‘A speed bump for your mind’: Commodore’s retro-inspired flip phone could be the perfect way to break your smartphone…

Commodore has launched a new retro-themed flip phone

The device blocks social media, web browsers, and user tracking

But it still runs Android apps and has a built-in camera

The more smartphones pervade everyday life, the clearer it becomes that they can have some pretty deleterious effects, from phone addiction to cyberbullying and much more. If you’re looking to break free from your smartphone’s grasp without losing access to some of its more beneficial features, Commodore reckons it has a retro-themed device for you.

That product is the Commodore Callback, and, as its name suggests, it’s a phone that heavily borrows from the past in its design. You’ll see that in its flip-up clamshell design, inspired by classics like the Motorola Razr. It also comes in a range of old-school colors, including ProtoPET White, SX Silver, and BASIC Beige.

Commodore says its historical inspiration goes more than just skin deep. The Callback does not work with social media apps and has no touchscreen capabilities, supposedly thwarting the endless doomscrolling that afflicts so many people today. At the same time, it also lacks a web browser and work apps, giving you a chance to switch off and put your phone down.

The Commodore Callback is priced at $549.99, meaning it’s far from the cheapest smartphone on the market. But if you want something to loosen the hold your phone has over you, it’s worth considering.

A middle path forward

What I find interesting about the Commodore Callback is its positioning: Commodore describes it as “the not dumb dumbphone.” Instead of stripping features back to the bare minimum, it’s loaded with a smattering of helpful apps without any of the temptations that could cause you to waste hours endlessly scrolling. That makes it “a speed bump for your mind,” Commodore claims.

That could help make it more appealing to users who dislike the pervasiveness of social media but don’t want a phone that’s barely functional for anything other than simple calls and texts. It suggests that ditching the worst aspects of the smartphone experience doesn’t have to mean adopting an ascetic monk's lifestyle, and that could help broaden the device’s appeal.

Indeed, Commodore has thrown in a few tasty extras that show the Callback has some enticing features of its own. That includes a 48MP rear camera, an “audiophile grade” DAC that supports HD audio, FM radio, an SID sound chip, and in-ear monitor (IEM) earphones. It also runs on Sailfish OS, a privacy-focused Linux-based operating system that works with “99%” of Android apps, which could attract users sick of having their private data gobbled up by unscrupulous app developers.

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While the Commodore Callback might seem like a novelty gimmick — especially given its retro-themed color choices and marketing materials — it boasts a range of features that could prove to be particularly appealing to people sick of the current state of the smartphone world. It’s niche, sure, but it might provide a middle path forward between all-consuming smartphones and feature-stripped alternatives.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.