Not what it seems!

IMO, one of the best “sci-fi” authors was Sir Arthur C. Clarke CBE FRAS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke). One of the Sir Arthur’s quotes was; “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” To discover the truth of this quote all we have to do is to use our imagination. Imagine how one of our ancestors born alive in the year 1020 AD would react to the Nokia 2720 Flip mobile telephone above?
Two minor points before we move on:
#1: The BG continues to use the traditional BC/AD system and not the politically correct BCE/CE system. The writer, Joshua J. Mark in his detailed and informative article on the Ancient History Encyclopedia (https://www.ancient.eu/article/1041/the-origin-and-history-of-the-bcece-dating-system/) website explains the origins of both dating systems and claims that the recent popularity of the non religious system is not an instance of political correctness and then beautifully contradicts himself himself with his final sentence: “Therefore, Ancient History Encyclopedia has adopted the BCE/CE designation in an effort to be accurate, adhere to scholarly principles, and be inclusive and welcoming to all.”
#2: Everybody, be they an ordinary person of Her Majesty the Queen, has ancestors who lived in the year 1020AD. Unless of course you are Sir Ed Davey and your ancestors were resident on another planet at that time! The difference between Her Majesty’s genealogy and most of the rest of us is that most of hers is to be found in publications such as the Almanac de Gotha and Burke’s Peerage!
Now, back to the script: The fact is that our ancestors would find the Nokia 2720 truly terrifying. They would not understand it. Their fear would be based on their probable belief that the article was the product of Satan himself!
Of course, one does not tend to be so awestruck oneself because one lives in the society whilst these developments are taking place. And yet one can sometimes think that things are similar to the sci-fi dramas one watched years ago. For instance, many people over a certain age will think of Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise and his “flip” communicator – a device seemingly somewhat less sophisticated than the Nokia 2720!
I purchased the device nearly a year ago on Monday 28th October 2019 at a total cost of £84.97. This because the mobile telephone I had purchased in December 2013 had ceased to function. The old SIM card was too big and I had to order – at no cost – a smaller replacement from my “Pay As You Go” provider, Three UK to enable me to continue using their service with my existing mobile number.
From time to time people suggest to me that I should take out a monthly contract with Three UK or another provider. They suggest that I would get a very good deal as I could use the Nokia 2720 to surf the internet, send and receive text messages, make lots of telephone calls, take lots of digital photographs and upload them to “social media” websites. They become somewhat puzzled when I say that I am quite happy with the service I have with my current provider and have no intention of changing. Some – including the telephone salespeople employed by Three UK themselves – don’t understand why I am not interested in what they thing (and tell me) are cracking good deals!
But you see, I look upon my Nokia 2720 flip in a fundamentally different way than them!
You see, they look at the Nokia 2720 flip and see a mobile telephone.
You see, I look at the Nokia 2720 and see my pocket clock and calendar! You see, I carry my pocket clock and calendar with me when I go out for the same reason why people wear a wrist watch – it tells the time! At £84.97 the Nokia 2720 is a most excellent and affordable pocket clock and calendar! It adjusts itself and is accurate! It displays the time, the day of the week, the date and the year at a glance! It does NOT display seconds but I can live with that. There are lots or wrist watches that do less and cost considerably more. I know. I used to sell them!
Not only that, the Nokia 2720 pocket clock and calendar is rechargeable – I don’t have to keep buying batteries (although in time the battery it has will need replacing).
Not only that, the Nokia 2720 pocket clock and calendar has other functions which I use as well – I can use it to make telephone calls for instance! This is particularly important as I walk the coast path and cover rocky terrain and could come across a person who has been taken ill or has fallen and therefore requires me to telephone 999. In such circumstances the various mobile networks accept such calls from telephones connected to their competitors at no cost to the caller. This is something that as private businesses they do not like but they were told in no uncertain terms by the regulator that they provided a public service and would have to bear the cost themselves.
So you see, it is how you look at things that makes the difference.