Ericsson has finally stopped building tanks and started building jewelry. The T28s, released in late 1999, is a jaw-dropping piece of Swedish engineering that is only 15mm thick and weighs a mere 83g. Its party piece is the active flip, you press a tiny button on the side and the mouthpiece snaps open with a mechanical “click” that is more satisfying than a fresh pint. It feels like something a Bond villain would use to trigger a remote explosion, but it’s actually just for calling your mum. It’s the first phone to use a Lithium-Polymer battery, which allows it to be incredibly thin without the “memory effect” issues of older tech.
Technically, the T28s is a dual-band GSM marvel, featuring a tiny but remarkably clear 3-line graphic display. It’s got voice dialing, which works about half the time, and a few basic games like Tetris to keep you occupied during a boring commute. The build quality is exceptional, featuring a magnesium alloy frame that makes it feel indestructible despite its slim profile. However, the interface is typical Ericsson, lots of “Yes” and “No” and a fair bit of menu digging. The signal reception is generally excellent, but that stubby little antenna still pokes out, which is a bit of a shame given how sleek the rest of the body is. It’s expensive and the screen is microscopic, but as a statement of intent, the T28s is the coolest phone Ericsson has ever made.