Back in 1964 my parents took us to the World's Fair in New York City. I was 10. One of the things I remember most about the Fair is something I didn't do - try out a picture phone at the AT&T exhibit.
Not that I didn't want to do this. I did. But we had to wait in line for what seemed like a really, really long time. The reason I never got to try out the picture phone is in dispute. My memory involves me selflessly letting the rest of my family go ahead without me when they said they couldn't accommodate all of us in the booth. For some reason, the others don't share my recollection. But the fact is I never got to experience the picture phone.
I didn't mind giving up my chance to try out the AT&T picture phone at the fair, because I believed the hype that real-time video communication was just around the corner. I'd get another chance to try it out soon.
Soon turned out to be more than 40 years later. During this period the prospect was raised time and time again in the media, only to never really amount to anything. But all that has changed in the last year or so. I'm video chatting on a more or less regular basis with my parents and my kids and occasionally my husband when one of us is traveling. Sometimes the technology gets in the way - a slow internet connection or some occasional mac - pc problems - but generally it's much more satisfying and fun than talking on the telephone, and just as easy.
It's been worth the wait.
