You don’t need to look far to find someone who fondly remembers the yonder days of Blackberry and physical keyboards on phones. Clicks rode to their rescue with the original Clicks keyboard, which slotted onto compatible iPhones.
But for true fanatics, only a real Blackberry will do — and those people have something to look forward to with the Clicks Communicator, a true smartphone with a built-in keyboard.
Modern style, but with the soul of Blackberry
There’s no doubt the Clicks Communicator is a Blackberry in all but name. The humble spirit of the businessperson’s favorite ever phone is alive and well in the Communicator. Sold as a way to really focus in on what matters, the Communicator has full Android 16 support and 5G, but it comes with a bunch of tricks to keep your focus where it needs to be.
Instead of a colorful app drawer, it has a list. A customizable side key gives you access to voice notes, text-to-speech, or transcription services. And it comes with the features you’ve missed, too, like a notification LED, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a mute switch, and microSD card expansion.
It’s not all business though. It has swappable rear casings, so you can customize your Communicator to match your style.
It’s clearly aimed as a complement to your existing phone. The Communicator is the phone you use for your business dealings, or when you want to disconnect from the hectic digital world. Thanks to its use of Niagara Launcher, apps are displayed as a list, and while you can use it like any other phone, the squatter, square display helps to avoid infinite doomscrolling.
I can’t believe I’ve been able to talk this long without touching on the real show here: The keyboard. The Communicator’s keyboard is larger than that found on the original Clicks accessory, and it also works as a touchpad for your display too.
There’s a 4,000mAh silicon carbon battery inside it, which should hopefully last a while when combined with the 4.03-inch OLED screen and 4nm processor.
The price could potentially be a stumbling block though, as $499 might be a bit steep for a phone that’s actively trying to be worse at being a phone than most of its competition. But, if productivity and focus is near the top of your must-haves, then the Communicator may be a great buy. And if you buy before February, or put in a $199 deposit, your Clicks Communicator will be available for a reduced $399.
