I Bought Ten of the WEIRDEST Phones EVER
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Create your build at buildredux.com Things sure have come a long way since the first mobile phone was invented, and there have been plenty of duds or experiments along the trail to where we are today. So of course, we had to buy them and take a look for ourselves. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► LTX 2023 TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW: lmg.gg ► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: lmg.gg ► SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS: lmg.gg ► EQUIPMENT WE USE TO FILM LTT: lmg.gg ► OUR WAN PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg FOLLOW US --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:10 Kyocera Echo M9300 3:45 Motorola V.Box 100 4:55 Xelibri 2 and 4 6:55 Nokia N93 8:34 Nokia 8110 10:00 7280 11:20 Motorola Flipout MB511 12:52 Virgin Mobile Lobster 700TV 14:20 Nokia 7600 16:00 Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 17:50 Motorola StarTac Rainbow 19:01 Outro
The video takes the viewer on a nostalgic tour of some of the weirdest and most experimental mobile phones from the past three decades, starting with a broader observation about how today’s phones are simple and uniform compared to the wild designs of earlier eras. The host introduces a running guessing game where he tries to nail the release year and launch price for each device as he handles them, creating a playful exploration of tech history and consumer trends. The first device, the Kyocera Echo M9300, is presented as a folding, multi-mode phone, highlighting its unusual hinge, dual screens, and early attempt at tablet-like flexibility, all while noting its Android OS, limited RAM, and modest storage for the era. The host then moves through a sequence of bold and eccentric designs, including the Motorola V.Box 100, the Zaelibri duo with their alien beauty and dark hero nicknames, and the iconic Nokia N93 camcorder phone, each discussed with a mix of admiration and bemused humor about the compromises of early mobile engineering, such as bulky hardware, quirky input mechanisms, and proprietary connectors.
Topics · technology history · consumer electronics · mobile phones · retro tech · gadget reviews
Questions answered
- What is the Kyocera Echo M9300 and why is it significant?
- The Kyocera Echo M9300 is a folding dual-screen phone from the early Android era, notable for its hinge design and multi-mode capability that prefigured later dual-screen concepts.
- Which phone in the list is known as the lipstick phone and why is it famous?
- The Nokia 7280, nicknamed the lipstick phone, is famous for its fashion-forward, keypad-free design and unique form factor, making it one of the most talked-about oddities in mobile history.
- What makes the Nokia N93 stand out among these devices?
- The Nokia N93 stands out for its camcorder orientation, Carl Zeiss lens, 3X optical zoom, and built-in video capture/editing features, representing a bold push into multimedia capabilities on mobile phones.
- Why do some phones from this era feel impractical by today’s standards?
- Many of these devices had unconventional input methods, bulky hardware, proprietary connectors, and limited memory, which made them difficult to use compared with modern smartphones.