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Simple Rotary-Dial Cell Phone

No camera, no text messaging, no funky ringtones
  (+7)
(+7)
  [vote for,
against]

I've gotten very tired recently of cell phones that try to be everything except a phone. They play mp3s, take pictures, browse the web, and will one day make coffee.

I want a phone that is just a phone, nothing else. You could sell a lot of these simplified phones to senior citizens and technophobes like myself.

It would have a reasonably-sized, durable plastic case with obvious speaker and microphone bits, with a touch-tone keypad in the middle. More advanced models might even have a small screen for phone numbers, speed dial, and caller ID, but these are mostly unneccesary. Some models might even have a small rotary dial for those still living in the past. There would only be one ringtone, produced by a real physical bell and clapper inside.

I know I'm ranting a bit, but someone really needs to tap this market. Some of us don't have the smarts or patience to find out how to check our voicemail, so I don't see why we need it to pay for in the first place.

discontinuuity, Sep 04 2005

Retro Cell Phone Retro_20Cell_20Phone
A similar idea for aesthetic reasons rather than practical ones [discontinuuity, Sep 04 2005]

Some basic phones are being made http://itmatters.co...news_09152003e.html
[fridge duck, Sep 04 2005]

Sort of Baked! http://www.firebox....on=product&pid=1044
You could at least pretend that you're using a rotary phone... [Phobophobe, Sep 07 2005]

[link]






       There is a market for very basic phones, I remember my dad telling me about something along those lines which he saw in a newspaper. I personally think the more stuff a phone does, the better - so I would never want to get anything like this. I do think though, that the rotary dialling method would be very popular if you could get an attachment for regular mobile phones.
fridge duck, Sep 04 2005
  

       I just bought a Nokia 1100--their most basic cell phone. It has some neat features, including a built-in flashlight (which I just used in getting a splinter out of my finger), but no camera. I'm liking it.   

       It does simple text messages, and has a few ringtones. It can let you compose your own ring-tunes, and some other bizarre stuff, but that can all be ignored. It runs off cards, so you don't even have to pay bills.   

       I appreciate what you are after. I have often wondered why I have to buy stereo speakers and stereo music, when I never sit down to listen to music.   

       Rotary dials, though? That would be more complicated, I think. [+]
baconbrain, Sep 04 2005
  

       I am very fed up with musical ring tones, especially when people neglectfully leave their phone in the room and the ring tone plays over and over again.
Jscotty, Sep 05 2005
  

       Rotary dials made a much nicer sound than bleepy keypads. Maybe have a keypad for the convenience but play the sounds from a rotary dial.
wagster, Sep 05 2005
  

       I want a phone that makes coffee.
contracts, Sep 07 2005
  
      
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