Was rummaging in the cupboard for something the other day when i came across this.
It was my very first phone back in 1996! That was 12 years and 6 handphones ago, man… Back then almost everyone had an Ericsson phone. They had different variations of the basic model – some for PCN networks, some for GSM, some had flip-downs, etc. They pretty much had the market sewed up back then, and Nokia was a distant second.
The box was BIG. You can’t tell from the first pic, but here’s a comparison with the box for my new Sony Ericsson which i bought back in March. The old phone box looked like a Telekom TELEPHONE DIRECTORY.
Inside:
Geez, look at the manuals! Apparently, phones back then were more complicated than flying a helicopter, hence the documentation.
Mutiara Telekom! Remember them? Access 016! For all your noobs, Mutiara is now called DiGi.
This is the phone. For some reason I can’t find the thick antenna. It looked like a piece of black chalk with a green band around it.
That black and grey sticker at the receiver is this device that was supposed to cut down on radiation. Yeah, I fell for that gimmick that cost me five bucks.
The super small screen. It fit only one line of text, and had a pretty cool green backlit screen. All the batteries were stone dead so i couldn’t get it switched on.
In comparison. Twelve years of technological advancement, side by side. Well, okay, my new phone isn’t the super slim type, so the diff isn’t very obvious.
I gonna trash the phone, since the batteries have already started to leak…
17 Comments
ahmike
fulamak, still canggih eh xD… I wonder where is mine now.
Crazyfool
waiseh.. still got the box kok.. geng.. haha
Angie Tan
Wow… It’s been a while since I was back here.
Kekeeke… I used to have this phone too. Did you play the trick with your phone to see how much electromagnetic strength it had? I used to string paperclips and place it near the listener/receiver… Kekekee… 😛
simon
ahmike – better throw away, battery leaks are toxic, man.
crazyfool – still in perfect condition! if muzium negara wanted it i will donate willingly.
Angie – Oh yeah, I used to do it all the time! but some ericsson models even affected PC screens!
Tien Soon
Wow, you are still keeping everything intact! My first phone was Ericsson S868
vincent
My mum’s first handphone some 15 years ago was even bigger. And the salesman even came to our house to deliver it and teach her how to use it. Back then it was as big as buying a car!
CLF
Man that’s old school! Keep it, maybe next time can sell as antique? lol.
Boone
I think Daddy gave my relic NEC phone to my nephews to play with. Don’t think the leaking batteries would be too healthy for the kids…..hmmm
Ann
I used to have a phone that bulky too when I was in college. But dad made th right choice of phone, gotr me a bulky reliable one that I would NEVER bring out with me….it was too embarassing!
simon
tien soon – yeah i remember the s868, that was after this model.
vincent – 15 years ago… Primero Basix?
clf – yeah maybe, but i doubt it’ll fetch a good price!
boone – i got some on my hand, it smelled horrible. trash it.
Ann – maybe that was the way your dad made sure you werent gonna make too many calls!
mott
man….brings back memories.
think this phone lasted through lots of alcohol and accidents. mine, that is.
heh
simon
hmmm, alcohol, eh? got some interesting stories to tell? 🙂
Pat
That was a really awesome phone 🙂 Its weight and size was ahead of its time compared to the other phones of the same era.
giddy tigress
hey, I had an ericsson for my first phone too. Mine was a blue flip type….you know which one I am talking about? One thing though, these big gigantic phones sure tahan lasak man…
simon
Pat – yeah. And I remember your orange colored Siemens phone too!
giddy tigress – yeah i think i know which one. I must have dropped this phone a dozen times!
Sexythang
T10 and 3210 were the breakthrough products. apart from that i also remember the nokia mobira and the other one the size of a small suitcase.
Arezoo
Your post has moved the debtae forward. Thanks for sharing!