Payphones Past

Payphone News

The iSpectrum: A Superior Payphone of the Future?

By today's standards the short-lived iSpectrum looks like a toy. But the ingenuity of actually upgrading existing payphone hardware instead…

6 years ago

Shogo Kubo, Guitarist at Penn Station, Heard Through a Payphone

I picked up a payphone and let it listen to the sweet sounds of Shogo Kubo, whose guitar stylings frequently…

6 years ago

Hiding in Plain Sight: Phone Booths at 347 Madison Avenue

People make fun of me for my otaku-like fixation but when I found these old beauties last week I felt…

6 years ago

To The Woman Who Offered Me Use Of Her Cellphone Yesterday

A woman saw me putting coins into a payphone and offered me use of her cell phone. I declined, resisting…

6 years ago

No Payphones at Hudson Yards. Something Weird With Their “Smart City” Sensors, Though?

No payphones for you at the new Hudson Yards. But why did my camera not work when I tried to…

6 years ago

Visible.com’s Payphone Math Does Not Add Up

A new phone company's ad campaign includes a shoutout to payphone users. But does their math add up? I don't…

6 years ago

A Curious 1970s New York City Phone Booth Photo

Should I recognize the dude in this picture? It appears to be the work of a professional photographer, Thomas J.…

6 years ago

I Made a Font Using Only Letters and Numbers From a Payphone Keypad

The font used on this set of touchtone buttons is nothing special in and of itself. But I felt the…

6 years ago

*81: This is µ-Law, a Fun Payphone Call For Only a Nickel

A nickel and an incremental hunch led me to what might be the most entertainment you can get in New…

6 years ago

I Needed a Payphone

A few weeks ago I needed a pay phone. Really, I did. I had to call somebody without all of…

6 years ago