Commodore’s “Callback” Is a Stripped Down Privacy-First Flip Phone
I will forever have a soft spot for Commodore thanks to the many, many hours I spent on my family’s Commodore 64. At one point the world’s biggest computer company, Commodore eventually went bankrupt in the mid ’90s. But its legacy lingered on, and thus it’s been kind of fun to see what the newly revived Commodore has been up to these days.
Earlier this year, they released the Commodore 64 Ultimate, a modern revamp of the C64 that’s compatible with all of the original Commodore peripherals and runs classic Commodore games and programs. In other words, it’s the ultimate nostalgia trip for computer users of a certain age even as it boasts modern features like USB, HDMI, and Wifi.
And now the company has announced their latest “retro” product: an old-school flip phone called the “Callback 8020″ (via Kottke). Like the Commodore 64 Ultimate, the Callback contains modern features like HD audio and Wifi, and it runs Android apps (though Commodore’s quick to point out that the Callback is not an Android phone, and has been completely de-Googled). However, social media and web browsing apps are completely blocked, even down to the DNS level, preventing any access to social media platforms. Furthermore, email and work-related apps are not available in the Callback’s app store.
In short, the Callback seems intent on providing a phone experience that sidesteps everything you hate about modern smartphones (e.g., doomscrolling) while still letting you communicate with people (and play the occasional round of Snake). Indeed, everything about the phone feels very early ’00s, from the launch ad to the phone’s various designs. The “Starlight” edition, with its translucent blue case, feels like the epitome of ’00s tech style. Not surprisingly, I love the “BASIC Beige” edition, which features a beige-and-brown color scheme that immediately evokes the classic Commodore 64 look and feel.
All of this comes with a hefty price tag that starts at $549 and ultimately depends on the edition you get, though early purchasers can shave $100 off the final amount. While that price is relatively comparable to similarly stripped down phones like the upcoming Light Phone III and Clicks Communicator, it’s still a bit too rich for my blood — even with all of the obvious nostalgic appeal.