The BlackBerry is back — sort of — thanks to the latest product from the mobile keyboard maker, Clicks Technology, which last week announced its debut phone, the $499 Communicator, which sports a physical keyboard. The company is also offering a separate $79 slide-out physical keyboard that fits to any device.
At CES, TechCrunch chatted with Clicks chief marketing officer and co-founder, Jeff Gadway, and went hands-on with the latest handmade prototype of the forthcoming smartphone.
The device, which offers a BlackBerry-like keyboard and messaging-focused touchscreen, runs Android 16 under the hood. That means the Communicator can run any Android app, but it partnered with the minimalist launcher, Niagara Launcher, to display your favorite apps on the homescreen. Other apps are within easy reach via a scrollable list.
Reception for the new devices has been better than expected, Gadway told TechCrunch. Although he declined to share sales numbers, he did say that over the past week the company was making a sale every 6.5 seconds between both devices.
While the prototype we tried is not a working phone, it’s the same size and weight as the device that’s preparing to ship later this year, giving an initial feel for what it would be like to use the Communicator.
The interchangeable back covers can pop off so you can change the phone’s design whenever inspiration strikes. While not present on the prototype, the cover will have a small notch at the top and then a little finger pick at the bottom.
Underneath the back is where your nano-SIM card will go. Onboard storage lands at 256 gigabytes, with expandable microSD storage of up to 2 terabytes of data. The device will also sport a 4000mAh silicon-carbon battery and is currently weighing in around 170 grams (or 6 oz).
In our hands-on test, the phone feels good to hold. The device is not too heavy but not too light, and easy to grip.
The final form was settled on after dozens of 3D printed shapes, Gadway notes. The winning design for the phone includes a contoured back that makes it easy to pick up and hold.
The device’s screen is also somewhat elevated off the body, and the chin of the device is curved up, which creates a recessed area to protect the keys when you place it face down. (You will want to place the phone face down if you’re trying to avoid distractions!)
That’s also where the device’s light-up side button can help. Called the “Signal Light,” the button can be configured to glow with different colors or patterns when you’ve received messages from certain people, groups, or apps. That way, you can be sure to respond if it’s your boss or the kids contacting you, but you can ignore it when it’s a less important notification.
The tactile, physical keys feel good, though the prototype’s version may actually be a little less “clicky” than the final product. (There’s a debate between whether the keys should have 110 grams of pressure or more like 120 or 130 grams, and feedback so far is that the latter figures are winning.)
With less pressure, the keys feel softer, which could be more accessible for those who haven’t used a BlackBerry before. But people who type fast tend to prefer more clicky keys because there’s more feedback.
“This is the stuff that Michael Fisher and myself and Kevin Michaluk fight over all the time,” said Gadway, referring to his co-founders. “We’re fighting over grams.”
The keys and the screen are also at the same vertical height, so you can seamlessly move from the keyboard to the touchscreen.
The phone’s front fixed-focus, hole-punch camera can capture 24-megapixel imagery. The back camera, which features optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization for video, can capture 50-megapixel images.
The phone will also feature a MediaTek 4-nanometer, 5G IoT processor, with 8 gigabytes of RAM.
The Communicator’s display will be a 4.03-inch AMOLED display at 1,080 x 1,200 resolution. Wired charging is up to 18 watts, and wireless charging is up to 15 watts. The device is also Qi compatible and Android Strongbox-ready, which will appeal to security-minded customers.
The phone has other standard features too, like GPS, NFC, and will offer five years of security updates and Android updates through Android 20.
The device is expected to ship in the second half of 2026.
