April 2023 – Old School Computer

Celebrating Mobile History at the Mobile Phone Museum

Apr 30 2023

The recently launched Mobile Phone Museum is a fascinating online collection and archive celebrating the evolution of mobile technology over the past 40 years.

Exploring the Virtual Museum

With over 2,700 unique handsets spanning over 250 brands, the museum offers an unparalleled look at mobile phone history. You can browse by year to see significant design shifts or search for your own old devices. Curated collections also highlight topics like James Bond movie phones, fashion phones, and mobile firsts showcasing technology innovations.

Some favorite oddities I discovered include the Nokia 7280 “lipstick” phone, the tiny RAZR-esque Motorola AURA from 2008, and the two-sided Samsung Folder from 2006. Part of the fun is stumbling across the weird and wonderful experiments alongside the iconic devices we remember.

New Physical Exhibition

In addition to the virtual museum, a physical “Going Mobile” exhibition was launched in partnership with the Museum of Global Communications in Cornwall. Spanning 40 years of mobile history, it features over 70 landmark devices, from early transportable phones to recent foldable smartphones.

Preserving Mobile Heritage

What I love about the Mobile Phone Museum is its dedication to preserving the physical artifacts and stories behind mobile innovation. As we rapidly adopt new technologies, an archive like this keeps our tech history from being forgotten. Beyond just nostalgia, it serves an educational purpose to inspire future engineers and designers.

So next time you want a reminder of how far mobile tech has come, take a trip through the decades at the Mobile Phone Museum! Let me know in the comments if you have any favorite retro mobile memories.

https://www.mobilephonemuseum.com

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Revisiting Web Design History at the Web Design Museum

The Web Design Museum is a one-of-a-kind online museum cataloging the evolution of websites, apps, and software from the early days of the Internet. As a web designer, I’m fascinated by this living archive of digital design history.

Exploring the Museum’s Galleries

The heart of the museum is its extensive galleries showcasing screens and videos of old websites and apps. You can browse by year to see how web design standards and trends have changed. There are also curated galleries around themes like early websites, Flash-era sites, search engines, Y2K aesthetics, and more.

Some highlights include:

Early sites like the Space Jam website with its retro 1996 design
Relics like the original Facebook from 2004 when it was still called TheFacebook
Design pioneers like the groundbreaking CSS layouts on 2Advanced Studios

Engaging Social Media

The museum shares its collection actively on platforms like Twitter (@WebDesignMuseum) and YouTube (WebDesignMuseum). These feeds feature great short videos showcasing old sites in action. It’s a fun way to see web design history in motion!

Passion Project with a Purpose

The Web Design Museum is a passion project built and maintained by one person. But it serves the vital purpose of preserving digital heritage for future generations. As technology moves at lightning speed, sites like this keep our design history from being forgotten.

For anyone interested in revisiting old sites or studying how web design has evolved, the Web Design Museum is an incredible resource. Take a nostalgic trip through the early internet and enjoy this treasure trove of design history!

https://www.webdesignmuseum.org