You've Got Mail

A voice from the early internet age

No doubt if you are of a certain age you remember the early days of the internet. And likely you also remember dial-up with the simple yet iconic announcement of "You've Got Mail" which was the signature phrase of the AOL (America Online) email platform.

AOL was the go-to internet service back in the day. Before internet was so fine-tuned and mainstreamed, you always heard that screeching dial-up sound and then the electronic buzz that came after to show you were connected. It seems almost unthinkable that system was part of technology compared to where we are now. Things like DVDs were still a novelty item in the mid-90's and now streaming is the way to get most entertainment.

Texting and instant messaging have also become a preferred way of communicating as it is quick and convenient. Never in my wildest dreams growing up as a child of the seventies and eighties did I think anything like this would be remotely possible. I remember back in the day my mother talking about a friend's son who worked for a phone company and they were considering video calls yet the technology stalled at the time because people felt it was too invasive. Of course nowadays with Zoom, reality TV and other ways of sharing personal spaces, thinking of that moment in time feels almost laughable. But it seemed like such a strange novelty back then.

But back to that famous AOL announcement "You've Got Mail." Elwood Hughes Edwards was the voice behind this famous phrase. He reportedly recorded it on a tape recorder in his house and only got paid a few hundred dollars for doing so. He recorded other phrases as well but none so famous as that one. It is still available on the internet sphere if you wish to use it for notifications. Although it does feel a little bittersweet to hear that voice now, as Edwards passed away in 2024. Yet he lives on as the definitive voice for announcing email all over the world.