Those holes at the tip seem really hard to clean. Or maybe those are waterjets? Jokes aside, yes toys probably werent that common back then but it still looks pretty phallic shaped and I cant believe the designers didnt do this on purpose.
As the Bell System did not permit the operation of third-party equipment on their network, the Ericofon could only be used by independent telephone companies in the United States. North Electric in Galion, Ohio, manufactured the Ericofon for the North American independent market.
And if you needed to dial while on the phone, then you would probably prefer it to be separate so you can see what you are dialing while still talking. I guess it means you wouldn't have to keep the base in an easily usable spot though.
An old boss of mine collected them, and used one as part of his desk set. Apparently they were notoriously poorly made, and broke all the time even when new. You ended the call by setting it back down on your desk or table, which depressed a button.
39 Comments
r_ffer23@sh.itjust.works · 78 pts · 77d
Oh, they are phones... Scrolling fast can be confusing.
ech@lemmy.ca · 43 pts · 77d
Modern phones for a modern woman.
Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 77d
It's a shame they don't come with vibrate mode.
StupidBrotherInLaw@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 77d
They do when someone calls you. Until the 1980s, telephones commonly used an actual bell with a mechanical clapper.
Brrrrring!
schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 76d
You know at least one woman told her lover to call at a certain time and “let it ring until I answer.”
IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 77d
l thought they were bad dragons for a moment
Trex202@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 77d
A Bell Dragon
some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 77d
Ma Dragon
arin@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 77d
One of the larger ones
Agent641@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 77d
"Yell louder dear I'm almost there!"
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 77d
yup
viertesauge@feddit.org · 28 pts · 77d
Those holes at the tip seem really hard to clean. Or maybe those are waterjets? Jokes aside, yes toys probably werent that common back then but it still looks pretty phallic shaped and I cant believe the designers didnt do this on purpose.
GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 77d
I mean... it has a flared base.
Mirshe@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 77d
I'm almost guaranteeing these are marketed toward women, so yes, that was probably a source of great amusement for the designers.
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
it was acceptable in the 60s
calliope@retrolemmy.com · 16 pts · 77d
I thought this was interesting, from Wikipedia:
Also known as the “cobra phone”
charokol@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 77d
“The Dial in the Base ‘Comes to You!’”
Why?
Oisteink@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 77d
A normal phone was split in two and the dial was on the main unit while the handset was cord attached and «with you», not on the desk
charokol@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 77d
Right. But would you want to keep the dial with you? After you’ve started the call on a rotary phone, there’s no more dialing necessary
mercano@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 77d
Perhaps you move the phone to the coffee table before you get comfy on the sofa, or you want to hang up and make a second call.
tomenzgg@midwest.social · 8 pts · 77d
The world of tomorrow; truly, the future can only go up, from here.
Tyrq@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 77d
Lemme tell you about the wonders of being reachable literally everywhere you go
WalrusDragonOnABike@reddthat.com · 2 pts · 77d
And if you needed to dial while on the phone, then you would probably prefer it to be separate so you can see what you are dialing while still talking. I guess it means you wouldn't have to keep the base in an easily usable spot though.
DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 77d
At the time these were designed, dialing while on the phone, say to interface with a computer system, didn't exist.
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
because it's cooler that way
morto@piefed.social · 11 pts · 77d
Looks interesting, but it's probably not comfortable to use
HejMedDig@feddit.dk · 7 pts · 77d
It was fine. Grew up with one in the 80's
morto@piefed.social · 5 pts · 77d
I'm not sure. I'd prefer if the top part was thinner and more anatomic.
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 77d
i guess
tabris@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 77d
Flared base. Approved.
expect_nothing@leminal.space · 7 pts · 77d
An old boss of mine collected them, and used one as part of his desk set. Apparently they were notoriously poorly made, and broke all the time even when new. You ended the call by setting it back down on your desk or table, which depressed a button.
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 77d
damn
Gladaed@feddit.org · 7 pts · 77d
Read the grey as Persian orgy. Should go back to sleep
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 77d
happens to the best of us
e_rebel_108@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 77d
We had the Taj Mahal
gndagreborn@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 77d
Delightfully phallic
commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 77d
is this still available?
DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 77d
On ebay for ~$100
BilSabab@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 77d
dunno