Why it was great: You could type fast without thinking. AIM/MSN/Yahoo were all in one inbox, the swivel felt addictive, and the battery handled all-day texting.
- Large display (for the time)
- microSD storage
- Camera + LED flash on later versions
Flip. Slide. Swivel.
Why it was great: It doubled as a pocket music player. Slide to answer, tap the glowing controls to skip tracks, and it actually looked premium.
- MP3 player, dedicated media keys
- 1.3 MP camera
- EV-DO on Verizon models
Why it was great: Cheap, tough, and instant “chirp.” Perfect for job sites and group chats—no fluff, just quick comms and solid battery life.
- iDEN PTT (Boost/Nextel)
- Long standby time
- Basic web + SMS
Why it was great: Photos looked legit, maps worked offline, and it had Wi-Fi plus a headphone jack. Basically a tiny computer before “smartphone” meant apps.
- 5 MP (Carl Zeiss optics)
- GPS, Wi-Fi, 3.5 mm audio
- microSD (8GB variant had internal storage)
Why it was great: Email, calendar, notes—fast and reliable. The keyboard was easy to type on, and you could swap an SD card to carry docs and music.
- Palm OS with stylus
- 320×320 display, Bluetooth
- SD expansion
Why it was great: Light, sturdy, and it pulled signal almost everywhere. The keypad felt sharp and that hinge snap never got old.
- VGA camera
- Mini-USB charging
- Iconic flip design
Why it was great: Plug in the bundled earbuds and you were set—loud, clean audio and a real play/pause key. The autofocus camera held its own.
- 2 MP camera with autofocus
- Memory Stick PRO Duo
- Quad-band + EDGE
Why it was great: It was tiny, loud, and perfect for music on the go. Real play/skip keys, long battery, and you could toss in a microSD and keep hundreds of songs.
- Dedicated music controls + loudspeaker
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- microSD storage, FM radio
Why it was great: Super light, great for calls and texts, and the outside screen showed who was calling. No camera means fewer parts to break and fewer distractions.
- Clamshell with external display
- Long standby time
- T-Zones/WAP, polyphonic ringtones