Nokia

Volkswagen rebooted the beetle, BMW reinvented the classic mini.

Now technology firms are following carmakers, remarking old favorites with a modern twist.

Today a new version of the ... a famously indestructible mobile phone originally launched in2000, goes on sale.

Fans of the original will recognize the rounded buttons and familiar Nokia beeps and ringtones.

There is no 3 g and wifi, but the new model has a color screen, camera and a battery life of up to four weeks.- plus an updated snake game.

Tamagotchi digital pets have also had a rebirth, and last year.. released a miniature version of its beloved

Rebooting such old classics is cheap, generates publicity, inspires nostalgia and appeals to technophobes who prefer older, simpler devices.

The revived ..also highlights  just how far, and how fast, handsets have evolved since the turn of the century.