Bag Phones

gotta love the bag phone, but what is a bag phone anyway?

“What is a Bag phone?”

Bag phones were first manufactured in 1992. Considered as probably the earliest models of the portable cell phone, the phones became popular for the boaters, truckers, and people living in the countryside. One of the earliest manufacturers of the bag phones was Motorola. These phones have proven to be durable, and believe it or not, some of them are actually exist and still in use to date.

The reason why these phones were named “bag phones” is because the phones’ handsets are attached to the tranceivers and battery packs which also included to cases. The earlier models of the bag phones were too bulky, but after sometime, Motorola was able to trim the size and it became more sellable. The LCD display of bag phones are also lit by orange or green LED backlights with the numbers in black and white. Users found that a disadvantage of the backlights was when they went out even just after a few seconds of use. Motorola also came up with about a dozen styles of the bag phones.

The leather case of the bag phones also had several pockets, and included a cardboard material inside to make the case solid. The several pockets included the pocket for the battery, a pocket for the manual, a sleeve for the pen (which can also be used for the antenna), and finally a spare pocket for a notepad to jot down notes. The bag phones can also be permanently placed in cars, so that people on the go can use the bag phones whenever, wherever.

Other Models of the Bag Phone

The bag phone was a durable mobile phone which was popular in Europe during the late 1990’s. Since Motorola came up with the earliest version of the bag phone, they eventually expanded their bag phone lines.

Some of the models included the 480 bag phone model, which had five different versions which had distinctions among the placement of the buttons. This particular model also had the “MSG” button for going through the missed calls, the usual up and down buttons for scrolling messages, phone numbers, and menu items. The numerical keypad was also replaced by the alphanumeric keys for increased functionality.

Other later models prevailed like the 2800, which is similar to the Motorola 480. The 2800DLD closely looks like the 2800, except for the differences in the look and feel of the bag phone. In 1994, Motorola came out with the last bag phone model which incidentally had the most features. For one, instead of the abbreviated keys, the functions are fully spelled out. The volume button has additional uses, and among them are using them to scroll through menu items.

Since the 4500 received much hype, Motorola came out with a more budget-friendly version, which was the 2900. The differences in look are the red keys instead of the traditional one-touch black dial keys. The 2950 was the most rare model of the bag phone in Motorola’s lineup. It has a double line and colored display, but basically has the same functions as the 2900.

More bag phones friends!

“The Motorola Bag phone”
The sole manufacturer of bag phones, Motorola, targeted clients and professionals who are always on the go. The top two reasons why people need this phone is because of its portability and durability. Able to reach far places and spots that have limited coverage, the bag phone allows the customers to stay connected on work, travel or leisure.

Aside from its cellular phone capabilities, the bag phone also has data transmission capabilities like sending faxes, emails, and files. Another extended key feature of the bag phone is the voice activation. The user can use the voice tags feature, which works quite simply. The user assigns a voice tag for a certain phonebook entry, and to use that tag, simply speak the tag you have assigned, and the bag phone will dial it for you. Users can also use voice tags to access the frequently used parts of the menu.

Bag phones also have the noise and echo reduction function so that you can communicate with ease and more clearly even in far places without interruptions. The phones are also equipped with easy-to-read graphic display that has adjustable backlight and settings for contrast and brightness that are fully customizable. As for the keypad, the keys are large and illuminated so that it is easier to dial even when it’s dark on the road. Like any other mobile phones, the bag phones require you to apply for an account in the different network operators to be able to make calls.

More models of bag phones…”Models of the Bag phone”

Despite having been made since 1992, Motorola decided to release a few different models of the bag phones during that late 90’s. Differentiated by the serial numbers found on handsets, these various models differ by their tranceivers. Some of these models include:

The Cellular One is the earliest model of the bag phone. The basic, 3-button phone has basic functions like the PWR (power), END/CLR (end/clear), and SND(send) beside the numerical keypad. The second bag phone model is the America Series, which is also known as the 4-button phone. It comes with the grey casing (as opposed to the black 3-button), which has an additional VOL/CTL (volume/ control) button for adjusting the earpiece of the phone. This button can also be used to access the other features of the phone.

Following these two models is the Soft-Pak also known as the 6-button. The most common bag phone, the additional three buttons are the RCL (recall) for recalling the last dialed number and other information, and the FCN (function) button, eliminating the CTL button. The Series III model is somewhat the same as the previous model, but has bigger buttons and has the additional STO (store) button in place of the volume button, also used to store numbers. Finally, the Series III 6 Button comes in. This bag phone model has smaller buttons unlike the Series III, and the END button taking the STO’s place.

These are some of the models of the bag phone by Motorola. They all have the same basic functions as a plain cellular phone would have.

Everything About the Bag Phone and More. Buy Them Here TOO!

“The Bag phone”
Back in the late 1990’s, the bag phone was a very popular gadget and a means of communication. Basically, the bag phone consists of the cellular phone itself, and a lot of compartments for the other accessories. The main pocket is for holding the cellular radio telephone handset, a pocket for the transceiver, one for the battery pack.

The transceiver housing and batter pack’s holder can be taken out for times when the phone runs out of battery. The holder can also be put in a folded position and placed in the bag to allow access for recharging the battery.

The bag phone also has a lot of other models that existed, and among them were the Dynasty model, which is a more fashionable and feature-rich phone. This bag phone came out in a special leather bag, again crafted by Motorola, with a black/green theme, and an 10-character numeric display. The Dynasty model also comes out with a bag labeled “Motorola Dynasty.” Other similar models include the “Motorola Meteor,” which also came out with an 8-character numeric display as well as a leather bag.

The colored bag phones also have four main light indicators which all follow different colors. The numbers and letters display on the screen are colored orange. The power is indicated by a green dot, like in most phones nowadays. When the bag phones are in use, the green light indicator lights up. The color for no service or no network coverage and red. Finally, yellow is the color indicator for Roam.