- Some scepticism here I see, but personally I think this is spot-on. I've been keen on a dumber phone for a while, but losing whatsapp & maps makes it a non-starter for any real use. This is an excellent middle ground. The aesthetic is cool, and building this on Sailfish but with Android compatibility is awesome. Big fan of the concept.
- Retrocomputing Roundtable has talked about the new Commodore company over the course of a couple episodes, and I thought they brought up a good point about “what is it that people actually want from Commodore,” and the best answer they came up with is “to be 12 again.”
A new C64 with modern video output, a disk emulator, a SID chip replacement so you don’t need an original… that’s all good, but beyond that, it’s hard to say. This phone, though? I don’t think anyone saw that coming, and I don’t see how this could possibly be the right move.
by rickdeckard
1 subcomments
- Nice, but a little bit too thin on details to read this as more than "we ordered a Commodore-branded Sailfish-OS phone from an ODM".
If it would be more "considerate" from hardware (or even software) perspective it could be compelling, but from the infos on that page it sounds more like a "memberberry" product
(like e.g. a phone from Kodak, Sega, Atari,... built on the business decision of [product-cost] + [branding] = [potential price-premium of xxx USD])
by cosmic_cheese
1 subcomments
- This is interesting to me for a few different reasons, but one of the bigger ones is that it appears to be a Sailfish device that’s readily available in the US, which to date has been oddly rare. As a dev, Sailfish has caught my eye a few times over the years but no US availability has meant I’ve never had the chance to play with it.
by st_goliath
5 subcomments
- This is really confusing brand/product combination. Who is it trying to appeal to?
I'm pretty sure the people who have fond memories of growing up with a C64 or watching ToS are of an entirely different generation than those with fond memories of flip phones and cyber/color-puke ads for transparent plastic gadgets.
> BASIC Beige Edition
There's a missed opportunity for a better ToS joke here: "Beige... the final frontier"
by baggachipz
1 subcomments
- I like the idea, but I have major problems with their inclusion of Meta-owned WhatsApp. Any company which cares about privacy should throw WhatsApp into a volcano. That said, I understand why they include it as much of the world uses it as the default for some reason I still can't understand.
~~Anyway, I love the idea and would use something like this if it allowed me to choose a configuration at order time which could include or not include a set of available apps which are curated by the manufacturer. That way, the apps are immutable and the mission of the phone is preserved. Also, a real keyboard is an absolute must for apps like maps, telegram, and SMS.~~
Looks like you can indeed uninstall and install apps as you like.
- $120 max and I’m feeling generous.
If it had an option to install a messenger of choice (Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp etc) then maybe $140-150.
The whole "people want their data and privacy and all" is becoming the next premium service and/or product and I don’t like that at all.
- I am really happy someone is trying something new again. It isn't yet another iOS/Android clone, and I'm here for it!
- I really like the concept, but I think the restrictions are a double-edged sword.
The form factor and Sailfish are a lot more appealing than 'apps blocked at a system level'.
Can it run the usual apps like banking apps which can be particular about Android 'trustworthiness'?
Unfortunately, a smartphone is a near-necessity for various things like that now.
- This looks really awesome! It's pretty hard to wrap my head around the price though. $500 USD (so $700(!!!) Canadian) is pretty bizarre for what it is.
- I really want to like this, but does it bring anything new to the table? I see the same low-effort buzzwords I've seen on other "dumb" phones.
And the design…it looks like a Motorola.
- Two things need to change and this would be a hit:
1/ Find My support or similar (for parents who would give this to kids)
2/ WhatsApp?????? That is the ultimate social network so it should definitely not be there by default.
by bigupthewhole
2 subcomments
- What about the apps that we need but not everyone needs? Local train apps, bank identification etc.
Can't really escape it
- I use a QR code based app locking mechanism that blocks browsers and some apps. I never turn it back on. That's all. I use a regular smartphone.
I heard this quote in many American movies: "The first way to get rid of addiction is admitting to yourself that you have no power over the substance." or something in the same vain.
I admit I am powerless over doomscrolling. I just create a barrier to entry that never expires. Solves my problems. No alpha male self control BS. Just brain chemistry-aware tricks.
If I were involuntarily injected with serious drugs, my brain would crave it. Social media is the same. No point arguing otherwise.
- price is crazy, this is cool, i need a few android apps duo, authy, and unfortunately youtube music...
- I really want to like this, but as someone who's daily driven Sailfish before (albeit not in a while), one of the things you'll likely miss if you're in the US is group MMS support.
Maybe Commodore is paying Jolla enough that they'll be able to add group MMS support by the time this launches? But if not... it's something you might not even think could be missing, and not having it can be a problem if people expect to be able to send you group texts.
- Damn, I was hoping it would look like an Amiga not a CRT candy iMac
- I’ve worked with flip phones for years, and I think this is the first one I’ve seen with Sailfish! I didn’t see the specs, but it’s got to be comparable to a budget Android phone to run that well. I’m curious to see more of the UX, performance, and security. How does it come to an RTOS phone running Mocor, or a smart feature phone running KaiOS?
- I'm torn on the blocking of web browsers. Yeah, they can be used for getting to Facebook or whatever. But they are also used to access 99% of the world's info now. Seems like if you just wanted to block social media, a DNS block or even firewall would be a better option.
- As a company (or a brand name I suppose, that markets nostalgia?) they're free of course to pursue any product they like.
The retro vibes I'm getting from this one though involve "the Fonz" getting up on waterskis…
- So is there any connection with the original commodore company at all or is this just a case of “rich kid gets his hands on an old long dead IP for milking”?
by vintagedave
0 subcomment
- Also here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48552570 (slightly different URL)
by wewewedxfgdf
1 subcomments
- Seems a major shift in direction and a major distraction.
I don't think the renewed Commodore will last too long.
If you want a brand new C64 get em before they become .... collectors items.
by smallerfish
1 subcomments
- I don't like the look of "retro camera". A great camera is a must-have also.
And yes $500 is too much.
by queeshonda
0 subcomment
- "Commodore"
Like "AEG" or "Grundig" or "Marantz" or "Nokia"...
- Hmm I imagine using a server to connect to signal/whatsapp or even email, then using a local model to classify and filter and trim messages and forwarding to SMS, and viceversa. I guess the trouble is I’d need many source numbers :thinking:.
- Main question: can you open it with a single hand?
- Did this story really get flagged by some anti-Commodore Gen-Xer? Can't we bury the hatchet with Atarians by now? Lord have mercy.
by functionmouse
0 subcomment
- my kneejerk reaction was "plastic crap", but I'm happy to see Jolla getting any kind of OEM support.
- My wife and I got a flip phone for our daughter when she was in elementary school. It was inexpensive, allowed her to text us when on the school bus - gave us the connection we all needed. About a year later the pull of a phone that could run Spotify won, but for that year the flip phone really was great. And cheap.
I'm not familiar with the OS on this phone, but it sounds interesting.
But $500? Really?
DOA
- OMG, hire some designers! It seems they took some ugly phone from early 2000s, applied some 1990s "copy the imac transparent case" aesthetic, slapped a Commodore logo on it and called it done.
I mean, yeah, it sends a visual statement and I'm sure some diehard Commodore fans will buy it, but it looks exactly like the kind of junk you'd have found for $10 in the Shenzhen knock off markets 15 years ago.
by gorfian_robot
0 subcomment
- navigation while driving seems like it would be an issue.
- get grok on it and I'm in
by thisislife2
1 subcomments
- $500??
- Meh, I find perryfractic's stuff to be more style over substance. It's interesting that he's releasing products, but not interesting enough for me to buy
- Just nope.
- [dead]
by butchkass
2 subcomments
-> $500
-> Corny nostalgia-bait
-> No web browser
-> No social media
-> System-level DNS blocking
Lmfao. What even is the point of this ? I could see an argument for not allowing to install social media apps, but blocking me arbitrarily from even accessing them through a browser is crazy. The OS is Linux-based too, so there’s no technical constraint, they just went out of their way to add always-on parental control.For $500 (FIVE HUNDRED) you get a $30 dumb phone with Whatsapp. Wow.
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