Skip to main content

This rotary cell phone actually works — and you can buy it, too

Looking like the kind of contraption that a 1950s engineer might have come up with if asked to create a “futuristic phone that you can carry around,” this seemingly early attempt at a cell phone is, in fact, a recently designed device that actually works. And you can buy it, too.

The rotary cell phone is the work of Justine Haupt, an engineer at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. Haupt documented the development of the device on her website, describing it as a “quick and dirty project.”

But this week the engineer revealed there’s been so much interest in the device that she’s decided to make it available in kit form for $240.

A rotary cell phone.
Justine Haupt

Haupt’s rotary cell phone features … well, not very much. But for some that will be its appeal.

Some of the physical buttons on the device, for example, can be set up to link to frequently called numbers, eliminating the need for a touchscreen and menu. Just to be clear, the dialer does work, and can be used for other numbers that you don’t save.

Incorporating some slightly more modern technology, on the back you’ll find a curved e-paper display — a late addition to the design but now Haupt’s favorite feature — that shows missed calls and other relevant messages.

The 10 green lights down the side of the phone indicate the battery level, and the device can be powered on and off using a slide switch. “No holding down a stupid button to make it turn off and not being sure it really is turning off,” Haupt said in her online notes.

While there are a few parts that buyers will have to supply themselves — including the all-important rotary dial — the mainboard, as well as the 3D-printed casing with threaded inserts and buttons, is all part of the package (below).

Rotary cell phone kit
Justine Haupt

With tech firms like Samsung and Motorola continuing to push the boundaries of mobile technology with the recent launch of folding smartphones, Haupt’s design is a nod to a bygone era where you had to stick your finger in a hole, turn the dial, and release (for each number) in order to make a phone call.

Haupt said that part of the reason she wanted to take on the challenge of building a rotary cell phone was because “in a finicky, annoying, touchscreen world of hyperconnected people using phones they have no control over or understanding of, I wanted something that would be entirely mine, personal, and absolutely tactile, while also giving me an excuse for not texting.”

She said she also wanted to demonstrate that “it’s possible to have a perfectly usable phone that goes as far from having a touchscreen as I can imagine.”

It should certainly be a conversation starter if you (manage to) pull it out of your pocket at a party. A conversation that may begin with: “Is that the budget iPhone we’ve been hearing about?” or “Have you just time-traveled from the mid-20th century?”

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 work with the iPhone?
The display turned on on the Galaxy Watch 7.

Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch 7 may not look like much of an upgrade over its predecessor at first glance, but it packs some significant improvements under the hood that could be enough to tip the scales for those who have been thinking about jumping into one of Samsung’s latest wearables.

The latest Galaxy Watch adopts a classy green as its standard finish but otherwise retains the same iconic rounded design with a bright and crisp edge-to-edge display and compatibility with a broad assortment of watch bands. However, on the inside, you’ll find a new five-core Exynos W1000 chip that promises to deliver three times the performance of the Galaxy Watch 6, upgraded health sensors, a more accurate GPS, and the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorized Sleep Apnea feature.

Read more
Does the Samsung Galaxy Ring work with the iPhone?
The side of the Samsung Galaxy Ring.

Samsung has unveiled its newest product, the Samsung Galaxy Ring. While we mostly see iterative updates to Samsung's lineup of phones and smartwatches, the Galaxy Ring is a brand new product category for Samsung, and that’s a big deal.

Smart rings have become more popular in recent years as an alternative or complement to existing wearables, such as the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch. The leading player in the smart ring market has been the Oura Ring, but that may be changing soon now that Samsung has entered the fray with the Galaxy Ring.

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Mint Green color along with a Samsung notebook and a cermaic bowl with lemons.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has much going for it -- including a bright AMOLED display, four promised Android upgrades, fast wireless charging, and a competitive price. And yet, the Android landscape is filled with excellent alternatives to it, many of which are even more compelling purchases. With that in mind, before you pull the trigger on an S23 FE, we'd recommend shopping around a bit first.

The following alternatives have various features that make them suitable substitutes for the Galaxy S23 FE. Some are less expensive, others offer more features, and some are newer. With that in mind, here are a few phones with think you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE.
Samsung Galaxy S24

Read more