Design and Build
The Philips 290, with its compact dimensions of 101 x 44.5 x 12.2 mm and a lightweight build of just 82 grams, was designed to be a pocket-friendly device. Its sleek form factor provided a comfortable grip, which was typical of mobile phones from that era. This phone used a Mini-SIM, which was the standard at the time, and featured classic design elements such as a 4-way navigation key. The informed choice of tactile buttons would have appealed to users looking for a straightforward, no-frills interface.