BUSINESS

Who invented the mobile phone?

December 06, 2004
Who invented what

Who invented the mobile phone?
Take the Rediff Business Quiz and find out how much you know about some of the world's most famous inventions.

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1. Who invented the mobile phone?
a) Dr Kevin Carmon
b) Dr Joel Engel
c) Dr Martin Cooper

Wrong! Try again..
Wrong!
The correct answer is Dr Martin Cooper.
Dr Martin Cooper, a former general manager for the systems division at Motorola, is considered the inventor of the first modern portable handset. Cooper made the first call on a portable cell phone in April 1973. He made the call to his rival, Joel Engel, Bell Labs head of research. Bell Laboratories introduced the idea of cellular communications in 1947 with the police car technology.
AT&T had patented the concept of the portable phone system in 1947. However, Motorola was the first to incorporate the technology into a portable device that was designed for outside of a automobile use.
Correct!
Dr Martin Cooper, a former general manager for the systems division at Motorola, is considered the inventor of the first modern portable handset. Cooper made the first call on a portable cell phone in April 1973. He made the call to his rival, Joel Engel, Bell Labs head of research. Bell Laboratories introduced the idea of cellular communications in 1947 with the police car technology.
AT&T had patented the concept of the portable phone system in 1947. However, Motorola was the first to incorporate the technology into a portable device that was designed for outside of a automobile use.

2. What was IBM earlier called?
a) Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co
b) Integrated Device Technologies
c) Ideal Business Computing Systems

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Wrong!
The correct answer is The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co.
In 1896, Herman Hollerith, a statistician at the US Census Bureau, formed the Tabulating Machine Co, after constructing his Punch Card and Tabulating Machine in 1890. In 1911, this company merged with Computing Scale of America and International Time Recording Co. The new name was The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co., or C-T-R.
In 1915, Thomas J. Watson became the leader of the company. His slogan was: Think. In 1924 the company's name was changed into International Business Machines Corp. or IBM.
Correct!
In 1896, Herman Hollerith, a statistician at the US Census Bureau, formed the Tabulating Machine Co, after constructing his Punch Card and Tabulating Machine in 1890. In 1911, this company merged with Computing Scale of America and International Time Recording Co. The new name was The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co., or C-T-R.
In 1915, Thomas J. Watson became the leader of the company. His slogan was: Think. In 1924 the company's name was changed into International Business Machines Corp. or IBM.

3. Who invented the first self-propelled road vehicle?
a) Henry Ford
b) Nicolas Joseph Cugnot
c) Alain Robbe-Grillet

Wrong! Try again..
Wrong!
The correct answer is Nicolas Joseph Cugnot.
In 1769, the very first self-propelled road vehicle was a military tractor invented by French engineer and mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot (1725-1804). Cugnot used a steam engine to power his vehicle, built under his instructions at the Paris Arsenal by mechanic Brezin. It was used by the French Army to haul artillery at a whopping speed of 2-1/2 mph on only three wheels.
The vehicle had to stop every ten to fifteen minutes to build up steam power. The steam engine and boiler were separate from the rest of the vehicle and placed in the front. The following year (1770), Cugnot built a steam-powered tricycle that carried four passengers.
In 1771, Cugnot drove one of his road vehicles into a stone wall, making Cugnot the first person to get into a motor vehicle accident.
Correct!
In 1769, the very first self-propelled road vehicle was a military tractor invented by French engineer and mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot (1725-1804). Cugnot used a steam engine to power his vehicle, built under his instructions at the Paris Arsenal by mechanic Brezin. It was used by the French Army to haul artillery at a whopping speed of 2-1/2 mph on only three wheels.
The vehicle had to stop every ten to fifteen minutes to build up steam power. The steam engine and boiler were separate from the rest of the vehicle and placed in the front. The following year (1770), Cugnot built a steam-powered tricycle that carried four passengers.
In 1771, Cugnot drove one of his road vehicles into a stone wall, making Cugnot the first person to get into a motor vehicle accident.

4. Who is the inventor of Coca-Cola?
a) Dr John Pemberton
b) Dr Alan Fitzsimmons
c) Dr Joseph Berechman

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Wrong!
The correct answer is Dr John Pemberton.
In May, 1886, Coca Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia. John Pemberton concocted the Coca Cola formula in a three legged brass kettle in his backyard. The name was a suggestion given by John Pemberton's bookkeeper Frank Robinson. Being a bookkeeper, Frank Robinson also had excellent penmanship. It was he who first scripted 'Coca Cola' into the flowing letters which has become the famous logo of today.
Correct!
In May, 1886, Coca-Cola was invented by Dr John Pemberton, a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia. John Pemberton brewed the Coca-Cola formula in a three-legged brass kettle in his backyard. The name was a suggestion given by John Pemberton's bookkeeper Frank Robinson, who also was excellent at penmanship. It was he who first scripted 'Coca-Cola' into the flowing letters that have become the most famous logo of today.

5. Who is the inventor of Pepsi Cola?
a) Martin Hadley-Brown
b) Caleb Bradham
c) Graham Salisbury

Wrong! Try again..
Wrong!
The correct answer is Caleb Bradham.
Caleb Bradham of New Bern, North Carolina, was a pharmacist. Like many pharmacists at the turn of the century he had a soda fountain in his drugstore, where he served his customers refreshing drinks, that he created himself. His most popular beverage was something he called 'Brad's drink' made of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla, rare oils, pepsin and cola nuts.
'Brad's drink', created in the summer of 1893, was later renamed Pepsi Cola in 1898 after the pepsin and cola nuts used in the recipe.
Correct!
Caleb Bradham of New Bern, North Carolina, was a pharmacist. Like many pharmacists at the turn of the century he had a soda fountain in his drugstore, where he served his customers refreshing drinks, that he created himself. His most popular beverage was something he called 'Brad's drink' made of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla, rare oils, pepsin and cola nuts.
'Brad's drink', created in the summer of 1893, was later renamed Pepsi Cola in 1898 after the pepsin and cola nuts used in the recipe.

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