Episode 24 - Flagships of Yesteryear: Phones That Still Hit Different

Overview

In this nostalgic episode of Tek with Josh, Josh takes you back to the golden age of smartphones and breaks down the four devices that defined their eras: BlackBerry OS, Palm OS, iOS, and Android. These weren’t just popular phones — they were the ones that hit different and truly shaped what we know as modern mobile tech.

Drawing from firsthand experience working in the wireless industry during these launches, Josh shares stories, specs, and moments that you probably forgot about… or never knew happened. From BBM and push email to Palm’s gesture-based interface and early cloud backup, plus the iPhone 4’s game-changing design and Samsung’s feature-packed Galaxy S4, this episode is a full tour through smartphone history.

📌 Key Topics & Highlights

📱 BlackBerry OS Era

• Why BlackBerry was the business phone

• The beauty of the physical keyboard

• BBM: The original iMessage

• Push email and the iconic BlackBerry data plan

• The BlackBerry Pearl vs. Curve vs. 8300 Series

• Early smartphone limitations: no Wi-Fi, cameras, or touchscreens

📱 Palm OS & The Palm Pre

• Palm OS roots from the 90s

• Beaming contacts and apps through infrared

• HotSync vs. ActiveSync vs. BlackBerry Device Manager

• The Palm Pre launch story: lines, hype, and being part of the event

• Palm inventing:

– Wireless updates

– Built-in cloud backup

– Card multitasking

– Gesture navigation

• Why WebOS died, and how it lives on through LG TVs

📱 iPhone 4 — The Modern Smartphone Blueprint

• Why the iPhone 4 was such a massive leap over the 3GS

• Retina display and the shift to premium materials

• The leak that exposed the entire phone before launch

• Antennagate explained

• Front-facing camera + the birth of FaceTime

• The moment Apple changed the smartphone design language forever

📱 Samsung Galaxy S4

• Samsung’s rise from “number two” to Android king

• Why the S3 was good… but the S4 was legendary

• 1080p AMOLED screen in 2013

• Expandable storage, removable battery, and feature-packed TouchWiz

• Group Share: Samsung’s pre-SharePlay era innovation

• Why the S4 was the peak “fun era” of Android

🎙️ Personal Stories

• Josh’s time working for Sprint during major phone launches

• Being part of the Palm Pre media preview

• Using BlackBerry as a young rep and experiencing push email

• Carrying spare batteries before power banks existed

• That unforgettable moment when Apple reinvented the smartphone

💬 Why These Phones Still Matter

• Each device introduced a feature we now take for granted

• They pushed the industry forward in completely different ways

• They represent a time when smartphones were exciting, unique, and experimental

🔗 Josh’s Other Content

If you enjoyed this episode, check out Josh’s other podcasts:
Books by Josh Audio Immersion & Manga with Josh

Read more tech posts and writing at booksbyjosh.com
Support Josh on Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/booksbyjosh