If you’ve ever found yourself reminiscing about the good ol’ days of Blackberries, you’re not alone. Those were the days when typing a message felt like playing a piano concerto – all those glorious tactile buttons at your fingertips. Well, prepare to have your nostalgia reignited as Clicks has just unveiled its latest smartphone, the Communicator, which features a keyboard that would make any Blackberry enthusiast weak in the knees.
Clicks Technology, known for attaching keyboards to smartphones, launched the Clicks Communicator at CES 2026 as a dedicated, distraction-free messaging companion rather than a primary smartphone replacement. Designed by Joseph Hofer, the former lead industrial designer behind iconic BlackBerry devices like the Bold and Passport, the phone features a 4.03-inch square AMOLED display and a capacitive physical QWERTY keyboard that supports touch-scrolling. Running a slimmed-down version of Android 16 with a Niagara Launcher-inspired interface, it prioritizes text-based communication and includes modern essentials like a 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD support, and a hardware kill switch for privacy.
So, what’s the deal with this new device? The Communicator aims to blend the modern smartphone experience with the beloved physical keyboard that many of us have sorely missed. You know, the kind that doesn’t require you to have a PhD in finger gymnastics just to send a simple text.
Let’s face it: while touchscreens are sleek and all, there’s something satisfying about pressing actual buttons. It’s like sending a text is a mini workout for your fingers. Plus, you can actually feel when you’ve hit the right key, rather than playing a game of ‘guess which letter I just pressed’ like we do on our glassy screens.
Clicks seems to be targeting a niche market here – those who want to combine the best of both worlds. But let’s be real, they’re also trying to appeal to the growing number of folks who are tired of having their phones look like every other phone out there. You know, the ones that all look like they’ve been manufactured in the same cookie-cutter factory.
The Communicator’s design pays homage to the iconic Blackberry aesthetics, with a keyboard that’s reminiscent of the one that used to rule the corporate world. Plus, it has a few modern twists – like a decent camera and a battery that won’t quit on you after a few hours of scrolling through memes.
Now, I can hear the skeptics in the back shouting, “But why would I want a keyboard when I can just use voice-to-text?” Ah, yes, the age-old debate. Sure, voice-to-text is great, until you find yourself sending a message that says, “I’ll be there soon” but instead your phone decides to interpret that as “I’ll be there spoon”. Not exactly the impression you want to leave on your boss.
In addition to the keyboard, Clicks is also promising a user-friendly interface that’s not going to leave you feeling like you need a manual the size of a novel to figure out how to make a phone call. It’s all about simplicity, folks. And let’s be honest, sometimes we just want to call someone without having to decipher a million settings.
So, will the Communicator be the comeback kid of the smartphone world? Only time will tell. But if Clicks plays its cards right, they might just have a hit on their hands that could capture the hearts of those who long for the days when texting didn’t feel like a chore.
In conclusion, if you’re a die-hard Blackberry fan or simply someone who appreciates the tactile feedback of a keyboard, keep your eyes peeled for the Communicator. It might just be the perfect blend of nostalgia and modern tech that we didn’t know we needed. And who knows, it might even help you avoid those awkward autocorrect moments. Let’s raise a toast (or a phone) to the return of the keyboard!
Inspired by: “Clicks shows off its Communicator smartphone with a Blackberry-like keyboard” (r/technology)