I'm not talking about smartphones -- they're really not phones, but pocket-sized personal computers with an optional voice function -- but I do wonder whether the idea of using any type of device to actually talk is likely to fade away or at least diminish?

How has this happened to me? How has this happened to so many of us? It seems that all the hyperconnectedness in today's society is siphoning away our energy for real-life interaction. Some people might call my lifestyle antisocial; I'd prefer to say I'm living the "new normal."

Of course, I've used the phone many times in my life. There were times I even liked it.

Have you ever thought about how far we've come in our ability to connect with others and how far we'll go? I've been thinking a lot about connectivity recently and have always found that looking back to where we came from can help us better understand where we are today and, more importantly, where we may be going in the future.