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If you're hoping for a new BlackBerry in 2026… not so fast.
But I do think you'll like what CBK has been cooking here.
It's the newly-announced Clicks Communicator and it is GLORIOUS.
$199 to Reserve
Clicks Communicator
A new kind of mobile communicator. Designed for doing, not doomscrolling.
Look at it! Just LOOK at it!!
I have been biting my tongue keeping this a secret which is HARD when you're CrackBerry Kevin and you built your reputation leaking unreleased BlackBerry phones to the internet.
But these days CBK also stands for Clicks By Kevin as I'm the Co-founder and President of Clicks Technology and have spent the last three years working behind the scenes to build the company to get to this moment.
I'm so excited about the Clicks Communicator that I just had to draft up an OG tech blogger first look. I guess old CrackBerry habits do die hard.
For more info and to reserve the Clicks Communicator, head to ClicksPhone.com, but keep reading for insider details you won't hear from anyone else!
Project Clover Revealed!
For those of you who love device codenames, let's start with a fun fact.
The Clicks Communicator actually started as Project Clover.
Why Clover? Because on March 17, 2023 I actually registered the domain name ClicksPhone.com.
And what's March 17th? St. Patrick's Day!
Hence Project Clover was born. And to complement the Smoke (white) and Onyx (black) versions, we're offering a Clover (green) version of Communicator too!
And I am SO IN LOVE with the green on green Communicator... Maybe green is the new black?!
Building Beyond BlackBerry
Clover. Green. Some things are just meant to be.
And that's also how it feels when you pick up Communicator and hold it in your hand the first time. It's... meant to be. It really gives me all the feels.
Communicator is a Goldilocks form factor — not too small, not too big. It's JUST RIGHT. I don't think I've held a phone that feels this good in my hands for nearly 15 years… or maybe, ever.
And let me be clear up front - BlackBerry fans past and present are absolutely going to LOVE Communicator. But this isn't just for them. I think it's going to open a lot of eyes for people who've never experienced what a real keyboard on a phone can do.
And as admirable as other QWERTY efforts have been since the last new BlackBerry shipped (the KEY2 LE in 2018), Communicator is not an attempt to make a knock-off BlackBerry or ressurect handsets from the past. Our vision is grander and we're doing this the right way.
Communicator represents something that I feel is far more exciting, and important. Instead of just trying to #BringBackBlackBerry, we've been steadily building the company, team and vision to push forward and build a product that goes BEYOND BLACKBERRY, with a purpose-built communication tool that complements how we use our phones today with some really clever innovations that set the stage for the future as well.
To help bring this concept to life, there was only one person on the planet I wanted to work with on the design - Joseph Hofer.
Joseph was the Industrial Designer at BlackBerry who crafted the best and all of my favorite BlackBerry Smartphones of the day, from the original Bold 9000 to the iconic Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Q10. He even led concept refinement and integration with manufacturing for the BlackBerry Passport, helping turn it into the cult classic it has become.
So we partnered with Hofer Studio on the design of Communicator so we could both pay respect to the past but to also move beyond it and design something truly new and unique that sets the Clicks tone for the future.
Joseph led an absolutely brilliant process between working with the Clicks Product team and stakeholders like Me and MrMobile with our long wishlist of features and STRONG OPINIONS to land on a design that checks ALL OF THE BOXES.
I'm just so happy with the final result. Holding Communicator in hand is genuinely an emotional experience.
I love the look. I love the feel. I love the personalization we've cooked up with changeable covers. I love the pocketable size. And I Iove the performance and functionality we're packing in. There's just SOOO MUCH TO LOVE. I can't wait for you to experience it.
Communicator Hardware Tour & Tricks!
I want to kick it old school and dive into the details I know you'll love by giving you a vintage CBK tour of Communicator.
We'll walk around the front, back and sides, and I'll highlight some of Communicator's key features, specs and magic tricks along the way.
Let's dive in.
Business in the Front…
On the front, I absolutely love the display. It's 4.03" AMOLED with curved corners, a 120Hz refresh rate, with a 24 MegaPixel "holepunch" camera integrated. It's modern and the way the display sits proud to the mid-frame reminds me of a nice wrist watch - it's such a sexy and unique detail that makes Communicator instantly recognizable as something new and different.
And at the bottom of the phone, we gave Communicator a chin to be PROUD of. It's the PERFECT length to get your fingers at the optimal angle for fast and comfortable typing. Some QWERTYs make the mistake of putting the bottom row of the keyboard too close to the edge, which is just so wrong. It slows you down and makes you have to adjust your thumbs as you type.
That chin space gave us room to put in quality speakers and mic and we carefully contoured the chin up slightly, which gives you a nice pinch point for holding it, but more importantly it creates a recess for the keyboard to sit. This looks so beautiful and allows you to lie your Communicator face down without the keys touching the surface which helps protect them.
Speaking of keys… and yes, I recognize my bias here… but I genuinely think this is the BEST QWERTY keyboard ever.
Whether you're an old keyboard warrior or typing on buttons on a phone for the first time, it's just sooo optimal.
The width and height of the keyboard area allowed us to pack in BIG buttons with a lot more surface area compared to our Clicks keyboard cases and older BlackBerry phones.
The sculpting on the buttons makes it easy to find your letters - if you use Communicator for a couple weeks and build that muscle memory up, you'll be able to type on it without even looking.
Again, the physics here are perfect. It's a Goldilocks keyboard. If it's too small your thumbs are cramped, and if a keyboard is too wide it's slow - you have to MOVE YOUR THUMBS SOOO FAR FOR EVERY KEYSTROKE AND TAP OF THE SPACEBAR. This one hits a sweet spot that will let you be accurate and quick, even when you're typing on the move.
And magic trick time... the keyboard is touch sensitive, so you can swipe over the buttons like a touchpad, scrolling through your messages or web pages or feeds without having to reach for or touch the display.
Another trick, the spacebar (which is the perfect length by the way - not too short or too long) has a fingerprint sensor so you can unlock it and start typing straight away. One of my favorite ways to use Communicator is by typing what I want to do as soon as I unlock the phone: type for contacts, type for apps, etc..
And while it's a subtle detail, I love the combination of the raised display that lines up with the button height so you can move between touchscreen and keyboard seamlessly - it doesn't feel like you're sliding off the buttons and down onto the glass like it does on most keyboard devices.
And of course, the best part of having real buttons on a phone is shortcuts - you can hold down the red Clicks key and push another button to call contacts, open apps and more.
Party in the Back…
Flipping Communicator around, I kinda love the backside of it even more than the front, which I know sounds crazy, but it's true!
When it comes to setting the tone for Clicks as a brand, this is it. This is the vibe.
When I think back to the black and chrome look of classic BlackBerry phones in comparison, while I loved them then, they look dated to me now because the world has changed. BlackBerry was born as a business class brand and product for professionals, but business class isn't suits and ties anymore. Today's professional vibe is different. It's athletic leisure. It's function and personal style. It's pickle ball after work.
I think Clicks absolutely nailed the design with Communicator. It's a head-turner. Don't be surprised if you catch yourself, or other people, staring at it.
The back of Communicator feels and looks more like an everyday carry product - like a luxury wallet more than a piece of tech. I just want it in my daily kit. And I freakin' love that.
The chamfered edges make Communicator such a joy to hold, letting your fingers wrap around the edges just perfectly, and the slope at the bottom positions Communicator in your hands with perfect balance.
One of our big goals with Communicator was bringing customization and control back to a category that's gotten painfully predictable. Interchangeable covers let you put your own personality into the device and make it feel like yours, not just another slab of black glass.
Clicks will offer protective cases for Communicator, but honestly -- just like classic BlackBerry phones -- it's designed to be used naked. Covering this beauty up with a case feels almost criminal.
And there's SO MANY GOOD COLOR COMBOS! And we're just gonna keep these coming in different colors and textures, including leather.
Wireless charging is supported and the Clicks Covers have a magnetic ring built in, so you can use it with other Magsafe accessories.
If you're hoping the battery is removable.. It is.. NOT. Unfortunately, swappable batteries would force us to make the device too thick or compromise on battery capacity - neither of which we were willing to trade off. So INSTEAD we invested in the development of a cutting edge silicone-carbon battery that packs 4000mAh into Communicator and will give you PLENTY OF JUICE.
For chipset, we're running a new 4 nanometer unit from MediaTek - it's considered upper mid range (vs. low or mid) and will deliver plenty of power for Communicator. It's running Android 16 out of the box with 5 years of security updates and support for Android 17/18 guaranteed.
Communicator comes unlocked and we're also giving you a slot for a NanoSIM card (in addition to eSIM) so you can get your 5G on, as well as expandable storage so you can toss up to a 2 Terabyte microSD memory card in it.
If you want more specs and to see the supported bands, hit up ClicksPhone.com.
Also on the back, we have a single shooter 50 MegaPixel camera with OIS.
And check this... we designed the camera module to look like the Clicks logo - how cool is that?!
Surprise on the Sides!
OK, let's go onto the sides, because I've kinda been saving the best for last and I know you're going to love what we've done here.
On the top we have the power button, and we've brought back the 3.5mm headset jack, so you can rock wired headphones. You're welcome!
On the left side we have the volume/up down buttons, and we've also put in a kill switch so if you want GO DARK and silence your sounds and notifications, you can do just that with a flick.
On the bottom we have our USB-C for charging and data.
But now, let's talk about this button on the right.
SURPRISE! It's not just a button, but it's also where we're putting Communicator's notification light!
There was no way MrMobile and I were building a phone without a notification light.
We had a lot of debate around where to put it though, and I get to take credit for the suggestion to put it on the side - this way whether your phone is face up or face down you can view it.
We call it Signal, and it's there to help you cut through the noise. This isn't intended to be blinking all the time but to only go on when things that matter to you come in that truly need your attention. You can customize it to different colours based on what's looking to get your attention - like your VIPs or specific apps.
Now, for the button.
OG BlackBerry users will remember the old trackwheel on models like the BlackBerry 7290 or 8700 - it was within perfect reach of your thumb and felt so natural to use as part of OS experience. To make it a boring power button like most phones do these days is just such a missed opportunity for such a natural motion. So we're making this button a core part of the Communicator experience.
And we're calling it the PROMPT KEY. And it's kinda the future.
As much as I love composing messages typing on real keys, sometimes it's more convenient to TALK, especially if I care less about what I'm saying and just need to spew something out.
When you're in a message field, you can press it in, voice dictate your message while holding and when you let go it'll send the message. This is also great when you're dumping your thoughts into ChatGPT or want to record a note to self - the times when you just need your words out of your head and care less about the composition of them.
We've also added a microphone to the back of Communicator, so if you want to record in-person meetings, you can lie your Communicator down on the table, double click the Prompt Key and it'll start recording and the Signal will pulse a low level light to remind everyone your mic is hot.
This is how you do AI functionality right, with hardware and software really working together to build an experience that feels natural. We think of the Signal and Prompt key as a platform and we're building partnerships with several companies to take full advantage of it on Communicator.
And yes. The Prompt Key. It most definitely Clicks. 😀
Now let's talk software and who Communicator is for.
Building Tools for People Who Take Action
So what's our goal with Clicks now graduating from accessory builder to hardware maker?
Look, it's 2026 and I think at this point in the game most people have picked the phone team they're on, whether that's iPhone or Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel.
We're not daft thinking we can compete with the big boys at the flagship game straight out of the gate.
And we don't want to.
It might sound unconventional, but our aim with the Clicks Communicator is to build the BEST SECOND PHONE on the planet.
There's over a quarter billion people today who use two phones. Some have a personal and work issued phone, others have a weekend or digital detox phone, some want two phones because they travel a lot and use one for home and one for roaming. Other friends of mine want a second phone when they're on their dating apps, or running their criminal enterprises (Kidding! Just seeing if you're still reading!).
While I know so many of you BlackBerry fans reading this will be totally cool using Communicator as your Primary phone, this notion of a pocketable, communication-optimized second phone I think has a lot wider appeal than some of the 'other device' approaches I've seen and tried… and to be blunt, I've tried all of them.
My daily driver is typically an iPhone these days and I'm probably always going to have an iPhone - it's my everything phone, and the camera is undeniably great. But it's also become a distraction magnet. Once I pick it up it's way too easy to get sucked in and never want to put it down.
And keep in mind this is me talking… I literally co-authored the first book on smartphone addiction back in 2008! And I still struggle with this more today than ever.
When I want to get work done I literally have to lock it in another room, or I'll find myself back on the social apps one way or another and my day is ruined.
So while you can still do everything on Communicator -- it's a full Android phone after all -- between the hardware and software experience you're going to find it becomes far more of a communication and productivity tool than a consumption and distraction device.
And I think it'll be very approachable to both iPhone and Android people.
We've partnered with Niagara Launcher to build a custom version of their popular Android launcher for Communicator, that's optimized for the screen size with some new tricks to take advantage the buttons on the keyboard.
With Niagara you can pin your favorite apps, and reply to messages right from the Home Screen. It's a little like having the much-loved BlackBerry hub as soon as you unlock your phone. And there's no icon drawer to look at and suck you in - though you can access everything from an app list when needed.
If you're an iPhone person and the word Android makes you cringe, I think you're actually going to approve of the experience we've cooked up.
And if you're already Android native, well, you know the deal.. You can tinker as much as you like to dial in the experience.
Communicator really is designed to give you back time in your day. We want you to get notified when things are important, get in, and get out and back to real life.
Less Doomscrolling. More Doing!
EXPECTATIONS AND RESERVATIONS
Now, MrMobile and I… we love surprises. So in general, we'd rather build behind the scenes and announce new products when they're getting manufactured and almost ready to ship. That's what we did with the Clicks Keyboard Case and Clicks Power Keys, another awesome product we just announced (you can jump over to MrMobile's channel to watch his video on that one).
But building a phone is a different beast and we think Communicator is going to be really popular - so we wanted to announce it now so we can work better with our suppliers and partners to plan for the demand as we work through the final stages of bringing it to market.
Reserve Communicator Today to lock in $399 USD Early Bird Pricing
I'm so excited for Communicator and cannot wait for you to get your hands on it. And I hope you're feeling the same way.
Clicks Communicator will be available in Smoke, Clover, and Onyx at a special launch price of $499 USD.
If you purchase your reservation before February 27 you will lock in early bird pricing and priority access:
- Reservation deposit: $199 USD to lock in a $399 USD early bird price, or
- Reservation paid in full: $399 USD with two additional back covers included (Save $200)
I hope you reserve it - it's going to be an emotional and awesome phone for you to get your hands on and we'll have some fun together over the months ahead as we bring you along for the ride! And in true CrackBerry and now Clicks style, we'll be looking for members of the community to help with beta testing - so if you want to put up your hand, stay tuned for that call for help.
Again, hit up ClicksPhone.com for more specs, pricing details and to reserve and for the FAQ which will probably address most of the questions you have that I may have not answered in this write up (and we'll keep adding to it as questions come in).
And be sure to watch the official Clicks unveiling of Communicator and PowerKeys.
Now that Clicks is turning it up to 11 and launching something worthy of CrackBerry-excitement levels I'll be firing up the CBK YouTube channel again, so be sure to follow and turn on notifications there. You can also follow @CrackBerryKevin on all the socials for more content and exclusive tidbits. I'm most active on Instagram and LinkedIn, but you can also find me on X, Threads and TikTok.
That's it for this one… CBK OUT! 👍
CrackBerry Kevin (and also Clicks By Kevin)
$199 to Reserve
Clicks Communicator
A new kind of mobile communicator. Designed for doing, not doomscrolling.
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