BLAST FROM THE PAST: Novelty Landline Phones

    

What do Garfield, a banana, cheeseburger, and gaudy faux French provincial have in common?  If you guessed “things found in a Mar-a-Lago bathroom” you’re partially correct. They are some of the many items that inspired novelty landline phones back in the dark ages.

Novelty landline phones took off in the early 1980’s with the introduction of the transparent (or clear) phone. According to Wired, the original transparent phone came from Conair – yup, the same folks who make blow-dryers and other hair styling implements.

Transparent landline phones were mesmerizing. You could see its inner workings like you were witnessing an alien autopsy. Soon other companies jumped on the novelty phone trend with kitschy designs. The more outrageous - the better. When cell phones came onto the scene, landlines phones were moved to the endangered species list. Today, about 30% of US homes have a landline phone.

You may be wondering, "why hasn't someone designed a transparent cell phone?" Well, someone did. In 2021, LG developed an actual transparent cell phone. But it was not commercialized due to costs and other factors. Cell phone companies are in a race to get one out to market to further fleece consumers but it's still a few years away. 

I'm sure once they figure out how to make a transparent phone that's viable, novelty cell phones won't be far behind. And, unlike a cheeseburger landline phone that cost $15.00, a novelty cell phone ('cause of corporate greed) will probably cost $3,500 plus another $100 for the power cable, $200 for a case...oh, you want a car charger too? That will be another $150.

 

Source: Wired; Washington Post