Have an appreciation for mobile tech? Let’s take a look back at some of the most iconic mobile devices that paved the way for our smartphones today.

Mobile devices have been around for a very long time and I’ll admit I have had a love/hate relationship with them. I can vividly remember a point in my life where having the latest and greatest was a must. Not like most people who just always have to have new stuff, my need for the latest and greatest was my way of separating myself from everyone else. This even holds true to this day which is partially why I favor Android devices over iPhones, but that’s another conversation I’ll save for another day.

Over the years technology has advanced like crazy. The smartphones we use today are basically pocket size supercomputers but cell phones have come a long way my friend. In order to appreciate future innovation, we have to give props to the pioneers that pave the way. Heres a blast from the past as I take you a journey through time of my personal mobile device history

1996

MOTOROLA STARTAC | Say hello to the first burner phone. Pop into your local corner store or bodega and grab yourself one. No service place required; cop a prepaid sim card and you’re in business.

1998

NOKIA 8810 | With the touch of a button, the keypad cover slides down and thanks to Neo we now have a way out of The Matrix.

2002

SIDEKICK | The evolution of the internet transcended the need to stay connected and out of the clouds emerged the birth of a smartphone that looks like a PDA.

2004

SANYO PM-8200 | The mega-merger between Nextel and Sprint gave more consumers access to the ever-popular speaker feature. Pretty cool but no screening calls, it works just like a walkie-talkie.

2005

MOTOROLA TALKABOUT T900 | Not a fan of the bulky Sidekick? Motorola’s got you covered. Remember pagers? Those were cool. Add a keyboard, even cooler. Payphone not required.

MOTOROLA RAZR | Flip phone were becoming a thing of the past, however, Motorola continued to impress with their futuristic design on my of all-time favorite flips.

2006

XV6700 | With a short switch to Verizon, the XV6700 “Pocket PC” was one of my first official PDA’s. During a time overrun by Two-ways and Sidekicks, this was the first of many attempts to separate myself from the masses as I opted for device popular with the Business crowd.

2007

SANYO S1 | The Candy Bar Phone. Probably one of my favorite phones that I never really used. Not daily driver but was great as a backup emergency roadside phone. When I was younger I was always losing my phone. This I kept in the car for emergencies.

BLACKBERRY 8830 | Another device popular with the business and travel crowd, if you’re looking for sophistication look no further. This phone definitely made me feel more “grown up”, that is until you see everyone in the airport with the exact same phone. Mission to separate from the pack: failed.

2009

HTC TILT 2 | The days of texting via number keypad are in the rearview. Pocket PCs and phones begin merging as one as the need to stay connected has become the social norm.

SIDEKICK 2 | The Sidekick gives itself an update and external makeover. With access to email and AIM (AOL Instant Messenger, for those that don’t remember) plus a slimmer profile than the original; by far the most popular phone used by first-gen millennials.

PALM PRE | As much as I loved the sleek stylish look, the OS was still a few years behind which killed the user experience. Probably one of my biggest disappointments next to the XV6700. However, I hear the Palm Pre is making a comeback with a new design and Steph Curry as its celebrity endorser.

2011

APPLE IPHONE 4S| Despite owning an iPod Touch for a short period of time, the concept of Apple devices grew on me. Playing both sides of the fence I finally gave Apple a try. Needless to say, as much as I love the minimal design it was severely lacking customization options — again not allowing me much separation from the pack.

2012 – 2017

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SAMSUNG GALAXY SERIES | I’ve always been drawn to Samsung devices for whatever reason and the Galaxy series has yet to disappoint. There’s no such thing as the perfect phone, but in our own minds having a device that allows us to do any and everything, how we want, when we want, is all a user can ask for. Each of the Galaxy devices that I’ve owned has given me the ultimate user experience and more.

Over time, I outgrew the need to have the latest and greatest; the Galaxy series made it that much easier. I held each device for a decent amount of time that I even ended up skipping several significant releases. Right now I’m currently rolling with my Note 8 and I love it. Samsung released the Galaxy Note 9 back in August, but if you’re like me and aren’t in any rush to have the latest and greatest check out my post, Samsung Galaxy Note 8 as I share my first impression. Now that I think about it, I’ve had the phone for some time and probably overdue to give my full opinion.

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