CrunchGear

Remember StarTAC? You might not, it’s been a good decade since the popular Moto hit the scene back in the days of analog phone service, but at the time, it was a big deal. It was the first “clamshell” cellphone to hit the US market, as well as the first to feature a “vibrate” function, and was so small and light that you could actually carry it in your pocket without gearbulge. The RAZR, it could be said, is the spiritual successor to the StarTAC (even in the sense that eventually they were everywhere).

StarTAC is back, though, as Moto preps a retro-ish line for the Korean market called the StarTAC III*. These are modern GSM handsets, but without many of the features modern phones have, such as an external LCD display or digital camera. Chances are, Moto’s hoping the nostalgia for the phone is high amongst first-time phone buyers, as this low-end phone will probably be aimed at them. If the marketing hits the mark, though, you could be seeing a lot of this phone. If you go to Korea.

Motorola’s StarTAC III [Moto's Korean Site, via Unwired View]

*Bonus points if your first thought was a “Search for Spock” joke.