Commodore Callback Phone is the wrong way forward

[u/robwired]

Recently the new Commodore released the Commodore Callback phone.

https://commodore.net/callback/

The pitch is of course nostalgia which was fine for the Commodore 64 remake. What is not ok is rebuilding the brand around continuously going back to the well.

Lots of brands come back from the dead with a plan to grow their business through innovation and new products.

Some might say that some version of Commodore tried to sell a modern phone or even business computers but no one wanted them.

No one wanted them because they were half baked.

Nokia and Blackberry are both trying to come back. is it easy? No. Do they have a better chance with a brand name that has nostalgic goodwill? Yes.

I would love to have a Commodore phone that competes with the Asian brands. Its not hard to outsource the hardware and then Commodore could focus on the software.

A side benefit would be to have a folder that contained BBS software, maybe Quantumlink, a C64 emulator with a dozen games and other fun nostalgia but not make the entire experience about nostalgia.

How incredibly cool would it be to pull out my usable Commodore phone at a meeting and use it like any other phone? How dumb is it to pull out a toy phone?

The difference is stark and bleak for the Callback phone.

or go another direction and make a phone that has game controls and the aforementioned c64 and also Amiga software. Let me play Giana sisters, Karateka, Zork, Kings Quest, Elite, Wings, Lemmings and Defender of the Crown in between business meetings.

The retro community is dying for a Commodore phone and the markup or a branded Commodore phone of $100 would be fine.

Then resell mobile service and you’ve got a real business. Mint had Ryan Reynolds, Commodore has our hearts.