Our perspective on technology is constantly shifting. What was seen as a 'miracle' by parents becomes taken for granted by their children.
As devices evolve they tend to become easier and simpler to operate and yet provide more functions.
In the end, users stop thinking about the technology altogether - only what they can do with it.
In 1962 the science fiction writer and visionary Arthur C Clarke proposed three Laws. The Third Law stated:
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".
But that phenomenon can easily be a fleeting one - Prestel, for example, was hailed as 'the greatest invention since television' - a claim that sounds distinctly shop-worn now.
'My God, it talks!' exclaimed the Emperor of Brazil on being shown an early telephone at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia.
Queen Victoria was equally impressed - though less volubly. Her Majesty was so delighted with the telephone demonstrated to her by Alexander Graham Bell at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight that she wanted to buy it there and then.
Bell explained that it was a just a prototype - and offered her a set made especially for royal use - a clever early exercise in 'product placement'. The promised 'instrument' was specially constructed and presented for her use later in 1878.
William Preece was no fool when it came to recognising advanced technology. He introduced a pair of improved telephone instruments to Britain in 1877, when he was Chief Electrician at the Post Office, and would go on to play a large part in encouraging Marconi's development of wireless as Engineer-in-Chief.
Yet his perception of the potential market for telephones was simultaneously shrewd and short sighted.
In 1879 Preece thought the telephone would fail to replace telegrams and personal deliveries, because the supply of messenger boys in Victorian England was both cheap and plentiful. In the short term, he was right. The UK had highly developed and efficient postal and telegraph services, and particularly so in the major cities.
But Preece initially failed to see the different applications offered by the telephone - ones that telegram messengers could never match, although he revised his opinion as the telephone became more successful.
Alf Sawkins is a 56 year-old engineer who grew up in the centre of Birmingham. He married at the age of 23 and moved to the outskirts of the city, which is when he had his first telephone at home.
Telecommunications has altered his life and his work in a variety of ways since that first phone was installed.
He recalls how he and his family kept in touch before any of them had phones, and compares this with how his family relies on it today.
Play the audio clip and view the transcript to learn more. A new window will open.Mrs Polly Shakeshaft is 82 years old. She worked at a local branch of the fashion store C&A and first came in contact with a phone when it was thrust into her hand by a busy colleague. Unused to the device she ended up with the mouthpiece against her ear and couldn't hear a thing.
Her mother was similarly confused by the phone and Mrs Shakeshaft explains how she taught her mother to use a phone, with deafening results.
Play the audio clip and view the transcript to learn more. A new window will open.