Japan has no shortage of paying homage to retro experiences, and while there are limited new developments of retro technology, SEGA is bringing back pagers to a smartphone-ran world with its 'emojam.' While not exactly a pager, this device brings a callback to the iconic hookable machine that lets people know of an upcoming message, with the emojam focusing on sending or receiving emojis only.
SEGA's new Emojam is meant to be a kid's toy, but for the retro-loving "girlypop" of this generation, it is a must-have as not only is it a cute new device, it can also offer communication features, but without text.
SEGA's New Pager, 'emojam,' is Here for an Emoji Conversation
SEGA recently dropped a new device that takes the world back to the era of pagers with its latest 'emojam' delivering a retro-modern experience for users, specifically marketed as a kid's toy. The video teaser shared by SEGA shows how the device can send and receive emojis to users owning the emojam, and it is complete with an array of three physical buttons that stay true to its homage to pagers.
However, the emojam is not exactly a pager, and although it works like one, it does not give users a way to read messages in text format as what the real deal brings, as emojis are the only characters available here.
The emojam will be available starting December 10 and it will be available to snag for 7,150 yen (around $46), with the new device offering wide customization options for kids to personalize their experience.
SEGA's emojam is Limited to 5 People Only, Exclusive in Japan
SEGA's emojam was not made to replicate the pager, but as an experience for kids to enjoy conversations using emojis,in a way that was popular during the 1990s to 2000s.
However, since this is a toy, it will not use the communication channels pagers used back in the day, as users need to 'link' their devices via a physical tap of each emojam to connect them to friends. Additionally, it can only link up to 5 people owning an emojam, and send up to 10 emojis per message with more than 1,100 characters available.
The Retro Devices Available Now in the World
When talking about the good old days of retro technology, one of the top things that come to mind is the gaming industry which has successfully brought back and re-popularized the experiences for all. The iconic American gaming brand, that is now owned by the French, Atari, is among those who have actively worked to revive the retro gaming experience, focusing on the return of the Atari 2600.
Earlier this year, one of the largest retro technology revivals was introduced to the world, and it was thanks to a Chinese consumer tech company called FiiO which reintroduced the cassette player to the modern generation. Its latest version of the CP13 cassette player introduced the transparent colorway which offers a look inside the tape slot, featuring advanced features like USB-C charging, built-in amplification, and more.
Recently, in the photography industry, film cameras and digicam made a significant comeback that brought back significant attention to the media form, leading to a massive demand for film rolls and cameras around the world. SEGA decided that the iconic pager should be the one making its comeback, with the emojam offering a way to communicate using only emojis, but is only available in Japan.
