Here’s a Steampunk phone prototype by designer Arthur Schmitt. You make calls using binary punchcards. Punchcards! There are also some dials and a metal grill-type earpiece. The backside of the device seems to contain some sort of rolling counter that likely either keeps track of call duration or gives you the time.
It looks much more rugged than the old-school Nokia phones that everyone used to get for free but I’m guessing you can’t play Snake on it. Still very cool. Remember, it’s only a prototype, but I betcha there are plenty of people who would buy one of these.
[Arthur Schmitt via DVICE]
Thanks for your interest.
I designed the phone with Marek Bereza (www.mrkbrz.com) and Andy Broomfield.
We d love to make a sellable working version!
I like the whole steampunk concept, check out the graphics for the iphone app Acme Lie Detector http://www.acmembileproducts.com
Very steampunkish to my eye.