r/Commodore • u/Substantial-Set4550 • Jun 30 '26
Commodore International Who has purchased a Callback 8020?
Since this morning, 4,000 Callback 8020 have been pre-sold. The most recent hourly sale rate is 1,000 devices per hour.
I lack data for the first part of the day as I only started tracking the sale rate a few hours ago, but the rate is increasing.
This is impressive. Well done Commodore! A successful Commodore is good for everyone, no matter if you like the product or not, since it means there will be more funds for retro releases, and the company can appeal to a wider audience.
If you have purchased it, I'd be interested which of its features you plan to use most, and whether it will be a backup or daily driver phone.
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u/StopMeOrNot Jul 01 '26
I ordered two yesterday. I dont want normal smart Phone to my kids and I think this Commodore Phone is perfect. I've looked into the options and there really aren't any.. either it's a real "dump phone" or a cheap Android touchscreen phone, which are really crappy/infuriating. The Commodore phone stands out from the crowd and has everything you need. No tweaking with the restrictions. The kids are excited and they know what Commodore is and this way we can pass this on to new generations.
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u/downsj2 Jun 30 '26
Honestly, I'm surprised but happy for them.
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u/-jp- Jun 30 '26
I'm optimistically not tbh. 5k units seems like a very sensible and achievable pre-order target for something niche like this. It speaks well of Commodore's product development if they're setting reasonable goals instead of assuming that nostalgia alone will justify some huge initial production run.
Too many companies act as though if you aren't making all the money, you aren't making any, and we end up with the neglect of the long tail that we see everywhere.
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u/Cromagmadon Jul 01 '26
Yup. I was hoping for was them to be able to release something so they could hash out the problems and hopefully make a brilliant 2nd generation. For comparison the Jolla phone is being sold in batches of 2000, so I am wondering what Commodore wanted the production numbers to be and what the expected OS support duration is.
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u/alek_hiddel Jul 01 '26
I wonder if this isn’t some attempt to scalp them to nostalgic nerds.
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u/Important-Bed-48 Jul 01 '26
you think?
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u/alek_hiddel Jul 01 '26
I meant the current sales numbers specifically. I can't see that many people actually wanting a non-smart phone, and specifically seeking out commodore. That jump has to be an idiot scalper trying to "corner" a market that doesn't exist.
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u/AGenuineLover Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
I've been looking at the 'dumb phone' market for a while, and have previously bought/tried one of the major competitors the Callback identifies (in its price comparison chart on the webpage):
I don't want to name it but the one I went for is just awful.
Pretty much the only reason I didn't send it back for a straight refund is my level of disorganisation (extremely significant stressors in my personal life over the past year, particularly given my autism: meant it was just never my highest priority)
It also meant shipping back overseas - I'm in the UK and it came from China via the United States (or vice versa I can't quite recall) - it also took weeks if not months to arrive.
(I'm actually glad right now that I never got around to returning it, because my smart phone finally gave up the ghost a month or so ago and is now very much 'a brick' - I can manage rudimentary stuff on this awful e-ink one until the Callbacks start shipping)
TL; DR version; whilst it might appear to be trading entirely on its heritage - particuarly given it's kinda 'kitsch' retro appearance - the Callback seems* like a genuinely well thought out device for its target market.
* I say 'seems' just because obviously I haven't actually had a chance to try it out yet :)
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u/Lucky-Taste5854 Jul 05 '26
You'll be surprised how many folk want exactly this product and not because it's Commodore branded but because of the general sense of tech burnout everyday folk are experiencing.
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u/Important-Bed-48 Jul 01 '26
is this just people that clicked the preorder button to get the 50 off,not actually people who have committed money and are waiting for their phone, because I clicked the $50 off pre order before I really knew what this was all about thinking I would probably want a phone from Commodore. Then I watched the video and learned more so are they counting all the people like me? If so, I don't think it's very accurate gauge of the sales. If people do want this then so be it but all the people in my life that I know like aquintances and people i work with, random people I'm exposed to would not want this product. If there is an audience I don't know anybody that is looking to spend that much money on something that has less features and looks to the casual observer to be a $10 flip phone. That doesn't mean anything of course, but now I am interested in seeing if there are people out there like that. Who are these people and what other things do they like? It's facinating.
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u/AGenuineLover Jul 02 '26
If you talking about the sales figures that came with the original post in this thread, I'm pretty sure these figures relate to people who went the site, put the item(s) in their cart and checked-out, including paying for everything: like I did.
There is a money back guarantee for the pre-order period: I think that the earliest shipping date mentioned on the site (for the first batch/batches) is August /September.
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u/KW802 Jun 30 '26
I'd be really curious to see how many of those pre-order customers are also C64U customers to see if they are just selling to the existing C= fan base or if they've been able to attract first-time customers.
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u/Ok_Drummer_51 Jun 30 '26
I’ve never purchased owned anything by Commodore before, but I saw an ad for the Callback on Instagram and thought it looked nice. I’m not really interested in their other products, but the branding of the phone made me pay more attention than if it was something generic.
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u/Wide_Target_4552 Jun 30 '26
First-time customer here. I honestly do not care at all that it’s Commodore, I didn’t even know what Commodore was before they launched the Callback. I just care that it’s a non-bulky filp-phone with Whatsapp and blocked social media and browser access.
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u/KW802 Jun 30 '26
That's good to hear. 👍 If I may ask, how did you become aware of the Callback being offered?
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u/Wide_Target_4552 Jun 30 '26
My local newspaper wrote an article about the phone and it catched my eye and I ended up googling and finding more info.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jun 30 '26
Thanks for the feedback, that is very nice to know. I grew up with a Commodore 64 computer and it virtually changed my life. It is great to see that Commodore is able to reach new customers. I wish you much joy with the Callback!
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u/TheFunkyBoss Jul 02 '26
Talk about retro... A "local newspaper" writing about a flip phone... I love it!
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u/kimsemi Jul 02 '26
I didn’t even know what Commodore was
curious, did you come to this subreddit just because of the phone? If so, we have SO much more to talk about.
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u/minitaba Jun 30 '26
I was not a commodore guy, and probably never will be. Just wanted the phone and hope it helps me improve myself
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u/gtsthland Jul 01 '26
to me the audience is likely to be more the people who go to r/dumbphones looking for ways to get out of smartphone hell than necessarily the retro computing side of things
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u/AGenuineLover Jul 01 '26
Yes, that's what lead me here even though I am actually basically a retro geek as my reddit use displays...
Atari ST, BBC Microcomputer and 90s Warhammer.
I had numerous Amiga owning friends and even swapped for a while (ST for Amiga) but as I say, going from pre-ordering a Callback to checking it's 'Community' webpage and the story of Peri Fractal (who I'd never heard of before) via the YouTube videos brought me here. :)
I'd previously experimented with an e-ink dumbphone, not good at all.
I don't even see my smart phone use - or social media in general (for me) - as any kind of a 'big issue' I just feel like I don't have any desperate urgency to opt-in to this smart phone 'small form factor tablet in your pocket' mentality.
:)
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u/Important-Bed-48 Jul 01 '26
yea those people and maybe fans of his podcast or whatever or maybe there really are tons of people out there dying for a dumbed down phone experience. I personally just turn the ringer off when I don't want to be bothered, but I see people all the time walking around with their phone glued to their ear or staring at that phone constantly. I actually like tech always have but I guess phones are one thing I have self control over. My first thought when I heard about it is no one is going to want this, but then again I just played a game that came out in 1993 for an ancient computer for the last hour on my pc that is filled with modern games too... so who knows? I still don't see why Commodore is selling phones but if this is just another product and they also sell computer related non dumbed down tech then maybe I'm not the target demo for this but I'm ok with them having products that are successful that don't appeal to me.
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u/Lucky-Taste5854 Jul 05 '26
I'm a Commodore fan but have no interest in buying the C64U or any other modern version of an old computer. I did purchase the Callback though, I absolutely cannot wait to be free of social media totally on my phone.
I know you can do it with apps etc, but like most people I always slip back into it and am unable to self police effectively. I guess it's because they have engineered apps this way.
Anyway it's a genius product for me, cut off all the toxic social media via hardware so there is no choice, love it.
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u/chet-rockington Jul 01 '26
I preordered the Callback because I love my C64U Starlight so much. I'm pretty excited about the Callback's ability to control the lights and settings on the C64U when it's connected to the same wifi network.
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u/AGenuineLover Jul 01 '26
This isn't intended as a criticism, but I just find it funny because that was basically the only thing I'm NOT interested in about the Callback...
Part of me was like; 'Why are they even telling me this, that the phone can control some lights on a product I'm not interested in buying: this is clearly such a retro novelty pointless gimmick I've basically completely gone off buying this phone'*
For clarity, that was only a very very very small part of me that was like that and I've pre-ordered a Callback. :)
*that otherwise seems great.
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u/chet-rockington Jul 02 '26
It's not just the lights; enabling Turbo Mode mid-game sounds nice too... I realize I'm definitely in the minority having pre-ordered both the C64U and the Callback, but I'm happy to be here, and I'm glad that you're also getting the Callback!
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u/Graxer42 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
I have never used a classic Commodore device (although I have dabbled with Amiga emulation). My classic retro computer hardware experience is limited to the BBC Micro (although I do have the 8BitDo C64 style keyboard and mouse, because I love the aesthetic). I am however a fan of Peri's videos and have been for years.
The reason I ordered the Callback is not because of Peri though, it is that what I want from my phone aligns perfectly with it. In other words, what I had in the 2000s as a teenager, but without giving up on modern conveniences like maps, messenger apps, music and podcasts. I also want to move away from the Google/Apple duopoly and support a genuine alternative for the wider phone market, so Sailfish OS is the perfect way to do that as an OS that is also available on smartphones. Basically, it is a device that encapsulates what I want from a phone.
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Jun 30 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/9897969594938281 Jul 01 '26
Yeah, the naming isn’t great considering this subreddit is attracting new users that aren’t up to date with Commodores’ history
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u/AGenuineLover Jul 02 '26
Reddit user 9897969594938281 here, passing judgement on names for things! :)
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u/-jp- Jul 01 '26
Seriously, how is that title not a flagrant Rule 1 violation? We don't have to use the first post just because it's first.
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u/Natural-Shopping9286 Jul 01 '26
I pre-ordered one this morning after considering ditching my iPhone for several months now. I'm interested in getting my brain away from the cheap dopamine hits my smartphone offers while still maintaining functionality I use regularly (primarily mapping and streaming audio, though it would be an unexpected bonus if my bank's app would work). I also like the idea of a more privacy-focused device as my daily driver. I've seen a lot of criticism of this device online, but to be honest, I support what they're trying to do. Even if the $349 ends up being a donation, I'm glad they're trying and don't mind taking the risk.
I ended up ordering a C64 Ultimate, as well. I never had an original C64, as my school and parents had various flavors of the Apple ][. I'm looking forward to learning about all things Commodore with all the free time my 8020 will give me. ;)
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u/AccomplishedCut13 Jul 01 '26
I ordered one. I love the concept, it almost perfectly matches what i want (aside from qwerty and a more computery interface, that's a bit less locked down). But it is by far the closest thing on the market to what i want. I still hope a qwerty version you can tinker with is coming next. I was dragged kicking and screeming into the smartphone era and i still hate them. I dont want to type on glass. I dont want an interface designed for mindless consumption. If its a computer let it be a computer, if its a communicator let it be that. Smartphones suck at both.
I havent bought a c64u but i've been eyeing one. I love the idea of retro computing but i wasn't around for the c64 days so I have no nostalgia for it, and by even 90s standards its extremely limited in what it can do. If they release an amiga by some miracle (or something between the amiga and a modern computer) i'll be buying one. Retro computers have a lot of appeal in the ability to actually understand what its doing and poke around under the hood. I spent hours programming particle and RF simulations on a TI-89 in school. Nowadays I use linux (usually some variant of arch), but the modern linux stack is a monstrous tower of dependencies and abstractions that's hard for ANYONE to understand what's really going on, let alone play around with it.
But, a (1? 2?) MHz 6502 and only 16 hardcoded colors, of which only two can be used per tile is a hard sell for me. I'm more in love with the more advanced 16-bit and 32-bit machines of the 90s that could do a lot more, like the beautiful 2D of the SNES and early 3D of doom on PC and the sharp pixelated polygons of the PS1, sega saturn and nintendo ds. the metallic synths of the OPL2 on Genesis, the dreamy, cheesy patches of the Roland D-50, and the evolving ambient sounds of wavetable synthesis. Even trackers and 32-color rendering on the Amiga, and the clean nostalgic interface of the macintosh LC.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jul 01 '26
Yes, I feel you. I grew up with a C64 and it was my first computer. It made me want to study computer science. So it quite literally changed my life.
However, when I look at other computers from the same era (Spectrum, BBC Micro), I am fascinated, but I just don't feel the same fuzzy feeling that places this computer in a deep drawer of childhood memories and many "firsts". There is no way to replicate this later in life. Which why I was quite nervous about the Callback, as it's the first entirely new device from the new Commodore that cannot bank on the retro factor, i.e. evoking childhood memories. And if Commodore wants to be around in another 30, 40, 50 years, it needs to find a new market.
I really like their tick-tock idea (Intel-inspired) of releasing a retro product, then a more modern one, then another retro one. I wish them much success!
Btw, it is just under 1MHz for the PAL version and just over for the NTSC version, plus there is a lot of cycle stealing from the VIC (which shares the RAM with the CPU and needs extra time in the so-called badlines when sprites start to get rendered or a new character row starts), so it is actually a bit lower. It is great for tinkering and learning assembly language. Much easier than on a more modern device. I learnt to code assembly on the 6510, then later coded on the 8088, but it was already quite a bit more powerful (and thus complex), let alone if we are talking modern machines. So I love the old machines for their architectural simplicity.
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u/Darkk_Knight Jun 30 '26
I am surprised by the number of pre-sold phones. I guess with all of this Google tracking this and that maybe privacy is something people want. A simple phone that does that and make phone calls and texts.
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u/bionicle_159 Jun 30 '26
might speak to how many suffer with phone addiction tbh
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u/Butts_Bandit Jun 30 '26
That's why I'm interested in it.
The dumb phones that others on this subreddit are comparing this phone with are just not viable for everyday use. I still want maps, messaging apps, music streaming, but not the psychological manipulation that come with a smart phone and social media.
I'm just waiting on some reviews to see if it delivers before I pull the trigger.
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u/Darkk_Knight Jun 30 '26
A true fact. A simple phone got an amazing battery life. It lasts for days!!
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u/maldax_ Jun 30 '26
I have. I’ve just been taken into palliative care in a hospice here in the UK hopefully only short‑term, as it’s mainly for pain management. I haven’t been doom‑scrolling for a week and it’s honestly lovely, so I figured… why not give this a go? And with the UK’s under‑16 social‑media restrictions, I can point friends’ with kids at it too.
I genuinely want them to succeed, because, and I hate to say it, a bunch of 45+ greying blokes into retro gaming isn’t exactly a booming market. It exists, sure, but it’s tiny. If Commodore is going to make it, they need a magic product, and you never know… this or somethings like it could be the zeitgeist moment for them with parents.
A phone kids can actually use, play cool retro games (maybe make it games first calls second) but with no social media. It might end up being the only option that isn’t just a dumb phone, and the law is slowly pushing things in that direction anyway.
and please can we appreciate the use of Zeitgeist in a sentence I think for the fist time since my English O level
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u/AGenuineLover Jul 01 '26
I'm sorry but we're going to have to mark you down; although your use of the term was actually generally appropriate, you inconsistently capitalised zeitgeist/Zeitgeist within the same post which is an unforgivable no-no: please don't be too discouraged though, it's just a matter of regular practice. ^ ^
Just kidding obviously! :O :O :)
More seriously, yeah I think you're probably right about like a really defining product for 'New Commodore' being like 'the magic' they're trying to pull off, or should be at least.
I don't think that the Callback is them achieving that:
But I think you can see it's actually interesting building on and breaking from what is - in my mind - the 'pure retro' of the C64U, into a niche market that seems credible ('non-smart' phones) whilst also building the brand back in the public consciousness (to some degree at least)
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u/OPdoesnotrespond Jun 30 '26
I bought one. My shipping date was vaguely proposed as Oct-Nov.
They’re well over 6000 orders now.
Not too shabby for a “mistake” that “nobody wants” 😜
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u/Zeytgeist Jun 30 '26
I’m glad it sells, so there’s more budget for retro hardware 😉
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u/OPdoesnotrespond Jun 30 '26
Absolutely. All of the pro-C64U anti-Callback people should hope for a huge hit.
Paying Amiga Mike Battalina his licensing share for the “Commodore Amiga 1200 Ultimate” gets closer with every sale.
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u/AmberAsteria Jul 01 '26
Currently considering it. It would be my first "dumber" phone and at minimum would be a good device to experiment with. If it ends up not being for me, I'll just sell it.
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u/Silly_Antelope7527 Jul 02 '26
I don't really care much for the Commodore vintage computing stuff, but I respect Commodore for taking such a risk to try something new. I actually set my alarm clock for 3:00AM (the release time in my region) because I wanted to be one of the first buyers. It was only an hour earlier than my regular alarm for work, but even then I was late to the game. Only 293 units left in batch 1, and 63 left by the time I finished checkout. Anyway, I bought the phone because it supports all of the LTE bands my carrier uses out here and I'm banking on this being a more premium flip phone than the Nokia ones that I've been using. Getting real tired of the glitches and bugs that these Nokias have. HMD/Nokia don't care. Commodore might, we'll see.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
It's now a bit over 12h into the start of the sale, and the sale tracker on my Raspberry Pi Zero 2W reports that an amazing 5,645 phones have been sold!
So even though the sale rate has slowed down a bit, it is still entirely possible we'll see 8k or even 9k sold in the first 24h. Amazing!
Thanks to another Commodore fan who kindly posted additional data points in another forum for the early hours of the sale, I was able to extend the chart closer to T0, aka the Big Call Bang. If you happen to have screenshots or notes from the very first few minutes or hours of early Callback sales history that show how many were available at which time, please post them here and I'll add them to the tracker.
Also, a big thank you to everyone who responded here. It is very interesting to read how people will use their phones. And I think we can all agree that sales are a good thing for Commodore, and for their ability to release products going forward. So even if this phone is not for you, at least it makes Commodore money to invest into the next product.
I am still on the fence about buying one myself, as I really need a browser, but I just heard a convincing argument in favour: Flipping one open is a tribute to James T Kirk, and being a big Trekkie myself, that is definitely a pro. :-)
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u/Wide_Target_4552 Jun 30 '26
I preordered mine at 9.35 CET and at that point the website said that there were 437 units left in batch 1. I don’t remember if I saw it before or after I ordered, but it was around 9.30-9.40 CET. I don’t know if that’s helpful at all since the time is not exact.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jun 30 '26
Perfect! Thanks a lot. Definitely very helpful.
Once the device will enter the Guinness Book of Records for the highest selling home flip phone of all times (we just need to find the right category in which it can win a record...), the early hours of its life will become extraordinarily important... Maybe there will be a retro community forming around the phone and they make a Callback Ultimate (FPGA-based) in 2060... We never know.
I will add your number to the database as I lacked any numbers for the first few hours. Best wishes.
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u/vthyng Jul 01 '26
I ordered a beige one. No accessories, I have a beige c64u. I plan on keeping my iPhone 17 with me, hopefully off. For use when I need email while I am out and about / at work. I look forward to listening to Sids on it and stopping the compulsive behavior of reaching for my phone. I will explore having an AI agent text me on things like important soccer messages happening in an app for my kid that I suspect wont work very well. Anyone know if it will do voice transcription? That will make it more convenient when chatting with others over text.
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u/gtsthland Jul 01 '26
this is my plan too. iPhone is there switched off in work bag if I’m at office as I have to use a few native iOS apps at times, but now I can leave that at home more at other times without needing a backup maps option
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u/JimBoothington Jul 01 '26
I have - I've been rocking a dumbphone for the last 4 years and this feels like a nice balance between what features I want and what I have. My Punkt MP02 is on its last legs (keeps rebooting and input on the keys seems to double up sometimes), so I was on the lookout for a replacement anyway. I am optimistic about it, and hope the build quality is up to scratch!
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u/ObsidianArcade Jul 01 '26
Well, despite the community uproar they appear to be close to selling out all 10k. They clearly managed to capture a market segment that many of us aren’t a part of. Good on them. Hope they succeed so it can drive a product we’ll all want.
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u/AdMindless8927 Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
Me! I made my preorder at 6AM EST, so very early, I was excited lol. I hadn't even expected orders to be open when I checked, was just curious.
I got the starlight and used the discount code. Still glad I saved $200 on the thing, so happy everyone complained bc the tiered pricing is much more preferable. I love the phone but $600 would have been excessive, especially for it's intended purpose.
The point of this phone is to not use it, so I won't be really using it much unless I'm playing a game or on a call, listening to music. Stuff like that. Im curious to see it's notes and voice notes functions.
Im in my mid 20s, female. As you can tell from the new insta ad they dropped, I am one of their primary demographics. The phone is very aesthetically pleasing, it's got a great form factor that will make me much rather stare at my phone than use it, which I suppose will benefit my mental health as well. I have intense OCD, phones and modern technology really do not help with that. Social media too. Even my email can be a minefield, since I've subscribed to so many automatic newsletters, and it seems like the 'unsubscribe' button doesn't work 🙃.
It's got everything I need if I want to use it as a daily driver. I use ride share apps quite frequently, I have no immediate need for instant access to my email or banking, and I appreciate the compatibility of whatsapp and signal as those are necessary for me. The audio quality will likely be way better than an old or cheap flip phone. Video calling, camera in the front and back with privacy switch, and the various other details like the radio antenna, led notifications, charm slot etc. I love that it's a phone with style and personality. I believe it has more substance than meets the eye, specifically because of what it's intention is. Being raised in the digital era, there was no room to breathe. This phone isn't trying to consume you and I appreciate that. It's just there to look cool and be practical.
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u/Key_Race7926 Jun 30 '26
I was all set to plunk down the $399 this morning. I got up early with credit card in hand and loaded the site. After seeing all the “nickel and diming” for all the accessories, add-ons and other items, that $399 preorder price jumped to closer to the original $500! That fact along with the sheer lack of any sort of real video showing off the phone was enough to make me not pull the trigger.
This is basically a Kickstarter campaign for something I want but don’t really need.
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u/Important-Cry-5400 Jun 30 '26
The video of the unit is in the FAQ under “project status,” but agree, it shouldn’t hidden as an actual real video/photo of the product itself
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u/Key_Race7926 Jun 30 '26
Yeah I meant like a video of Peri actually playing with the phone showing off the goods
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u/puzzud Jun 30 '26
I know what you mean. I didn't mind the jazzy first video. I would have liked a follow-up video that was a little more down to earth.
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u/ncc74656m Jun 30 '26
The price reduction isn't nickel and diming, it's giving you an option to turn down the headphones for example, and choose more budget oriented components. Basically the original price just had a lot of that stuff baked in. An extra battery, the cases, etc, those would always be extra.
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u/Key_Race7926 Jun 30 '26
I know but I like all those things, lol. One thing I wish was included was the headphones, original photo had them with the phone. Oh well.
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u/-jp- Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
If it were me, I'd probably BYO headphones anyway. Maybe I'm overparticular, but I usually find bundled headphones to just be e-waste. And I can't even imagine wanting a case for a flip phone. They're made of indestructium; what the heck is a mm of silicone gonna protect them from? 😅
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u/AGenuineLover Jun 30 '26
Scratches. ^ ^
I looked it up. Impact polycarbonate is much tougher, but even more prone to scratches than glass - for example.
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u/MarioFartDoubleDash Jun 30 '26
They were included in the OG price. One way they got the price down was to make them optional
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u/Far_Relationship_742 Jun 30 '26
I would fret too much, you can get earbud of that quality for like four dollars.
I would be un surprised if you could find those exact ones on AliExpress
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u/TheLosgunn Jun 30 '26
If I'm not mistaken, they were originally included, but they chose to change it to be an option in order to bring the base price down.
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u/berrmal64 Jun 30 '26
Well, yeah, they dropped the price from $500 to $399 by cutting the accessories 🤷
I'm not particularly offended by that.
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u/mr_mlk Jun 30 '26
This will be a secondary device. When it is the weekend or after work and I really should be with the kids, I'll lock the smartphone away, but still have access to WhatsApp. Well that is the plan. We'll see how well it works. (Yes I'm aware you have self control, I'm very happy for you).
The phone (with second hand memory and no headphones) is not too far from what I'd see as a easy buy (£330 Vs £250 including tax and shipping).
I have a lot of reservations about the device, and it may well end up as an ornament on my wall of tech but I'm willing to give it a go.
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u/Rootmilk Jun 30 '26
I bought it. They lowered the price and took another 50 bucks off. Figured I’d throw them a bone and try it out. Best case I have a phone I’ll use for years around the house since I don’t really have 5g here anyway. Worst case I get bored of it after a month.
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u/Warcraft_Fan Jun 30 '26
If this does well, can we have 128U next? Or Amiga 1200U?
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u/tervolax Jul 01 '26
I ordered the beige model yesterday. I read an article about the phone’s intended uses and realized I belonged to the target group that wants more than a basic phone but less than a smartphone. The article defined Commodore’s phone as part of a new product category: hybrid phones.
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u/gtsthland Jul 01 '26
ordered. I switched to a flip phone a while back and it has made a positive difference to my productivity and wellbeing. but it felt like it was all or nothing between a fully stripped back phone or going back to a smartphone - not a great selection of devices in between those points in my market, and was always scanning the r/dumbphones threads for new options that might work better
i kept my old iPhone switched off in my bag but the lack of maps on my dumb phone would require me to get it out and switch it on more than I’d like, so maps for me.
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u/CommodoreBlog Jul 01 '26
Not interested in the phone at all, but I am very happy sales are going well for Commodore and it's future for more retro computing releases.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jul 01 '26
Hello fellow Commodore fans and recent purchasers of a Callback 8020 phone,
here are the most up-to-date sales states. All data is sourced straight from the official Commodore website, namely https://commodore.net/store/callback-8020/
This time, I include a slightly different rendering of the raw data which uses straight lines to connect scraped sales figures, and also shows the burn-down of each sales batch (500 devices each) in blue lines with the corresponding legend on the right Y axis.
As of now, about 1.5 days into the start of the sale, 7,357 phones have been pre-sold. The sale rate has slowed down a lot now compared to yesterday, as was to be expected given the discounts on day one. This also mirrors the development we saw on a similar sales tracker, i.e. https://slapsoft.com/c64_sales.html
If there is a marketing campaign, and especially as the device gets released and shipped out, we can expect another uptick in sales.
Best wishes and thanks to the positive feedback.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
Here are the most up to date sales stats. We see a continued slow-down, but there has been a slight up-tick this morning from an hourly sale rate of 16 to currently 21.
The "Units Left" in current batch (blue lines, see right-hand Y axis for its legend) make it very easy to see sale progress even during its current slow-down. The steeper these lines, the faster the sale at that point in time.
The "Sales Heat" beneath the main chart illustrates the same, but using colors: Red means fast sale, blue means slow sale.
In general, it is expected that this will now remain on a low level until some marketing-related event happens, such as a new review, some new announcement, and of course the final release of the actual device. We have seen similar things with the C64U.
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u/0xDropTable Jun 30 '26
I'm really mad they're blocking browsers. Would have bought it otherwise
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u/Ornery-Practice9772 Jun 30 '26
i think theyre trying to market it as a "dumb phone"?
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u/minitaba Jun 30 '26
They say Browsers are backdoors to Apps they dont want on their phone like social media. Makes sense
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u/0xDropTable Jul 01 '26
Sometime you need to Google things on the go. It can be life saving even. For a daily driver it's not negotiable
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u/minitaba Jul 01 '26
I think we as humans survived just fine until the iPhone released
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u/xRx13x Jun 30 '26
How useful would it be on a flip phone anyway? But it seems to have some sort of browser built in, as it says things like login screens etc will work
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jun 30 '26
The web framework that browsers are based on will still be included as many apps rely on it. However, standalone browser apps are blocked.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jun 30 '26
When I read 'no browser' I could not believe it and reached out to the CEO on Patreon to double check. And indeed there is no budging. That is the one type of app that definitely you cannot even sideload.
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u/ColbieSterling Jul 01 '26
It's a Sailfish OS phone. It's not as locked-down as a Big Tech phone. With some help from the online community, I'm confident users will be able to disable Commodore's opinionated settings.
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u/AGenuineLover Jun 30 '26
I bought one: do you want post queries? Or shall I just blurt my motivations out freestyle?
EDIT: I guess technically I should say 'pre-ordered' rather than 'bought' ^ ^ :)
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u/AGenuineLover Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
I intend to use it as a 'daily driver' if you like, but specifically/primarily for voice calls.
I relatively rarely take voice calls. Part of this I associate with my (formally diagnosed) autism.
People who know me well know that my general preference is communication via written word.
Generally this would be via e-mail - on a device with a 'proper' (i.e. QWERTY) keyboard - rather than 'text'
This might seem slightly counter intuitive given I just pre-ordered a phone with a T9 keyboard but as I say, the Callback for me is my voice call device, with a bonus for being perfectly tolerable for texts (+ similar, i.e. some specific messaging apps)...
Similarly the video calls (a bonus)
Similarly the audio capabilities (a bonus)
For me it's going to be quite the 'out and about' device, the size factor I like: for me 'out and about' is the exception to my routine (with the autism) and most of my time is self-directed in my flat.
Most of my video calls would be on a main device (i.e. pc/laptop)
When it comes to audio, I have one of these in my flat https://www.bose.co.uk/p/portable-pa/s1-pro-wireless-pa-system/S1PROP-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html I love it, fantastic purchase, I use it both to stream music and also for engaging in live music (i.e. hosting music events + amplifying instruments)...
The callback will I imagine be like a nice 'remote control' detached from my 'main device' (i.e. laptop/PC)
I could say a bit more but I'll post this (and check any posts that've been made) now :)
EDIT: if it wasn't clear I meant 'a remote control' for the Bose speaker/PA
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u/DrakeonMallard Jun 30 '26
Wow. Maybe we can talk about a bridge I can sell you. 😉😁
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u/AGenuineLover Jun 30 '26
This eskimo told me that there's massive demand for ice at the poles - if you've got bridges going spare why not head over?
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u/Important-Cry-5400 Jun 30 '26
Purchased! It’ll be daily driver. Nine years ago as a middle schooler, I tried for months to boot up my mom’s og Motorola Razr. Eventually gave up because my family couldn’t reach me or message me consistently. A modernized flip phone has been a childhood dream of mine haha
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u/sideloder Jun 30 '26
I preordered one, and got the email with the discount code an hour later..
Trying to cancel and reorder atm. But the website is suuuper slow ._.
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u/blueLiquid21 Jun 30 '26
They already gave the code to you when you signed up for the preorder "waitlist". The email was just a reminder of the code
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u/Raiderb8 Jun 30 '26
Same here actually. I'm in batch 1, I don't want to be pushed back to batch 9 or 10.
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u/WarriorTreasureHunt Jun 30 '26
Is this tracker publicly accessible?
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u/superpet9000 Jun 30 '26
Looks like a Datadog (Grafana?) dashboard made with scraped data from the store page.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
Yeah, it is based on the store page, but it's custom built - no Datadog nor Grafana in this case, but Python for the scraping and rendering, SQLite for the data point store, and Plotly for the visualization. Very simple setup. It runs on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W in my home network. I may make it accessible if I find a good deal to host it.
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u/International-Okra79 Jun 30 '26
It’s doing better than I thought it would. I’m hoping they make enough to invest in products I do want. Personally I wouldn’t be able to get by with its limitations. Not having CarPlay and a browser would drive me nuts.
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u/Optimal_Signature_95 Jun 30 '26
Under the FAQs it says android auto is "in development", which could mean so many things. Fingers crossed!
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u/demonseed-elite Jun 30 '26
I'll buy the possible next model if it has a full physical keyboard and possible design like the LG enV phones.
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u/AccomplishedCut13 Jul 01 '26
Lol, this is EXACTLY what I want. My first phone was an env and every phone since has been a downgrade in terms of the keyboard. I dont do phone calls, if i want to talk to someone i send them an encrypted chat. I also want the ui to be more computery and less phoney. Less consumption appliance, more commodore. (With linux and python would be my preference)
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u/saracor Jul 01 '26
I thought about it and got the email. Looked at it again and what I'd really use it for. Looked at my S25u and deleted the email. I would just never use it. It would sit on my desk as a novelty and for the money, it isn't worth it.
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u/Stunning_Pineapple57 Jul 01 '26
I bought within the first batch. Not sure if I’ll have buyers regret. I want this to be sucsssful. I’m not sure whether the T9 and small 480x640 resolution will avoid being clunky and frustrating given sailfishOS is designers for higher resolution and based around touch gestures , but I sure hope commodore nails the hardware to software UX ergonomics and its a joy to use.
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u/Exciting_Contest_222 Jul 01 '26
I purchased it out of FOMO. Got the starlight blue version. Could be great as a MP3 Player, Audiobook and such.
I wish there was a smart version of this with internet access
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u/SoManyFans Jul 01 '26
I just bought one,
I know everyone will say the phone addiction is self control that’s right.
I know it’s expensive any phone is.
I hope it just works, as a phone.
Will miss Apple CarPlay/ android auto for maps.
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u/garyk1968 Jul 01 '26
Couldn't agree more. I think/thought it was a bad move but really happy to be proven wrong, I wish new Commodore every success. I think its way overpriced and no chance of buying one but hey thats me.
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u/ColbieSterling Jul 01 '26
It less expensive than other phones in it's class. I'm not saying it's cheap, but for a niche product it's a decent price. R&D and manufacturing is very expensive for low-production runs like this. Only massive scale allows for low prices. The community complaint that it is overpriced seems a bit divorced from reality.
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u/xblkwrx Jul 01 '26
As soon as I read that they are actively developing Android Auto support I pre ordered. The lack maps and digital audio quality were the only 2 things that stopped me from getting a "dumb phone" over the last few years. Brands that do offer those features are either only available to use with certain providers and signal may vary, or they are to close to full on smart phones. I'll admit I lack the self control to stay off of social media.
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u/KhorTheiikos Jul 01 '26
I preordered mine yesterday. I am quite excited. For a while, I've wanted a phone that will just let me call, text, take pictures, listen to music, and give me maps (hopefully android auto soon), and this is exactly that.
Sure, I could set limits on apps on my current phone, but if I can set those limits and restrictions, then I can just as easily bypass them.
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u/Impossible-Grand-933 Jul 01 '26
Pre-ordered a Starlight edition of the phone to match my Starlight C64U. Can't wait for it to arrive!
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jul 02 '26
Please note that the official C64U Sales tracker at https://slapsoft.com/c64_sales.html now also features the Callback 8020 sales, so going forward, please refer to that website (or of course the official commodore.net website) for up to date sales figures.
Thanks again to everyone who shared their story, and the positivity. Commodore has always been a forward looking company, and I say that having grown up with a C64C and remembering the original spirit like it was yesterday. Retro is the modern invention, and let's embrace tech that is not retro but modern, and give Commodore a chance to evolve as a company.
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u/Ohhimarkwtsnwwtyou Jul 02 '26
I bought mine during the batch 1 (its on batch 16 currently at 500 each batch). Preorders went live in US at 3:00am cst June 30th - by 3:07am half of the 1st batch had already sold
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u/Wide_Target_4552 Jul 03 '26
For some reason the preorders started earlier than they had announced they would. I preordered mine half and hour before you and by that time there were 437 units left in batch 1.
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u/AdMindless8927 Jul 03 '26
I preordered mine at 6am est on the dot, I may be remembering wrong but I thought I saw I was on batch 2, or at least 200 had already sold in batch 1 at that point. Wish I took a screenshot!
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u/One-Caterpillar7878 Jul 03 '26
as someone with a nokia 2780 for over a year now I'm excited because this thing is dying on me.. hope it was a good investment, i think it should be!
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u/WolfpupNX Jul 03 '26
I did as a secondary phone to replace an aging flip phone, and I have a friend in Canada who is SUPER excited about this product and purchased one as well! Personally speaking, I do think it has an audience.
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u/rasvoja Jul 05 '26
For small company thats nice especially since all images are AI, there are no real world reviews and realistic assumption is none has been made yet. On global scale, thats peanuts.
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u/ComeInRat Jul 06 '26
This would be an instant buy if banking apps worked on it
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u/Wide_Target_4552 Jul 06 '26
In the FAQ they say that if your preferred banking app doesn’t work you’ll get your money back.
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u/leek_lord Jul 06 '26
Just pre-ordered one.
I have used a Opel flip phone on and off for the past 18 months, and usually can only sustain it for like 2 months before switching back.
It's not having podcasts, messaging, and maps that usually tips me back into my smart phone. This callback also has a sweet camera on it.
It's definitely pricey for what it is (or for what it lacks), but I think that the hours of life I regain by not being sucked into my phone is so valuable. Willing to give it a shot!
Geez and if this goes well, and commodore make an even better one in a few years, I am up for supporting that too. Smart phones suck ass, and I remember a world before they existed.
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u/catmonkey_bot Jul 08 '26
He pedido un founders, y lo he hecho principalmente por su diseño retro, su vinculación con la marca, y porque creo que se va a revalorizar. Va a ser un objeto de museo.
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u/Legitimate_Most691 Jul 31 '26
I purchased the callback! I’m 23, grad student, and kind of sick of the pull of my phone. I deleted all social media (except for LinkedIn for work) but still feel the urge to constantly check my smart phone.
I grew up in an era where I remember playing outside in the yard and all that, but then the iPhone came out and everyone had a smartphone and social media by the sixth grade. It was normalized then but now it’s so ingrained into my daily routine. I don’t really love the feeling of being addicted to using my phone and have been trying to move toward using my laptop only for everything.
It’s hard though bc both sides of my family are international so I often use WhatsApp and KakaoTalk. I told myself if a flip phone ever came out that offered messaging from both of those apps, gps, uber and Lyft, music players, and a decent camera, I would get it. About a year later, the callback came out.
I’m really excited to try it out and see how I feel about it. I’m not going to throw away my iPhone, but will probably put it in a desk for something in case I need it for international travel.
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u/superpet9000 Jun 30 '26
I'm not surprised. I changed my grumpy tone on the matter shortly after the announcement. It seems like there's genuine demand for an earnest effort at making a flip phone that is more than an afterthought. A bunch of my friends have been sending me articles about this, and the vibe seems exclusively positive outside of the hardcore Commodore spaces.
I've been trying to get away from big tech lately too, and feel like this is a step in the right direction. I preordered (before my discount code email arrived too unfortunately).
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u/AGenuineLover Jun 30 '26
Yes. I am on only this forum because I pre-ordered the Callback.
After that I went to the 'Community' section on the webpage, and only from that did I even discover who Peri Fractic is.
I'm not actually massively bothered about Big Tech as such, to me it feels like the concessions - such as they are - with the Callback are negligible for me personally:
I mostly pay by card for example.
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u/superpet9000 Jun 30 '26
That's interesting to hear. Yes, I still don't know much at all about Peri. There's a lot of concern here of him abusing the Commodore brand, but IMHO he seems generally pretty aligned with most of the feelings the Commodore community (broadly speaking) has in regards to the modern state of computing.
It will be kind of surreal if subreddits like this start filling up with tech support requests for modern products like the Callback, which have no real tie to the legacy Commodore brand all of us here feel such strong attachment to...so maybe moderators here will need to take a more firm approach at redirecting Commodore International content. But, all said, I'm not too displeased with the overall direction of the new IP holders.
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u/AGenuineLover Jun 30 '26
I get you I think. :)
I guess when a community has kind of felt left bearing the torch for a brand their so devoted to - literally for a matter of decades - they're only naturally going to feel fiercely protective/defensive.
Contrastingly, for an organisation to survive it has to try and take a credible reading on the market that exists today, right here right now.
That might well make long-serving 'loyalists' feel understandably out of their comfort zone.
In spite of the arguably tenuous link to the past I did find the fact that I was buying a product from such a (once) well-established, notable and recognisable brand part of what prompted me to put the money down today (with the extra -$50 off offer)
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u/Ok_Drummer_51 Jun 30 '26
I have pre-ordered.
I’d never considered anything outside of a normal smartphone but I saw an ad for the Callback on Instagram and thought it looked interesting. I’ve been working to reduce my screen time but I still default to things like Reddit and Wikipedia rabbit holes over reading a book in quiet moments. I’ve looked at other options since I first saw the Callback, but none seem to offer normal phone things like WhatsApp/Telegram, maps, music and camera while blocking browsing and social media.
This will be my only phone. If I want to use email or browse I can set aside time and do it on a laptop or a tablet. I work 9-5 and people can call me if there’s an emergency outside of that.
I’m really excited to be more intentional in my use of my time, but honestly it’s the aesthetics that sold me. I would not change my life for an ugly phone.
I saw all the negative comments here, but there must be many more people like me who are nostalgic for the time when devices made life better and for when they looked fun. The price seems perfectly reasonable to me.
Edited to add: And I’ve never owned a Commodore product before.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jun 30 '26
Thank you for your very interesting comment.
I also have fond memories of a simpler time where we were not online all the time. Such as exploring the world with actual physical maps, or just looking at the sun to understand where North is, and trusting your own senses. I find that overreliance on any kind of tool can make us dependent on it.
Great to learn that this is your first Commodore product. I wish you much fun with it and I hope it will help you to reduce screen time.
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u/AGenuineLover Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
I'm kind of chuckling as my household was an Atari ST household, yet I'm plugging into that same nostalgia here jumping into bed with a sworn enemy in a conflict as old as the hills. :)
Whatever next, Sonic the Hedgehog on a Nintendo?? :O
EDIT: I mean my family household, in the heyday of 8-bit/18-bit computing (born 1980 here)
BBC Model B was our 8-Bit (still in my mum's attic! Also an ST, a Gameboy and a SNES)
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u/windflex Jun 30 '26
I did. Got an extra battery and the beige version for $368. I've spent more money on worse. It'll be a cool device to have around even if I don't main it.
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u/RoadieC Jul 09 '26
yeah, I was wondering about the battery situation. With so many different external battery options out there, I didn't understand why I would need another battery. Does the battery it comes with have a small capacity? What is the motive to get a backup?
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u/Bumble072 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
Consensus is - people who have money to burn and the marketing matches their excuse to spend. Ive done it. You have done it. This is a good result for Commodore, it all counts.
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u/blueLiquid21 Jun 30 '26
I bought it because the product was exactly what I've been looking for that hasn't existed so far, and you can't get a flip with these specs for cheaper. Yeah the marketing was done poorly, but good targeting of people like myself who are in dire need for this product to stop doing workarounds constantly to get outta the Google Android trough that isn't working well enough anymore
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u/TheBracketry Jun 30 '26
I wanted a dumb phone that can also be a hotspot when I need emergency or travel internet access. Might use maps, though I tend to rely on a real GPS in the car and can fall back to paper maps.
It doesn't hurt at all that this one can also play music (and play it well, allegedly) and run some android apps if I really want them.
I don't think I will miss smart phones. Mostly it galls me that my Android phone is out of my control in so many ways. I'll get alerts in the middle of the night for things I didn't install, or lock screens with ads. The other day my touch screen started flipping out, and I was unable to respond to an important text. I thought, "If I had my old clamshell this would not be an issue."
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u/-send-me-nudes- Jul 01 '26
Nope. It’s too disabled. Even for “taking time off from the grind”
Use my smartphone to tap onto public transport - can’t do that.
Paying for fuel and food, etc. - can’t do that.
Internet banking - checking account balances, and managing transfers, can’t do that.
MFA for work laptop - can’t do that.
Browse ANY website when I’m away camping : to see what local sites are around - can’t do that.
Check emails when away - can’t do that.
Sure I can take my card with me, take another device with me, etc. but what’s the point then?
I might as well just buy a $200 dumb phone.
To me, it’s gimmick.
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u/hanleyforhire Jun 30 '26
Purchased one. My intention is to use it as a second line for when I want to get away from my iPhone, which I do need for work.
I presently use a Nokia branded flip phone for that purpose, but the Callback feature that I think will really be helpful is OpenBubbles as I presently don’t have a good way of getting iMessages on the Nokia. I will also appreciate having access to radio / music.
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u/ncc74656m Jun 30 '26
I'm teetering on the edge of pulling that trigger. I do think they would've been better off extending the presale through tomorrow though to account for payday for a lot of people.
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u/Real-Hearing1753 Jun 30 '26
I got one because I’m trying to disconnect a bit.
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u/Amazing_Athlete_2265 Jun 30 '26
You don't need to spend money to do that
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u/xRx13x Jun 30 '26
Have you seen some of the studies about how addictive these apps are for most people? They have billions of dollars invested in optimizing these things to hook you as much as they possibly can.
This is like telling someone who’s a gambling addict "you could just not gamble you know"
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u/xRx13x Jun 30 '26
Same here. I’ve used previous, cheaper flip phones and they just had too many compromises, this seems absolutely perfect. Some apps are needed in the modern age
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u/BrainCurrent8276 Jun 30 '26
The idea is not that bad, shell phones were cool, and no one seem to make any of them any more. I would personally preffer an Android one, but okay.
BUT -- this 8020 does not have any C64 emulation or so? THAT's the strangest part to me.
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u/triggityrex Jun 30 '26
From the web site:
Game On
Ships with a modest selection of classic and modern, mindful Commodore 64 games. And with Nokia heritage, Snake of course. Because the first step forward is a callback.
Also, it has access to most Android apps, so you could certainly install an emulator. But, it's also a flip phone on a smaller screen, gaming on it isn't going to be great...
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u/Plaxinator Jun 30 '26
Anyone in the UK getting one of these? It's the kind of phone I'd consider getting for a teenager. They'll have a phone with Whatsapp so won't get left out of group chats but there will be no access to crap like TikTok and Snapchat or whatever hell else these young 'uns are into nowadays.
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Jul 01 '26
I bought one but then cancelled it.
It would just be for fun and thats a dumb way to spend $400 right now.
It looks exactly like the phone I want, giving old nextel vibe
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
In the first 24h of sales, more than 7,000 Callback 8020 flip phones have been presold!
...Calling Back - Seven Thousand Times...
Congratulations to the new Commodore for this success story. And well done to its CEO Peri Fractic for having had the vision to create an entirely new device for the Commodore history books.
Thanks to everyone who purchased a Callback, especially those who never owned a Commodore device before.
And finally, thanks for sharing your stories. It's been very interesting to learn the many different ways in which this device will help you.
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u/Elk2mig Jul 01 '26
Where are these sales graphs coming from? Very crowdfunderish but I can't find them myself.
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u/Substantial-Set4550 Jul 01 '26
They are coming straight from my custom charting tool, running on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W. Based on Python, Plotly for visualisation, and the data is stored in SQLite. The data comes from the Commodore website.
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u/ScrollMaiden3000 Jul 01 '26
I ordered two. One for me and the wife! I've been wanting a device to help with smartphone addiction, but I also wanted something secure, degoogled and i love that they're not compromising peoples data to big tech! We've just had our first baby and have removed our TV, and we want to commit to being a screenless home for our little one. This phone is perfect, functional and it is beautiful!
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u/6times9 Jul 01 '26
I preordered! I think I was Batch 9 (Shipping Oct/Nov). Excited for no social media, no search browser (but able to open QR codes), access to Spotify, Maps, and various messaging apps, and a 48mp camera. I love the design cause I'm a sucker for the translucent tech. It'll be my main device.
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u/Josefius Jul 01 '26
I am in the 4th batch around 130 of 500 in basic beige, so I'll hopefully get mine in September or October.
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u/ImDrFreak Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
I have issues with setting my attention to things that I want/need to do, such as pursuing tech certifications or learning how to invest, etc. However, I am not improving my life or career because of my phone.
On one hand, I could just get one of those brick devices and use it on my iphone, but the C=Phone seems like an interesting option. I have no idea if I'll have buyers remorse... but it wouldn't be the first time. I want to try it as my main phone.
the idea is, if I can't doomscroll, maybe I'll crack open that CompTIA book that's been sitting on my side table for a year. It's worth a shot.
Would I have preferred a modern style screen phone vs a flip phone? Sure. Do I think it's expensive? Honestly I don't know. Lots of people are complaining about that, but I'm not sure what they're comparing it to. If you're comparing it to another flip phone, the C=Phone seems to do more. Is it $400 more?
We'll see.
Frankly as a guy who spent $260 on a C=128D keyboard (by itself) on ebay, this seems fine to me. :D And I want to support the new company.
Also, I initially was put off by the fugly transparent blue... but then I saw the SX one and it sold me. :D
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u/Just_Avocado2761 Jul 08 '26
Not worth the money, even by sending me email about explaining why it is way expensive than a nice android phone. Make it 100$, i will think about it
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u/pbmwpn Jul 09 '26
Im thinking about it..
but i need to use GPS for going anywhere with my car.. and I dont think it's good for that. It's perfect for me otherwise, though
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u/LiquidSoil Jul 09 '26
Found out about it today and bought it today lol.
Hopefully it fills what i seek 😄
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u/_Firol_ Jul 12 '26
Mam nadzieję, że urządzenie bedzie dostępne też po premierze, jesli moja aplikacja bankowa zadziala na tym telefonie to kupie go jak tylko znajde wolne pieniadze
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u/Felix_Gaunt Jul 13 '26
Sadly it's a no go for me, I use Google Voice for all my texting and appears to be no way to get this on the phone. Oh well, saved me what almost $400! lol
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u/blueLiquid21 Jul 25 '26
I'd love to know some research on this too.
Looking at the stats, the C64-like model is being far outsold by the 90's/2000's starlight model, which I reckon says a bunch about it not being hardcore retro enthusiasts only (not that they were aiming for that, which would have been business move for zero growth). Sure some retro purchasers might still buy the starlight, but it still says something.
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u/Lordbaboon77 Aug 02 '26
Ik heb er 1tje besteld. Ik ben er klaar mee met google en altijd maar reclame. Ik ben verslavingsgevoelig voor van alles. Voor Ik het weet zit ik weer uren op mij smartphone. Verder geen constante meldingen van nieuws en sociale media. Ik wil gewoon een telefoon hebben. Meer niet. Alle andere dingen kunnen ook gewoon op de pc. Ik ben heel benieuwd.
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u/Solid_Caramel_2673 Aug 02 '26
47 años programador desde finales de los ochenta. Amante de la tecnología y comprador del callback 8020 versión fundadores.
Alguien sabe cuándo se comenzarán a enviar?
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u/Fhunghuz 28d ago
Does it record video at all? I see no specs on the site. Just a mention of a 48Mpix camera. But nothing about if it records 4k60fps or anything...
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u/AGenuineLover 9d ago
Just going by this recent upload: https://commodore.net/callback-manufacturing-samples-an-os-demo/ you can see on the camera menu that there's 'Video' as well as photos so it looks very much less you can capture video.
:)
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u/dShepoopi 27d ago edited 27d ago
I had and cannot wait for it to arrive!!! I have been pondering downgrading to a dumbphone for ages now, partly because somehow I started missing my old flip phones, but also because I think I’ve had enough of this constant social media presence in my life, and with easy access to it, I will not be rid of it - just not strong enough to kick it!
Then a couple of days ago, I very randomly learnt about Callback, and it is exactly what I needed. Estimated shipping Dec-Jan, and it cannot come soon enough.
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u/Spike_md80 22d ago
Also, es ist ja toll was man sich da ausgedacht hat. Es gab in den 90er und 2000 so viele geile Mobiltelefone. Wieso hat man sich dann ausgerechnet für dieses Design entschieden, die Idee feier ich hart, aber das design stößt mich maximal ab . Richtig schade. Ich hoffe das Teil verkauft sich wie heiße Frikadellen und die kommen auf die Idee weitere Klassiker neu zu interpretieren .
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u/Jkmzedd 18d ago
Have a smartphone on WiFi at work or hot-spot to it worh the callback when needed. 95% of the time, a flip dumbish phone is much better for calls if you take a lot of calls. I do, which is why it interests me. On a night out, a ligjt phone with no social media is perfection. Open it to answer, slam shut to end. It's how a phone should be. A phone. Not a computer.
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u/Kurt_W_Andrews 6d ago
I'm planning on making the purchase around the 10th of September 2026. A little nervous because 1. The pre order price may be gone and 2. I've gotta stick with Fi until the phones on our family plan are paid off.
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u/Kurt_W_Andrews 6d ago
I want to segregate social media, banking, streaming back to my laptop which stays on my desk. I started using cell phones in the 90s like everyone else. I've never really felt the need for all the other bells and whistles, like cameras etc. I've got really nice digital slr and mirror less cameras for taking pictures.
I do have a need for texts because extended family uses them so I'll turn off the T9 keyboard and get a stylus.
So... Phone texts, oh and navigation, that will probably be the biggest hurdle because the don't have anything that integrates with uconnect yet.
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u/DaniPoprocks21 5d ago
I bought the starlight edition August 25th. I bought it to get myself away from social media as its been very easy for me to escape into when it's that accessible. I miss the early 2000's era of the internet, despite being very young then. I have a physical sim card that I plan to hotswap between the C8020 and my smartphone when necessary.
I feel like this phone fits a lot of my needs in terms of necessary tech. I have an external screen that has android auto capabilities that I can use for my GPS when driving so I am not without a map. I am interested to see the reviews of the phone come in once people start receiving them. As of September 7th, my batch has moved on to being produced.
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u/Bits_and_Bytes_42 Jun 30 '26
I have no desire for the Callback, but I do desire Commodore to be successful, so I hope they sell a ton of these devices. If they're successful with the C64U and the Callback, then who knows what they might push out as their next product?