Flashback: (Sony) Ericsson T68 and the add-on camera that made it famous

07 June 2020
"Camera phone" was still a fairly new concept back in the early 2000s. And so were color screens on phones, MMS messages too.

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The J-SH04 was the first dedicated camera phone and the VP-210 by Kyocera the first dedicated videophone with still image functionality.

I’ve got the J-SH04 and some info on it on my Instagram and website alongside a ton of other Japanese phones for anyone interested. So much cool stuff that the Japanese trialled ages before the Europeans.

First mobile phone with external flash included in the package? The Toshiba J-T06 from 2001, my latest acquisition.

Check out the_flipside_story on IG.

    • J
    • Jacques
    • IbE
    • 30 Oct 2020

    In my opinion, the first phone that epitomized the definition of a camera phone was from J-phone by Sharp. I remember walking through Shinjuku in Japan as a kid looking at all the electronics. I happened to stroll across some cell phones with built-in cameras! This was during the summer of the 2001/2002 World Cup. I bugged my Dad so much that he ended up buying me the phone with a 2 year contact (even though we’d only be there for 1 month!)

    That phone was bad-ass. I came back to America and no one had seen such a device. Especially one with a built in camera. 6 months later, Sony release this behemoth. Not a camera phone, but a phone with a camera attachment. Barely a camera phone. 🤦‍♂️

    Back then, America was behind. And they still are today.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • EL@
      • 01 Oct 2020

      I used to tether with this phone and send text messages through software on my computer desktop. This phone and the camera (owned both; still do) were excellent. I rounded it out with the Bluetooth headset with the long mic form. They thought I was a sp y.

        • A
        • Albert
        • 8%r
        • 08 Sep 2020

        i have it new in box with the keyboard and the communicam i love ot

          • G
          • Galaxy
          • 0VS
          • 07 Jul 2020

          I like Sony Ericsson T68.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • JGp
            • 12 Jun 2020

            This was the most beautiful phone back then. I had 3 of them 1 T68 in silver and 2 T68i. I think I still have the cam somewhere.

              • O
              • Operation Blitz
              • StU
              • 09 Jun 2020

              Ahhh I remember the days of Sony Ericsson what brilliant phones they made, The Walkman phones, P910i and P990.

              Sadly Sony are a far cry from those days now.

                • C
                • Carol
                • nUI
                • 09 Jun 2020

                AnonD-762416, 08 Jun 2020No one complained about them just making variations of exis... moreI'm in denia, while you have hard time understanding what you read, good one...

                  • M
                  • MQU
                  • wuc
                  • 08 Jun 2020

                  I love this article.
                  This is the start of my mobile phone. My favourite ❤️ phone.

                    • O
                    • Oflife
                    • mpR
                    • 08 Jun 2020

                    My father, who loved gadgets as much as i did, had a T68. Was amazing at the time, colour screens were rare too then! Most of us had monochrome Nokia candy bars phones.

                      • A
                      • Ananymous
                      • NXj
                      • 08 Jun 2020

                      One of my favorites. Till today looking for if someone has a light blue version in mint condition to use. Perfect confortable phone that I loved back in the day. Obviously compared to today's lots of lacks but sometimes also a peace of mind not to always carry over amounts of gadgets and go back to the old limited typing sms days. Quality of today's small phones around the world just seem worse even of more built in

                        • M
                        • McKinley
                        • mKY
                        • 08 Jun 2020

                        This brings so much youth memory back.
                        The first mobile phone with color display was the T68m for me. I just loved everything about it. The curved design with dual led notifications was just something that stood out back then.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • mJs
                          • 08 Jun 2020

                          I miss these small phones. I just love small gadgets.

                            • Y
                            • Yee
                            • mx2
                            • 08 Jun 2020

                            GSM Arena posts about past display a complete lack of appreciation to times past and understanding.
                            I'm glad i was born in times when people actually socialised instead of spending most of their lives staring at a portable tv in their pocket.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-762416
                              • m2A
                              • 08 Jun 2020

                              Carol, 07 Jun 2020First of all Philips did not put to much of a fight in mobi... moreNo one complained about them just making variations of existing phones? Methinks you're in denial.

                                • Q
                                • Quiapo Dibidi
                                • XMm
                                • 08 Jun 2020

                                Siemens mobile phones was way more good looking if u want to stand out back in the day. But i have to say if anyone had one of these in class, u know he is the bomb! the whole class will have to give him that stupid social status of being high tech rich kid. haha!

                                  • r
                                  • rage
                                  • pLb
                                  • 08 Jun 2020

                                  Siemens was the first with a camera addon!

                                    • K
                                    • KlBOOTSY
                                    • Nwx
                                    • 08 Jun 2020

                                    l had these Mobile Phone ERlCSSON T68&it was the Koolest Gadget then wit.it's color screen then it was revolutionary&class above the rest be4Nokia tookover the acolades thereafter.The Mouse or Joystick@the top of the keyboard was amazing&Futurestic ting.then the Gd.old days4the Swedish Ericsson Brand.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • ajV
                                      • 07 Jun 2020

                                      Anonymous, 07 Jun 2020I don't like joysticks, so I prefer Siemens S55. Actually o... moreC35 was my preference due to the form factor. Stick to my hand.
                                      The other one was M35.

                                        • C
                                        • Carol
                                        • nUI
                                        • 07 Jun 2020

                                        AnonD-762416, 07 Jun 2020First of all, it was a lot easier to "differentiate" yourse... moreFirst of all Philips did not put to much of a fight in mobility. Second "me too" is not "me knockoff too". Third of all Siemens and Alcatel were not a "me too" they were actually darn good, and alcatel is still one of the greatest Mobile network providers. Do not even remotly compare the mee to copy paste brands of today with alcatel or siemens, that were and are huge respected brands, maybe not in mobile phones devision but in a lot of other more important areas, like siemens and their hospital devices. As for, was easier, yeah, probably, but no one complained about the design, i do not remember saying something about it. Last but not least, their is one thing to be a respected brand and fight the way up, and another thing to copy paste sell cheap and attrakt the principle-less mass.