I would draw.

"If you were to describe what a smartphone is to someone from the 60s, how would you do that?"

That is the question of the new topic in the Hive Learners community, and the first answer that came to my mind was: I would draw.

Considering it would be a person from the 60s, I believe the best way to explain something would be through drawing. Why do I say that? Well, let me tell you a brief story.

My grandmother is now 89 years old, a very healthy lady, but unfortunately, she is visually impaired. However, when she used to have her sight, about 6 years ago, I showed her a documentary about the universe, specifically about each planet in our solar system and their characteristics. And what happened when she watched it? She didn't understand anything. She was confused and found it all extraordinary. My grandmother, coming from a very humble background and being semi-literate, had no idea about how the world had been created from a scientific point of view. Before you get alarmed by this fact, I didn't know it either until I realized how surprised and scared she was by the information she was receiving while watching the documentary. Furthermore, it is very common for elderly Brazilians who came from a poor background to have less scientific knowledge. But how did I try to solve this problem and the doubts she had about the universe after watching the documentary? I drew. That's why I believe drawing is the best way to explain something to someone who has no knowledge base about it.

What would I do first to explain what a smartphone is?

First, I would say, "You know the television? Well, there is something smaller than a television, through which you can watch anything, but besides that, you can also read books or search for any information. This device is smaller than a TV and fits in your hand, and it's rectangular, it may resemble a small brick, but much thinner. Let me show you."

The person to whom I would be explaining, who probably wouldn't have any prior explanation, would likely be very curious and ask, "But how can I search for anything on something so small? How can it give me all the information I need if it's not a book?"

So I would say, "You know how the radio works, right? And you know that it operates through antennas and radio waves that capture and share information with all the radios in a particular area, as long as the antenna reaches, you receive the information. With a smartphone, it's not different. You receive all the information you need because there are waves similar to radio waves carrying it to you."

I confess that I was happy to have thought of comparing it to a radio; it will certainly serve as a parameter for the person in question to understand what a smartphone is.

Only after they understand that a smartphone looks like a small TV and that you can obtain a lot of information on any subject through it, as well as having various entertainment options, would I say, "Well... It also serves for making phone calls."

The person would probably say, "WTF, without wires!? That's impossible."

So I would say, "Remember the radio waves? Now imagine radio towers that, through their signals, allow one person to call another. If it's possible for us to listen to radio programs, then it shouldn't be impossible to imagine that making a call to someone using an invisible signal is also possible."

The person would probably say, "So in the future, everything will work through an invisible connection?"

And I would respond, "Yes, almost everything."

After this brief explanation, I would mention that a smartphone needs to be charged and show them the charger; they wouldn't be surprised, as they would be more familiar with a charger than with a smartphone itself.

I would say, "Now, understanding the basics, let me explain how it works."

"Do I have to press it?"

"Sometimes, but gently... other times you have to swipe."

"What?"