The communicator is your “second phone” for communication, not for consumption. It also resurrects the headphone jack.
Click technology started doing keyboard covers for smartphones, with buttons that give users a taste of the BlackBerry-dominated 2000s. Now the company is launching its own phone to turn back the clock for a new generation.
Today, the British company (with a significant presence in Canada) announced two new devices ahead of next week's Consumer Electronics Show.
Clicks Communicator is exactly what it sounds like: a phone designed for communication. While you might want your iPhone to notify you when your mom posted something on Facebook while you're watching TikToks, Clicks Communicator is designed to be your “second phone” for work, travel, privacy, or just to keep yourself from scrolling through things. The phone has a native 5G connection so it can function as a standalone phone if needed.
The dedicated Android device does its best to convince you that you're back in 2008 by showcasing the signature Clicks haptics (clicking) keyboard, expandable microSD memory up to 2 TB and a built-in 3.5 mm headphone jack. The alert indicator on the side of the device can be customized to display different colors and lighting modes, allowing users to immediately know if there is important text. Or users can simply turn off the lights when it's time to unplug them.
“The Communicator is to the smartphone what the Kindle is to the iPad,” Clicks chief marketing officer Jeff Gadway said in a statement. “It's a standalone, complementary product optimized for a specific purpose. In the case of Clicks Communicator, that means communicating confidently in a noisy world.”
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Besides emulating a once-dominant Canadian tech company, Clicks has strong roots in Canada. Gadway has been a marketing manager at BlackBerry for nearly eight years, and fellow Canadian co-founder Kevin Michaluk is well known for his Crackberry fansite and Bring Back BlackBerry Campaign.
It's not just nostalgic millennials who want to return to simpler times and phones. The younger generation is becoming more aware of smartphone addictionAnd began to romanticize the BlackBerry era on social media, even if they didn't live it. This gave rise to the market is “stupid” consists of minimalist devices such as ClicksPunkt, Light Phone and Minimal Phone.
For those who are happy with their iPhones or Google Pixels as is but want a little nostalgic flair, Clicks is also launching Power Keyboard. The Power Keyboard is the evolution of keyboard cases, a portable wireless charger with a slide-out keyboard that turns any phone into a pseudo-BlackBerry Torch without having to change the case. The device connects via Bluetooth, so it can also be used to enter text on smart TVs or AR/VR headsets.
Clicks Communicator can now be reserved for US$547 ($399) and is scheduled to launch later this year. Power keyboardslated to launch in the spring, you can pre-order it for US$108 ($79).
Image courtesy of Clicks.
