Fact · Dictation
10uses listed for the phonograph
In 1878, Thomas Edison listed ten uses for the phonograph, and letter writing with dictation was at the top of the list.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“In 1878, Edison listed ten uses for the phonograph. At the top of the list was "Letter writing and all kinds of dictation without the aid of a stenographer."”
Antique Dictating Machines, The Office Museum, n.d., Antique Dictating Machines page, opening section.
Open the original- What it measures
- The list came from Edison's article in the North American Review, which the Chicago Tribune reported on 1 May 1878. The uses were proposals for a new machine, not reports of uses already in place.
- What it does not show
- The museum site gives the list as a summary. Edison's own article, not this summary, is the authority for the exact wording.