When Phones Were Fun: AOL Mobile Communicator (2001)
Ғылым және технология
Sponsored by Noom. Click here noom.com/mrmobile to take your free Noom Evaluation.
[WHEN PHONES WERE FUN: AOL MOBILE COMMUNICATOR, 2001]
If you were a middle-class US citizen getting your first taste of the internet around the turn of the century, odds are the ISP on the other side of your modem was America Online, which since 1993 had bombarded every mailbox and retail counter with enough free-trial disks to amass a market value of over $200 billion at its peak.
But AOL wasn’t content to stay synonymous with the desktop internet. In 2000, it tried to redefine what it meant to “be online” by selling a rebadged BlackBerry that would live alongside the phone on your belt ... so that you would never have to be offline. This is the story of the AOL Mobile Communicator.
[SUBSCRIBE TO MRMOBILE]
kzread.info/dron/SOp.html...
[ABOUT WHEN PHONES WERE FUN - AOL MOBILE COMMUNICATOR]
This is the sixteenth 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 16 features two AOL Mobile Communicator devices purchased by MrMobile / Future plc and one COMPAQ-branded BlackBerry Inter@ctive Pager 950 on loan from an anonymous friend of the channel. No manufacturer or carrier paid a fee or otherwise offered compensation in exchange for this coverage (nor did any such company preview or approve this content before publication).
[LINKS - BOOKS]
Losing The Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry [Amazon]:
www.amazon.com/Losing-Signal-...
Harvesting The BlackBerry: An Insider’s Perspective [Google Books]:
www.google.com/books/edition/...
[LINKS - PRINT]
PCMag, February 2001 [Google Books]:
books.google.com/books?id=B1w...
Popular Mechanics, August 2001 [Google Books]:
books.google.com/books?id=bc8...
RadioShack Catalog 1999 [RadioShackCatalogs.com]:
www.radioshackcatalogs.com/fl...
[LINKS - WEB]
AOL Mobile Communicator - A Piece Of History! [Idealistically Caspan]:
caspan.com/2016/02/aol-mobile-...
AOL Mobile Communicator User Guide [Archive.org]:
web.archive.org/web/200810110...
Wireless Data: An Opinionated Buyer’s Guide [Forbes]:
www.forbes.com/2001/03/15/130...
AOL Mobile Communicator Review [PCMag]:
uk.pcmag.com/first-looks/3182...
AOL Mobile Communicator Review [BetaNews]:
betanews.com/2001/02/12/revie...
AOL Anywhere:
www.tvtechnology.com/opinions...
RIM BlackBerry 950 Review [The-Gadgeteer]:
the-gadgeteer.com/2001/02/26/...
AOL Mobile Communicator vs RIM BlackBerry 950 [FlyerTalk]:
www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...
AOL Cuts Mobile Communicator Price [ZDNet]:
www.zdnet.com/article/aol-cut...
AOL Mobile Communicator Going Dark [e-Week]:
www.eweek.com/mobile/aol-mobi...
AOL Anywhere arrives, giving users expanded access [Chicago Tribune]:
www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...
[LINKS - VIDEO]
AOL Mobile Communicator Commercials:
• America Online - Mobil...
• AOL Mobile Communicato...
AOL Commercials:
• Early AOL Commercial (...
• America Online 4.0 com...
AOL Dial-up Sequence:
• AOL (Sign On - Dial Up)
Interview: Frank Sandtner [TWICE]:
• TWICE Interview: Frank...
[SOCIALIZE]
/ themrmobile
/ themrmobile
/ themrmobile
mrmobile.tech
[DISCLOSURES]
This post may contain affiliate links, which afford MrMobile / Future plc a commission if you make a purchase.
Additional information concerning MrMobile’s ethics policy can be found here: mrmobile.tech/ethics
#aolmobilecommunicator #whenphoneswerefun #aol #americaonline #throwback #retro #notstalgia #retrotech #2000 #2001 #blackberry #blackberry950 #pager #beeper #mrmobile #noom #noomfluencer
Пікірлер: 564
Thanks to Noom for sponsoring this video. Click here noom.com/mrmobile to take your free Noom Evaluation.
@bits2646
2 жыл бұрын
Want to sell the locked one? I don't need the functionality, It'll just stay behing the glass looking "retro, oh yeah.." :PPP
@Protoaster
2 жыл бұрын
@@bits2646 what you tryn to do buy something that he owned
@bits2646
2 жыл бұрын
@@Protoaster no just tryin to get stuff cheap 😂 u have sth cheap to sell? Need other stuff as well, as well have to sell some 😎
@joksimrovcanin9346
2 жыл бұрын
I like your videos a lot, you bring me to past, nostalgia..... thanks.
@Protoaster
2 жыл бұрын
@@bits2646 uhhh well I have a 24k gold iPod touch 1 but other that that nothing
"Well that only took 8 months" Is the reminder i needed that it takes a very considerable amount of time and effort to upload 15 to 30 minutes of video on a consistent basis
@nateskool
2 жыл бұрын
Agreed!
@rustymixer2886
2 жыл бұрын
Just dedication
This feels like an LGR Tech Tales episode, in the absolute best way possible. Clint would be proud! Such a great video mate, cheers!
@jonasdatlas4668
2 жыл бұрын
Surely you mean tales, not tails? :P
@tbuddy888
2 жыл бұрын
I thought it was until it loaded.
@TheMrMobile
2 жыл бұрын
I'm honored; thanks!
@DjadamGee
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMrMobile You are very welcome my friend
@DjadamGee
2 жыл бұрын
@@jonasdatlas4668 yeah that lol
I remember this particular oddity well. I’m half British and Half American and spent most of my childhood in England……and when my dad was back in New York for work, his AOL Communicator was his constant companion. I remember meeting him at Heathrow airport as he got off the plane and seeing this bizarre creation for the first time. It seemed so futuristic and incredible. I just showed dad this video, now happily retired and he said, and I quote “Damn, I forgot how crap they were! Productive, but crap!” Thanks for the video Mr Mobile!
@TheMrMobile
2 жыл бұрын
Ha! Thanks for sharing the video with an actual erstwhile user! Your dad seems like a cool tech fan.
@sloeginandsleep1170
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMrMobile He was always ahead of the curve and he’s passed on his love for gadgets to me…… He fully embraced the foldable revolution, I’ve now joined him, him with his Razr, me with my Z Fold 3. He’s dropped you a sub tonight too, love of tech never grows old!
@michaelcorcoran8768
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMrMobile I absolutely love "productive crap."
@xenotiic8356
2 жыл бұрын
@@sloeginandsleep1170 This is adorable, I love this story so much!
@sloeginandsleep1170
2 жыл бұрын
@@xenotiic8356 Thank you!! Memories are often fleeting but I’ve still never forgot it 😊
That last line hit real hard. I still miss those days when we went online only for a moment and not the entire day. World was a much better place back then
@treylennon4858
2 жыл бұрын
Absolutely. And going back to that nowadays seems virtually impossible.
@r00tan16
Жыл бұрын
exactly this. when i tell people i miss this era of the internet they always say things like "well, just dont go online as much" but the reality is, in this day and age you are EXPECTED to be online 24/7. maybe its a regional thing, but jobs no longer take in-person applications, a cinema i worked at no longer offered viewings/times over the phone, shopping centres/malls are dying due to the rise in shopping online, etc. everything now is happening on the internet, and its impossible to remove yourself from it to the extent we used to have it. the internet no longer feels like a fun gadget, it feels bleak and dystopian. its been forced upon people in the worst way (combine that with the minamilist design that plagues most webpages now and its just a miserable experience tbh)
It is interesting. I remember back in the day if you were on AOL and someone messaged you, they'd get angry if you didn't respond immediately because back then, if you were online, it meant you were there in front of your computer. No one logged on and walked away for long periods of time. It's the opposite now. We're always online and if someone messages someone else, it's expected it could take a bit of time to respond since you don't really know if they're in front of their phone or not.
@Sassquatch0
2 жыл бұрын
My house was backwards to this. Dad worked for the phone company and we had a 2nd line that was used by an always-connected PC acting as our network gateway. He was studying Novell Networks, and we'd gotten a couple "cheap" systems for that time, so we had a small LAN to share the printer & internet. We started with Prodigy, then moved to a local ISP, instead of the national stuff like AOL or CompuServe. Because of that, I was the snob running ICQ instead of AIM. 😝
@ElectricInevitability
2 жыл бұрын
Remember the chatrooms? ASL?
@Mattboy300
2 жыл бұрын
You know, that's a really true thing. The other thing for me is that back in the AOL days, you'd be talking to people for the sake of just having a conversation. Now with things like texting and Discord basically being the modern AOL, I feel like just messaging someone to say hi seems weird and I really should only send a message if I need something. I guess that's what being so connected does to us!
@ryuuseiSoul
2 жыл бұрын
Yeah, you had to write AFK to let them know you'd be away.
@kingzach74
2 жыл бұрын
@@Mattboy300 Weirdly enough I know exactly how you feel. I feel that more than you can imagine.
The man still has Jibo sitting in his office despite the service being dead. That's dedication
@sexyscientist
2 жыл бұрын
3:59
@ahmedkamalhasin2070
2 жыл бұрын
That Jibo farewell video was so emotional I literally shed a few tears after watching it.
Wow, EIGHT months to get a working unit. Insane.
@TheMrMobile
2 жыл бұрын
The joys of sourcing vintage!
@DenaturedProtein
2 жыл бұрын
Ikr 😂 u could get a working tiny human, in the same duration.
I really do miss the days of being offline, and everyone understood that and went along with it. Moments where you disconnected from the world and enjoy your life your way, without worries from missed calls or friends, families and acquaintances desperately trying to reach you when you wish to be offline. In our world progressively becoming more connected online, this is but a mere pipe dream. You had to put in the extra effort to notify everyone that you wish to be offline.
@vishnumenon6541
2 жыл бұрын
i guess being offline will be difficult as Michael stated in this video that even something as simple as a microwave are getting "connected". I tried being offline from social media, except for instant messaging apps and the occasional KZread videos on tech and memes, and the amount of information that I missed from my friends like them sharing achievements, good/bad news made me out-of-sync with the world. I even had some asking me why i wasn't being online on Twitter and Instagram to the point they enquired if i was doing well mentally😂
@planetphatness
2 жыл бұрын
There's days I leave all my devices at home and it feels good.
@mcdonnell-douglasdc-1056
2 жыл бұрын
@@vishnumenon6541 Just tell them you are trying to limit your online usage. It will work wonders, when you decide to disconnect and enjoy your life your way. No one is requiring you to stay online. Been doing this for the past year, and I am not as anxious or grumpy as I used to be.
@vishnumenon6541
2 жыл бұрын
@@mcdonnell-douglasdc-1056 yes. i have limited my presence on Twitter and it has done wonders..
This was one of the most enjoyable “when phones were fun” the frustrating and long process on acquiring/making the phone work was interesting to watch. As well as the added story about how these things worked and how popular they were. Well done.
Hats off to you Michael for taking us back in time once again. I think I speak for all of us when I commend you on your perseverance to acquire a working unit to take us back in time to when phones… were fun
@sexyscientist
2 жыл бұрын
+
I always enjoy his videos. They're a well produced and succinct trip down memory lane.
Plot twist: Mr. Mobile wants to go back to a time when there were almost no moblie phones
Oh the 2000's, when we were still trying to cram things onto small devices with often bad results. I miss some of those oddities
I remember getting so many AOL CDs in the mail we used them as coasters! AOL did open a world to me. Good Times.
I'm still hoping you will do one of these on the palm treo 600 series with the infrared. That phone was super cool!
@tonymarenno9568
2 жыл бұрын
I used to Love my Palm Centro! 🙂
@TheMrMobile
2 жыл бұрын
@@tonymarenno9568 Hope you caught this episode! kzread.info/dash/bejne/g6qVqKmAf7jblJc.html
@TheMrMobile
2 жыл бұрын
I may do the Treo as part of a larger video on Palm OS. Meanwhile I really loved spending time with the Palm-powered i500 from Samsung: kzread.info/dash/bejne/dWh-lbOLdczbepM.html
@sloeginandsleep1170
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMrMobile If you do a Palm OS video, I’d be on that immediately! I had a brief dabble before my Blackberries took over. That’s another one I’d love to see.
@RandomRoger
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheMrMobile Saw that one! Very nice video as always. Your production quality is top notch! I sold that phone back in my days as a RadioShack employee. (9 years, 2000 to 2009). I was not a big fan of that one. I was addicted to physical keyboards like on the Treo 650, and had a hard time liking anything without one lol
Damnit, I love these throwbacks to the 90’s/00’s. A magical time! Well, back to binge watching The Office.
Can confirm, AOL discs were just as prevalent over here in the UK. 8 or so years ago we were emptying out the Blockbuster I worked at after they went under and guess what we found under one of the shelving units?
@LoFIJak
2 жыл бұрын
My mum used to save all the ones we got in the post and turn them into hanging mobiles for the window
This guy is one of the best KZreadrs in terms of videos producing, it's like watching a television show rather than a KZread video.
Great video. I loved my RIM BlackBerry 950. Still remember how astonished people were to see that I was able to instantaneously reply to e-mails while on the go. The AA battery on that thing lasted for weeks as well.
@joshualebowitz
2 жыл бұрын
And kudos for the Office Space reference in your e-mail. ;)
@jimmystrickland1034
7 ай бұрын
That’s about all they were good for back then, e-mail or texting. And that one fun lil video game. Not worth the money they wanted for one unless your needed it for working while fishing out on the lake. And it didn’t work for ish outside of a city.
WOW thats a 386 CPU. that actually has a lot more horse power than most people might think.
@TheMrMobile
2 жыл бұрын
And 60% more power-efficient than RIM's projections. They planned to power this unit with two AA batteries but because the CPU was such a boss, they ended up just needing one! (See "Harvesting The BlackBerry," linked in the description.)
When devices run on AA, being offline was the norm, and -phones- RIM were fun.
I have read Losing the Signal, great book!
@TheMrMobile
2 жыл бұрын
It really is.
God, the days of carriers putting their own os on devices... Dark times, those. Dark times
Love this series. This design is pretty epic and with today's tech, could really offer a unique experience. HTC deserves a feature in this series also. I think about their touch pro's with slide out keyboards, hidden boom box slide out speakers and I even remember an HTC phone that was so large, it came with a separate BT phone as an accessory. Back to the video, these were too far ahead of the curve.
I've said it once and I'll say it over and over, the only youtuber i see his sponsor plugs not only from start to finish, but actually look forward to. No bull.
The Office Space reference at 2:23 is the *perfect* touch for this era of device. The little details like that make this one of my favorite series on KZread.
This definitely takes me back to simpler times when I would immediately log onto aim after school to chat with my friends who lived in other states. This has to be my favorite series on KZread. Amazing job!
Thank you very much for making these videos about old tech! I was born 1989 and I can remember all that tech.
Hello Michael, from a very long time viewer I never fail to smile watching every video! The effort and time put into the content really shows! Thank you from every bit of my tech love for doing what you do. No matter the company who makes it, tech is a passion!
You have the best device journeys! This one was a treat.
I know I should be commenting on the content and not the provider but damnit Mr Mobile; you have been going after my heart recently.
I love this series and the lengths you are willing to go to provide us with all the background information and details that give me that nostalgia feeling.
Whoa, there's a new When Phones Were Fun? This is hands down my favourite series on this channel
Absolutely love this series. I haven't used or seen any of the devices featured. but it was always my dream growing up. Thank you for bringing this content.
OMG yes I wouldn't mind going back to those times either! Being online and available ALL OF THE TIME is just so exhausting
Now this is the content I've been enjoying in the mix along with the usual smartphone reviews of recent releases. After watching so many Pixel 6/6 Pro reviews, since I'm currently waiting for mine to be delivered, these type of videos are such a nice treat to your subscribers.
Great trip down memory lane. Still have and use my AOL email address every day.
"All your base are belong to us". Damn it, that brings back memories... :) Thanks for another great one, Michael.
The story of having to jump through so many hoops including do your own repair got me hooked. I had to know whether it worked out or not!
Great video! Love those nostalgic trips. It was an amazing time and those devices felt so magical.
I'm still using the "You Got Mail!" and AIM sounds for my phone notifications. Good thing the files were easy to find back in the day 😁
Michael, I really appreciate these nostalgic moments you provide us. Thank you sir!
Man I'm just tired of all KZreadrs posting the same videos of first look and then reviews, you're something different and unique this video should be trending just for the amount the work you put in.
These videos are so nostalgic and always make my day, your voice is so calming, thank you
Michael, this video gives away you age! Big Smiles. Them days are long long gone buddy. Your videos are awesome and super classy to say the least. Thanks for all the work you put in to make them. Cheers to you from DownUnder. Stay safe.
Your's is the only channel whose in video ads, I don't like to skip. They are so well made.
Michael - I love this series and appreciate the time you spend creating content that both informs and entertains. Exceptionally well done.
Great video Michael. I love this series. I was lucky enough to have the Motorola Talkabout through my job at the time (probably around '94). Great memories. It's amazing how far we've come.
Please don't ever stop making this Nostalgic series! Love your videos! ♥️
I’ve watched you since your days at pocketnow, and I have to say this has become my favorite video of yours. Thanks for all your hard work over the years.
Absolutely phenomenal work Michael 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻♥️♥️♥️ Your content is incredible on so many levels and you just keep on surprising us and raising the bar. This was super entertaining and educational and nostalgic. And that last sentence about how you wouldn't mind going back to a time like that resonated so much with me too! As always, thank you for your beautiful work ♥️
Always happy to see a new video on this channel!
YAY 4K 60FPS!! Congratulations! I’m aware that that’s a high bar to cross for high quality production time and cost wise. Thank you for making that investment just in case some of your nerd fans (me) are high resolution and high fps addicts. Your videos are awesome and beautifully edited/produced, so being able to see every detail at double the fluidity is the cherry on top of the cake.
WHAT AN AMAZING VIDEO!!!! Have been waiting for this kind of video so long! Mr. Mobile is THE 2000s device guy! I got that BlackBerry back in the day and I was so exited.
Always looking forward for this series!
I love the incredible quality that you put in your videos and the sheer dedication that you have. You spent eight months to find a working unit and then opened one up to them fix it to make a working unit all for you to immediately say that you can't do anything with it
Always taking my back in time 😀 love it Michael, great content as always.
I had that AOL RIM device back in the day and loved it. Thanks for this
This video was a beautiful trip down memory lane and a quick reminder how much I miss the 90's. I still actually have my old AOL email address and even remember my password. I logged on right after watching this video. Thank you for making this!
Fantastic video, as always. It’s great to a have a history of mobile devices. So much has happened in the last couple of decades or more. Keep up the stellar work 👍👍
With the quality of these videos he deserves more than 7 million subs
Mr. MOBILE, thank you so much for the video! We are the same age and I just went back to my high school days with your video, I got chills man! Wow thank you so much for this, I had so much fun watching this!! Oh and how I miss the BlackBerrys, especially that Nextel 7520!! Love your original Mr Mobile music too.
Thank you for the fascinating look at early mobile devices. Much appreciated!
One of the best tech series out there. I think at the end of each episode of 'Phones were Fun',need few seconds to show how it's a pain in arse to get those Phones nowadays which were Fun😅😅
The video is always excellent, but what I love about this series is the summary you give at the end.
Genius trip down memory lane! Well done sir.
Excellent video Michael. The work you put in to these videos always show.
I'am very much enjoying this video. Thank you MrMobile!
Thanks a lot man , for making this video , it's really a lot for me , EVOLUTION
"it takes a lot more effort to sign off than log on" brilliant!
Always fun to watch your videos on old phones :)
I enjoy your content! This is a great example of how you are not trying to sell anything. I am Texas Instruments calculator old and this was a fine revisit ✌️
Excellent video Michael, I do love these nostalgic looks back. Although I was never on the market for such a device. Oh and fun fact the best weekend I had recently was the one where I left my phone at my mother in laws and I was offline for a whole weekend. #mustlearnselfdiscipline 😀
Wow I just want to say thank you for the massive effort you put in to making this videos!! 👏
there's something about your video style that is so captivating and calm , like a cup of coffee , and i dig it , i enjoy seeing retro tech vids and yours show me that indeed there were phones outside of Nokia at the time 😅
AOL was my first ISP and that's here in the UK....they completely DOMINATED back then. Met my son's mother in an AOL twenty something chatroom 😆🤣😂 ASL?? 😜
Thankyou for this video! I had no idea this device existed! I am quite taken by the simple design and that blue indigo backlight is just the kind I'd fall in love with. That scroll wheel seems like a unique way of navigating the menu while still giving a tactile feel. As connected as we are now full of its distractions having a dedicated device that gets back to basics and does one thing really well simply I too wouldn't mind going back. 🙏
@vishnumenon6541
2 жыл бұрын
Smartphones and internet connectivity have turned from a luxury to a necessity.
This is still the best phone series on KZread!
Mr. Mobile is legendary with the tech documentaries!
Great to see "When Phones Were Fun" series back again after a while !!
Enjoyed the inclusion of what a pain it was to actually get a functioning version of one of these. It's an important part of the retro tech collecting experience and honestly very interesting to people who might think about picking one up. Great video as always.
oh my god a first actually useful sponsor!! i've been looking for something like noom and wouldn't have found it without the sponsor spot :)))
I remember dial up internet so well! And when we asked the computer guy to put a 1gb hard drive in our desktop, he asked if we wanted to run our city on it lol!
I enjoy these videos so much. Just what I needed after a hard work day. ☺️
amazing video mrmobile, love your work
Awesome episode as always, i always want to know more about communication tech of the 2000s. I lived through it but i was young and everything moved so quick i feel like i missed it. With these episode i feel like i can take the time to appreciate it. My first unofficial phone was a old sprint phone that my dads friend gave me back in 2004. I thought it was the coolest thing ever til i got my first official phone, a Motorola I90 on nextel back in 2005
Great history piece. I knew almost none of this. Happy to learn so much.
Wow! I led the AOL Mobile team back then. What a blast from my own past!
I am gonna leave a like cause not only do I like this type of video but you definitely put in some work to bring us the AOL device
Poignant ending. This is one of my favourite eps of "memba when?", thank you.
Oh lord I remember the days when my parents had AOL way back when and it was amazing just to be able to even use the internet. How far things have come in the last three decades or so.
I get goosebumps watching your video every time.
Omg that Timex blue backlight reference is so nostalgicccccc 😩😩👌
Amo tus vídeos. Gracias por el esfuerzo que te tomas para producir cada uno. Saludos
Michael Fisher, congratulations on the great videos and the interesting topics you touch on, especially interesting are the topics with old telephone devices, of which I am a big fan. Keep up the good work! Greetings from Bulgaria!
This was great! I still remember how excited I was when i first saw a motorola beeper in the 90's
every time i hear about aol. i can still hear that tune. you got mail.
My friends and I had the Ogo from AT&T. It was a text messenger and email in a clamshell with full keyboard. It was just what we needed
That was really fun, Fish. Thanks for the trip down the yellow brick road.