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There’s something incredibly satisfying about the way phones were designed back in the early 2000s. Whether it’s the nostalgic effect for all of us 90s babies, the plethora of buttons, or perhaps the fact that you never feared dropping them down a flight of 500 stairs, those little (sometimes not-so-little) devices sure made our childhoods more interesting. 

So let’s use a metaphorical time machine to look back on some intriguing designs that make us look at our reflective touch-sensitive blocks of technology with a sense of disdain, with us asking, “Where did it all go so wrong?” 

If you’re curious to learn more about modern-vintage (not sure if that’s a category, but it should be!) phones, make sure to check out this Bored Panda article right here. Don’t forget to vote for your favorites, dearest Pandarandas, and let’s get this phone rolling! 

#1

My Grandma Gave Me This Old Phone Today As A Housewarming Gift. It Quacks When It Rings. I Was Terrified Of It When I Was A Child, So That’s Why She Gave It To Me

My Grandma Gave Me This Old Phone Today As A Housewarming Gift. It Quacks When It Rings. I Was Terrified Of It When I Was A Child, So That’s Why She Gave It To Me

Cas_PFantasy Report

Who doesn’t like a little bit of nostalgia to hit just right, both in the pain and pleasure departments of the soul. You’ll definitely want to sell yours to see the return of these intricate and fascinating phone designs, making you feel as though you’re living inside one of those indie sci-fi films. 

In the most basic sense, mobile phones allow us to keep in touch with others, whether we’re on the go, or just splayed out on the couch rewatching the same episode of Friends over and over again because it acts as therapy. It’s not therapy, Stephanie, go get some professional help! 

#2

Found My Old Cell Phone With Optional Clip On Chatboard For Easier Texting

Found My Old Cell Phone With Optional Clip On Chatboard For Easier Texting

ontbijtkoek Report

#3

Motorola Startac Rainbow

Motorola Startac Rainbow

telefoniusati Report

If we’re to have a slight history lesson, mobile phones have been in development since the late 60s and throughout the 70s, but they were too bulky to be considered truly portable. Whilst Motorola dominated the early mobile phone landscape, Finnish company Nokia joined the mobile phone evolution, coming into prominence in the early 1990s.

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We’re all aware of the iconic Nokia 3310. It may have looked closer to a brick than a mobile phone, but if you built a house or a chapel out of that model, it would live through wars, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcano eruptions—everything. Nothing destroys the Nokia 3310. It will exist longer than the Sun and our known universe. 

#4

Motorola Flipout Mb511

Motorola Flipout Mb511

techformative557 Report

#5

Simens SK65

Simens SK65

proedross Report

#6

Siemens Xelibri 8

Siemens Xelibri 8

oldcellphone Report

The models that we see here today were mainly released from 1998–2000, introducing the market to seemingly never-ending customization. From ringtones to shapes to color schemes, to the way they opened and twisted and turned, phones became somewhat of a fashion accessory and a way to express your personality. 

Although they were incredibly complex in appearance, they were capable of fulfilling only the most basic of tasks, compared with the capabilities of mobile phones today. With Apple, Samsung, and Huawei dominating the market, we’ve seen the emergence of the plain rectangular black mirror, which can hardly be compared to the simpler, yet iconic and personable devices of the past. 

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#7

Nokia 7600

Nokia 7600

yajyay Report

#8

Cool Old-School Crank Phone At My Work

Cool Old-School Crank Phone At My Work

toottootputtoot Report

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#9

Motorola Aura A Premium Phone

Motorola Aura A Premium Phone

expressservicespb Report

As shared on NokiaMob.net, some believe that smartphones have reached the peak of usability. “Usability is something that drives design creativity, and nowadays we only use phones to soak our minds in the wonders of the modern information-driven world, thus the design becomes irrelevant,” they argued. 

We all tend to buy phones that are usable, durable, and have good battery life, and as we’re all just buying protective covers to protect our precious belongings anyways, is there really a need for more design innovation? As Adam Conway, an Irish technology fanatic, stated, “Innovation is fun, but innovation leads to products that aren’t good enough for everyone.”

 It all boils down to the fine dance of balancing functionality with design, as well as market competition. Design should complement functionality, not contrast it, and although our heads may turn to the next shiny thing on the shelf, the way it works will be the element that keeps us coming back for more. 

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#10

Nokia N-Gage

Nokia N-Gage

cr8ivecodesmith , winlocker Report

#11

Samsung Serenata

Samsung Serenata

mobilephonecollections Report

#12

Nokia 7380

Nokia 7380

cellphonemuseum Report

As Ferdinand Porsche put it, “Design must be functional, and functionality must be translated into visual aesthetics.” Lisa Maltby, an illustrative designer, explained that any product must solve the user’s problems and make their lives easier; thus, creatives should combine functionality and fun in the most effective way possible. 

To put it simply—if I can’t use it, I don’t want it. What’s the point of having a triangular phone if I can’t fit it in my back pocket? What’s the point of having a flip phone if the screen is indenting in the middle, making it look messy? What’s the point of my phone being run by an AI that can read my mind and tell me how useless I already know I am? 

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#13

I Finally Got An Xperia Pureness

I Finally Got An Xperia Pureness

DayOlderBread16 Report

#14

The Nokia 3650. First Phone With A Video Camera. It Helped Establish Symbian Os In The Consumer Market

The Nokia 3650. First Phone With A Video Camera. It Helped Establish Symbian Os In The Consumer Market

_ITX_ Report

#15

This Old Jaguar Still Has Its Car Phone

This Old Jaguar Still Has Its Car Phone

Armistarphoto Report

The lack of production diversity says a lot about the market itself. Consumers want to be comfortable with their purchases. Would you really want to invest in something utterly different that hasn’t been seen before? It’s been done a couple of times in the past, with big innovators joining the game, yet until another genius comes forth, we’re stuck with the reflective magic rectangle. 

As you continue this voyage into the nostalgic, dear Pandas, make sure to continue upvoting your favorites. At the end of it all, leave your opinions and thoughts below: did we have it better in the past or is the present pretty neat as well? 

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Have a great one and happy scrolling!

#16

2003 Nokia 6810. An Unbelievable 71 Individual Buttons On A Handset This Size

2003 Nokia 6810. An Unbelievable 71 Individual Buttons On A Handset This Size

solid_state_vintage Report

#17

Motorola V100

Motorola V100

oldgadgetzreborn Report

#18

Samsung Sph-N270

Samsung Sph-N270

HaoieZ Report

#19

My Beautiful Motorola V50. In The Dark Gray Color, Which I Think Looks Best. Great Phone, Very Small, Compact, Has Great Range, And It Still Works On 2g Networks

My Beautiful Motorola V50. In The Dark Gray Color, Which I Think Looks Best. Great Phone, Very Small, Compact, Has Great Range, And It Still Works On 2g Networks

old_flip.phone_collector Report

#20

Siemens Xelibri

Siemens Xelibri

techformative557 Report

#21

My Old Phone Has This Unusual Button

My Old Phone Has This Unusual Button

Nawozane Report

#22

I Found So Many Old Phones While Decluttering My Grandpa's Office

I Found So Many Old Phones While Decluttering My Grandpa's Office

Trizocbs Report

#23

Two-Faced Samsung

Two-Faced Samsung

jis_vintage Report

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#24

Nokia N-Gage

Nokia N-Gage

L. Cohen Report

#25

Ericsson T60d. Limited Edition Spider-Man Version

Ericsson T60d. Limited Edition Spider-Man Version

D_G599 Report

#26

Samsung Dual Flip

Samsung Dual Flip

Lucy Langford Report

#27

Newgen C620

Newgen C620

cellphonemuseum Report

#28

Toshiba G450. The Weird Little Phone

Toshiba G450. The Weird Little Phone

Quantum_Dynamo Report

#29

The Year Was 2010. I Was Being Handed Down This Phone From My Brother. Suddenly I Felt Like The Coolest Kid In the Class. This Is My LG KU990i

The Year Was 2010. I Was Being Handed Down This Phone From My Brother. Suddenly I Felt Like The Coolest Kid In the Class. This Is My LG KU990i

TDIRocker99 Report

#30

Samsung Serene

Samsung Serene

RyJones Report

#31

Introducing My 2009 Samsung Gloss Sch-U440

Introducing My 2009 Samsung Gloss Sch-U440

WholeGrainCamper Report

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#32

Sierra Wireless Voq

Sierra Wireless Voq

Don MacKinnon Report

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#33

During The '90s Motorola Service Centers Offered "Express Exchange" Loaner Phones To Customers While Their Phones Were Out For Repair

During The '90s Motorola Service Centers Offered "Express Exchange" Loaner Phones To Customers While Their Phones Were Out For Repair

Sfphiynckxs Report

#34

Virgin Mobile Lobster 700tv

Virgin Mobile Lobster 700tv

benwood Report

#35

This 20-Year-Old "Modern-Looking" Landline Phone

This 20-Year-Old "Modern-Looking" Landline Phone

fractionalhelium Report

#36

Motorola 308 Startac

Motorola 308 Startac

cellphonemuseum Report

#37

This Is The Google Sooner, Which Is A Prototype For The First Android Phone. It Runs A Super Early Version Of The Android

This Is The Google Sooner, Which Is A Prototype For The First Android Phone. It Runs A Super Early Version Of The Android

JustinN2002 Report

#38

Fly Z300

Fly Z300

elena_arashi_valina Report

#39

Nokia 7700

Nokia 7700

Shritwod Report

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#40

Nokia E90

Nokia E90

_ITX_ Report

#41

I Still Like My Nokia 9110 Communicator

I Still Like My Nokia 9110 Communicator

espero Report

#42

Nokia 5510

Nokia 5510

Ben Wood Report

#43

Motorola StarTac 6000e

Motorola StarTac 6000e

Sfphiynckxs Report

#44

My Old Mobile Phone Is Cool. Samsung P300 From 2005

My Old Mobile Phone Is Cool. Samsung P300 From 2005

sipeyskeyk Report

#45

My Phone's Battery And Main PC's HDD Both Started Failing At The Same Time, So I'm Relying On These Two A Lot More For The Time Being

My Phone's Battery And Main PC's HDD Both Started Failing At The Same Time, So I'm Relying On These Two A Lot More For The Time Being

BowzasaurusRex Report

#46

Sidekick II

Sidekick II

LatencyVariation Report

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#47

My Old High School Cell Phone And The Phone I Got After It

My Old High School Cell Phone And The Phone I Got After It

Dropkicklover Report

#48

Samsung P910 TV

Samsung P910 TV

cellphonemuseum Report

#49

Sch-V870

Sch-V870

Jessica Dolcourt Report

#50

Nokia 9210

Nokia 9210

cellphonemuseum Report

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#51

Sony Ericsson W950i. A Rare Touchscreen Walkman Phone From 2006

Sony Ericsson W950i. A Rare Touchscreen Walkman Phone From 2006

MCDiamond9 Report

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#52

NTTdocomo D701iWM "Music Porter II"

NTTdocomo D701iWM "Music Porter II"

phone_collectors_japan Report

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#53

Sony Ericsson Z320i

Sony Ericsson Z320i

SGXVII Report

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#54

Old Nokia Phone

Old Nokia Phone

nokia_vintage_phones Report

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#55

Siemens Xelibri X4 The Shape Is Super Unique. Like A Ladybug

Siemens Xelibri X4 The Shape Is Super Unique. Like A Ladybug

babequ.shop Report

#56

Samsung SGH F500

Samsung SGH F500

jis_vintage Report

#57

KDDI W51SH "AQUOS Phone" By Sharp

KDDI W51SH "AQUOS Phone" By Sharp

phone_collectors_japan Report

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#58

Nokia N93

Nokia N93

gadget.store34 Report

#59

Sch-M220

Sch-M220

Jessica Dolcourt Report

#60

My 6822 Arrived Today. The 6800-Series Is Now Finally Complete. The Foldout Keyboard Is Hands Down My Favorite Failed Nokia Concept Of All Time

My 6822 Arrived Today. The 6800-Series Is Now Finally Complete. The Foldout Keyboard Is Hands Down My Favorite Failed Nokia Concept Of All Time

_ITX_ Report

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#61

Nokia 3300

Nokia 3300

cellphonemuseum Report

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#62

Yotaphone

Yotaphone

Yota Devices Report

#63

Blackberry Passport

Blackberry Passport

unknown Report

#64

Handphone Unik Siemens Xelibri

Handphone Unik Siemens Xelibri

jis_vintage Report

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#65

Sch-B600

Sch-B600

Jessica Dolcourt Report

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#66

Samsung Upstage

Samsung Upstage

unknown Report

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#67

Motorola MTx

Motorola MTx

bluereptile Report

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#68

Nokia 5510. Still My Favorite Phone Of All Time. It Was Also My Very First Mp3 Player

Nokia 5510. Still My Favorite Phone Of All Time. It Was Also My Very First Mp3 Player

_ITX_ Report

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#69

Modded Motorola V600

Modded Motorola V600

DMG41 Report

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