It was the very first portable cell phone. It was the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. It was introduced in 1983. It was a whopping $3,995 and had a waiting list numbering in the thousands. It weighed 28 ounces and measured 13” x 1.75” x 3.5.” It was analog. It boasted one hour of talk time and eight hours of standby time. It was . . .

a brick by today’s standards. Compare it to Motorola’s latest, the RAZR, which weighs in at 3.5 ounces and measures 3.9” x 2.1” x .5,” and can be had for free with a contract. Oh yeah, there was the LED display, too! Can’t forget that!

If you really want one, they’re still available and much cheaper!

* - RetroGadget is a new series that will look back at what once was the latest and greatest in gadgets. You may laugh because something is so absurd by today’s standards. You may bow your head in shame because you once owned one of the featured items. You may cry because you miss a favorite past gadget and start searching eBay for a replacement. Whatever the case, join us as we stroll down memory lane.