CES 1998: The Cidco iPhone

No, that's not a typo. Not Cisco, but Cidco (the Caller ID Company).

In light of the brouhaha over who has rights to the name iPhone, some long-repressed memories jogged loose.

Nine years ago, Cidco offered an internet phone with the same name (iPhone) and same price ($499) as Apple's product (that would be over $600 in today's dollars). It had some buzz in its day but it was not a hit. Cidco was acquired by Earthlink in 2001.

This from a Popular Mechanics piece on the best of CES, 1998:

Cidco Inc. also announced a new smart phone at CES called the iPhone ($499). Instead of logging onto your computer, with this gadget you can send or receive e-mail as well as access any Web site you desire--right on the phone's built-in 7.4-in. touchscreen. It's the first of its kind to use graphics and not just text. The phone includes a pull-out keyboard, built-in directory, speakerphone, caller identification and 3-way conferencing.

The data delivery speed is marked at 28.8kbps or higher, making Web surfing nice and easy.

Mickeleh's Take: How about that feature set: graphics, web, email, icons, touch-screen. And the Cidco iPhone had a real keyboard with tactile feedback. And a handset so you wouldn't get ear-sweat and makeup all over the screen. Wouldn't fit in your pocket though. Clearly a product before its time. Might prove inconvenient for a company claiming an exclusive trade-mark on iPhone.

(Tags: iPhone, Apple, Cisco, trademark, Steve Jobs, CES)