Geek Fun!

October 27, 2010 12:56 PM

Was it just a Western Electric Model 34A "Audiphone" that George Clarke (SLYT) found peculiar in this old Chaplin footage? (SLYT)

Footage found behind the scenes in Charlie Chaplin's film ‘The Circus’ (1928). The scene shows a woman dressed in black
with what can only be described as a mobile phone device – talking as she walks alone.

posted by will wait 4 tanjents (9 comments total)

Honey, I'm on the train again.
posted by chavenet at 12:58 PM on October 27, 2010

Maybe the post time-traveled!
posted by Old'n'Busted at 1:00 PM on October 27, 2010 [1 favorite]

It's obviously a mobile phone device.
posted by P.o.B. at 1:00 PM on October 27, 2010

Did a thread from a few days ago come forward in time? You're not going to kill Hitler that way!
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:00 PM on October 27, 2010 [3 favorites]

Your time machine needs calibration. You're off by about two days. Let me guess, you thought you could coast another 1000 years or so before getting the coolant in the Mr. Fusion changed, right? The 'check flux capacitor' light is there for a reason, man.
posted by jedicus at 1:05 PM on October 27, 2010

Well, I've been puzzling over this for days (there definitely seems to be something in the old lady's hand) and this is just the most wonderful spot. Congratulations on one of the year's best wieldings of Occam's Razor.
posted by pyotrstolypin at 1:05 PM on October 27, 2010

Wait until Vigilant Citizen hears of this!
posted by griphus at 1:06 PM on October 27, 2010

Do we get jetpacks in this timeline? Or maybe pet dinosaurs? I'm calling mine Pete.
posted by Kevin Street at 1:07 PM on October 27, 2010

I'm calling mine Pete.

That's a weird name for a jetpack.
posted by Celsius1414 at 1:10 PM on October 27, 2010