Trimline telephoneIn 1963, the first residential Trimline telephone in the U.S. was placed in service by the Michigan Bell Telephone Company. It was made available to all its customers throughout the company's service area on 2 Aug 1965 for an optional $1 monthly extra charge. The dial and a hang-up button were no longer on a remote base, but instead integrated into the handpiece, midway between the microphone and speaker. A call could thus be dialled from the handpiece alone, which was more convenient in the kitchen or while in bed. It was dramatically different in style from earlier telephones, developed with the industrial design firm Henry Dreyfuss Associates. In 1977, Fortune magazine selected it as one of the country's 25 best-designed products.« |
