The second
After May ’ s relaunch of the Nokia 3310 , tech journalist Shane Richmond asks : does every customer need the latest and greatest gadgets , or is less sometimes more ?
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Mission Impossible 2 hit the box office and the Spice Girls had their last number one single . France won the European Championships and the Sony PlayStation 2 was released . The year 2000 wasn ’ t that long ago , but it feels like a lifetime ago .
That ’ s especially true for mobile technology . In 2000 , it was at such an early stage that it ’ s almost unrecognisable today . Hand most people a Nokia 3310 ( released that year ) and they wouldn ’ t know what to do with it . No Snapchat , no Facebook , no apps at all really , unless you count primitive Snake . But at the time , it was a huge hit .
It was a breeze to use , it was virtually indestructible , and Nokia produced 126 million of them before phasing it out in 2005 .
And now it ’ s back . At Mobile World Congress in February , HMD Global , which owns the Nokia brand , unveiled a revamped 3310 with a larger screen but a similar design to its predecessor and , of course , a new version of Snake .
Digital detox
It will be 2G-only at launch and will appeal in developing countries as a cheaper mobile option that doesn ’ t need daily charging . The new 3310 will last a month on standby and gives 22 hours of talk time .
CONNECTED | June 2017
Nevertheless , it might also appeal to Brits who fancy a digital detox and are tired of being distracted by the call of social media apps . It makes a good backup phone , stashed in the drawer or the glove compartment , and its durability means it ’ s a cheap option for summer festivals .
In other words , sometimes a device like this is just right . The new 3310 is not unusual in that respect . It ’ s easy to think that someone who comes into the shop should always walk out with the latest and greatest bit of kit , but actually the key is to make sure that they get something that suits them .
For example , imagine that someone walks into the store looking for a device to use for reading e-books . A tablet would do that and more but they might have no use for the extras . An e-reader could be just right . Someone who comes into the store wanting a camera to take snaps at a family birthday probably doesn ’ t need to walk out with a digital SLR and several lenses .
The technology world marches on but , as Nokia have realised , sometimes it ’ s best to take a step back and give customers what they really want and need .
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