I want this but no 5g is a deal breaker
What do you need 5G for with a phone like this, though? It's explicitly not a media-consumption device.
While true, won't 4g be phased out in like 5 years?
Works better in high density areas than 4G, even bandwidth/latency aside.
Do you think the other gs are gonna run out of bits?
Just take my damn money
Privacy first? So what is WhatsApp doing on there?
I get why, that is for a lot of people the ONLY way they use a phone instead of calling, but this definitely not privacy first or social media free then.
I mean, it's not like it comes preloaded or anything. It's Linux, you can choose install (or not install) whatever you want.
Edit: Good Lord, it actually does come preloaded. Unreal.
Edit: Good Lord, it actually does come preloaded.
At least Facebook will subsidize a large portion of the price, right?
> $500
Well then.
Itβs Linux, you can choose install (or not install) whatever you want.
yes, well except that is what they are trying to patent (as far as I can tell) using key based tools to not allow certain apps and DNS filtering as well. If its based on linux, thats one thing, but doesnt stop them from locking things down.
Sure, but the point is, it doesn't come with WhatsApp on it.
According to their ad, it does.
No, it's showcasing the ability to install Android apps.
which offers 99% compatibility with Android apps, including WhatsApp, Google Maps, and Spotify.
They have it in the screen shot. And my point stands: they said they would stop apps that were social or anti-privacy (by refusing to load them or dns blocking) and WhatsApp is both of these things.
Actually I checked their site and you're 100% right -- WhatsApp does come preinstalled: https://commodore.net/callback/
I agree, that's unbelievably stupid.
Supposedly you can't install some things. Hopefully this is an optional parental control feature, and not baked in to every phone. They would be losing a lot of potential nostalgia sales if they only chase after the "forced distraction free" market. Some people can control their usage without needing the device to do it for them. π€·
The phone also blocks internet browsers and social media apps at a system level, "using patent-pending technology, eliminating temptation and designed with distraction-free schools in mind." This ties in neatly with the upcoming ban on social media for the under-16s in the UK, but I can't imagine there are many teenagers who even know what Commodore is.
It's 2026 and I'm suddenly desperately interested in buying a flipphone from Commodore? What is even going on? Has reality itself completely jumped the shark?
Commodore has had an interesting year. A retro-tech YouTuber got into discussions with the company and ended up buying it. I think they had plans to become a public benefit company of some kind, with a focus on openness and preserving old tech.
I'm surprised that the Wikipedia article doesn't have a lot of details on those recent developments from the past year
Well, bought the trademarks at least. Commodore as a proper company hasn't existed for over three decades, the name has just been bouncing around from one company to another.
There's another Commodore in Italy too though. Not sure what's the deal with that.
You found a secret level!! π€―π₯π₯
Ooooh π²
T9 ππ
Wait I looove t9 bro
Fuck yeah, I miss being able to send messages without looking at my phone, or even removing it from my pocket.
Over 9000
As much as awesome this is, ~450$ for this is toooooo much
Yeah I was pretty shocked at that price, I thought it would be less than $200
Agreed
"We built the phone in between" [a smart phone and dumb phone] is a pretty appealing tag line. In the last half of the 2010s, when I finally dragged myself into getting an actual smart phone, I really wished I could get a flip phone that was more capable. The feature phones still on the market at the time seemed to be right out of 2003.
This implementation seems a little off. It has the flip form factor, and can run most android apps, great! But then it sounds like they arbitrarily block browsers and 'social media'? I think just leave them out by default, and let people go that route if they want it. The form factor already limits how well some of those would work.
Agreed, it's an odd move when so much else about the phone is being marketed as having the user's interests at heart. If you scratch a bit and squint at the wording they're using, though, it feels more and more like the CEO has his own idea of how people should be using their phones and is pushing that. The fact that it is more privacy respecting is incidental to the fact. I could be wrong, but that's the vibe I've certainly gotten.
It's too bad. I wouldn't mind having a phone with no social media but no browser is probably going to be a dealbreaker for me. Their FAQ says it's basically a way of 'cheating' to get to social media sites and that's incredibly condescending. I probably just want to look up if a nearby store is still open or something.
the CEO has his own idea of how people should be using their phones and is pushing that.
He does and he is. I've watched Perifractic's channel for awhile and he is really very strident about "digital detox" on account of his smartphone use negatively effecting his mental health. This phone is made for Peri specifically; he just happens to be selling it.
(Which I'm fine with, by the way. I hope it does well; I'd like to see the new Commodore stick around a little longer.)
I don't want more capability in general. I kinda want less. like no calendar and such. what I do want is the dumb phone to be able to act as a cellular hotspot for my laptop but I would like it to be able to do it and stay sub $100.
It's super cool and I'm strongly considering it, but not including 5G is dumb I think. Where I live 5G has way better coverage and 4G is lacking and spotty many places. Also no mentioning of Bluetooth is also a big no no for me. So much for a good DAC buy now all my headphones I already own are wireless with LDAC And AptX etc.
Has Bluetooth, shows it in the graphic. But, no 5g. Hour this helps
Holy shit thats actually cute as fuck. Sad I need a qwerty keyboard π₯²
Not a PETSCII keyboard?
Commodore's promo image is 3008, the other phone brands are 2000 and late. Gotta get that.
This actually looks cool af. Iβd strongly consider using this.
Not sure I could face T9 typing again.
If they don't allow social media and chats you would have no one to type to though lol
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