When Phones Were Fun: MrMobile's First Cameraphone (2003)
![MrMobile [Michael Fisher]](http://yt3.ggpht.com/RpqJy1uS9sbNkT9zExMcvg0_wiGr-84xC-D0k5gLyOtDw1NMSzySlMz-ldmBtWCKqgUzjHMu=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- It’s not the world’s first camera phone, or Sprint’s, or even Samsung’s - but the Samsung SPH-A600 was the first camera phone that made taking pictures feel almost as natural as with a point-and-shoot, by using bleeding-edge design that still makes sense seventeen years later.
The year is 2003, and the Samsung SPH-A600 just became MrMobile’s first camera phone, back in the days when phones … were fun!
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[ABOUT WHEN PHONES WERE FUN - SAMSUNG’S 2003 CAMERAPHONE]
This is the fifth in a series of MrMobile videos exploring the mobile tech world's most vibrant period in design and experimentation. In “When Phones Were Fun,” Michael Fisher re-reviews cellphones from the golden age of mobile, the decade-long span from the turn of the century to approximately 2009.
When Phones Were Fun: Episode 5 features a Samsung SPH-A600 vintage cell phone sold by Bell Canada, on loan from friend of the channel Mike’s private collection. No company paid a fee or otherwise offered compensation in exchange for this coverage, nor did any company preview or approve this content before publication.
[LINKS]
MrMobile on the Android Central Podcast:
www.androidcen...
Sony CLIE NR70 Throwback Review [Pocketnow]:
• Sony CLIÉ NR70 Review:...
Samsung SPH-A600 [PhoneScoop]:
www.phonescoop...
Inflation Calculator:
www.in2013doll...
Why Does Rubber Get Sticky? [Polymer Solutions]:
www.polymersol...
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[DISCLOSURES]
This post may contain affiliate links, which afford MrMobile / Future plc a commission if you make a purchase. See our affiliate link policy for more details: www.mobilenati...
Additional information concerning MrMobile’s ethics policy can be found here: mrmobile.tech/...
#vintagetech #retrotech #tech #samsung #a600 #phonehistory #sprint #whenphoneswerefun
When Michael retires, we should make a compilation of his videos named 'When reviews were fun'.
😎
Yes all the way
+1 🙏🏽
Yes
Awesome!
The fact that with this series we get to see pictures of Micheal's young life is honestly really adorable
!!!
True
Nice pfp btw
I was out in Norfolk, Virginia about the same time as he was taking a lot of these pictures, so some of this is kind of a blast from the past.
yea he shares a lot of his personal life compared to other reviewers
yeah
This was the first phone I repaired as a Sprint technician that made me burst into tears. That damn camera and hinge were the absolute worst. Thank you for these throwbacks Mr. Mobile.
I love this series. Brings back so many memories of when everybody's cellphone was different and unique. You just don't have that "whoa, what phone is that" moments these days.
I've never thought of it like that but you're right your phone kinda showed your personality a bit.
Yah only with the foldable phones we have now do we get that response at all anymore 😔
Started watching this series playlist about 45 minutes ago, and now I have watched the latest video, released 30 minutes ago, without even realizing it!!!
How long do I have to wait for the next one!!!
Ha! That's great to hear! Hopefully not too long, but want to do a few modern videos first.
@@TheMrMobile what phone are you going to cover next? Love your videos! I always see your reviews first
@@TheMrMobile Getting a reply from a TH-camr for the first time. You are awesome.
@@TheMrMobile Please do a video on the Sony Ericsson p900!! Have fond memories of that phone, came out before iPhones were even a thing.
These videos are like popping bubblewrap. So soothing.
Damn, you watch mrmobile? You truly need soothing after making creepypastas for hours.
The good old days where you kept screwing around with the sepia and negative camera filters.
Don’t forget Black and white. Lmao
I used to use negative on everything
I always played with Sepia Green in my Dad's phone when I was a kid during the night thinking it allows night vision feature. Yeah I know it doesn't work that way.
...you've just unlocked a memory
This is probably my favorite series on TH-cam right now. You nailed it.
Probably my favorite tech series right now.
Because he's not reviewing stupid Android phones
Just shows you how boring phones (and tech reviewers) have become....
Yeah, because he reviews phones when they were fun
@@loveiphones4550 ah yes, stubborn answer from a guy act like a bot that only blindly follow what apple gives
@Love iPhone's gross iPhone user
This is my favorite series on TH-cam. Please keep them coming. I just love this era. The early 2000’s had great tech, and fashion and I loved it when they would combine the two.
Micheal’s videos are always top notch. Great audio, great background music, and high quality filming. Also, pretty much no one else on TH-cam is making content about older tech to remind us of where this stuff came from. Thanks Mr. Mobile for the entertainment on my lunch break.
By far my favorite TH-cam series of the year. Love all the personal anecdotes. No newbie tech reviewer could pull this off like Michael
This is such a brilliant series. Crazily evocative and fascinating.
Also, TIL that ‘like it or lump it’ is not a well known phrase in the US.
It is, actually, at least where I live. Surprised he didn't know it.
This is low-key one of the best (if not THE best) technology series I've ever watched. I can feel your love and passion, the episodes are fun and entertaining. Well done
You can tell that MrMobile really enjoys what he's doing, thumbs up for that
Once again, another great episode Captain!
Back in early 2000 Samsung was still naming their phones with Anycall brand in Asian market. I remember my mother owned a Anycall D418, which was Samsung’s first slide phone. That slide phone also equipped with a similar rotate cam like A600.
Polyphonic ringtone was truly a breakthrough feature back then. The first time my parents heard the ringtone from that old D418, they couldn’t help to dance for so long to the accompaniment of it. Until today, I can still hum the polyphonic ringtone my mother set and kept on her D418 for years-after that dance with my father.
I love everything about this channel: the info, the editing, the humor, the narration...
Allisson Diego I think Mr. Mobile is the best tech TH-camr. Period.
Dude, I freakin LOVE old phones and consequently your videos, especially this series. I discovered it weeks ago and watched a ton of them already. This is something really creative and there's so much content regarding the first generations of mobile that this series can go for years and years! Congrats for the amazing filming and top notch editing, it really resonates with me. Hope I see many many more reviews like this!! Keep it up!
I like this series a lot
It's like a wave of nostalgia and i like it
This is better than all of Samsung s phones
Dude, I freaking love the new “When phones were Fun” series. Please keep making tons more videos. They are so awesome and educating(:
MrMobile: Kids this called floppy disk.
Me: Dam i m old.
There's a dam near my house
I know what a floppy disk is, but only because of YT.
I know what a floppy disk is, but only because of YT.
Oh also I agree that the current phone designs today are bland, hopefully folding phones bring the "Era of fun phones" back.
I almost got heart attack seeing that picture of floppy. Remembering trying saving mine with relentless blowing the downside and tries to use the "floppy-cleaner"floppy disk with alcohol. Swearing was common with using those mammoth back then 😂😂😂.
Love the idea and execution of this reviews! Hope you’re having as much fun making them as we have watching it
I remember seeing this one a lot in magazine ads when I was 6. It just screamed "fuuuuuture!".
" I ache for gentle joy" 😭
is that like how an emo says "i'm horny"?
@@GraveUypo honestly idek
@@GraveUypo What did you say?
Man. Nostalgia is my favourite thing to feel and you have perfected it.
This series is the best Michael, please make it a long running series. Much Love Mr.Mobile and you are so close the that glorious 1 Milllion subscribers.
I'm loving this series! Keep it up!
Everytime you review an old phone it speaks directly to my soul. I miss the older era of cell phones technology.
4:19 Jibo stares off into the seemingly everlasting warmth of our central star; it's unrelenting ferocity to sustain life for the people of earth makes Jibo question why it's creators could not do the same for thyself.
Awwwww... Jibo is so cute!
Great video! Nostalgia of the 20's and before ...... My first phone was a brick
Nokia 7650 ..... Good old days..... Miss them days...... :'( Now, with all this technology, i do not enjoy them as much as we did the old ones.
“Like it or lump it” 😅
One of the reason why I subscribed. It brings back memories where mobilephones were really cool.
The real question here is how he managed to find all those old photos
Was thinking the same thing, got me thinking about my old photos
He says how in every episode lol
@@wilfredbalmores8440 old SD card?
@@Darkest_matter that's the best guess, if the phones from the caveman age had microsd support
he potentially sync the phone with his computer back in the day and backup all his photos while doing it
1:50 petition for more of these voice over peek clips! 👀 reminds me of his reviews for Pocketnow back in the days
There are three things that set Mr. Mobile apart from others:
Script, script, and script!
If you are even slightly into watches, then you should definitely also check out 'Watchfinder & Co.' on TH-cam. Then you'll say again-
Script, script, script……
Yes! Yes! Yes!
@@jaspherdansalan7867 uP
@@sushimshah2896 lol right
I can only repeat myself, this series is just the perfect mix nostalgia and retro vibes.
And i too, cherish those old grainy photos taken with those low resolution sensors. It nearly feels like old Polaroid and i love it.
“When phones were Fun” these series ate the best 😍😍😍
I love that Michael incorporates historical references and tales of his former life into his videos. Don't get me wrong I enjoy Arun's videos and other alike, but MrMobile does it best with his personified wholesome goodness.
I love that Jibo gets to look out your window. Like Grandpa's last days. RIP Jibo
Currently binge watching this series. I love it!
3:12 SANYO
hmmm Now that is a name i haven't heard in a long time
Kipas
Pompa air
a long time...
Okay Obi Wan!
There is also Alcatel, Kyocera, Sharp, Siemens & Sony-Ericsson,
Here's a brief history of my phones before I started buying them from ebay.
All in 2014.
1. Grandfather gifted me a Nokia 7270 black (it was expensive at the time (of buying it)). I dipped it into the snow in the first day of using.
2. I used to have (after 7270 fail) a 6021, and for some reason, apart from the 3 ringtones (Sahara, Chopin, Satie), I remember nothing about it.
3. Nokia 100. My mother said that I confused this phone with something else and that I didn't have it. However, after research through my old notebook "history records", I found drawings of the Snake Xenzia game, and the list of ringtones, which included Airy, Bold, Destiny, Discoid, Elves, Nocturnal and Trike! Later I got a replacement on New Year which was Highscreen orange phone. It kickstarted my TH-cam career (with exception of my weird stop-motions).
That's all folks!.mxmf
Love these nostalgic look backs Michael. Keep them coming. These really were the days where phones were fun. The industry was yet to reach maturity, thus there was more room to innovate and push the boundaries. When new phones came out it felt like there was genuine innovation that consumers wanted. Things we hadn’t seen before, and genuine leaps in technology.
Obviously today’s phones are way way more capable, but they’re all essentially the same for the most part. Glass sandwiches. Sure Apple and Samsung will bring out new phones each year with better cameras, faster processors etc, but it’s not as if the previous year’s phones had bad cameras or poor processors. The pace of change has slowed way way down and changes are just incremental now. These big tech companies just keep churning out the same phones year in year out as they’re cash cows and shareholders must be satisfied.
Yeah I know we’ve things like folding screens coming, but is that really what we want? Feels gimmicky to me. The real leap in phones for me yet to come is battery/power. If someone can crack that, that would feel like real innovation. E.g a phone that could last a whole week on a single charge for example.
Thoughts?
I completely agree. Is it really useful to have a phone that is 1mm thinner if it dies before the end of the day or if you forget to charge it at night? I'd love better batteries, better ergonomics, and a modular design like a PC that let's you replace the screen, camera, storage, battery, and RAM when they break or become outdated. I also love LG and Motorola's attempts at having accessories like batter cameras and speakers.
The user interface is so beautiful.
As a tech nerd, I love this series so damn much.
Actually, you're quite accurate with the flimsiness concerns that were with both samsung phones.
Currently all the pre-smartphone phones live in my memory as almost unbreakable, but this one had many moving parts.
TBH, kinda makes me feel more at ease with folding-phones and their durability now.
Great video as always, thanks :)
Seeing that Sony Clie really brings back great memories of the PDA days. Tech was a lot more interesting back then even if it's been far surpassed by everything that came after it.
I had that phone ! It was my 1st camera phone , and I thought I was living in the future . I loved the flip screen, and coming from a monochrome phone , the color screen seemed so new and fresh . Oh and this was my 1st exposure to mobile internet. Basically text chat rooms .
I love that this phone is as old as me😂
Thank you for making us feel old :P
I hate that I was less than a year away from graduating from high school when this phone came out...
Same
It is 3 years older than me
The production on these videos is top tier professional. Just earned a subscriber! Keep it up man!
Last time I was so early to a Michael Fisher video, he was still in Pocketnow!
Or maybe in the Pocket of Big Now?
the moment I start watching your videos I know I'm hooked, keep the good work coming, thank you for your hard work.
Like it or lump it, reminds me I need to call my mum. She said that to me about dinner a lot
Hands down some of the best infotainment videos are from your channel.
I’ve always loved your videos back since pocketnow days.
Sony Cybershot was an excellent ”camera phone”
K750i, k800i and k850i were awesome
Which he'd review the k810i. I loved that phone.
Not to mentioned it has metal frame which is awesome!.
@@Aomicplane ironically I would say the t800 was the best. Same interior as the K750, but a better frame and software.
I loved this phone and it brings back some great memories! I took this phone with me to NY when I went to meet Steve Martin at a book signing. That experience and this phone I will NEVER forget!
4:47 thats a nice picture from the garden of eden tho
This man is making his own phone reviewing vibe! That's awesome... keep it up!
Hey what happened to premiering these videos? I love how you join us and we talk about the content while watching it!
Lot of people dislike primer video on TH-cam sadly
My dad had this phone. Spent hours opening, closing, flipping that screen around as a kid. Brings back memories.
He even had the bell variant of this.
5:29 Ａ Ｅ Ｓ Ｔ Ｈ Ｅ Ｔ Ｉ Ｃ
gotta say, I love this new series with old phones. Please don't stop
5:30 Savage Garden’s To The Moon And Back flashbacks.
These are a great nostalgia trip, Michael. Really enjoying!
Netflix called; They want you there. I love this series.
The best thing about this series is that interesting old phones are getting modern reviews that they deserve.
" Lowercase h and capital T. Okay.. " also. 6:52 'stay mobile'
This phone was awesome! The flip screen, the camera, the rainbow LED, and the little charging dock that came with it all added up to make it feel like something from Star Trek. I had my friends oohing and awwing over it when I got it, as they all just had boring old Nokias. I was happy to get ahold of the A940 later which had the same design and was one of Sprint's first EVDO phones.
No one:
Emo 2003 Michael: 🅸 🅰🅲🅷🅴 🅵🅾🆁 🅶🅴🅽🆃🅻🅴 🅹🅾🆈
i have been looking for old mobile phones like this for how many months. Old phones still captures my interest rather than the usual phones this days. And still looking..
Samsung's A series in 2003 = A600
2018 = A6
2019 = A60
2020 = A61
2040 = A600....
I have a A6+
Its actually galaxy A today
Well at least the phone naming scheme got a little bit better but I’m looking at you Sony Xperia want Mark to arcs for you at 10 mark two should be the 10 mark to be better than the one Marktwo I’m confuse Sony
@@Matanumi r/woooosh
I wish all these amazing designs come back again.
When phones were fun...
*We didn't have to sell both kidneys.*
Just buy an iPhone and you don't have to sell both kidneys
@@loveiphones4550 right for the new 11 max plus or whatever it's called you need to sell both of yours and a friends
@@NerdyCanadian96 Its obvious sarcasm bud
Production quality is top notch as always Michael!
me: i hope the exam wont be tough
the silent atheist kid who solved string theory starts praying to god after seeing the test paper
me:- 0:22
I can watch your reviews over and over again. Oh and your voice is so soothing lol
These are great. Thanks man, they all make me smile.
minute 6:23- “kids, that called a floppy disc” 🤣
I don't know why, but I find these videos on old styles of phones very entertaining. Thanks for the videos.
Really appreciate these vids bro, think we are from the same generation. Really enjoyed using these babies in the past and thanks for bringing them back
One of the first camera phones i loved was the sony k800i. It was mind-blowing at the time. I hope you continue this series for a while. There is so much good stuff to talk about. Siemens sl55 or LG chocolate only to mention two more.
I think this is the best series you have ever done.
This was my first cellphone ever, I was in college, I thought it was the coolest phone ever! I even still have the data cable from ebay to tether it for cellular internet, which blew peoples minds away during a time when even wifi wasn't widespread yet.
All of these pictures from the Norfolk area are bringing back memories.
Great series! It brings me back when I was discovering about this stuff and getting way too deep into phones just to dream about them since I was very young... I remember having a Siemens MC60 as my first camera phone, reeeally bad but oh how I loved the design!
My Verizon A610 still works. Bought it after I got a promotion that required I have a "good" cellphone. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Its really cool of you to look back at the various devices (so many different styles back then). Would you consider doing a video on the Nokia N810, 900, or N9? Or better yet any Palm devices. Or one more... the Palm Folio and the Celio Redfly. Really liking this series!
I kind of miss the creativity of 2000's in terms of phones. While these was a lot of "misses", the "hits" really prove that innovation is a much a necessary factor in tech space. Also love your choice of headphones, you have some nice Meze's here (1:57)
It baffles me that Michael doesn't have 1 million subs yet. Hands down the best tech reviewer I've come across.
This takes me back to when I had my Samsung E720. That thing could use a video as your wallpaper and had music controls on the outside! So many cool and experimental features during this time, when everyone you knew tended to have something wildly different.
I'm enjoying this when phones were fun thing... It's an awesome way of bringing back memories. I even remember the thinest phone I ever saw when I was a child, it had a row of two for its keypad and rotated instead of flipping... Sorry for going off topic... My first camera phone was a LG KG220. One of the smoothest and slickest designs back then.
I had the Samsung A900 on sprint when I was in high school. I can still feel the cold metal body in my hand. It was such a sleek phone.
My first cameraphone was a Nokia 6133 ( a slight redesign of the 6126 ), at 16m colors it had the absolute best display I had seen on a cellphone to that point. And the fact that there was a mechanical button on the side to open the phone with a spring. That was outstanding. Not to mention the front color screen which was a transflective beauty using next to no power to display notifications, as well as operating like a very useful selfie preview window.
However the most fun phone I had was my first smartphone, a Nokia N75. With buttons on the face that made it operate like a traditional MP3 player using the front display to show you current songs and whatnot. Or with a push of a dedicated button that front display jumped into a preview mode and the 2mp CMOS camera fired up. Using a pretty strong LED flash, and being the first phone I used that embedded things such as pseudo GPS data into the EXIF, I was amazed.
The pictures that come out of that thing are way better than I thought!
Michael this video was super fun
really enjoyed it 🙌🏼
my friend and colleague since university (2000-2001) used to rock a samsung flip phone. i haven't seen him since 2004. man, this phone brings back memories
My first camera phone was the A600 on a two year from Bell in Canada. What a phone it was until i dropped it on its top half and the rotating screen got wobbly. Oh well sold it to a buddy that used it well. Thanks for the bit of nostalgia
Love this series. Brings back a lot of nostalgia. Absolutely love the phones with the flippy, spinny shit!
This one in particular reminded me of dad's LG T5100. Same concept of flipping the display to make a viewfinder. And it looked a lot more like a digital camera with its bulky boxy shape. Had a dedicated camera shutter button too
I had seen one with my maternal uncle , back in 2006 , that was a holy grail , like i had never seen it . Bad thing was , it had some problem and it won't turn on . One my maternal uncle was a technician for samsung and he showed it to us , man I really miss those days
Really loves watching your videos specially retros.