The StarTAC, for example, though bulky, is memorable as it was the first status symbol among the few mobile phone users in the late 1990s. Back in 1996, when I was just a student using the more affordable Nokia 1610 that had only five ringtones, I was belittled by peers who were using the StarTAC.

Once, my group of friends went for a short visit to Dungun, Terengganu. While all of us were Celcom mobile network subscribers, my Nokia could not get any signal, but my friend, a StarTAC user, was talking away on her handset.

A year later, another friend got herself an Ericsson GH337. We ooh-ed and ahh-ed over its design – so slim and tiny that it slips into one’s pocket and that single-line liquid crystal display is good enough to display the caller name. Who cares if it heats up after
15 minutes into your call?

Nokia did not take long to redeem itself by launching the Banana phone to the growing Malaysian market. Boys in college were the first to flash the model around, like peacocks trying to gain the females’ attention.

While the Banana got people familiarised with Nokia, it was the multi-colour, compact candy-bar Nokia 5130 that had Malaysian users enthralled. Everyone wanted one, and everyone had a colour preference.

A couple more Nokia models became everyone’s favourite – the Nokia 3210 and the Butterfly model. While the 3210 built its reputation for being the most durable model, the Butterfly took small and compact to greater heights. Combined with the introduction of vibrate mode for call alert, the two models became popular among students and yuppies.

Then the Motorola V70 captivated the market with its sheer beauty. The introduction of the swivel design and dark black screen added a futuristic touch to the form factor, enticing both male and female buyers.

Manufacturers like Nokia and Motorola certainly know that many users appreciate good design over what’s the latest on the market.

Motorola has been riding on the iconic Razr for several years now, producing a number of models with great specifications to boot.
Nokia, meanwhile, has been offering models such as the 6500 Classic and 6220 Classic; the former is almost perfect for a candy-bar lover – great features at an affordable price.

While new players like LG and Apple also created a stir with the Shine and iPhone respectively, so far none has come up with a model that can claim evergreen status. As a user, I am still looking for that one model that can last through time and trends.