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When Was the Last Time You Left a Message on an Answering Machine?

“Please leave a message after the ….” It’s a phrase we all know, but in 1971 the PhoneMate 400 took voicemail to the next level. Find out why the hi-tech machine changed the answering machine game.

Released on 11/19/2014

Transcript

(upbeat digital music)

[Man] Retrograde.

[Man] Phone Mate started with a simple idea.

A message.

Messages you can get on the phone while not

by the phone.

And they took that idea

and added the ability to receive 20 messages

on a reel-to-reel tape.

Please leave a message after the (beep).

Then, they took that idea,

and added the ability to screen your calls.

I think we can all thing of a few people

we'd like that function for.

That would be enough, but they took that idea

another level further.

If you're the kind of person who gets messages,

and do hope for your sake that you are,

Phone Mate gives you many ways to enjoy them

with a personal answering machine.

It's simple,

saving you time waiting by the phone.

Let us know in the comments

what your favorite retro gadgets are.

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(upbeat rock music)