nytimes.com/2004/09/09/technology/circuits/09retr.html?8hpib
A Digital Generation's Analog Chic By JULIET CHUNG Published: September 9, 2004 WHEN most people shop for a cellphone, considerations like aesthetics, size and features usually top the list. For most, the sleeker, the smaller and the more fully loaded the phone, the better. But when Eugene Auh went trawling at eBay for a cheap cellphone last month, he searched for one with a decidedly anachronistic bent. Rather than subtracting from its charm, the phone's cumbersome size -- it is roughly eight by two by three inches -- is its main attraction, Mr Auh said. Indeed, he plans to take the phone to work, to the gym and even to his nighttime haunts. These fans of retro technology are using ingenuity to find or fashion the perfect cellphones, gaming systems and computer cases -- in effect ushering back a time they experienced only barely, if at all. Take Ali Rahimi, 28, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr Rahimi became so fed up last year with what he called the ''impersonal, unthinking'' nature of modern communication that he attached an old-fashioned handset to his cellphone. The result was a cellphone-handset whose receiver restored the deliberate nature of communication, he said. The easy, ironic social commentary that ownership of such a device allows caused Amanda McCorquodale to pay $36 for a Pokia handset in a kitschy avocado green. The Pokia line, an assortment of vintage handsets that plug into cellphones along the same creative lines as Mr Rahimi's model, is produced in limited quantities in Britain and is sold at eBay. When the available technology converges at a certain performance threshold, Dr. Lubar said, consumers begin to base their choices on nontechnical considerations like fashion to express their identity. At eBay last year, John Henry Flood, a 21-year-old Harvard sophomore, bought the 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System along with the Atari 2600, a console that makes the Nintendo system appear positively cutting edge. Covered in wood-grain paneling and plastic molding, the first Atari 2600 made its debut in 1977 and was the first widely popular gaming system, used to play video games like Space Invaders and Asteroids. Another reminder of its age is a switch that gives gamers the option to optimize color resolution for black-and-white televisions. But the vintage nature of the machines means that games are cheap and easily grasped by a wide audience. Mr Flood bought the first-generation consoles mainly so he could play video games with his college friends, who he said were more inclined to play low-tech games like Super Mario Brothers than to invest the time needed to play today's more complex games. While he also owns a Microsoft Xbox and a Sony PlayStation 2, the retro consoles see far more playing time in his dorm room, he said. For those who prize the convenience of today's technology while preferring the look of their parents' gadgets, several manufacturers have stepped in with hybrid alternatives. Polyconcept USA offers a line of retro turntables distinguished by the abundance of wood and vintage touches like analog radio dials. But closer inspection reveals discreet CD slots, light-emitting-diode displays and built-in stereo speakers. The subtleness of the modern amenities is part of a larger effort to evoke the look of bygone eras, said Brian Tompkins, Polyconcept's national accounts manager for electronics. For example, the product teams that oversaw the design of the RCA Newport Turntable fussed over the smallest details -- ''down to the control knobs and the brass faceplates that have representative etchings and designs,'' Mr Tompkins said. The Victrola-style turntable even has a functioning metal horn, as well as a decorative crank (the turntable is AC-powered). pm vinyl records, complete with the discs' grooved look and brightly colored labels. A more homespun effort is being undertaken by Andrew Fader, 15, and Karthik Seshan, 16, two high school students in Briarcliff Manor, NY The pair recently founded Facade Computer, which builds modern computers into retro casings. Consumers can order desktops or laptops while customizing specifics like the size of the hard drive and memory. After ordering the components wholesale -- Mr Fader estimates that such customized computers would cost $500 to $1,000 depending on the specifics -- the students build the parts into the customer's retro casing of choice. com), is of a computer built into the mahogany casing of a 1937 Emerson 215 tube radio that they rescued from Mr Fader's attic. Other possibilities for casings include old briefcases, typewriters and televisions. For those who prefer vintage technology, a major drawback is the hassle of dealing with technology that is, well, vintage. For Mr Flood, that means blowing the dust out of old Nintendo game cartridges. Today's games, which come on CD's, do not require such exertions. Mr Auh, meanwhile, is holding off on his romantic overtures until he finds a service provider that can support his antiquated cellphone. But once he does, the women of Philadelphia will need to act quickly, Mr Auh warned. For example, vintage cellphones, telephone handsets and game consoles can be found with little difficulty at online auctions. com, eBay auctions are listed for various prototype models of Pokia vintage handsets, which plug into cellphones; information about cellphone compatibility is usually detailed at eBay. Prices vary widely because of the auction format of sales. While a Pokia Ealing II recently sold for about $275, Amanda McCorquodale bought her Pokia handset online for $36. Verbatim's retro-style CD's are available at Best Buy and Radio Shack. it will be available at Macy's next month and in the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog. The computer will cost $500 to $1,000, depending on specifics like the size of the hard drive and memory. The Swedish company SWEDX offers similar retro stylings for TFT-LCD monitors, keyboards and mice.
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