The Barbie Telephone, very like the doll it pays tribute to, is a factor of magnificence. However like that doll whose proportions, traditionally, are unimaginable, the Barbie Telephone simply isn’t constructed for the fashionable world.
Even when the ultra-feminine aesthetic isn’t your factor — and it’s not likely mine — you need to hand it to the Barbie flip telephone. From the field it is available in, to the interchangeable again plates, rhinestone stickers, and Barbie-fied interface, it’s a delight. The charger and battery are each pink, although they’re a lighter shade than Mattel’s trademarked Barbie Pink (Pantone 219). The telephone says “Hello Barbie!” whenever you flip it on. It’s the definition of committing to the bit.
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The Barbie Telephone is predicated on certainly one of HMD’s function telephones, so it’s restricted to fundamental connectivity like calling, texting, electronic mail, and a rudimentary net browser. It’s a enjoyable collectors merchandise, however finally irritating to make use of in every day life.
The breezy enjoyable of the Barbie aesthetic, Pantone 219 or in any other case, is at odds with the precise expertise of utilizing the telephone. It’s primarily based on certainly one of HMD’s function telephones, and it runs an working system referred to as KaiOS. The telephone is designed for fundamental connectivity — texting, calling, emails — and even features a net browser.
In line with HMD, along with being cute, the nostalgic design and restricted function set are imagined to encourage you to disconnect and spend time with your pals IRL. There are a sequence of “Barbie Suggestions” within the telephone’s menus that advise you on this level.
“No want to surrender the smartphone completely,” reads Barbie Tip 1. “Discover a steadiness between your smartphone and your Barbie Telephone.” Barbie Tip 6 is titled “DreamHouse™️ Rule” and encourages you to “Make tech-free zones in your personal DreamHouse. Extra room for enjoyable!” By the way, Mattel says it sells a Barbie DreamHouse each two minutes. The DreamHouse retails for $199.99; the Barbie Telephone is $129.99.
The thought of popping my SIM card within the Barbie telephone and operating away for a weekend of digital detoxing with my besties sounds nice. The fact isn’t really easy. Have you ever ever tried to enter your Google account password with an alphanumeric keypad? Are you aware learn how to discover the curly brackets in T9? I’ve and I do, because of the Barbie Telephone, and I don’t want that on anybody. Typing out messages with predictive textual content is extra tedious than I bear in mind; if I used this telephone often, I’d most likely name folks much more.
If I used this telephone often, I’d most likely name folks much more.
Other than texting, among the options of this function telephone simply didn’t work correctly for me. I efficiently synced my Google calendar, however my appointments seem on the fallacious days for causes I can’t discern. I couldn’t get the FM radio app to acknowledge the wired earbuds I plugged into the three.5mm jack. The net browser is painfully sluggish and refuses to render The Verge in any usable kind, although I notice I’m most likely the one one who would try and learn The Verge on the Barbie Telephone.
The delight I felt after I first unboxed the Barbie Telephone was positively fading. Even the entrance of the telephone, which is generally lined by a mirror, appeared so much much less charming lined in my very own fingerprints and smudges. And I suppose having a mirror on the entrance of your telephone is cute, as a result of you possibly can body up your selfies and verify your enamel for items of kale.
However you understand when it’s not cute? Having to have a look at your personal face each time you verify for a notification. It is a type of existential dilemma that Barbie doesn’t must endure, as a result of Barbie’s make-up is pre-applied and she or he’s perpetually twenty two or no matter. I don’t need to see my face after I’m checking texts, 4 espressos deep on a Tuesday morning with nary a drop of concealer below my eyes.
Barbie’s world is a dream. Sadly, the world by which the Barbie Telephone lets me escape the drudgery of contemporary connectivity additionally appears to be a dream. Positive, it let me take a bit trip from my smartphone and nonetheless textual content my associates. However largely, it simply changed the annoyances of utilizing an ultra-connected gadget with completely different annoyances.
Somebody extra dedicated to utilizing T9 may most likely have an fulfilling time with the Barbie Telephone. In any other case, that is only a neat collectible merchandise; one thing to take out of the field and play with for some time, however finally depart in a drawer. Form of like a doll.
Pictures by Allison Johnson / The Verge
