this is a 2010 headline. and it says a lot about the revolution we are in.

1876: first patent for the electric telephone

1979: first commercial cellular network, launched in Japan by NTT

1990: surfing became more than just a watersport

1996: google was founded

1999: first commercial launch of a mobile-specific browser

in 1998 this headline would have nearly made sense (only sonera and radiolinja in finland were offering internet access on a nokia 9000). 3 years earlier this headline would have been more confusing: google…? that would have meant a lot (or nothing) to people. in 1989 you would probably get locked up, for suggesting surfing with a phone. in the rest of our last millennium the only thing we would have understood is the phone part. and only 135 years ago the whole word combination would have left the reader clueless. whoa. (source: new york times‘ global edition)  (kp)