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Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s - Phones - Nairaland

Nairaland ForumScience/TechnologyPhonesThrowback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s (20781 Views)

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Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by AngelahFlo(op): 9:37am On Sep 18, 2025
Hello Guys
It's Throwback Thursday again and this time, I'm towing the line of phones. GSM came to us late in Nigeria but despite that we rocked some retro phones back then when they were the trendsetters. In this series I'm gonna be dropping about 3 popular brands that were the rave among the average and the Odogwus of that era. First on my list is the first antenna less phone to hit the markets under the almighty Nokia brand.
The Nokia 3310

This phone was very rugged when it first came out. One Ad depicted a white guy stoning an errant mouse with it. The phone's panel was so rugged that when it falls and dismantles on the floor while you're working or going about your daily activities, you can bend down and recouple your phone and it will still be functional. An upgrade of the not so popular Nokia 3200 with it's prominent antenna, this phone quickly gained popularity that it could be seen in the hands of about 7 in every 10 Nigerians you pass on the street.

Next up is another not so popular phone: The SonnyEricsson Walkman Phone range
These were a range of phone brands that was quite popular among the big boys of the Era which was early 2000s to around 2015. Don't know if still in the market. I happen to own one around 2012. Which I used to write and publish my first two short story articles on Facebook and the now defunct NaijaStories forum blog of the early 2010s.
The phone has many brand designs from the slide to the multitap version. I happen to have the slide version which is still somewhere in my room. It used an old SD Memory card of the model used on Old BlackBerry Bold 1 phones and some Cameras. Although you can use a micro SD if you have a memory card SD reader.

Finally on my list is this really high end gadget of that era. This gadget was both a phone and predominantly an Assistant. It's the PDA the precursor to the Tablets of today. This particular brand was the most popular to hit the markets in Nigeria. It was the preserve of the real Odogwus. The Sony CLIE PDA. It was used by business men and executives for the sole purpose of helping with their multitasking jobs. Before it went out of fashion, there was a multimedia version. It was like a mini tablet phone with a stylus which was used to perform functions like taking down notes and preparing a listed itinerary for the day.
This one won't be too known among most of us unless we happen to have an uncle or parent who worked in the IT or government paratstatals of that era.

Thats all for this week's retro Thursday on phones. Till I come your way again. It's me the Brand watcher and Storyteller dropping my fingers for now.

Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Kobicove(m): 10:34am On Sep 18, 2025
Nokia 3310 na baba any day.

I doubt if you can find up to 10,000 people in Nigeria who never used that phone at some point grin
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Damilola97(m): 10:34am On Sep 18, 2025
Good ol days. I miss those times, glad i could experience such moments
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by ARISHEM:
If your phone has infrared you are a big boy. cool.
If it get Bluetooth you are part of the working class in a big company.
That is when SIM card was N20,000. tongue
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Xbox2005(m): 10:35am On Sep 18, 2025
Chai.i could remember I used R220,Siemens,sagem,Sony Ericsson K750 and so on
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Greenback: 10:36am On Sep 18, 2025
My main first phone,Nokia 6280...the bomb then cool

Really loved it
These original phones are worth hundreds of thousands today if they make them

Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by sirchim(m): 10:37am On Sep 18, 2025
When poliTHIEFCIANS never scatter everything.
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by njokuuche77(m):
Back then, those Symbian beasts were top notch. The gaming experience, music, videos, even photography, they felt way ahead of their time. You could literally enjoy Asphalt, FIFA on your phone and still have battery left for days.

But the sad truth? Nokia just refused to adapt to change. They clung to Symbian while Apple and Android moved fast with touchscreens, apps, and smoother ecosystems. By the time they switched to Windows, it was already too late.

Still, the Nseries gave us legends like:
N95 – the king of smartphones back then, GPS, 5MP camera, dual-slider.
N73 – unbeatable for music and photography.
N82 – the camera monster with Xenon flash.
N97 – that full QWERTY keyboard and big screen dream.
N-Gage models – the first real mobile gaming platform.
For those of us who had one, the Nseries wasn’t just a phone, it was a lifestyle.
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by WhizdomXX(m): 10:38am On Sep 18, 2025
Please do not post adverts in this section, to avoid being banned.
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Disciple101(m): 10:38am On Sep 18, 2025
3310 legend of them all. When you access the present, it seems nothing has changed but when you look back,you'll realise so many things have changed in the course of time.
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by creolehunt: 10:38am On Sep 18, 2025
What of Nokia Torch, the one that has white buttons.

I had a cousin then that was using Sony Ericsson K750i, the phone had infrared. I swore to myself that when I have money, I must buy that phone.

We used to watch porn on it via waptrick

Life
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by maasoap(m): 10:38am On Sep 18, 2025
Xbox2005:
Chai.i could remember I used R220,Siemens,sagem,Sony Ericsson K750 and so on
My first phone was Sagem MyX-2, what a beauty to behold

Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by IAM4BAT4plus4: 10:38am On Sep 18, 2025
Nokia 3310 for the commons..







Samsung r220 for the big guys 😉
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Kimo21(m): 10:38am On Sep 18, 2025
What of sagem the Symbian phone….omo that battery last pass methusela…🤣
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by cnnamoko(m): 10:39am On Sep 18, 2025
Wow good old days when life was much simpler and sweeter...no social media validation. Just simple text and calls and quality social interations.
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Greenback: 10:39am On Sep 18, 2025
Days of mobile Gameloft
Car race was my favouritegrin
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Xbox2005(m): 10:40am On Sep 18, 2025
maasoap:
My first phone was Sagem My-X2, what a beauty to behold
walie I know that phone very powerful and strong.my first phone was Samsung R220, followed by Nokia 3310
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Jejelaye29(m): 10:41am On Sep 18, 2025
I remember the Nokia Nseries for games that year
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by CLASSMAN: 10:41am On Sep 18, 2025
Some people are in prison for these gadgets till this day
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Musty112: 10:41am On Sep 18, 2025
Evidence that all things shall pass except the creator. Take it easy man
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by 99thEnemy(m):
Nokia E63

Although it's late 2000's though, it was my first phone.

No mobile phone has given me the kind of joy this phone gave me in 2009.

Nothing beats Phones with Symbian OS at that time.

Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Jennyclay(f): 10:44am On Sep 18, 2025
Thank God for modern gadgets.

I didn’t use any of these gadgets.

God forbid undecided
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Brahamimo(m): 10:45am On Sep 18, 2025
How many times will such Posts make the Frontpage here?

Why recycling same posts?

There are better, educating and informative posts hidden in some sections which you guys have decided against moving to the frontpage.
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Iceberg3: 10:45am On Sep 18, 2025
I am very sure nairaland was free of the likes of my good friends helinues aswani ttalk maasoap softmirror etc grin grin
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by DuBLINGreenb(m): 10:45am On Sep 18, 2025
A very short time period

But nostalgia go dey do some people strong time
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Iceberg3: 10:46am On Sep 18, 2025
Jennyclay:
Thank God for modern gadgets.

I didn’t use any of these gadgets.

God forbid undecided
Maybe you were in the village then and them nor toast you baaaahahahahahahaaaaa!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by KingMack(m): 10:47am On Sep 18, 2025
Snake 2 and Space impact games on this phone was top top!

Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Kazeem47(m): 10:47am On Sep 18, 2025
Jejelaye29:
I remember the Nokia Nseries for games that year
The Symbian OS.N8 was my best phone then.I don root am tire.
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by KingMack(m): 10:49am On Sep 18, 2025
99thEnemy:
Nokia E63


No mobile phone has given me the kind of joy this phone gave me in 2009.
I'll love to use this phone if I can get my hands on it 😊
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by sulakishop(m): 10:49am On Sep 18, 2025
Samsung R220 (blue face) and Siemens C45 suffered for my hand then
Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by Scarrr: 10:50am On Sep 18, 2025
After using Nokia 3310, sagem myx2 .....Sony Ericson w200i was my first smartphone, it was a beauty ...damn I rocked that phone , served me really well...but the battery problem no be here😹

Re: Throwback: Popular Phones And Gadgets Of The Early 2000s by prof800(m): 10:50am On Sep 18, 2025
Sendo
Where's Sendo?
This was the bomb GSM phone then
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