5 ms·

If you took an iOS or Android device back to 1993 with no internet, it would have a camera, photo editing capabilities, text editing (desktop publishing, with t

If you took an iOS or Android device back to 1993 with no internet, it would have a camera, photo editing capabilities, text editing (desktop publishing, with the right software), music synthesis and editing, a rich game platform, a guitar tuner, a music player, and so on. In short, everything we used computers for back then and more, since phones are just mini-computers combined with cameras. That web browsing is available on top of all that local functionality, and is the most popular, shows why people use our phones 24/7. But I’m not sure how this is related to a desktop OS in 2019 that can’t access the internet. Sure, a modern GNU/Linux desktop system would have been amazing in 1993 with no internet too.

swiftcoder 8y ago
It has significantly fewer of those things if you don't have wifi access to download them from the store to begin with. Since software doesn't come on floppy disks anymore...
- walterbell 8y ago
  iOS devices can connect to wired ethernet.
  - code_duck 8y ago
    and then bridge space-time to connect to the App Store from 1993? If we’re going to go that far we could assume a 28k modem peripheral. If we had iPod Touches in the 90s before widespread internet, software could be distributed by USB drives (Lightning port drives I guess).
- code_duck 8y ago
  I’m not sure how we’re supposed to complete the entire story because it also requires time travel or something. I assumed that we can assume that the necessary software was available, just not internet access.
  - eltoozero 8y ago
    How about an island, or any truly remote location on earth (or in space) that may lack broadband.
    - kkarakk 8y ago
      how did you get there without preparation? no one carries around a mobile phone with 0 apps, the first thing you do is download all the essentials
- theamk 8y ago
  You can load Android apps from microsd card, or via USB cable with ADB. No central server required, just a single file, like in the old times.

swiftcoder 8y ago

It has significantly fewer of those things if you don't have wifi access to download them from the store to begin with. Since software doesn't come on floppy disks anymore...

walterbell 8y ago
iOS devices can connect to wired ethernet.
- code_duck 8y ago
  and then bridge space-time to connect to the App Store from 1993? If we’re going to go that far we could assume a 28k modem peripheral. If we had iPod Touches in the 90s before widespread internet, software could be distributed by USB drives (Lightning port drives I guess).
code_duck 8y ago
I’m not sure how we’re supposed to complete the entire story because it also requires time travel or something. I assumed that we can assume that the necessary software was available, just not internet access.
- eltoozero 8y ago
  How about an island, or any truly remote location on earth (or in space) that may lack broadband.
  - kkarakk 8y ago
    how did you get there without preparation? no one carries around a mobile phone with 0 apps, the first thing you do is download all the essentials
theamk 8y ago
You can load Android apps from microsd card, or via USB cable with ADB. No central server required, just a single file, like in the old times.