Dec 13, 2012
The "Wizard of Menlo Park" was Thomas Edison, and he earned the nickname because he could cause an inanimate object to parrot his own words back to him, exactly as he had spoken them, and in his own voice.
In the context of 2012 this is simply technology. But in the context of human history, it really is something one would expect of A Wizard.
This audio of Edison's (supposed) first recorded words of his own voice reciting a poem, comes courtesy of Chris Berrow from Pod Academy, from his 30 minute documentary on defining live music. Highly recommended.
(and not just for the Edison. Hint: Bob Dylan, Jimmy Hendrix, Electronica, etc, etc.)