History Main / ReinventingTheTelephone

* This was [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/mahou_sensei_negima/v04/c031/8.html said]] of the Pactio cards in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''. The card can only send, and only to specific people (the Magister who made the Pactio, or anyone else who has a Pactio with the same Magister). In addition, you have to hold it to your forehead, and the telepathy is easily blocked.

* {{Defied|Trope}} in ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'' [[http://narbonic.com/comic/january-13-18-2003/ in the third strip here]].
** And again [[http://narbonic.com/comic/june-2-7-2003/ in the sixth strip here]].

-->-- ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''

* This was [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/mahou_sensei_negima/v04/c031/8.html said]] of the Pactio cards in ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''. The card can only send, and only to specific people (the Magister who made the Pactio, or anyone else who has a Pactio with the same Magister). In addition, you have to hold it to your forehead, and the telepathy is easily blocked.

* ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'' is made of this trope, but more specifically does this with some steampunk-ish video phones, invented by Philo Farnsworth. There's a limited number of them, but they're unhackable and can only lose signal due to massive electrical interference. It's also shown that Pete and Myka have regular cell phones for communicating with each-other in the field. There's also a pneumatic-tube system that sends a brass voice recorder between different sections of the Warehouse. Both the Farnsworths and the tube system are justified, as it's demonstrated in the pilot that the only way to get cell service in or around the warehouse is to [[ToiletHumor climb to the top of a giant mound of cow manure.]][[note]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afSKGTxm_ZA Bandini Mountain?]][[/note]]

[[folder:Table Top Games]]

* The Sending spell is a StoryBreakerPower example of this trope TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons and ''{{TableTopGame/Pathfinder}}''. The spell allows a mid-level caster to contact anyone they know about in the world in ten minutes, deliver a brief message, and receive a brief reply. The spell is secure and only consumes the spell slot used to cast it. Anyone in a position of power and most decent-sized towns should have access to the spell, which can ruin any plot where the heroes have to race against time to deliver information to a party unless a lot of arbitrary obstacles are thrown in. There are many more spells that can serve as examples.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'' is made of this trope, but more specifically does this with some steampunk-ish video phones, invented by Philo Farnsworth. There's a limited number of them, but they're unhackable and can only lose signal due to massive electrical interference. It's also shown that Pete and Myka have regular cell phones for communicating with each-other in the field. There's also a pneumatic-tube system that sends a brass voice recorder between different sections of the Warehouse. Both the Farnsworths and the tube system are justified, as it's demonstrated in the pilot that the only way to get cell service in or around the warehouse is to [[ToiletHumor climb to the top of a giant mound of cow manure.]][[note]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afSKGTxm_ZA Bandini Mountain?[[/note]]

* ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'' is made of this trope, but more specifically does this with some steampunk-ish video phones, invented by Philo Farnsworth. There's a limited number of them, but they're unhackable and can only lose signal due to massive electrical interference. It's also shown that Pete and Myka have regular cell phones for communicating with each-other in the field. There's also a pneumatic-tube system that sends a brass voice recorder between different sections of the Warehouse. Both the Farnsworths and the tube system are justified, as it's demonstrated in the pilot that the only way to get cell service in or around the warehouse is to [[ToiletHumor climb to the top of a giant mound of cow manure.]]

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' is ostensibly set in a pseudo-present day world, just with ninjas. And magic/jutsu. Really, they just use modern technology whenever it would get in the way for them not to. The five village Kages meet in person even though there is a tendency for Kages to be assassinated. When their Feudal Lords have to ratify the formation of the Shinobi Alliance, however, they have a quick video conference.
** It's justified with the meeting of the Kage, though - the purpose of meeting face to face is to be a showing of good faith by the leaders, similar to many RealLife meetings of national leaders.

Basically, when somebody in a show (set in the "present day" or even TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture) uses a [[RuleOfCool pointlessly cool]] method of communication, which is frequently [[AwesomeButImpractical a lot less practical]] than the ordinary, everyday type. Arguably, telepathic communication ''would'' be better, depending on exactly how many [[PstandardPsychicPstance strange hand gestures]] you have to make, whether it allows for [[PokeInTheThirdEye protection from "brain tapping"]], and whether it can inflict {{Psychic Nosebleed}}s, but all the others...

** The Bat-Phone only existed in [[Series/{{Batman}} the 60s TV series]]; in less ludicrous versions, the idea of a dedicated phone line between the police station and Batman's ''secret headquarters'' was seen as a bad idea. The Batphone made its first comics appearance in 2003, as an encrypted cellphone.

* Defied in ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}'' [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic_plus/series.php?view=archive&chapter=39373&name=narbonic_plus#strip3 here]].
** And again [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic_plus/series.php?view=archive&chapter=41717#strip6 here]]

* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Lau is a Chinese national and a banker involved with organized crime. He is WrongGenreSavvy - he thinks he is in ''Film/TheDeparted'', but this is a Creator/ChristopherNolan film. As a result, he expects to escape prosecution (and thus protect the mob's money) by fleeing back to China. He does, but that won't stop Batman. In a BatmanGambit; Bruce Wayne sends Lucius Fox to personally call off a business deal in Lau's building when a simple email, video conference, or many other forms of communication would have been much more convenient. What's more, Lau points out this trope and is annoyed. Since they aren't going to do business, Lucius and Mr. Wayne are wasting his time with this face-to-face meeting. Lucius' real mission was to [[spoiler: drop off a small device disguised as a cell phone to prepare for Batman's abduction of Lau.]]

* Zig-zagged in ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': The titular HenshinHero and her teammate have magical items that can ([[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands many, many other functions]]) act pretty much exactly like a modern cellphone, but they're only available when in costume. And since Ladybug is ''extremely'' paranoid about keeping her and Chat Noir's civilian identities a secret ''even from each other'' (and in Season 2 we find out she was very much ProperlyParanoid) they have no way to communicate when not transformed despite the fact they both own cellphones. Dealing with the knock-on effects from them realising this is a problem and finding a workaround has become a popular FandomSpecificPlot as a result.

Frequently {{lampshade|hanging}}d either by somebody pointing out that it would be easier to just phone 'em, or by somebody (often a GenreSavvy individual) suggesting this kind of communication, only for the person to respond "Well, yeah, I ''could'' do that, but it would be faster to just send him an e-mail..."

* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[StarWarsExpandedUniverse comic]] ''Jedi vs. Sith'', they use ''messengers''. In ''Star Wars''. Granted, this takes place 1,000 years before the films, and there's already a good deal of SchizoTech in place like wooden spacecraft and bows-and-arrows being used alongside lightsabers, but comlinks were definitely invented by then. The canon explanation for this need is the galaxy-spaning [[TheInternet Holonet]] had been shattered at this point by the Sith, and Star Wars ships have always traveled at around the same speed as transmitted messages, anyway.

->'''Negi:''' I can't hear Asuna-san's voice with [[{{Telepathy}} this]]?\\

* The wizards of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' when they really need to contact each other, take an extremely difficult spell most wizards can't cast, and then complicate it by making it talk. Also mail taken by owl, which as such moves at a bird's flying speed. Oh, and their "stick your head in the fireplace and hope someone is within earshot" method. Interestingly, presumably-instantaneous audio-visual communication by magic mirror ''does'' exist; it's mentioned exactly once and never used. Justified due to 1) the books take place in the 1990s before cell phones and the internet were in widespread use, and 2) it is mentioned that electronic technology doesn't work around Hogwarts because there is "too much magic in the air."

** In several incarnations of Batman (most famously in the Adam West TV series) Commissioner Gordon has a red phone with a direct line to Batman as well as a Bat-Signal. More recent versions have introduced an special encrypted CellPhone for thentimes when it's unwise and impractical to use the signal.

** Played straight in ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'' [[http://skin-horse.com/2012/said-sweetheart/ here]]. Justified, as it turns out [[spoiler: the message is being sent by a supercomupter that can only communicate by implanting messages in people's minds, which they then think they see imprinted on things.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'' episode "The Tick vs. Arthur's Bank Account," the Tick presents the mayor a Tick signal to flash onto a conveniently passing cloudbank when he is needed. The mayor promptly points out, "We have your phone number." The Tick's reply: "Also useful."

* Discussed in ''Film/KickAss''. Kick-Ass asks Hit Girl how he can contact Big Daddy and Hit Girl. She mockingly tells him they have a BatSignal, and "It's in the shape of a giant ...[[note]]cock[[/note]]." Big Daddy then proceeds to tell KickAss that he can just leave certain code words in his Myspace and they'll know that means he wants them to find him.

* The wizards of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' when they really need to contact each other, take an extremely difficult spell most wizards can't cast, and then complicate it by making it talk. Also mail taken by owl, which as such moves at a bird's flying speed. Oh, and their "stick your head in the fireplace and hope someone is within earshot" method. Interestingly, presumably-instantaneous audio-visual communication by magic mirror ''does'' exist; it's mentioned exactly once and never used.
** To be fair an owl would take the letter directly to the recipient, rather than having to wait for the letter to be picked up by the mailman, taken to the post office, delivered to another post office, then delivered by another mailman. So in some cases mail by owl would probably be faster.
*** But email is even faster.

** Lampshaded again when [[spoiler: Pandora]] discovers the "emissary of magic itself" is talking to Grace in her dreams, points out to him that this is the ''least'' efficient way of communicating and [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=2221 asks]] " Would 'the will of magic' ''smite'' you for using a ''phone?''"

** Lampshaded again when [[spoiler: Pandora]] discovers the "emissary of magic itself" is talking to Grace in her dreams, points out to him that this is the ''least'' efficient way of communicating and [[[[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=2221 asks]] " Would 'the will of magic' ''smite'' you for using a ''phone?''"

* Also used in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', with Nanase's '[[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-05-02 Fairy Form]]': It got lampshaded when it was first used, complete with a "You ''have'' heard of this wonderful invention they call the "Telephone", right?" line, but she's still using it every time she wants to get in touch with someone, and they've pretty much stopped commenting on it. It also pops up in the form of Comm-Watches, courtesy of sterotypical German scientist Dr. Germahn, which are also pointed out to be obsolete by his assistant. He, of course, [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-12-31 replies]], "It's not about money -- it's about having cool stuff to play with!" Justified for Nanase. The more she uses her powers, the faster she levels up, and learns new powers that might be more useful. Also, the spell provides [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2004-01-20 more]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2007-03-31 functionality]]. Also, cell phones have an annoying tendency to [[CellPhonesAreUseless lose signal]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=467 whenever]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=992 something]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1652 happens]].

* Mages in ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' frequently use magical communication charms, often disguised as cell phones. Espers, however, are generally perfectly happy using cell phones even when they're telepathic, since telepathy tends to be limited by distance (even the strongest telepath is limited to about a couple hundred meters radius).

* Mages in ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' frequently use magical communication charms, often disguised as cell phones. Espers, however, are generally perfectly happy using cell phones even when they're telepathic.

* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Lau is a Chinese national and a banker involved with organized crime. He is WrongGenreSavvy - he thinks he is in TheDeparted, but this is a ChristopherNolan film. As a result, he expects to escape prosecution (and thus protect the mob's money) by fleeing back to China. He does, but that won't stop Batman. In a BatmanGambit; Bruce Wayne sends Lucius Fox to personally call off a business deal in Lau's building when a simple email, video conference, or many other forms of communication would have been much more convenient. What's more, Lau points out this trope and is annoyed. Since they aren't going to do business, Lucius and Mr. Wayne are wasting his time with this face-to-face meeting. Lucius' real mission was to [[spoiler: drop off a small device disguised as a cell phone to prepare for Batman's abduction of Lau.]]
* Discussed in KickAss. KickAss asks Hit Girl how he can contact Big Daddy and Hit Girl. She mockingly tells him they have a BatSignal, and "It's in the shape of a giant ...[[note]]cock[[/note]]." Big Daddy then proceeds to tell KickAss that he can just leave certain code words in his Myspace and they'll know that means he wants them to find him.