There are some times when making a product look retro turns out really cool. Things like the new Ford Mustang and the Chevy Camaro are great examples of how designers can use cues from old products to make something new and cool. I think a great example of how not to use retro to make a cool product is this new Brando Retro Mobile MP3 player.
The device looks like a mobile phone form the 1980’s. The color isn’t retro me, all the old phones I ever saw were in ugly beige cases not black like this thing. If you like the retro style of the thing you can order one up for $23 (USD), but don’t be surprised if we all laugh and point at you.
For that much loot you get a player that works with most MP3 and MP4 devices with 3.5mm plugs that can be used as a portable speaker. If you want to play music directly from the device you have to move tracks to a microSD card and slip the card into the players slot. It also has a FM digital tuner and a rechargeable battery. And no, it doesn’t make phone calls.
