Design Stories: Exploring Everyday ThingsMain MenuViking Roamer RM-315 RadioBlackberry Bold 9000CGE KE 860 Electric KettleGeneral Electric’s 1966 Mixer Gift SetTorcan 886P Desk FanBaby Champ 5110 RadioCGE Hair DryerNorthern Telecom DisplayphoneAmin Asgari, Jason Taylor, Jocelyn ZinSamson Dominion Ten-Ten HairsetterPedro Amaral, Markiyan Palisa, Maria PerriShayna Adivib7dacecf2514976340c9fee58413be50a837e99dMatteo De Sanctis2c7f0439bc7dbbce394cd0e83390508c4316e0f9Dylan Fleuelling724bd216cf74182c9eb4bf85f4606a9f90300f43Sanyukta Ghag97f13f26df5104f991a5c78bb41d5501520945a0Ipun Kandola03d267ee57ad9e450b2bdf7607c2a096f9e5b707Minjoo Kim49e4f45a5b4fbe8b16e096b51064bd70ed6cdfc2Jessica Lo7d943c8a531bf17a92d4ce73f45508d35571048bSam Loiselleb0bb424f55ffc54d35c4c41f04a27d6f1914a83aLuciana Loucel Morales3d71928b274e19c31fb29bde4fc89cfab59747ebShriya Mujumdar401f34f51ff8386c5fd4b09a5def6038ca96da55Binh Nguyen77159e04ccf5c117d1aafcf7d72182271cfe4379Madeleine North1716571a300e1e377a3f5a2800d66ac1abe953e4Hannah Palmier Blizzardb85a64743cf09ec2b4e0c037a864f93027666ab3John Emmanuel Sanchez33ea7858c1ccddd4c50514af2ce70aadfb85d654Veronika Straka4da98006d10b69194fdb4d8ffa5ee51bb82dc8e6Jersey Louise Stuart51967f8e0c22fbade42e8a48d7cf0a44ab625751Michelle Tieu6e71ec02b710e08ac76005bc08f9bbf8e71f73c6Shane Toyama9b06201b77bf32b849e009b2cbd92a7602c6bc69Kesha Upadhyay31af8fb220a8946dc1166ecfdd2597f5dd8d003cJillian Warneraab1e08d9b244e0aed9e36e52219fd40328c6753Amavi Weerakoon806c26de54e888d00f80819bd6ef5040b78ac4c6Jan Hadlawusers/jhadlaw1e125e7557d6dc997197c765699eef9bff624103
NTD-image-Displayphone User Guide
1media/User Manual_Page_4_Image_0001_thumb.jpg2025-03-26T23:09:41-04:00Amin Asgari Araghie74e2f1bb20ef03809181bc884697cc6ec371f1d1353An image of the 1981 Displayphone User Guide, featuring a clean, structured layout with Northern Telecom’s branding. Page 4, featuring detailed wireframe line drawings of the device, showcasing its form and key components in a see-through technical illustration.plain2025-03-26T23:24:40-04:001982Amin Asgari Araghie74e2f1bb20ef03809181bc884697cc6ec371f1d
12025-03-26T20:16:35-04:00NT Displayphone User Market32The 1980s Displayphone by Northern Telecom showcased voice-data integration but failed due to market stagnation and limited public adoption.plain2025-04-08T19:19:04-04:00The Displayphone was an ambitious technological innovation of the early 1980s that demonstrated the influence of Northern Telecom Limited in the telecommunications industry as well as the viability of voice and data integration. When the Northern Telecomdebuted the Displayphone in 1981, it entered a world in transition—personal computing was on the rise, corporate communication was evolving, and businesses were beginning to embrace digital workspaces. However, this innovation came at a time of economic uncertainty, making widespread adoption a challenge. The early 1980s recession caused businesses and rare individual users alike to be cautious with their spending, making investments in new and experimental technology riskier. At the same time, the personal computing revolution was underway, with IBM releasing its first PC in 1981, shifting corporate priorities toward computers over standalone communication devices. Additionally, existing technologies like fax machines, Telex systems, and early email services already provided reliable business communication, making the Displayphone seem like an expensive and unnecessary alternative. Another major barrier was the network infrastructure—video calls required compatible systems on both ends, something that was not yet widespread. Despite these challenges, Northern Telecom positioned the Displayphone as a futuristic innovation, hoping it would revolutionize the way businesses and professionals communicated. While Northern Telecom experienced strong sales growth through the 1970s, the Displayphone struggled to compete with emerging technologies in the mid 1980s. The rise of personal computing, particularly with the release of the IBM PC 5150 in 1981, shifted business investments away from standalone voice/data terminals and toward multi-functional digital solutions. The increasing adoption of networked communication and email also reduced the need for dedicated video-telephony devices. As a result, the Displayphone remained a niche product, failing to achieve mainstream success.
Despite its limited commercial impact, the Displayphone generated excitement among technology enthusiasts and early adopters, who saw its potential for transforming business communication. However, the device’s complexity and lack of widespread compatibility made integration difficult. By the mid-1980s, shifting technological priorities led to its decline, and the Displayphone ultimately became a transitional innovation rather than a long-term industry staple.
