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Cellphones Were Created to Untether Us. Then They Got Smart and Evolved Into an Omnipotent Appendage
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Cellphones Were Created to Untether Us. Then They Got Smart and Evolved Into an Omnipotent Appendage

Smithsonian · Jun 17, 2026, 11:00 AM

Key takeaways

  • Tracy Scott Forson is a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine.
  • An illustrator and a fine artist who designed a tile mural at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Kachick depicts the powers of the cellphone.
  • 2026 Smithsonian Magazine Privacy Statement [5/20/25] Cookie Policy [5/20/25] Terms of Use Advertising Notice Your Privacy Choices Cookie Settings

One device made it possible to hold a telephone, a watch, a calculator, the mailbox, credit cards, a meteorologist, a television, a detailed map of the globe, millions of songs and books … all in one hand.

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