In November, Motorola introduced the RAZR, a foldable smartphone with a flexible screen.
It is inspired by the clamshell legend RAZR V3 from 2004 and attracts attention with that. In other respects, this device on a medium-sized chipset is quite ordinary.
I decided to recall other cool devices of the past that I want to see today. And dream up how to pump them.
1. HTC Legend (2010)
One of the first Android smartphones surprises with its shape – its “chin” is extended so that the device resembles a telephone receiver. Surprisingly, that’s why it’s comfortable to hold.
An optical joystick is placed on the chin – this control seems strange and superfluous, especially considering the compact dimensions of the smartphone – the diagonal is only 3.2 inches. However, scrolling and moving around the interface with this little thing was a thrill.
How to download: The sense of beauty suggests that if someone releases a smartphone in this design now, it will become a bestseller. But, if in the original HTC Legend the battery was hidden under a flimsy plastic cover, then in the new one it should be non-removable.
It is not necessary to make the screen absolutely frameless – it is enough to remove only the side frames in order to maintain at least some visual balance along the vertical.
2. Nokia N8 (2010)
At one time, the Nokia N8 smartphone became famous for its camera from Carl Zeiss. However, today it attracts attention with its futuristic space design, and perhaps that is why it is still actively sold on Chinese marketplaces.
How to download: Nokia N8 is just the case when the shape of the body seems to be more important than the ratio of the screen area and the area of the front panel. However, this does not mean that the screen cannot be enlarged – it is enough to narrow the frames. And the space at the top and bottom ends is ideal for powerful stereo speakers.
Like the 2010 model, the new N8 deserves the best camera with Carl Zeiss optics. At the same time, following in the footsteps of the Nokia 9 PureView and installing a dubious array of Light cameras is definitely not worth it. But a solid quad camera with a landscape camera, a telephoto lens and a ToF sensor will be in place.
All modern Nokia smartphones are released under the Android One program on “naked Android”, but the revival of a legend must be special. On this occasion, I would like to see HMD have its own interface, embedded with Symbian Belle. True, she was ugly.
3. Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro (2011)
Sony Ericsson released several super-compact smartphones in 2010, and the Xperia Mini Pro slider is the coolest of them all. The dimensions of the case are only 90 x 53 x 18 mm, the screen diagonal is 3 inches, the slide-out QWERTY keyboard makes it not only convenient, but also interesting to use. A full-fledged smartphone from Sony the size of a buckle!
How to download: Even then, 9 years ago, the Xperia Mini Pro had no competition. Today, in the world of the final and, apparently, irrevocable victory of shovels, they are not expected at all. At the same time, modern technologies would make the Xperia Mini Pro even more compact.
The area of the case should be left unchanged – if it is reduced, it will be inconvenient to use. The screen can be made larger by stretching the entire front panel. A non-removable battery and an AMOLED screen without an air gap will make the device much thinner.
Well, instead of a mechanical QWERTY keyboard, the second screen will fit perfectly.
4. Sony Xperia Play (2011)
A truly gaming smartphone, and not what it is now. The hardware base did not differ in special hardware – everything is like everyone else. But the design of the Playstation Portable and ergonomics are unique.
The device is made in the form of a slider, where the second half is reserved for a gamepad with a mechanical cross and four keys, as well as two touch buttons. There are even L and R keys.
Gamedev representatives were expected to support the Sony Xperia Play and make millions of games. Yes, and Sony itself promised exclusives with the classic PlayStation. But something went wrong – only 200 games were released under the gamepad, and Sony limited itself to six ports.
How to download: Such a gaming slider with a gamepad definitely has a place on the market today, because the problem of control in games has not been solved. You can buy a separate Bluetooth gamepad, but this solution is by no means compact.
At the same time, even mid-range hardware has become powerful enough not to bother with ports, but simply run games in the emulator. Indeed, we are entering the era of cloud gaming.
The new Xperia Play does not need to be loaded with water-cooled “gaming” hardware – so far the games are not so heavy, so it does not bring any benefit to the player. But a capacious battery, so as not to have to sit at the outlet, is required.
5. LG Optimus 3D Max (2012)
That was the short age of 3D technology. Manufacturers of TVs and laptops hit the stereo image. The smartphone market also decided to try it, and it turned out cool.
The fact is that the screens of TVs and laptops were paired with stereo glasses, but LG was able to come up with a display that was able to create a stereo image without glasses. And installed it in LG Optimus 3D Max.
The stereo effect in LG Optimus 3D Max is turned on by pressing one button, its depth is adjustable, and absolutely any visual content can be turned from flat to three-dimensional.
In addition, the LG Optimus 3D Max has a dual camera that can shoot native stereo photos and stereo videos.
Unfortunately, LG just took it and stopped updating the device. There were no more 3D smartphones.
How to download: A sad story, because the technology really worked, and it was really cool to drive in NOVA 2 on a stereo screen and with a gyroscope.
The LG Optimus 3D Max was almost perfect, but it suffered from poor battery life. Therefore, in the new one, it is imperative to install a large battery. The stereo screen, as the main magnet, should be completely frameless. Even a tiny cutout in it is unacceptable, so the front camera in the new LG Optimus 3D Max must be hidden in a retractable module.
6LG G Flex (2013)
The body and screen of this smartphone are curved around a horizontal axis, that is, a boat. And this atas looks unusual. Today, even the Chinese are not ready for such an experiment.
The location of the buttons is also not like everyone else – both the power button and the volume buttons were moved to the rear panel under the camera. This supposedly eliminates accidental clicks. In the rest – the flagship as the flagship. Two years later, LG released the second generation of Flex, but somehow it didn’t work.
How to download: Although the LG G Flex is frankly awkward and impractical, it does a great job of diluting the visual boredom that reigns in the smartphone market these days. Of the improvements – a solid and maximum frameless screen, stereo speakers and a cutout for the front camera in the upper corner.
In no case should the camera protrude, and it is still better to leave the buttons on the edges.
7 Nokia Lumia 520 (2013)
The best-selling smartphone on Windows Phone. From the point of view of “hardware” – an ordinary state employee. But in terms of design, it’s an insanely cute and super-compact baby.
The highlights of the model are a matte boat-shaped back cover in bright yellow, blue, red, white and black colors and an angular silhouette that harmonizes perfectly with the Windows Phone tiled interface.
How to download: There are plenty of worthy state employees today, but all attempts to make an interesting design come down only to the nature of the color of the backdrop and the design of the camera block.
The new Lumia 520 will be a hit if it retains its shape and size, but gets a large 5000 mAh battery with fast charging. A graphical shell based on Windows Phone would be an additional attraction for fans of the model. And by the way, it is important to put headphones in the color of the body in the kit!
8. YotaPhone 2 (2014)
The same smartphone that Vladimir Putin gave to Xi Jinping, which Tina Kandelaki gave to Ramzan Kadyrov, and to which Timati, despite all this, preferred the iPhone.
Designed in Russia but built in China, the YotaPhone 2 has taken the world by storm with a second screen based on e-ink technology. It allowed not only to peep the route on Google Maps, even if the smartphone sat down, but also to read books without harm to eyesight. Horse price tag put a bold cross on YotaPhone 2. At once.
How to download: Surprisingly, five years later, YotaPhone 2 still hasn’t got a worthy alternative. Yes, blue light filters have been created for those who love to read so that their eyes are not too tired. There were night dark themes.
But, unfortunately, most powerful smartphones today are equipped with AMOLED screens. And they, as it turned out, flicker at a low brightness level. As a result, fatigue and headaches even among iPhone users.
The new YotaPhone will stir up the market and, following YotaPhone 2, will become the “national phone”.
With the help of innovative E-Ink nanotechnology, the screen can be enlarged up to 6.8 inches without compromising ergonomics. So the smartphone will turn into a full-fledged, convenient e-book. Flagship hardware is not necessary – it will only drive up the price. But as for the software, three versions of YotaPhone can be released:
YotaPhone Aurora – especially for civil servants on the basis of the domestic operating system “Aurora”. You can install entry-level hardware so that government procurement of devices does not hit the budget hard.
YotaPhone Yandex – a partner device with Yandex. Alice will live there. As a gift — a free subscription to all Yandex services.
YotaPhone SE – a special version for the international market on bare Android. The default browser should lead to the Russia Today website.
Chubais, listen! Or who is in charge.
(35 votes, overall rating: 4.46 out of 5)
To bookmarks 
iPhones.ru
It is impossible to read this post and not feel nostalgic.
Denis Sushchenko
@Holyrider108
I write about gadgets, technology, cryptocurrency and how to live life. I prefer macOS to Windows, I prefer Android to iOS, Asia to Europe, and telecommuting to the office.
- Before ←
Medvedev on YouTube: no one is going to close anything
- After →
Your location is hidden in every iPhone photo. How to remove it