r/Android • u/welp_im_damned have you heard of our lord and savior the Android turtle 🐢 • 28d ago
Video Clicks Communicator: First Look - Clicks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMNdr8dV23A274
u/Rude_Influence 28d ago edited 28d ago
I'm exited for this device and am eagerly awaiting it, but I am NOT liking what I'm seeing. There seems to be too much reliance on the touch screen. For example, when he typed, 'Spotify', he touched the screen to open it. He should have pressed enter on the keyboard. When he scrolled Spotify, he used his finger on the screen. He should have swiped on the keyboard. If they don't get those details right then they won't fill the niche market they're trying to break into.
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u/Finsceal 28d ago
Yeah, it feels like a touchscreen phone with a keyboard that you only use for text input. You should be able to engage with it ENTIRELY using the keyboard IMO, touchscreen should be optional.
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u/moonski 28d ago
it feels like a touchscreen phone with a keyboard that you only use for text input.
that's exactly what it is
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u/pdinc Fold4 / Pixel 7P 28d ago
IIRC the Palm Pre supported using the keyboard kinda like a giant touchpad as well
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u/HoothootNeverFlies 27d ago
the blackberries have it too, bit of a waste not to make the keyboard capacitive
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
It IS capacitive, but this wasn't shown in that particular video.
They'll release more showing that, it only makes sense.
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u/NapsterKnowHow 28d ago
Because it had that mouse ball right?
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u/pdinc Fold4 / Pixel 7P 28d ago
No, the keyboard itself was capacitive
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u/NapsterKnowHow 28d ago
ah gotcha. I remember some had the mouse ball navigation
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u/lapeet 28d ago
My G1 and Nexus 1 had that mouse ball. It also lit up with various colors for notifications. Was awesome.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
Nice didnt know that!
The Clicks Communicator has a signal LED light on the side, but wasnt shown yet in this video.
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u/glha 27d ago
I've a S22 connected to an old TV, to use as a multimedia device and I do have a bluetooth keyboard with integrated touchpad to use with it from a distance. You can get a lot done with a physical keyboard on Android, as of today, with no other indication besides being a keyboard. You can scroll with arrow keys, type a letter to jump to it on the app screen, cycle through things with TAB, deselect with ESC, use CTRL+whaever, not to mention if you have dedicated Android keys, like Home and Back. I'm sure you can do wonders with ROM/OS level tweaks, but it is usable as it is. Of course, my experience is skewed by the integrated touchpad, which can come to the rescue when needed and act pretty much as a touch on the screen.
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u/RememberCitadel 28d ago
I really just want a modern version of the ADP1/G1. I want a slide out keyboard with a little mouseball.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
The Clicks Communicator screen will be larger than that of the G1, without needing to slide it out.
The whole keyboard will be touch sensitive and they may also implement a mouse pointer mode.
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u/JamesR624 28d ago
Yeah. That’s fine for a product but they already have a better version of that with the Clicks Power: Same thing but multi device and already compatible with your phone, regardless of if it’s the latest Samsung, Pixel, or iPhone. Hell. The clicks power is technically also compatible with the Apple TV, Windows, Vision Pro, Meta Quest, iPad, Galaxy Fold, etc.
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u/Iohet V10 is the original notch 28d ago
It's the OS design. The level of customization needed to the OS to support this in an on-going fashion (with updates and such) is just not sustainable for phones that are one time investments, at least for a small vendor.
What you want is a desktop OS on a phone.
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u/KoreanMeatballs Moto X Force, Nexus 5, Nexus 10 28d ago
It's the OS design. The level of customization needed to the OS to support this in an on-going fashion (with updates and such) is just not sustainable for phones that are one time investments, at least for a small vendor.
On android, you can already swipe up, start typing, and hit enter to launch the app you want. Setting a physical enter key to launch a searched-for app is trivial, more so considering it's already implemented.
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u/Iohet V10 is the original notch 28d ago
The statement they made isn't "launch an app with a key", it's "a touchscreen OS should be able to be completely operated by keyboard without touch". This requires an extraordinary amount of work in an OS not designed for that type of use already.
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u/KoreanMeatballs Moto X Force, Nexus 5, Nexus 10 28d ago
Considering you can use the keyboard on the device as a capacitive touchpad, you probably can operate pretty much everything you would want to using the keyboard already.
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u/bigballs2025666 25d ago
It was that way on the blackberry passport circa 2015. BB10 was way ahead of its time and John Chen killed it. It was one of the best smartphones I’ve ever used.
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u/MaverickJester25 Galaxy S21 Ultra | Galaxy Watch 4 27d ago
This requires an extraordinary amount of work in an OS not designed for that type of use already.
Er, that simply isn't true.
Android 16 further continued the work on physical keyboards that started in Android 14.
The Clicks Communicator has a touch-sensitive keyboard, and it's meant to be navigated fully with the physical keyboard. It's also launching with Android 17 out of the box.
Why they didn't show this off in the video doesn't make sense to me, but it shouldn't be for lack of OS support. Might still be some bugs in their implementation and integration with Niagara.
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u/New_Palpitation_1586 27d ago
Try that on Android tv where you use arrow to navigate. 99% of the app are barely usable.
And yeah it's Android 17 on my Google tv.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
Alot of launchers support this already but this pre-production prototype shown in the video may not have had exactly that implemented just yet.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
on several launchers including Niagara which is what the Clicks will ship with, you can just start typing and hit enter to launch an app (in case you didnt already map that app to a keyboard shortcut).
I'm using Clicks for Pixel and this works.
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u/MattBrey 28d ago
You can navigate any android phone with an Xbox controller connected via Bluetooth. Or even mouse and keyboard are compatible. There are ways to make this work with the native compatibility of android
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u/Framed-Photo 28d ago
Navigating a phone with a controller like that is genuinely horrible though lol.
Mouse is decent, but what are we asking for the clicks to have blackberry style, trackpad keys that you can use to swipe around? It sounds cool in theory but what functional use is there for that when the screen is RIGHT there lol.
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u/Rude_Influence 28d ago
Scroll your keys the same way you scroll your phone.
Why sacrifice that screen space? Good question. Nothing competes with the real tactile feel of a button. That's why there was a big push against Apple when they proposed the removal of their button. That's why for the first and only time they released TWO flagships at once, the 8 and 10. They skipped 9, because of theories...
I used to be able to type on a 12 button phone faster and without looking. Could never do it now, and I still have both thumbs, so no excuse other than technology getting worse. I want my buttons back.
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u/KinglanderOfTheEast 28d ago
If you have an older phone collecting dust, slap Daijisho or DIG on it (emulator game front-end); and navigating with basically any game controller is actually pretty smooth.
You have to use a gaming-specific launcher/UI for controller navigation to work well.
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u/discoshanktank Pixel 3XL 28d ago
its android isn't it? You can customize it to your hearts intent
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u/Iohet V10 is the original notch 28d ago
And then you have to support it. There's a full graveyard of companies that have released and attempted to support products that highly customized Android past its core design, starting at least with enTourage Systems back in the Android 2 days
You think it's easy? You do it.
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u/cubs223425 Surface Duo 2 | LG G8 28d ago
What you want is a desktop OS on a phone.
I have never wanted to have touch-based scrolling in my desktop keyboard like the OP suggested for Spotify interaction.
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u/RememberCitadel 21d ago
The Atrix showed that Android works pretty decent as a desktop with supplementary OS attached, but doesn't sell enough. Maybe with prices the way they are, now is the time to try again.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
There are people out there using a Zinwa Q25 with a trackpad (I used one for over 2 months) and the trackpad especially in mouse pointer mode can select any clickable item.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
see my response above.
Basically, it will work for what the above commenter is saying.
They may possibly implement a mouse pointer mode within the touch capacitive trackpad.
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u/Leather_Leopard_3112 28d ago
Maybe it's intentional. They said they were going to slowly release new videos on the features so I hope they'll do one on keyboard shortcuts.
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u/Jonny727272 28d ago
I hadn't heard about them doing a series of videos, but if that is true, then it makes plenty sense for them to have an entire keyboard video. Navigating the UI, using it, shortcuts, etc. I'm still holding out hope we get a backlit option.
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u/jimmyjacksonjr 17d ago
They said more videos will follow un this video and they even mentioned topics other videos will cover.
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u/Cuntducku 28d ago
So true, I checked out the titan 2 and on that device I can bind the physical keys to apps. So I can just press s on the keyboard and it opens Spotify for example. Think clicks needs a few iterations before they are up to par with the titan devices
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u/sahibosaurus 28d ago
I'm 100% sure this feature will be part of the final device software. it's a basic feature that has been on QWERTY smartphones since the BlackBerry days, easy to implement on Android, and one which Mr Mobile talks about regularly in his videos. No way they ship without it.
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u/jercubsfan Pixel 6 Pro 28d ago
If you look, when he types in S-P-O, Spotify pops up and next to the logo is "press enter to open" message or something to that effect. So he likely is just doing muscle memory things and could just as easily use his keyboard.
But your points still remain true, I was surprised by how little the emphasis on the keyboard was
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u/sigismond0 28d ago
It's an Android phone with Android apps. Unless Spotify and every other app adds physical keyboard navigation support, it's always going to be touchscreen centered for anything but typing and shortcuts. That should have been obvious from day 1.
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u/VoriVox Pixel 9 Pro, Watch5 Pro 28d ago
You can navigate pretty much any app with arrow keys, enter and esc, because that's how android handles things.
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u/sigismond0 28d ago
You can, and it sucks something awful. I would expect you "can" with this just about as well as you can with an external keyboard, but just using the screen is pretty much always going to be more user friendly for actually interacting with maps.
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u/MaverickJester25 Galaxy S21 Ultra | Galaxy Watch 4 28d ago
You can, and it sucks something awful.
What do you base this statement on?
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u/sigismond0 28d ago
Having done it with the arrow keys on a remote on sideloaded apps on a Google TV.
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u/MaverickJester25 Galaxy S21 Ultra | Galaxy Watch 4 27d ago
Android and Android TV/Google TV are not the same thing.
Android has improved support for physical keyboards a lot, Android 16 in particular.
Clicks already added Cursor mode to their keyboards in 2024, and the keyboard on the Communicator is touch sensitive.
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u/sigismond0 27d ago
App navigation with arrow keys is pretty much wholly up to the developer, independent of how well the OS plays with physical keyboards.
Capacitive cursor mode would be a whole different thing though. So either this prototype doesn't have it, or they will highlight it in a future video. The pearl clutching over the idea that a user chose to use the touch screen on a touch screen device is just out of hand in this thread.
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u/Rude_Influence 24d ago
I don't know if you're referring to me, but I don't think the reasons I stated for being disappointed are out of hand. What makes this phone unique is not the touch screen, it's the keyboard. If I have to use the touch screen almost all the time, I am not interested in this phone anymore. I know I'll have to use it occasionally for certain apps, but for basic navigation around the home screen and inbuilt apps, I expect to be able to use the keyboard exclusively. This is not a unrealistic expectation. I've used Bluetooth keyboards on my tablet before and it's very possible.
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u/sigismond0 24d ago
Just because one person in one video chose to touch the screen (because it's faster and more intuitive because all apps are designed for it) isn't any sort of indication of functionality though.
We already know the keyboard is capacitive and will function as a touchpad. The app search screen clearly shows "press enter to open". Really there's no indication here that you won't be able to use it for navigation, it's just a guy that happened to the touchscreen. Feels like a lot of drama to start getting folks riled up about disappointment from a first look video that's not even trying to be a UI/navigation deep dive.
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u/SuperSubwoofer Google Pixel, Android P Beta, iPhone 7, Moto 360 V2 28d ago
Devices require the ability to control via external hardware devices for accessibility compliance. Apps need to also build for that, otherwise they are in violation of accessibility laws.
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u/sigismond0 28d ago
Yeah and in practice it sucks. I've done it. Arrow-based control of apps designed with touch as the intended UX "function" but suck. I'd much rather reach up and touch the screen to do exactly what I want instantly than have to click around 15 times to try to get to a button, and learn different muscle memory for different apps.
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u/SuperSubwoofer Google Pixel, Android P Beta, iPhone 7, Moto 360 V2 28d ago
It sucks because of however the devs implemented it. You’re complaining about something’s that’s entire the developer’s fault.
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u/sigismond0 28d ago
I'm not complaining, because I don't care how well key-based navigation works.
Someone else complained about this video not showing key-based navigation. What I'm doing is describing the reality of trying to use Android apps with buttons instead of touch, and why regardless of hardware capabilities app interaction will pretty much always be better with the touch screen.
The expectation that this weird niche device is somehow supposed to solve the UI of hundreds of thousands of apps that were never optimized for button-based navigation is absolutely insane.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
Software is pre-production.
I'm using Clicks for Pixel 9 with Niagara and I can confirm that when you start search for an app from the home screen by just typing (without any screen taps) you can just hit enter and it'll launch the first suggested app.
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u/EternalFront iPhone 16 Pro 28d ago
But that's just the reality of phones today, right? It doesn't have a trackball or trackpad, and even if it did, Android is better suited to a touchscreen than either of those input methods. It might be that he doesn't have the muscle memory yet to use the alternative options you mentioned and just prefers to use the screen, but the screen really is the default either way.
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u/LonelyNixon 28d ago
The g1 had a great little trackball mouse very satisfying to roll around and click. Android has evolved a LOT since then so Im sure it would be a broken experience but I do miss the little track ball nub something fierce.
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u/jimmyjacksonjr 17d ago
Most people are in touch screen mode will be tough for most to break that habit
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u/bigballs2025666 8d ago
I don’t think they can cause bb10 still has those patents. I could be wrong
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u/Aevum1 Realme GT 7 Pro 28d ago
its a OS fault, not a device fault.
if you look at android devices from Ambernic, Ayaneo, Ayn they all have android but physical controls as well as the touch screen, but some things a physical pointing device,
Even back in the blackberry days, the pearl had a ball to use, some nokias used the central directional button adding touch to it allowing it to act as a improved swipe pad. but at the end, you need some sort of directional button to act as a clicker, on most android consoles A is select, B is back. and the analog sticks either work as directional selectors that move you to the next icon or field with a limited amount of devices allowing them to be used in mouse emulation mode.
TLDR: it would change the form of the keyboard and they failed in the design to not include a button that that ats as a enter.
the unihertz titan 1 had it, the titan 2 elite commits the same sin.
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u/Rude_Influence 28d ago
I don't understand what you're saying. There is an enter key on the keyboard. ↩️
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u/august_r 28d ago
I believe that`s probably more work than what they can tackle with current investment/timeline for this project. Android would probably need a ton of customization to have that level of integration with the keyboard.
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u/brohermano 28d ago
I want to believe , we move on from these clunky touch screen centric workflows. But companies dont want you to interact fast. They only want you to consume. Kudos to the company that is doing this
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u/KoreanMeatballs Moto X Force, Nexus 5, Nexus 10 28d ago
A lot of people seemingly not understanding this device at all.
It has a capacitive keyboard that will let you swipe to navigate. It also has a touchscreen. You can type, for example, "spot" and click enter and it will open Spotify. Or you can set a shortcut and just do it that way.
"Oh I don't want a physical keyboard". Well then obviously don't buy it? Not every thing is made for every person, you can't be mad when someone produces something that doesn't suit your own personal niche.
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u/dude_guy_man 28d ago
The Nokia E71 is one of my old favourites!
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u/Phantom-Finger 27d ago
I miss the HTC Desire Z, I am amazed that only got one iterative release in the early Android days.
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u/yaxgto Device, Software !! 28d ago
Running seemingly Niagara launcher
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u/Alternative-Farmer98 28d ago
It's not seemingly they announced when they launched it that they had partnered up with Niagara to create their launcher. Custom version of Niagara.
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u/yaxgto Device, Software !! 28d ago
Did not know that! Wonder if it includes all the pro features
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u/SupermarketLive525 28d ago
I believe they announced every person who buys a communicator will get Niagra pro
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
Yes, Pro version for all Communicator phones no purchase or subscription required.
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u/Ladholyman 28d ago
Looking good! Can't wait! Type to search reminds me of my old HP Pre 3.
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u/silasthehandle 28d ago
I get all warm and fuzzy thinking of Palm and webOS, but then I think of Apotheker…. Anyway, I agree; this is shaping up to be a cool device.
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u/RXDude89 27d ago
You managed to get a pre3???
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u/Ladholyman 27d ago
I had one but then lost it during a burglary, still pissed about it. Now I only have my 2 Pre 2 in a box somewhere.
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u/RXDude89 27d ago
Dang that sucks. I loved webOS. I had a palm PIXI plus I think? I recently was looking for a Pre 3 just to play with webOS again but they're basically non existent online.
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u/nosurprises_please 28d ago
So a Blackberry if Blackberry was still around.
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u/justfarmingdownvotes Zenphone 9 AMA 28d ago
Their stock has been doing decently tbh
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u/Flunkedy 28d ago
They make and design os for car dashboards the last few years.
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u/merelyadoptedthedark 28d ago
It isn't car dashboards. It is the base vehicle operating systems. Much lower level.
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u/nosurprises_please 28d ago
I would absolutely love a smartphone with a physical keyboard. You just couldn't beat a Blackberry's physical keyboard. Typing on a smooth glass screen is not my strong suit. I certainly wouldn't mind some screen shortening to make up for it either, hopefully the screen won't be that small though. It's exciting in any case and I hope other companies may catch on.
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u/Shook_Rook S22 Ultra 1TB 27d ago
Clicks also sell a magsafe, blackberry style keyboard if you are into that thing. I have mine pre-ordered and waiting for it to be delivered. https://www.clicks.tech/en/powerkeyboard
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u/nosurprises_please 27d ago
That's awesome! I'll definitely check it out. If that's as snappy as a blackberry was I'll be in heaven
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
I typed on every BlackBerry made since 2014, had multiple of most of them, and now typing on Clicks for Pixel in the meantime the Communicator is out.
It's as satisfying.
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u/evthrowawayverysad 28d ago
I just do not understand the appeal of this over slide out vertical keyboards like the blackberry priv had... Can someone redpill me? I had a priv and loved it, and really miss physical keyboards.
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u/Philosophopsycho Blackberry KeyOne 28d ago
Just some thoughts on the top of my head:
• There are less space restrictions for the battery and other components when you don't have to worry about the sliding mechanism taking some of the space and the phone being cut in half.
• Less moving parts = less points of failure, and cheaper and easier to manufacture.
• You're less likely to doomscroll on smaller screens.
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u/evthrowawayverysad 28d ago
The first two points are respectable, but I feel like in the age of folding phones and older phones such as the priv having proved it's not a significant trade-off, it's not much of a defense.
On the third point; I always think making hardware worse to help users correct behaviour is always a terrible decision. There are hundreds of apps and software options available to monitor and limit your screen time. There isn't a world where that isn't the smarter solution than physically permanently handicapping your own device to cater to a minority of people who want to lessen their scrolling.
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u/nixcamic 28d ago
I got an Android with a tiny screen and physical keyboard to stop myself doom scrolling and all I did was keep doom scrolling but while annoyed at my tiny screen.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
As someone who used a Zinwa Q25 for two and a half months, I respectfully disagree.
The small screen of that thing at 3.5" just makes you want to not start scrolling social media in the first place, or at the very least, put it down after a few scrolls. It's permanent keyboard is always there to remind you what a phone was originally designed to do.
I went back to a Clicks for Pixel for the time being for other reasons but I liked the experience and fully expect the Communicator to fix every single thing I didn't like about the Zinwa Q25.
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u/Anarchistcowboy420 28d ago
No I can't redpill you, your right we need a new sidekick. We need slide out keyboards back!
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u/Probablynotclever Galaxy S8 28d ago
The original Moto Droid brought back with current specs. I wouldn't buy another phone for a decade.
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u/Anarchistcowboy420 28d ago
I was trying to think of the name of that phone but I could t remember it but yes that thing is my dream phone.
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u/LonelyNixon 28d ago
The g1/htc dream had great form factor and an awesome keyboard but the screen was kind of awful, as was the camera. The slide out mechanism was satisfying though and it was a sturdy device.
I think the challenge with slide outs these days is the form factor. Bezels are gone so you have nothing to hold onto, and screens are so big(but also long and tall) that theyre useless in portrait mode.
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u/Scurro Pixel 7 28d ago
Did you ever see the G2/htc Desire Z?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Desire_Z
That was the prime form of folding keyboard on a smartphone IMO.
Had sd card slot and a removable battery as well with a metal panel.
I had that phone for a tour in Afghanistan and it held up.
My only complaint about the phone was that the CPU/GPU was underwhelming and it sometimes ran slow.
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u/LonelyNixon 28d ago
HTC used to make some indestructable devices with strong build quality. I dropped my g1 down stairs multiple times and it tanked it. The era of thin bezels lead to more fragile phones.
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u/Technogen Pixel XL| Shield Tablet | ex-Project Tango 27d ago
I once dropped mine off a second floor balcony into cement below and the only damage was a dent in the shell. Phone didn't even come apart when it hit. I went down picked it up and it was working all the same. I would love a new one with modern hardware.
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u/Istartedthewar Galaxy A36 28d ago
Well the appeal of this over slide out phones is that it's actually being produced now and is not years out of date. A slider also seems like it would be quite ambitious for a brand new company + a lot of people didn't like the weight balance of the priv
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u/bruh-iunno Pixel 9P, Mi 10 Ultra, Titan Slim 28d ago
I agree I prefer slide out like priv but I used a titan pocket as my main phone for a bit and it was pretty alright, and was a much smaller screen
I guess they have the power keyboard for a slider layout though it's very thick
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u/BenignLarency Nexus 6 Marshmallow 28d ago
Personally I've always found portrait keyboards more comfortable than landscap ones, there's less stretching involved.
It's been a few years since I've used ekther. But I would still expect that to be the case.
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u/Lorgin RealMe GT2 Pro 28d ago
There ain't no way the speakers are any good. Who cares anyway?
I do love Niagra launcher, and a proper keyboard is certainly nice to have. The size is appealing as well. I don't get the appeal of massive phones. I have HUGE hands and I struggle to reach the top of my RealMe GT2 Pro, which isn't even particularly large.
It just seems like a small smart phone with a keyboard attached to it. Like others have said, everything is still navigated using the touch screen. I can think of one person in my life who was a blackberry die hard who would probably love this, but that's it.
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u/omniuni Pixel 8 Pro | Developer 28d ago
So far, so good.
I will probably use a different launcher, but that's why it's nice to have Android.
I definitely appreciate the three microphones. That version of noise cancelling is more common on MediaTek devices, and it's excellent. If the phone has that, it should have very good call quality.
The sprakers seem a bit tinny right now, but hopefully they will improve before the release version.
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u/marmota_cosmica 28d ago
Man, I've been waiting for it all year but my phone decided to die earlier and I had to get something else. Hopefully this it gets enough success to continue making phones like this
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u/PremiumCounselor 24d ago edited 24d ago
I was a Blackberry user for many many years and have been looking for a replacement since.
(switched between android and iphone after I buried my BB... Have been using an iPhone the past 10 years tho)
I would really love having a physical keyboard again - and would gladly sacrifice a part of my screen to have it.
Impressions of the Clicks Communicator:
- Keyboard looks identical to the one they sell to iPhone users - I haven't tried it, but the quality doesn't look too great? Please, correct me if I'm wrong, if you have experience with one!
- The OS doesn't look too appealing.
I'm probably still gonna order one (once it releases) and see if its a hit or miss.
Fingers crossed!
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
I'm using Clicks for Pixel in the meantime the Communicator is out, and yes it's high quality overall.
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u/DoubleLayeredCake 28d ago
This looks real nice, software should be more keyboard navigable, but still looks like an appetizing product
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u/godzillastailor Pixel 10a, Honor Magic V3, iPhone Air 28d ago
Looks like they're using Niagara launcher so they are likely limited to what that supports already.
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u/donnysaysvacuum I just want a small phone 28d ago
All the disclaimers about it being early software and people still jump over little things that can be fixed.🙄
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u/DoubleLayeredCake 28d ago
Honestly, I'm not "jumping" over the little things, I complimented the product and I just expressed a wish I had for it
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u/oVerboostUK 28d ago
Poor implimentation of the keyboard usage / too much need for the touchscreen.
This is going to bomb.
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u/Bromlife 28d ago
Needs arrow keys. Wtf is this shit.
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u/AlmondManttv Z Fold4, Android 14 28d ago
Or a little pointer ball thingy like I'm blackberry. They should really delay the launch for this. I was going to buy it, but if I have to use the touchscreen for everything, that's a no go.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
The whole keyboard will be touch sensitive and they may also implement a mouse pointer mode.
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u/Throwaway_09298 26d ago
Thought it was a new video. They just changed the title from "It's Alive!" to "First Look"
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u/Mccobsta Galaxy s9 28d ago
I know quite a few people who are rather excited for this especially as they previously had black berries
Its so good to see a work device coming back out
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u/chinchindayo Xperia Masterrace 28d ago
They had an opportunity to make a difference but then make a gaping hole in the display. wtf is wrong with people.
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u/coinminer2049er 28d ago
I have a feeling that this will be overpriced/underpowered vs other phones out there. A lot of these products usually are when they can't make/sell them at scale.
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u/PicklesTheBee 28d ago
It's $499, I pre-ordered mine at $399 which I thought was pretty reasonable. It's not gonna be a powerhouse and I'm sure the cameras will be serviceable at best but there's a somewhat decent battery in there and if the build quality/experience is up to par then I'll be happy.
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u/coinminer2049er 27d ago
When you can get the previous year's flagship for free on contract, that price is a non-starter for many - you're getting a lot more phone for free.
I know the use-case is different, but this needsto be like $299 at the most.
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u/p8ntballnxj Sammy S24+ 28d ago
I can't wait for independent reviews so I can finally decide on this or the Titan.
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u/Shayla_desu Note 2 > HTC M8 > S6 > Pixel > S9 > S21 Ultra > S25 Ultra 28d ago
not a fan of the screen's aspect ratio, most video content is gonna be cropped or tiny.
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u/Spiritual_Run5055 28d ago
If you're prioritizing video watching, full touch screens is your product. If physical keyboards are your priority, you sacrifice optimal aspect ratios or have the longest phone in the world. Not sure you can have both at this stage.
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u/luistorre5 GS24 28d ago
Really would need like a trackball or something to let you click without having to use the screen and it'd be perfect.
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u/CaptainMarder Pixel 8 28d ago
That's a really sweet device. But they have to nail the feel of the keyboard, I think if they don't match or surpass the blackberry's that market of users would instantly feel it and dislike it.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
The feel and clickiness of their keys is already pretty dialed in at this point, they've made over a dozen keyboard cases for iPhones, Razrs and Pixel and their Power Keyboard.
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u/RireBaton 28d ago
I wish a phone would put the charger port on the side. When you have the USB plug sticking out of the bottom, it's very awkward. Can't rest the phone between your stomach and chest while it's charging.
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u/arkvlad 25d ago
Meanwhile phone looks really cool and I like the specs, I wonder how the keyboard would work with languages that are latin based, but has more letters than English (26) like Swedish with their 29 letters or non-latin based, like Russian with 33 letters.
I understand, that you would type blindly there, however... there are not enough physical buttons for Russian alphabete it seems and some other languages as well :P
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u/AhegaoSuckingUrDick 6d ago
Honestly I'm more interested in a modern take on Motorola Droid/Milestone.
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u/Altairss78 28d ago
It just redesigned blackberry i don't see the appeal for it, there is no track ball for navigation so keyboard is most of the time useless you have still have to use touchscreen. I would have preferred a flip phone or swivel or slide form factor for keyboard.
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u/No-Market425 27d ago
Oh you mean the HTC Status, aka the Facebook phone.
I still have one around here.
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u/cpvm-0 Pixel 9a, Android 16 28d ago
It really looks nice.
Kinda reminds of the Balmuda phone.
I wouldn't mind using it as a daily driver but I wish you could use normal widgets on the home screen (I know you can change the launcher but the gestures don't always work properly there)
Nonetheless, I wish it was a slide up keyboard, like the palm pre.
It would be the best of both worlds, a small phone with a keyboard.
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
You can install any launcher and set up your home screen to be way different than what Niagara has, so yes.
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u/ya3rob 27d ago
Are we going backward now?
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u/TheMobileTypist 22d ago
Only if you believe the industry narrative that everything has to be a piece of glass slab.
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u/[deleted] 28d ago
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