In today’s age, we have fiber optic Internet that has a download speed of up to 10,000 mbps (1 Gbps). We have printers that connect wirelessly, keyboards and word processing programs that don’t scare us if we make a typo, and remote video conferencing. What a time to be alive! Fifty years ago, Powers Business Machines was just starting out, and we didn’t have all these fancy things we have today. We’ve been through quite the office evolution!
We thought it would be fun to take a jog down Memory Lane and look back at what office machines used to be like. Back when things were simpler (albeit a bit less efficient). Ready? Let’s go!
Typewriters
It was not uncommon to see typewriters being used in 1970. In fact, it was more normal than not. Toward the end of the 1970s and early 1980s, however, the transition from typewriters to word processors were well underway. Despite that, there were still no laptops or slick desktop computers from which to write. Typewriters didn’t need much, though. Just ink and some paper–that’s it! Or, if it was electronic, you didn’t have to worry about paper jams. Still, our new-fangled computers do make word processing a lot easier than the typewriter.
Copy Machines
Although copy machines started gaining traction in the 1970s, they were still quite expensive. So, carbon paper was used to make copies instead. By using carbon paper, what was written on the top would go through and imprint on the paper underneath. Make sure you press hard enough with your pen, though, or else the markings won’t show up too well. Certainly, today’s copy machines make the act of copying documents much faster and far less painful.
Office Phones
We actually still see big office phones being used for conference calls, sitting on desks or board room tables. Still, the thick office phone was clunky and looked more like a brick than what we would recognize as a phone. Today, most companies use cell phones to conduct business on the go, participate in video conference calls, and more. While we still use corded office phones today, it is easy to see how far the technology has come since 1970.
As you can see from even just these three examples, a lot has changed in the business world in 50 years, and we’ve been right in the middle of this office evolution! We’ve evolved with technology, and we’re here to help you find the best office machines for your company. Give us a call at (757) 595-2646, or stop by and take a look at what we have to offer! We’re happy to help and answer any questions you may have.