This Rotary Cellphone Also Features a Flexible E Ink Display

from hackster.io

Today’s smartphones put very little emphasis on the actual phone functionality, and are much more optimal for browsing Instagram and texting. Most of us hate the idea of having to speak to someone on a phone call, so we’re perfectly happy with that.

But space engineer Justine Haupt wanted a phone that is actually good at being a phone. That’s why she put the effort into designing and building this incredible cellphone that features a rotary dial and a flexible E Ink display.

This probably seems like one of those hipster creations that exists purely out of nostalgia for obsolete technology, but Justine says she actually built this for practical reasons. She even plans to use it as her primary phone. In direct contrast to a fancy new iPhone, her rotary cellphone is designed with phone calls in mind.

Surprisingly, the rotary dial is supported by that principle. It’s tactile, but is immune to butt dials. There is a dedicated button for Justine to call her husband and the phone is capable of storing contacts just like a modern phone, so the rotary dial is only necessary for calling new phone numbers. It can also be used as an input for tasks like adjusting the volume.