01/09/2022
The birth of the brick, a billion memes, and the symbolic failure of capitalism in its quest to save the world. 22 years ago today, Nokia’s iconic 3310 was unveiled at the "Don't be bored. Be totally board." lifestyle event in Oberhausen, Germany. It was designed by Finnish industrial designer Tapani Jokinen, who is now an ecodesign contractor. The 3310 was designed to last forever, antithetical to the ultra fragile iPhone designed by Jonny Ive and introduced seven years later by Apple. The 3310 was the first mobile phone with an internal antenna, long form SMS capabilities, a wider range of coverage and over 100 ringtones. Furthermore, its hard plastic shell could also be swapped out for further customization. The 3310, and many models after, became synonymous with the “burner phone.” When the 3310 waned in popularity in the West, millions of recycled and refurbished models, now a fraction of the cost, washed ashore at ports in the developing world, like Africa and Pakistan, connecting millions more people. One year after the release of 3310, September 11th would usher in the War On Terror. As with the intended weapons we sent to Afghanistan, which were later used against us, the 3310 became one of the first models used as a reliable trigger for cheaply made IEDs. With one phone call or text, you could safely detonate a bomb from a safe enough distance. Years later, the Nokia 105, a similarly compact and boxy mobile phone would become the trigger of choice for ISIS in their attempt to establish a new Islamic caliphate. This is a photo of an IED using a similar Nokia model diffused just before explosion—showing one, possibly deadly, missed call.
#911 #3310
