5 Accessories That Let You Experience '60s Nostalgia Using Your Smartphone

The fun thing about nostalgia is that you don't necessarily have to have lived through a particular period in order to enjoy nostalgia for it. For example, the 1960s have a very particular vibe regarding technology, with thick, bulky devices instead of the streamlined gadgets everyone knows today. Whether you grew up in this period or heard about it from an older friend or relative, you can experience that classic vibe through specially-designed smartphone accessories like stands, speakers, and handsets.

Whether it was boxy tube TVs or thick bakelite landline telephones, even if you don't see those kinds of devices in their original forms anymore, you can get a whiff of that pleasant nostalgia using smartphone accessories cast in their images. Some of them may even provide you with some tangible convenience, whether it's the pleasantly thick keys of a typewriter smartphone stand or the comfortable grip of an old-fashioned telephone handset. You can find these kinds of accessories for sale on Amazon, where they're backed up by collective user ratings of at least four out of five stars.

While television was in full swing as an entertainment and news medium in the 1960s, radio was still going fairly strong as well, with many households having at least one radio set for enjoying music or getting quick news updates. Transistor radios will definitely remind Boomers of their childhood, and you can revive that nostalgic vibe with the Dosmix Retro Bluetooth Speaker, available on Amazon for $16.99. This cute little faux radio echoes the boxy sensibilities of the '60s with a large speaker grill and thick tuning dial acting as volume control, plus power and skip buttons on the front.

Despite its retro stylings, it's equipped with modern connection tech, including both Bluetooth 5.0 and an AUX port for connecting your smartphone or other audio sources. It's also got a rechargeable battery, managed via a micro-USB port, which is rated for about 6 hours of continuous playtime. Amazon users have given this compact speaker a 4.4 out of five rating for both its attractive retro aesthetics and its surprising sound quality. Several users do warn, however, that the device is a lot smaller than you may expect.

The televisions of the 1960s were a far cry from the sleek, flat displays that exist today, with chunky, oblong designs and bendy aerials poking up out of the back. Even if they were relatively inefficient compared to modern displays, you can't deny the appeal those boxy designs bring, and you can bring them back on your phone with the UnnFiko Retro TV Stand and Speaker, available on Amazon for $18.88.

This hybrid stand and speaker, designed in a similar fashion to a classic television set, serves as a convenient resting spot for your smartphone. Any smartphone measuring 5 to 6.5 inches can be slotted right into it and synced up via Bluetooth. After it's synced, the built-in speaker will relay the audio, while the buttons on top let you skip videos or songs, pause and play, and answer phone calls. The stand has its own rechargeable battery, rated for four to five hours of usage on a single charge.

This cute little stand has earned a 4.1 out of five rating from Amazon shoppers. One Amazon user loves to use it to play shows while working on small tasks, praising the quality of its speaker as well. Another on Amazon had similar praises, though they added that, after they got a newer and bigger phone, they weren't able to fit it into the stand anymore.

In the olden days of landline telephones, your main point of communication was a dedicated handset rather than the phone itself. These kinds of handsets can be surprisingly comfortable, especially compared to the current age of holding a rectangle that sometimes requires an extra accessory to keep a grip on it (like a Pop Socket). If you'd like to bring that comfort back, try the Opis Technology Retro Phone Handset, available on Amazon for $29.90. This thick plastic handset is designed to be plugged directly into your phone, either via 3.5mm audio jack or via a USB-C port with the included adapter.

It doesn't require any particular setup, nor does it need to be independently charged up. Just plug it right into your phone, and it's ready to start taking calls. It's got a comfortable shape and a pleasant heft with that classic coiled wire, a generally pleasant way to take a call that doesn't require you to hold your phone next to your ear. This dedicated handset has earned a four out of five rating from Amazon shoppers, who like its pleasantly thick design and simplicity of use. An Amazon user said that it's a nice alternative to headsets or earbuds while taking Zoom or Slack calls.

Speaking of landline phones, having both a dedicated phone and handset brought with it certain benefits, chief of which was the cathartic joy of physically hanging up on an annoying caller. If you want to go the extra mile to recreate classic phone usage with your smartphone, sync up the Sangyn Bluetooth Landline Telephone, available on Amazon for $76.98. This device is cast in the image of a classic bakelite plastic telephone, with a handset, receiver, and even a dial pad on the front, all synced up to your smartphone via Bluetooth.

Of course, for convenience's sake, it's not a rotary phone; you can dial numbers on the dial pad, as well as quickly redial numbers or enable speakerphone mode with the center button. Whenever a call comes in on your smartphone, just pick up the handset to take it, then put it back down on the receiver to disconnect. This old-school phone has managed to earn a 4.3 out of five rating, with Amazon users loving its retro aesthetic while being surprised by its ease of use. One Amazon reviewer appreciated its sturdy feel and clear call quality, though another user noted that it needed to be disconnected to watch videos on the companion phone.

The first consumer PCs didn't hit the market until the 1980s, so back in the '60s, typewriters were still the gadget of choice for quick documentation. Electric typewriters, in particular, are quite nostalgic for both Gen X and their parents. If you're looking for both a convenient keyboard for your smartphone and a hearty dose of that typewriter nostalgia, there's the Yunzii Wireless Typewriter Keyboard, available on Amazon for $52.99. This hybrid phone stand and keyboard is cast in the image of an old-fashioned typewriter with a full set of QWERTY keys for easy typing.

The top of the device, where the paper would go on an actual typewriter, serves as a convenient stand for your smartphone, which can sync to the keyboard via Bluetooth for comfortable, tactile document writing. If you have something larger, like a tablet or PC, that works too, as the device has a sync range of 33 feet and is compatible with most desktop and mobile operating systems. Amazon users have given this faux typewriter a 4.4 out of five rating, loving both its classic appearance and pleasantly thick, comfortable keys. Some users have had complaints of the keyboard breaking down after a brief time, but these instances seem to be relatively uncommon.

A little problem with shopping for gadgets based on nostalgia is that it's unfortunately very easy to make and sell cheap junk on the pretense of nostalgia. To ensure you're getting smartphone accessories that are nostalgic while still being useful, we focused on retro-styled smartphone accessories available on Amazon with a user rating of at least four out of five stars.