Can you even remember what life was like before video technologies like FaceTime or Skype? Out of all of the fantastic tech that the Internet has made possible, video conferencing is by far one of the most impactful. Modern video conferencing and video chat technology allow both families and businesses, from anywhere in the world, to talk with one another face-to-face as though they were sitting in the same room.

Thanks to tablets, smartphones and high-speed Internet, video chatting is as simple as pressing an icon from your contacts. But there’s a dark history that led us to this point. Company after company failed over and over again in an exercise in insanity to make video chat technology what it is today.

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime

These Videophones From the Future Past Are Cooler Than Your iPhone’s FaceTime