do more, and to be cheaper.
 
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