a variety of personal devices were developed between the mid-90s and early 00s with the goal of small-scale instant messaging connectivity.
these devices were developed without gsm or network connection features and before the age of app dependency and live service provision. built in hardware was used to send and receive infrared beam and 2-way radio frequency data communications.
the devices listed here have been largely abandoned by end-users, representing a form of limited perpetual connectivity which could continue to persist today as long as the device functions.
in 1994, casio developed the ‘secret sender 6000,’ a pocketable databank/digital organizer device which allowed the user to send and receive instant messages to other users with the same device over infrared (separated by up to 25 metres with line of sight). similar devices with the same infrared messaging feature developed by casio included the ‘super magic diary’ and the sega branded ‘ir-7000 communicator’
casio’s personal messaging devices were aimed at children and included advertisements showcasing the ability to send messages in classrooms. the messaging feature over ir was an effort to remarket a feature of their existing adult-market focused organizer/digital rolodex devices which also contained ir messaging features to send and receive contact details with compatible devices.
in 1995, tiger electronics launched the ‘data blaster,’ a handheld databank/digital organizer with infrared messaging features boasting a range increase and 60 character message size limit between data blaster units, with some compatibility with casio’s personal messaging devices (28 character message size limit).
in 1998, palm computing launched the palm iii, a handheld databank/digital organizer device part of the ‘palm pilot’ line which contained infrared data transfer capabilities over line of sight; including the ability to share messages, pictures and application data. basic data transfer capabilities remained compatible moving forward with all palm pilots which retained infrared data communications.
in 2000, cybiko launched a handheld databank/digital organizer device which allowed peer-to-peer text messaging over radio frequency to other cybiko devices. the cybiko additionally had the feature of being able to mesh network other cybiko devices to exchange messages further distance.
in 2002, spygear launched the ‘eye-link communicator’ which included 2 eyepieces and arm strap keyboards capable of transmitting small text messages via a 2-way radio readable through an alphanumeric led panel in the eyepiece.
in 2007, mattel electronics launched the im-me, an instant messaging device operating on radio frequency transmission. there was an additional feature of connecting to a wireless dongle connected to a pc to be able to message other im-me users (who are also connecting to their pc with a dongle) over a network connection but the service is closed. post-market hacking of the device has enabled it to function as a garage door opener.
these devices retain their ability to send and receive messages today (when still functional). the utility is limited without a userbase and is at the mercy of aging hardware of increasing rarity. without ongoing manufacturer or open-source developer support.
further iteration on messaging devices enabled connection with a computer, home network, or gsm to allow messaging devices to access the wide userbases of popular instant messaging services like aol, msn, icq, and yahoo!. some examples include the zipit, sony mylo, microsoft kin, danger hiptop/t-mobile sidekick, ogo messenger, and the nokia n810.
i am unaware of any of these later messaging devices; sometimes called ‘web messengers,’ which would still be able to access any instant messaging services today.
a modern iteration of messaging over radio frequency is the ‘meshtastic’ protocol for sending text messages over unlicensed radio bands.
esp32 chips equipped with ‘meshtastic’ firmware and a locally applicable rf antenna have enabled modern devices which allow for peer-to-peer long range (lora) text communications to bounce messages off a mesh grid of configured devices (nodes) in an effort to reach its target end-node. the current record distance for sending a message is 331km.
at it’s most basic, a meshtastic ‘node’ can be comprised of an esp32 chip, an rf antenna, and a power source with all functions driven from an app or web-app running on a bluetooth connected mobile device or computer.
there is a significant level of customization possible with a meshtastic device, including the ability to include components which reduce or remove the need to link the device to a smartphone at all. an lcd screen, keyboard, battery, gps module, sensors, and case designs can be added in customized combinations to esp32 chips to create robust standalone nodes.
recently, the possibility to buy pre-built solutions such as lilygo’s t-deck and various homebrew designs on tindie and etsy have offered pre-flashed self-contained off the shelf esp32 chip and antennae solutions for users who are not interested in customizing their own device. some include blackberry style keyboards and lcd screens to enable the device to function as standalone without the need to pair with a mobile device.
resilient connectivity is reliant on reducing our dependency on collapsible service infrastructure and ensuring our ability to serve and receiving information on personal computing hardware.
peer-to-peer messaging over radio waves is a promising option to enable resilient connectivity.
stay connected