Bakelite Doesn’t Turn My Crank

I grew up in the 1970’s, so nobody needs to explain the nostalgia one might feel using a rotary telephone again. Heck, I didn’t even use a push button phone until I went to college in 1985. So, it was with hopeful anticipation that I saw the new app Bakelite from MildMannered Industries.

The concept is pretty simple. Rather than dial your iPhone using the built-in Phone app, you use Bakelite and “dial” literally your numbers. The effect comes complete with sound effects (more on that later). Unlike those old rotary phones of yore, there’s a delete button in case you misdial.

And therein lies the rub. This phone is far, far too easy to misdial. Worse, the sound effects are choppy, out of sync, and unlike any phone I’ve heard of. So, as a simulation this app falls down and because it is so easy to misdial you’ll find yourself taking minutes rather than seconds to make a simple phone call!

The app is free, and might be worth it as an educational tool for today’s youth that haven’t seen a phone without a “send” button. But that’s about all it’s worth.

Useless Productivity Rating:

Cost: free

Learn More:

• Bakelite website
• Get Bakelite from iPhone App Store