"Notificator: The Original Twitter"

We're all so very hip with our new ATS media site! It seems there is no end to all the new ways in we can keep in touch and informed. So I was surprised to come across this article detailing an old-school version of the "tweet".

www.technovelgy.com...

The device was designed for train stations or other public places where friends might desire to leave each other short messages.

The user walks up on a small platform in front of the machine, writes a brief message on a continuous strip of paper and drops a coin in the slot. The inscription moves up behind a glass panel where it remains in public view for at least two hours so that the person for whom it is intended may have sufficient time to observe the note at the appointed place. The machine is similar in appearance to a candy-vending machine.

There's a cool picture at the link. Who knew!?


[edit on 5/3/2009 by kosmicjack]

Holy macaroni!

Well, look at that.
Hilarious (?) find!

I don't know what to post about it, really... Have never heard of it.
Any idea of how successful this invention was?
Any old folks out there who actually used it?

Anyways, real amusing find!

Cool Device!

This totally reminds me of the giant building in Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out Of My Head

I mean, it reminds me because it's the concept of putting a message up which may be directed at only a single person in a large public place, but the whole of the public can see.

I have heard that the building is in Germany or Russia somewhere in a large city square and you can actually send SMSes to a number which will then display the message using the computer controlled flashing lights on the building.

Kind of like the end scene in Hackers, but real.

[edit on 5-3-2009 by Nick_X]

Nice detour from all the heavy stuff! And really like you say...who knew?
Echo of some other posters...this reminds me...when I was a child of 6-16 years, my parents would take all of us kids (4) to Yosemite, CA.

I was fascinated with the bulletin boards they would have at the Rangers Station...Huge boards, with hundreds of notes...saying we are in site 13, or we moved to this campground...