The Perfect Retro (?) Phone

[Sterillium]

I need a second phone... not because I'm a drug dealer, but because I need to be "on call" in a work capacity, that is separate to my personal phone. Years ago, I'd have had a pager, but these days I can just pick out a mobile phone on expenses, obviously, however... I'm feeling retro.

I don't feel the need to get something flashy and expensive, just because I can - and I have my personal phone for web access, etc. and although it'll be solely a work device, it will simply be for calls, rather than emails, as it'll be emergencies only.

So, with this in mind, what phone would tick all these boxes... old school is potentially just as desirable to me as brand new remember:

>>> Long battery life on standby to avoid constant charging.
>>> A decent leather case must still available for it.
>>> Not too small like "Nokia bricks" used to be, because I have hands like spades.
>>> Not too big, ideally it'll be small and discrete in its little leather case.
>>> Reliable and well made.


My first thought was to go back to what remains the best phone I ever had, the Nokia 6300, but I can't find a decent leather case for it anywhere...

[Alex Z]

New Nokia 8110

[21TonyK]

I've been trying to get my old StarTacs up and running, that would be my first choice.

[parabolica]

I've still got my Nokia N90 for exactly this purpose. Bit bulky in the pocket though...

[Nigel_O]

Why not just get a dual-sim phone? Much easier than having two handsets

[ging84]

Nigel_O said:

Why not just get a dual-sim phone? Much easier than having two handsets

For me the opposite is true.
What could be easier than, this is my work phone, I only use it for work related activities no one in my family may use it, work can have it handed back at any time. This is my personal phone, no one has any right to touch it except me or anyone I choose to allow to use it.
Sure there are all sorts of solutions where you can use 1 for both, but if you value your privacy they are far from easy to setup confidently.

[anonymous-user]

Go to a phone shop & take a look?

[Jonny_]

Sterillium said:

<snip>

My first thought was to go back to what remains the best phone I ever had, the Nokia 6300, but I can't find a decent leather case for it anywhere...

Absolutely with you on the 6300. Still have mine, in it's box, still powers up and works.

It was replaced with a 6303 which was almost as nice, but not quite as neatly styled.

After that we started getting work-issued iPhones, which are handy for taking photos and using email but, compared to the old Nokias, absolutely crap as telephones!

[soad]

You don’t need to go retro, have a word with yourself. Basic (dumb is the term?) phones are still available (brand new!!), be it a Nokia or Cat (usually tough industrial ones) etc.

[Sterillium]

Jimboka said:

Go to a phone shop & take a look?

I prefer real life experience and opinions.

[Sterillium]

soad said:

You don’t need to go retro

Except I’d quite like to...

[Orchid1]

Retro enough?

https://www.opis-tech.com/en/use-cases/140-retro-m...

[Supersam83]

Surely has to be one of these for the win.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_3310

[beko1987]

Nokia 6310i?

[Sterillium]

Orchid1 said:

Retro enough?

https://www.opis-tech.com/en/use-cases/140-retro-m...

I have one of these in my house.

[Sterillium]

beko1987 said:

Nokia 6310i?

Too small for my stupid hands.

[Sterillium]

Supersam83 said:

Surely has to be one of these for the win.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_3310

Too small for my stupid hands.

[Butter Face]

Get a Doro. Sorted.

[Slushbox]

^^^^

+1

Doro 5516. Very good 'phone' phone. Real buttons. Notification flashes. Downsides, you have to get yer contacts off the SIM, like Olden Tymes.