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In the earliest part of my life, my father was entrenched in the world of real estate and property flipping. I’d spend countless summer days with him while he transformed battered dwellings into charming abodes. I even broke my leg at one of “our” job sites when I attempted to move five pieces of sheetrock and failed miserably. But I was a dedicated neophyte nonetheless.

Due to his life of relentless movement, it was necessary for him to stay connected to clients, contractors, and well, mom. Therefore, he was an early adopter of one of the world’s first cell phones (though you’d never know it considering he just conquered the emoji). I still remember that grey brick-like hunk of hefty plastic resting on the dash of his old red Ford Ranger pickup. Its weight was comparable to an average-sized toddler and it boasted an antenna that could double as a fencing sabre. But still, I was in awe of that piece of technology; that he could simply pick it up, punch in a series of numbers, and be instantly connected to someone on the other side from wherever we were at that exact moment.

Fast-forward 30+ years and that same piece of technology that was once a rarity is now a fraction of the size and weight, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t own one.

In the pages ahead, we’ll not only break down the evolution of the cell phone since the introduction of the Motorola DynaTAC, we’ll also showcase instances where technology in general has evolved so significantly, that it has allowed the most interesting of worlds to collide. From a wine brand that has tapped into augmented reality, to a major locomotive that is automated to the hilt, I invite you to jump aboard and join me for an issue that’s straight off the rails.