Looking Back on the Phones We Had Then
Things has been evolving including technology. Three decades ago, who would've thought we will have touch screen phones like what we have today. Who would've thought blockchain and cryptocurrencies will exist? Never have we expected the things we have now will exist back then. Of course, if you are a teenager or even younger, you won't have any idea what I am talking about, or what our phones looked like back then.
In the 1990s, we used to have landline phones. Imagine those days when many people are stuck in their seats talking to their phone pal. That was the time when pen pal is diminishing. I can hear older people giggling while talking on the phone, while I don't have any phone pal unless my classmates make a call. I am still too young that time, and I remember those older than us would get mad when expecting a phone call.
During those years, pager became popular. But I never really saw one in person. We are not privileged enough to have it. That was the time before text messaging systems emerged. If you are wondering what pager looks like, for sure you have seen Avengers: Infinity War before Nick Fury disintegrates. It was explained that he is contacting Captain Marvel, which the movie's setting is mid-1990s.
I never really knew how to use pagers, but that time, cellphones are gradually emerging. I remember how heavy cellphones back then, and it was so thick. But of course, I wanted to have one someday. Then as 1990s progresses, colorful phones became popular. Remember Nokia 3210 and Siemens phones back in late 90s?
I haven't had a phone then, and I am at my senior year when my friend had her phone. She's the only student in our school that time to have a phone. Sending a message us even costly those days. SIM cards are also expensive. You need to buy cards for cellphone loads, and there's electronic load.
Time came when Nokia became the top cellphone brand, and almost everyone who has a phone uses Nokia. They had a lot of models, and I can't remember the ones that I have. I can still remember how they looked like though. I had my first phone back in 2005. Yes, I am quite old to have my first phone. It's a Nokia 3315, and after some months, I also had Nokia 3310.
I also remember when smaller phones are popular, and more expensive. I also had Nokia 8210 which is smaller, but the keypads are quite hard. What I liked from phones then is they don't easily break despite dropping gazillions of times! Well, I am just exaggerating there. How about the Nokia smartphones? How I wish to have such phones then, but I am only had one when Android is starting to gain fame. That was the time when Nokia started to lose popularity.
There goes iPhone and BlackBerry, which are too expensive. I actually love BlackBerry, and I had one. I miss my old phone! Can we bring back those QWERTY phones but with better features? I eventually decided to use Android, and quite late back in 2014. Until now, I am still using Android, and just used Apple once with an iPad. I don't have that iPad anymore as I prefer Android.
It just feels good reminiscing on the phones we had back then. As I looked back, I also began to appreciate the simplicity of life we had back then.