Clicks shows off its BlackBerry-inspired phone in a new hands-on video


Clicks Technology, a startup that’s preparing to launch its own take on the BlackBerry smartphone, is showing off what it has in store in a new video, released today.

The device, known as the Clicks Communicator, was introduced at January’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to cater to people who do a lot of work on their phones, like texting and emailing. It’s particularly meant to appeal to those who miss the BlackBerry’s physical keyboard, which some argue is better for these types of tasks.

Priced at $499, the Communicator looks a lot like a modern-day BlackBerry might, with a screen for viewing and responding to messages, and a tactile, touch-sensitive keyboard below.

The phone goes beyond being just a BlackBerry dupe, however, by innovating in other areas. For instance, its clever “Signal Light” feature offers a light-up button on the side of the phone that can be customized with different colors and light patterns to indicate when you’ve received messages from certain people, groups, or apps. 

It also offers customizable back covers that can be popped off and swapped, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a physical SIM card tray (in addition to an eSIM), expandable microSD storage (up to 2TB), and a tactile switch for turning on or off airplane mode.

The Clicks Communicator may also appeal to the growing number of users looking to distance themselves from modern-day smartphones, with their addictive social apps and games. (The company partnered with the Niagara Launcher to provide access to the Android apps it runs). With the Signal Light, you can safely ignore your phone unless you see a critical notification come through.

Image Credits:Clicks Technology

In the new video, the company shows its pre-production hardware and internal software as a preview of what’s to come when the phone begins shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.

At CES, TechCrunch was able to get a feel for the Communicator by handling a prototype that was the same size and weight as the device that’s preparing to ship at the end of this year. We found it felt good to hold, not too light or heavy, and was easy to grip. The keys were also fairly clicky, giving it a BlackBerry-like feel, though the team was then planning to slightly adjust the pressure to make the device work better for fast typers.

Future videos will go more in-depth into specific Clicks Communicator features, like the Signal Light, Prompt Key, Message Hub, touch-sensitive keyboard, and more.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    Forget the Grill. This Countertop Appliance Is Even Better During a Heat Wave

    Grilling is great — until it’s 90 degrees outside and you’re standing over an open flame. Cooking indoors isn’t always the better option: the oven turns your kitchen into a…

    Getty’s Shutterstock merger falls apart

    Getty is planning to axe its $3.7 billion merger agreement with Shutterstock after a UK regulator imposed restrictions that would prevent part of Shutterstock’s business from being included in the…

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    UK Factory Orders Barely Grow as Rush From Iran War Fades

    What to Know About the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Talks

    What to Know About the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Talks

    Sure would be great if Oblivion Remastered got patched on PC to coincide with the Switch 2 release

    Sure would be great if Oblivion Remastered got patched on PC to coincide with the Switch 2 release

    The Possibilist | Ep 8 | Documentary

    The Possibilist | Ep 8 | Documentary

    Ontarians can make their auto insurance cheaper starting July 1 — but opt-in coverage will leave some accident victims 'out in the cold,' critics say

    Ontarians can make their auto insurance cheaper starting July 1 — but opt-in coverage will leave some accident victims 'out in the cold,' critics say

    Forget the Grill. This Countertop Appliance Is Even Better During a Heat Wave

    Forget the Grill. This Countertop Appliance Is Even Better During a Heat Wave