The latest generation

When I invited friends to come to my house to listen to election coverage on my satellite radio, I had a mental picture of still-lifes seen in Truman-era daguerreotypes: sepia photos of children laying on the floor with chins on their fists, kicking their patent-leather shoes and listening to a radio twice their size.

But it is true what they say; during this election, something happened which could not have been imagined a generation ago: my cellphone rang.

You see, Tanzania has jumped generations in technology. While parts of the world went through twangy transitions between telegraph and telephone and between hand-held radios and mobile phones, Tanzania - like many parts of the world - skipped the landlines and went straight to cell towers.

While we listened to NPR's coverage, my Mom and my friend Rob were able to text me updated electoral counts and which states went to which candidate, and they called me when the election was made official.

So much for sepia photographs - we were communicating via satellite.

So as the US contemplates this election and the changes which have taken place over the generations, Tanzanians are talking about it via the latest generation of technology. And that's good news for everyone.