Top 25 things vanishing from America: #14 -- The answering machine
Filed under: Technology
This series explores aspects of America that may soon be just a memory -- some to be missed, some gladly left behind. From the least impactful to the most, here are 25 bits of vanishing America.
The idea of having a machine answer you calls and take a message is not going to go away, but the kind of answering machine we're used to? The stand alone model where you press the button and listen to a message on a tape? Oh, yeah, so long, and don't forget to write -- er, call.
The answering machine has evolved over the years ever since the first rudimentary gadget was invented in 1898, though it wasn't ever anything that went on the market. Ever since then, people have been trying to improve upon it. Answering services, where human operators were paid to answer the phone and take messages, were the rage, for years, and then answering machines started to dominate the landscape. When? It's hard to say, in a way. It's a machine that evolved over the years with many mothers for this invention, as this site demonstrates, but according to my newspaper archive research, the Mohawk Business Machines made a lot of news in 1951 with the one that they released to the public.
By 1974, the answering machine was ubiquitous enough that it was featured at the beginning of every episode of the detective series, The Rockford Files.
(If you click here, you can find a great web site about the Rockford Files, which features all of the messages left at the beginning of show. Each message was different, sort of in the way that each message on the chalkboard at the beginning of a Simpsons cartoon is different. Yes, I watch way too much TV. A sample answering machine from the Rockford Files: "Jim, it's Norma at the market. It bounced. You want us to tear it up, send it back, or put it with the others? BEEEEEP." And another one: "Sorry, old buddy, but there have been gunshots around your place once too often. The neighborhood association wants to have a talk with you. BEEEEEP.")
Today, there are so many devices to choose from that the standard answering machine simply can't compete. Digital answering machines are often embedded in the telephones themselves. There's voice mail, of course. You can have your computer answer your phone calls. But most of all, the cell phone, with its built in voice mail and/or answering machine, is turning the stand-alone answering machine into a relic.
Well, let's put it this way. According to USA Today, the number of homes that only use cell phones jumped 159% between 2004 and 2007. It has been particularly bad in New York; since 2000, landline usage has dropped 55%. It's logical that as cell phones rise, many of them replacing traditional landlines, that there will be fewer answering machines.
As if it isn't bad enough for the answering machine, they've even become an anti-environment issue. Yep, even conservationists are sniffing at the poor answering machine, noting that when an answering machine breaks, it goes into the junk pile. Voice mail solves that problem, and it saves electricity, too. That's when I feel sorry for answering machine lovers. I mean, the machines are bad for the Earth? How can you fight that?
So when can we expect the last answering machine to disappear from the planet? That is something I can't (sorry) answer. I'm (almost) tempted to tell people saddened by the thought of these machines to call me at my home office and leave a message at the beep -- on my voice mail, of course.
Geoff Williams is a freelance journalist and the author of C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America (Rodale).
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-15-2008 @ 9:10PM
BabyGirl said...
As true as it may be that one day answering machines will be a thing of the past, it just doesn't make good financial sense. I mean to pay a fee each and every month for voice mail when an answering machine is a one-time fee. Plus with voice mail, you can only save messages for a certain amount of time, whereas answering machine hang onto them until you erase them. With voice mail, you have to remember the code to access it and then a password to hear your message. An answering machine, you press one button. Then there's the pro to voice mail, such as no one else (like a date) hearing an embarrassing message.
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7-24-2008 @ 4:34AM
Mara said...
Virtual answering machines. YouMail.com and others do everything an old-fashioned machine could do and WAY more, and for free.
7-16-2008 @ 7:55AM
June-Bug said...
As a school health nurse, it is frustrating when parents do not have an answering machine. Many times they never check the cell phone messages and then call the school wanting to know who called ( becausee the caller ID showed the number)which causes wasted time from the school secretary down trying to find out who called for the parent.
The cell phones are usually off because the parent :
a) is not employed which coincides with B
b) is SLEEPING
c) not paid their bill.
In my experience, parents who actually have a home anwering machine call me back within a few minutes, have proof I called,and the student knows what and why I am calling about which can ease anxiety, at times I have the student leave a message after mine.
Parents- please keep your land lines on and please provide WORKING phone numbers of family/friends who can help your sick or god forbid injured child when we can't find you!
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7-17-2008 @ 8:12PM
sestamibi said...
We bought an answering machine about two years ago. It lasted all of six weeks! I was so livid that I smashed it into pieces no bigger than a dime.
We have voice mail now. For $9 a month I am far more content in not having some POS electronic device sitting around, as well as being able to access my message remotely.
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7-17-2008 @ 8:33PM
Denene said...
Yeah, my household has went down sh.. creek because of video games. My son whom I tried to race like me doing other things more meaningful has fell somewhat more to staying indoors and playing video games. I thank God he is getting into dating now and trying to find a job. That means more conversation with humans and less arguing with the game. His dad is an addict and has been for the past 17 years we been together. Its awful when we can even manage to get to the dinner table together because my hubby hasnt made it to a save point. But with xbox live, now he has more interesting friends online to chat with an is so caught up in that sh.., that we cant have a decent conversation. He says there nothing to talk about. I have tried xbox live and it is fun but Im getting older.. 38 this year now and I am wanting a different kind or relationship with him that I have never been able to get. We are not close in my mind and the bedroom drama that years ago was passionate and was suppose to grow has grown,,, has grown dim and no fun. I have better sex thinking about it or dreaming of that perfect love. Hows the rest of you wemen whose man has dropped you for video games and xbox live. Here I am in my prime and wanting more attention just to get blowed off. Well, someone email me and put in the memo regarding video game comments. See You.... unhappy....
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7-17-2008 @ 9:11PM
Dennis said...
Progress is not always a good thing. The country has never been the same ever since the Miss America Pageant moved out of Atlantic City and went to Las Vegas!
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7-18-2008 @ 10:09AM
rick said...
I just bought an answering machine! The old one with the tape cassette finally died. Congratulate me, I have now entered the digital answering machine world just as they are becoming obsolete. LOL!
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7-19-2008 @ 6:57AM
julie said...
Don't take away my answering machine! Caller ID only goes so far when you want to screen your calls. Even with Anonymous Call Rejection, there is always the inevitable Unknown Caller that pops up. Voicemail doesn't allow you can't listen to the incoming call to determine if you want to pick it up.
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7-20-2008 @ 7:59PM
moe said...
this world is getting ridicules not every one will have the means ,to have this what about the seniors ? life is complicated
enough for ,is this (big brother) idea ?juust like the t v . don't they have orther things to do 11111111.
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8-04-2008 @ 8:35AM
bill said...
I have an answering machine that calls my cell phone whenever it recieves a message.
Very convenient - don't have to deal with call forwarding or giving out your cell number.
Have not seen a voice mail that will do that.
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8-04-2008 @ 10:13AM
LadyAP said...
I forgot about the answering machine becoming obsolete. I remember when I was working full time as a secretary, I met a guy who could get a hold of answering machines for a good price. I ordered two answering machines from him, back in 1986! This was my first answering machine, and I bought one for my parents, as they didn't have one and I felt that they really needed one! My parents were so happy with the gift, as answering machines back then were pretty expensive.
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