Retro telephone gets 21st century update

While most phones are getting smaller and being crammed with non-phone functionality, the "Sixty" cordless phone from French company Sagemcom harks back to an earlier age of domestic communications ... with an injection of 21st Century design and technology.

The Sixty delivers a new twist on the 1960's Bakelite telephone by transforming the stocky rotary form into a folded, slimline design and adding a digital time fascia and capacitive touchscreen. The non-retro functionality includes hands-free calling, caller ID, 150 name and number phone book, phone conferencing, multiple languages, and an integrated digital answer machine.

The drilling bell tone of yore has been replaced with more modern polyphonic ringtones, although these include a reproduction of the original "ring ring" for those who want to retain some of the old-skool feel. There's also rotating lights and sound effects during dialing.