Whilst the quote submitted in the last MMD seems to be stating
the blindingly obvious, a little consideration will reveal that
when the phonograph was first marketed as an entertainment machine
in the 1890s it had a lot of well established competitors: things
like musical boxes, organettes, and other player instruments which
came in a bewildering range of sizes and capabilities.

To distinguish the phonograph from these, emphasis was often put on
the latter's ability to _talk_ and _sing_.  From the very early days,
the generic term "Talking Machine" was used for this reason.   Records
made before about 1908 often had spoken announcements which reinforced
this point.

By 1910, when the Victor Amberola came out, I must admit that you would
have thought that people were aware of the superior versatility and
essential difference between a _sound_ recording and mechanical music,
but I think the comment may well have caused some serious thought among
the older generation.  (A phonograph was normally quite a bit cheaper
than a player piano, too, but perhaps Edison's did not wish to associate
the new top-of-the-range Amberolas with thrift.)  Just a thought.

Paul Morris,
Exeter, UK
http://www.paulmorrismusic.co.uk/