Miss BlackBerry? This new Android telephone brings a keyboard, headphone jack, extra

The Clicks Keyboard was one of many extra notable equipment launched in recent times, attaching to your smartphone to present you a compact, if awkwardly oriented, bodily keypad. Now, the corporate is again with a smartphone. Say howdy to the Clicks Communicator.

The Clicks Communicator is a full-fledged Android smartphone, that includes an built-in bodily keypad and an almost sq. 4.03-inch OLED display screen (1,080 x 1,200 pixels). Clicks explains that the telephone can be utilized as a standalone machine, however added that it was additionally designed for individuals who use two telephones. In reality, the corporate says it envisions the Communicator as a communication-focused machine (shock) whereas your different telephone is concentrated on leisure and content material seize.

Shifting again to the keypad, it’s clearly meant to supply a extra tactile typing expertise. Nonetheless, it additionally has a fingerprint scanner within the spacebar, the BlackBerry-style means to scroll by swiping the keypad itself, and a customizable Clicks key to launch particular apps/options.

The machine additionally has a so-called Immediate Key on the right-hand aspect, which lets you begin speech enter. The agency mentions particular use instances like voice-to-text, voice recording, assembly transcriptions, and launching a voice assistant. This shortcut key has an built-in and customizable notification gentle, dubbed the Sign LED, which can be utilized for particular contacts or apps. Verify the left-hand aspect, and also you’ll discover a {hardware} kill change that may be set to rapidly toggle airplane mode.

As for software program, Clicks teamed up with the individuals behind Niagara Launcher to ship a “customized” launcher for the telephone. The launcher’s foremost dwelling display screen exhibits messages from numerous apps in a way harking back to the BlackBerry Hub on BlackBerry 10 units. Staying with software program, these anticipating seven years of updates is likely to be disillusioned. The Clicks Communicator ships with Android 16 however will provide two main OS upgrades and 5 years of safety patches. That’s not nice in comparison with most main OEMs, but it surely’s actually higher than the replace insurance policies we’ve seen from different area of interest telephone manufacturers like Unihertz. It’s additionally higher than a few massive producers, comparable to Motorola.

The Clicks Communicator is powered by an unnamed 4nm MediaTek “5G IoT SoC platform.” The corporate didn’t reveal extra particulars about this chipset, however we’re guessing it’s the MT8883 or MT8873. For what it’s price, MediaTek particularly notes that the previous chipset has “long-life availability by way of 2031.” This degree of help may very well be why Clicks went with an IoT-focused chipset as a substitute of a extra typical smartphone SoC.

Different notable {hardware} options embody a 4,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, 256GB of inside storage with a microSD card slot, a 3.5mm port, Qi2 wi-fi charging (there’s no phrase on magnetic help), a solitary 50MP rear digital camera, and a 24MP selfie shooter. As for connectivity, you may anticipate a bodily SIM slot, eSIM help, 5G, NFC, and Wi-Fi 6.

within the Clicks Communicator? The telephone has a launch worth of $499, however a promotional worth of $399 if you happen to pay a $199 deposit or the total deposit earlier than February 27. The workforce notes that the machine will ship later this yr. Both means, this is among the few viable choices if you need a telephone with a bodily keypad.

This isn’t the one product Clicks introduced, because it additionally revealed the Clicks Energy Keyboard (seen above). That is successfully a magnetically hooked up energy financial institution with an built-in slide-out keypad. The two,150mAh battery contained in the Energy Keyboard may be very small, however will energy the keyboard itself and/or give a small increase to your telephone.

Count on MagSafe and Qi2 help, however the keyboard also can connect with different units through Bluetooth. The workforce particularly factors to wi-fi pairing with units like sensible TVs, tablets, and XR headsets. The keyboard has a beneficial worth of $109 and an early fowl worth of $79, with availability tipped for Spring 2026.

We’ve requested Clicks for extra particulars concerning the Communicator’s chipset and battery sturdiness. We’ll replace the article as quickly as the corporate responds to our electronic mail.