Cutting the Cord: The Cell Phone Has Transformed Humanity

by Martin Cooper Narrated by Traber Burns

Overview

One of Time Magazine's Top 100 Inventors in History shares an insider's story of the cellphone, how it changed the world-and a view of where it's headed.

While at Motorola in the 1970s, wireless communications pioneer Martin Cooper invented the first handheld mobile phone. But the cellphone as we know it today almost didn't happen. Now, in Cutting the Cord, Cooper takes listeners inside the stunning breakthroughs, devastating failures, and political battles in the quest to revolutionize-and control-how people communicate. It's a dramatic tale involving brilliant engineers, government regulators, lobbyists, police, quartz crystals, and a horse.

Industry skirmishes sparked a political war in Washington to prevent a monopolistic company from dominating telecommunications. The drama culminated in the first-ever public call made on a handheld, portable telephone-by Cooper himself.

The story of the cell phone has much to teach about innovation, strategy, and management. But the story of wireless communications is far from finished. This book also relates Cooper's vision of the future. From the way we work and the way children learn to the ways we approach medicine and healthcare, advances in the cellphone will continue to reshape our world for the better.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Cutting the Cord recognizes that innovation has always been about both standing on others’ shoulders and collaboration. Throughout tech, we all stand on Marty’s shoulders just as he stood on Marconi’s.” —Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft

“If you are looking for a story of daring innovation and its challenges, this is a book for you.” —Vint Cerf, VP and Chief Internet Evangelist, Google

“Marty Cooper is the father of the cell phone and our lives have been changed and saved because of this unshackling from our cords. How Marty got us there is an important and compelling story.” —Gary Shapiro, Chairman Consumer Technology Association & CES

“A fun, fascinating and intimately personal look into the gripping story of one of the most consequential inventions in human history: the cell phone. This book reveals how Marty Cooper turned his audacious dream into a reality for all of us. Cutting the Cord is a must-read for anyone who has used a cell phone, is interested in how to lead with humility and humor, or if you just want a fun and interesting book to relish!” —Rob McDowell, Former FCC Commissioner

“For three decades, Marty Cooper was at the center of innovation in portable, wireless technology at Motorola, where I had the distinct pleasure of working with him. Then he spent another 30 years commercializing wireless technology through a number of entrepreneurial ventures. Marty knows how wireless innovations have developed—and where they’re going.” —George M. C. Fisher, former CEO of Motorola and Eastman Kodak



“Lessons on how to be innovative, managing innovation, failing at innovation and inspiring others to be innovative; this book has it all because Marty Cooper has done it all! A treasure trove of insights for anyone who dreams about the future and how to create it.” —Marshall Goldsmith, #1 Leadership Thinker and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Triggers, Mojo, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177350134
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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