Démodé

Technology gets dated very quickly. Promotional material that accompanies technology is bound to endure the same fate through association. At the time of release these phone were considered respectable. Now, these six obsolete and discontinued phones on a wireless carrier that no longer exists will only seem even weaker and much less “relevant” with time.

This happens despite the fact that the fabric and paint remain for extended periods. I think that the captured ideas and historical artifacts are worth at least some consideration for potentially better understanding. If not understanding, maybe there will be nostalgic for someone else that used the product and service.

“TAG YOUR IT!”

Nokia ⇒ is a cellphone manufacturer based out of Finland and is one of the country’s longest corporations. Pre-Iphone ⇒ and pre-Blackberry ⇒, Nokia was the hot brand of cellphone to the point that the phone that has moved the most units is still the 1100 ⇒. The company is named for a Finnish city which is itself named after a river that runs through it. Through cellphones are the current company focus, in the past the company has also focused on paper, rubber, and cable.

The back of the shirt features a bouquet of Nokia made phones that were available at the time of the donors getting new cell phones. From left to right, the phone model numbers are 6010 ⇒, 6620 ⇒, 6230 ⇒, 3125 ⇒, and what I think is a 7610 ⇒.

Off Their Game

At the base of the phone bouquet is an N-Gage QD ⇒. In America, the QD was a Cingular Wireless exclusive. To call it just a phone would be incorrect as N-Gage also had ambitions of being hand-held gaming system that would load from MultiMediaCard ⇒. The device had ambitions of being a true phone-game system hybrid but was reputed to be mediocre at both. I remember testing out the system’s version of Tomb Raider at a store display. The QD was an ‘update’ that lost the features of MP3 playback, FM radio reception, USB connectivity, and a larger screen that were found on the less-aesthetically pleasing original N-Gage ⇒.

Bell Ringer

Cingular Wireless was a cellphone carrier that was purchased by AT&T and rebranded as AT&T Mobility ⇒. Cingular was originally created between SBC and BellSouth, both of which were baby bells created from the AT&T divestiture ⇒. SBC eventually would rebuy AT&T effectively recreating the old AT&T.

Donor Lorraine* & Donor Thomas* were given these shirts after getting new phones and plans. Neither of their new phones were feature on the design on the shirt. They provided these shirts to me after I talked to them at a performance.

Well Fit

Fitting you best is a recurring textual concept described on this shirt. The front on the shirt states that the wireless carrier is a best fit. The design on the back asks which of the available Nokia phones are the best fit for the viewer. I feel that the slogan is notable for being underwhelming in my estimation.

Beyond the slogan, I was not interested in the goods and services being offered at the time. I missed the opportunity for Cingular fit me, and no Nokia ha yet to feel right.