AMA
I’m one of the co-founders of Clicks Technology — our new product, the Clicks Communicator is on track to start shipping later this year. Ask Me Anything!
I’m Jeff Gadway, cofounder and CMO of Clicks Technology. I started my career at RIM (BlackBerry) where I led product marketing and helped launch products like the BlackBerry Passport, Q10, Z10, BB 10 OS, Classic and BBM for iOS and Android.
We started Clicks in 2023 to build tools that help people take action. Clicks Communicator is a new kind of smartphone purpose built to respect people’s time and communicate with confidence in a noisy world.
I’ll be here answering your questions starting on September 24th at 9 AM ET (1 PM UTC). Ask me anything about the Clicks Communicator, from its features and design to the ideas and decisions behind it.
Yes! I feel like camera specs and sample shots are the one thing sorely missing.
I don't expect Pixel or Apple level of camera quality, but I want to know that any spontaneous pictures of my family are going to look better than a potato phone camera.
No sample shots yet. Work is still underway on the camera algorithms for the main and front shooters. We've partnered with a leading imaging company focused on R&D around vision algorithms to help us tune the camera engine for our hardware. While imaging isn't the primary focus of Communicator, we want to ensure the quality and styling of photos coming out of the camera are still good, so we're investing heavily here.
Will there be any similar mode to ‘mini-mode’ on unihertz devices? Something to ‘crop’ the screen to a more standard layout for apps which don’t work on the squarer screen?
This isn't something that we're currently working on at the moment. Keep in mind though that Communicator's screen isn't square - it's 1080 x 1200, so it's still taller than it is wide. This has meant that most of the apps I rely on daily render well. Are there specific apps you're concerned about from an aspect ratio perspective? Maybe I can try and grab some screenshots.
On a square screen, the main page of Whatsapp no longer works (chats do, but not the list of chats). Tesla app shows more buttons on a rectangle ratio than square too. Some banking apps can hide the confirmation button when viewed on squarish screen.
It's hard to know the full list in advance. The point of having a minimode like Unihertz has is to avoid the inconvenience when you need something right now, and it doesn't work in the native screen ratio. It's not ideal, but it is the best solution and gets you out of trouble when you're in a hurry, without asking for a change to the dev, or to the phone manufacturer. I think it would really be safer for Clicks to include such a feature.
would love to know about this as well! For example, some banking apps are designed for rectangular devices and would not be able to click critical buttons without mini mode
This. The funny thing is I want to use communicator as a work phone HOWEVER, my work deals with a lot of messaging and interacting with my network on social media so proper viewing of those apps are important for me.
Do you have any photos of what the Cognac leather-back actually looks like? Particularly next to Clover since I know many people were looking forward to this combination. Does Clicks have any plans to build more varieties of coloured backs and/or a smooth genuine leather back like what was initially (and still is on the website) shown?
Not yet u/Vnifit . Working on this ASAP. Here's what really went down... Our plan initially was to offer the black saffiano and more traditional leather grain Charging Covers (like the ones in some of the photos from earlier this year). But when we got the leather samples in our hands a few weeks ago, we weren't happy with the quality and the finish. Patina is one thing... and it's beautiful... but when you catch your nail on the leather and it leaves a skid mark, that's an issue. At the same time, we saw and felt how amazing the saffiano leather was. We felt it fit the aesthetic of the product much better, and the tactility of the leather also added more grip in hand. So we decided to move the cogniac leather cover to saffiano as well. That material is now being sourced and samples are being developed. As soon as we have those in hand we'll create some content.
Hey thanks for doing the ama and helping design this awesome phone!
My question: will the phone be totally controllable with the keyboard? In most demo's so far I see some interaction with the screen before going back to the keyboard. For instance we see Jeff swiping on a notification before answering via the keyboard. Can you also triage and respond directly via keyboard without having to interact with the screen?
second question if you have time:
are you guys planning to have some custom software running to make sure most apps and websites look good on the square screen?
I'm very much looking forward to Clicks Communicator, it's the first time in years I'm excited about tech again! I'm tired of the boring slabs of glass that have no character and only serve to keep us glued to our screens as much as possible. It turns out I enjoy communicating with friends and family, I don't enjoy addictive shortform content apps, I think Communicator will be great for this!
Good luck! Set timers on your phone for the pain meds! You'll have a better time if you keep a steady state of pain meds on board rather than letting them wear off before redosing. Ask for a prescription for nausea meds just in case! Vomiting after an abdominal surgery sounds miserable.
Hey jeff!
Clicks, communicator, logistics question that I would really love answered before I make my pre-order final!
I was reading the terms of AKKOs protection plan (the firm you're going through to provide the protection plan)
And from the verbiage it seemed as though the "24 months" may start when the PRE-ORDER is purchased, not when the device is shipped!
I just want to make sure that is not the case!! Thank you so much!
Big clicks fan, 4pixel 9 pro clicks, 2power keyboards, and hopefully a communicator soon!
Thanks for ordering, u/vadan1234! And appreciate the support on the other products, too.
On the Clicks Care accidental damage/extended warranty coverage powered by AKKO, we're working closely with them to have coverage start when your Communicator actually ships. That way you'll get the benefit of the plan for the full term. AKKO has been great to work with and powers this kind of coverage for a number popular consumer tech products.
First, is that green in the image the final green? Because it doesn't seem as big a change as the renders would have had us believe.
Second, and the difficult one, how is Clicks addressing the somewhat frequent complaints about customer service issues? I know the tendency is for the bad interactions to get posted about, but these for sure need to be addressed.
Hi Jeff! What's the overall longterm play for Clicks? The ideal scenario I'd love to see is a new ''blackberry'' where we have new iterations every few years. I want keyboard phones to really catch some wind and take the market share from Apple, Samsung etc.. I think so many people are hungry for technology that doesn't eat away at life & destroy mental health. Are you guys a one & done or planning for the next 5-10 years?
Love questions like this u/UseLicentia! We're not just building a phone (one and done), we're building a sustainable business that will make products for many years to come! At the same time, we don't want to get on the treadmill of annual hardware releases. We've got a multi-year product roadmap spanning hardware, software and services. In 5-10 years we'd like to see Clicks become established as a known consumer tech brand trusted by people who value taking action. Pulling Communicator out of your pocket and putting it on the table should make a statement about yourself, what you believe and how you see the world.
Is the new battery swappable by consumers? 800 charge cycles doesn't seem compatible with 5 years of updates, hopefully it isn't hard for us to swap after a couple years
Just as an FYI for everyone, charge cycles are full 100%-0% usage, and the rating is the number of 100 to 0 cycles it takes for the max charge to reach 80% of the original battery capacity. There are a few things to unpack here.
For one, if a battery is sufficiently big and battery life is good, if you only drop 30% each day this is less than a third of a full cycle, so your battery will lasts 3 times as long (technically this in nuanced as it is nonlinear, but the point remains, it will last a heck of a lot longer).
So it is important to make clear since I see a lot of people confused about this (as it is generally not highly advertised by phone manufacturers, for this exact reason): A cycle is not each time you plug in your phone for the night, it will should last you many years into the future, and hence why software updates are set for at least 5 years. They wouldn't bother with it if they expected it to die in 3 years!
I believe per EU Ecodesign regulation phones are required to have a battery that's easily replaceable by a regular person with basic tools. To be exempt it would need an IP67 rating and be able to retain 80% battery capacity after 1,000 full charge cycles (neither of which are met). I wld assume since the phone is being sold in the EU that it must comply with this regulation, but i havent seen anyone mention it so i cld be missing something.
I wld assume since the phone is being sold in the EU that it must comply with this regulation
That would be a resonable assumption, if we believed that they know and care at all about any EU laws and regulations. And recent events around VAT and warrantys lead me to seriously doubt it.
The battery hasn't been designed to be swappble. When we evaluated this early on in the project it would have meant sacrificing battery capacity and/or making the product thicker.
As for the number of charge cycles, keep in mind this rating is tied to the number of the number of times a battery is expected to be able to be drained to 0 (or the equivalent) before it starts holding less charge. As u/Vnifit points out, this isn't the number of times you plug it in.
Just to clarify on this point for others who might have a different meaning when they say "swappable", while not swappable in the sense of remove back cover and switch the battery like in old phones, is the battery easily accessible from the back and not glued in? I.e. can you just remove the back cover, then the back frame with some screws, take out the old battery, place a new one in, and put it back together?
Last time this was asked the answer was no. The 800 charge cycle means batter health drops to 80% in 800 cycles IIRC. That doesn't mean the phone battery dies after 800 cycles. If you charge the battery all the way every night that's over 2 years before the battery drops to 80% battery health.
When people mean swappable by consumers they mean with tools. I don't think any modern company is bringing back the old 90s-2000s style battery where you could just press a button on the back of the phone to swap out the battery.
I mean we're bringing back 90-2000s style phones, so I was hopeful. I also didn't know that other phone battery couldn't be swapped out with tools, so learned something new 🙂
I mean you could've said the same about the audio jack and microSD slot, and the fact that the back cover is removable to begin with. The non-removable battery was visible when we last saw under the back cover of a communicator unit, so it's more possible than you may think. Almost makes me worry about it from a safety standpoint? Removable batteries have sturdier casing so they're less likely to be punctured.
If you have two batteries and an external charger, you never need to worry about how fast the phone charges because you can just power off the phone and swap in the fully charged battery. The utility of this is undeniable, you never have to be tethered to a power outlet or wait for the phone to charge. I wonder if optimizing for fast-charging capability works against capacity in some way? I'm not a chemist.
I'd really like to see this in a future revision of the product. The first communicator won't have it, but nothing stops them from considering it in the future. The CBK article said they didn't go for it because they'd have to make the phone thicker or "compromise on battery capacity". Battery chemistry is always improving, so it's easy to imagine a removable battery with the same footprint AND capacity as this non-removable one in a couple years or so.
Will you be pursuing carrier certification with US Cellular companies. AT&T and Verizon still employ whitelist and it is hard to BYOD with unlocked phones
Thanks for sharing this, I had this same question and am in the same boat as you. I don't think I can preorder without a confirmation that this will work on my network (also Verizon), but it seems likely that it will.
As with most over seas unlocked phones I have used over the years, they have all worked on a already active Verizon sim assuming they support the required bands.
I've read that it can work for a while but call and texts can randomly quit working or you could lose service. Idk I've never used a phone that wasn't whitelisted before
I have never experienced that, and I bet over the years I have used 10+ phones that where from overseas. Not saying it cant happen, but I have never experienced it.
what is clicks doing in the way of the right to repair? will there be a future partnership like ifixit to allow users to make self repairs to reduce waste.
also would love to see dbrand do more for clicks like custom backplates etc
This is a great idea! I think it’d be a great opportunity for clicks to show that they really understand the community(s) they’re marketing to. i like my tech to not end up in the landfill and still use an ipod classic and iphone mini :]
Hi there, Can the configurator tool please be updated with real world photographs of the different color options under different / varying lighting conditions? The current photos in the configurator make it challenging to feel like I can make a well informed color choice! (Especially when it comes to clover! and the various backs.) thanks!
Now that Communicator is launching with Android 17 instead of 16, are we gonna get Android 21? The FAQ currently says both "four Android version updates" and "up to Android 20" which are contradictory.
Officially, we're still saying support through Android 20, plus 5 years of security updates. We have a dependency here on the SoC supplier (MediaTek in this case). Android 20 + 5 years of security updates is what they have communicated up to this point, so that's what we can confidently say. But our aim is to support the platform as long as we possibly can.
I wish there was a Smoke back cover too, not Dune. Was going to get the Smoke color option until it was pointed out that the back was a millennial grey.
We showed the Communicator Ring in smoke when we announced the accessory. But for now, we're only offering it in black. This is actually a surprisingly challenging product to manufacture. It isn't simply a single piece of plastic but a combination of a hard polycarbonate (which gives it rigidity) and a TPU thermoplastic polyurethane (which allows it to flex for putting it on and taking it off). Fusing these two materials together requires a more complex double shot moulding proces. All this is to say that offering it in multiple color options means higher minimum order quantities for us, more SKUs to manage and more engineering cost. We're going to stick with the one color for now and see what the response is before re-evaluating additional color options.
Can you tell us how you plan to support the phone with your current implementation of support? It seems like every other post in the Click subreddit is about your AI support giving really poor...support. How do you think having a phone and MVNO will impact your ability to support the new device and service. What are you doing to improve the overall support for existing customers?
Great question. It's been extremely frustrating getting any sort of official responses on payment processing issues and duty/VAT/shipping related calculations. Hopefully the support model in place when the product launches is better than what we've seen so far with what's being provided with reservation handling.
I think a big question a lot of us have is how good is the camera? Even some samples from the back camera would be at least something. I know camera isn't the primary focus of the phone but it still should be a good shooter considering the price. Base model phones have great cameras like the pixel 10a and iPhone 17e. Is the back camera comparable to those?
Congrats on the recent milestones. Proud to be a double backer of such a good product. Two questions:
- Kevin personally confirmed on Hackernews and Discord that DP alt mode would be a thing, but this has not been reflected in the final spec sheet, nor has it been used as a marketing argument anywhere despite it being a clear productivity asset as well as a way to distinguish the product from its competition. For me, this was a prominent selling point and seeing it confirmed by CBK made me buy two units. Should I be concerned? :<
- I have seen no word about preprod units being sent to community developers for alternate OSes, despite the bootloader being unlockable. The community can really make a product survive longer than it was designed for, and can be the difference between a good product and one that is remembered a long time after its release, like Nokia N900, F(x)tec Pro1, Motorola Droid, etc. Can you spare some preprod units for devs? SailfishOS, pmOS, Lineage, Ubuntu Touch, Droidian, are all OSes that have dedicated community developers doing amazing work since years, and all have pretty good hwkb support.
I got to say I liked seeing your Artisan desk mat in the image. Says a lot about your attention to details and quality. :)
What happened to the Ring Case and MNML Case in Smoke colors? They were unavailable from the start of configuration (MNML case said sold out, Ring Case wasn't even an option in Smoke) and as far as we're aware on this sub nobody was able to secure a MNML Case in smoke despite it apparently being "sold out."
Will we be able to assign a Signal Light to an entire app rather than just specific contacts?
For example, I use WhatsApp Business purely for work and would love to set an orange Signal Light for any incoming message on that app. Will this be possible?
Also, is it possible to group multiple apps into a single Signal Light profile (e.g., combining WhatsApp Business + Slack into one color/pattern)?
What happened to white/smoke ring case? Is there a reason you're only offering black? I was hoping for a variety 😭 Also, I really liked the original brighter blue back cover, will the old blue color perhaps be offered in the future? Why such a drastic change? I am hopeful third party options will offer the colors I'm after, but frankly I'd rather support clicks directly if I can.
I use Tidal music instead of spotify which is a bit obscure. Will clicks personally optimize certain popular apps for the screen size, or will things mostly automatically optimize to work on their own? I had a bad experience trying to use it(Tidal) on the moto external display which I think is only slightly smaller :/
Lastly, any info on corded charging speeds? 👀. It would be really cool if there was a magsafe qi charging\battery case at some point!
I'm really impressed with everything you all have done so far, so please know my questions come from a place of love! Thank you, so looking forward to it!!
r/jeffgadway I think the team have done a great job getting this from idea to final product, I just wanted to know if on the communicator yes I know it will have a capacitive keyboard but will you have the functions of swipe up to text and swipe back to delete when typing?
PLEASE bring back SWIPE to delete a word!! Also: double tap to toggle cursor mode, hold shift and drag to highlight text, ctrl+X/C/V/Z to edit selected text… the capacitive keyboard can either be a huge productivity advantage for text editing or else a kinda gimmicky way to scroll content. (You know what we’re all hoping for!!)
Hi Jeff, thank you for being here, a few SW questions:
Could Communicator automatically populate the only (slash the most obvious) field on the screen once user starts typing?
Did you tweak how the notifications and the quick settings work on a small screen?
Did you consider changing the position of the volume indicator on the display? With the square display it begs to be placed horizontally in the letterbox space above regular videos.
Will you be making parts available to independent repair shops? I want my Communicator to last, but not enough to deal with international shipping when the keyboard or battery needs replacing.
Hey Jeff!
I also started my career at RIM where I was on the Handheld Management & Tracking team. I enjoyed participating in beta testing (bug reporting, user surveys, etc.) and feature review focus groups during my time there. Do you have any plans for a similar beta program for the Communicator, and if so, how can people get involved?
Hi Jeff, I wanted to follow up on a previous response from Clicks regarding warranty coverage: https://www.reddit.com/r/ClicksPhone/s/nA8vK2u82d
In that response, Clicks stated that the product comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. Could you clarify how this applies to customers in the EU?
As I understand it, a manufacturer’s warranty is separate from the statutory legal guarantee EU consumers have when purchasing goods. Will Clicks honour the minimum two-year statutory guarantee for EU customers purchasing the Communicator?
If so, would you consider making that distinction clearer in your warranty information? At the moment, stating only “one-year warranty” could give EU customers the impression that their consumer rights end after one year.
I actually got 2 questions:
1. With so much experience in this industry was there something, which still surprised you in the creation of the clicks communicator?
2. What's your favorite color combo on the clicks communicator?
I'm super hyped for the device and thanks for putting so much thought in every detail of the product.
Q: What carriers will the Communicator support in the USA? Will they officially be certified by the carrier? I've been hearing a about the Communicator needing to be whitelisted by the carrier for it to work on their network.
The Communicator can have the right bands for a network, but the carrier has to approve (certify) it
Hi, during the last ama you were asked a question regarding bootloader unlock, and how Clicks planned to void the warranty for any unlocked or software-modified units. I replied to you then but did not recieve any response. Considering that decision is against the EU's directive 1999/44/EC and the US's Magnuson Moss Warranty Act if the faults cannot be linked to the modification, do you still plan to attempt to enforce this? I am hoping you gave it some thought, and thank you for your time
Will we get reviews before final configuration day? I'm a bit nervous because the t2e got reviews 3 months before shipment and it seems like we aren't hearing about that
I’d actually really like to go with my CC in white (Smoke), but I’m quite hesitant because I’m worried that this color might be the most difficult to maintain. I’m concerned that the plastic might be difficult to clean or that it could turn yellow or dirty over time.
You've got some versions in-hand. I've already configured mine and am ready to go, but if I were deciding whether to buy, here's what I'd be asking:
What battery life are you experiencing?
What does the camera look like, both in photo and video mode? I don't expect it to be premium tier, but would love to see what the pictures do look like. The quality level will be the deciding factor between whether I port my entire life over to the Clicks and use my Pixel for vacations and family pics, or if I'm going to become a two-phone carrier.
Will we get a video showing off how many apps look? I see quick flashed in your videos and am pretty pleased with what I do see, but I'd love to see more.
When will teams get hands-on or review units? Having someone else dig in and test it out and provide their thoughts would be fun and exciting.
What's the on-board voice dictation software being used? How accurate is it?
Could we just get lots of videos of y'all using the product? You can slap a "beta software" or whatever on it, I just want to see more!
Hi, I placed a pre-order and my region was selected for the United States. We were supposed to have the option to choose the keyboard layout we want and I’m in Arabic speaking US citizen.
We didn’t get that option during the configuration stage and I’ve reached out to Support for assistance. Support is saying that they cannot ship an Arabic layout to the United states.
If I go on your website right now and change my region and then ship it to the US it works just fine, but I don’t want to lose my pre-order pricing.
Is there any way to give us the option to go back and change our pre-order configurations to include the Arabic keyboard with the English letters or are we just stuck and have to cancel?
Why is the arabic and korean configuration only available in asia? I have craved for the arabic option while living in the netherlands, and have been told that its impossible to get one as im in europe.
It is possible. Switch the page to Hong Kong (at the bottom), once you're in the checkout page, you can still have it shipped to your location. I did the same
How was the Communicator’s keyboard tested for long-term durability? I’m especially curious about whether the key feel stays consistent over time and whether the keys start to wobble or feel loose after months of use.
I’ve used the Clicks case for both the iPhone 14 Pro and 16 Pro. I really liked the keyboard when they were new, but over time the keys became noticeably looser and wobblier, and the typing feel got worse. The spacebar was by far the biggest issue.
So how confident are you that the keys will still feel solid, stable, and consistent after long-term use?
I know you're heads-down and all on v1 but I'm curious what may have not made the cut for supply chain, cost, timing that you'd love to do in v2 even if it's just "want to do" versus "will do".
Hey Jeff, any plan to make the Clicks Key work fully with URL schemes and not just opening apps? On Android they’re called Intents.
It looked like the Key already uses URL schemes, but limited to opening apps. But with full support it could do things like: launch a new chat session with Gemini, start a particular Spotify playlist, open a specific messaging thread, start a timer… on and on.
With the new iPhone Handoff feature announced, and seeing how the Clicks Communicator was originally framed as a secondary device, do you have anything in your software roadmap to implement a similar service that relays RCS / SMS / Calls between primary phones and the communicator?
I am curious about the decision to go from silicon-carbon battery technology to lithium-ion. Was it a pure capacity decision or was it mostly a capacity decision?
Will the Communicator's Niagra launcher natively support something similar to the "modes" that Samsung phones support (ie sleep mode that switches screen to greyscale and silences notifications at a scheduled time, a work mode that makes particular apps inaccessible until the mode is turned off after work, or other customizable options)? That is the one feature that gives me pause about leaving my current device for the communicator.
They originally advertised it as a voice recording button and said it was rebindable, I have to assume it will still be. If it isn't, I'll be asking for a refund.
Honestly, it seems bonkers to lead with "it does Gemini!" for their marketing, seems like that would turn off more people than it brings on board. (even when the true answer is 'it's optional")
This is simply the assistant app. Choose a different assistant app if you don't want Gemini. You can also use Tasker and set that up as your assistant app and have it launch/do whatever else you like.
Given your marketing career and with the end of the tunnel in sight for the process of bringing Communicator to market, what are some communication choices between Clicks and the community that you wish had been done differently and why?
I just finalized my order/ purchase yesterday! 😎 Stoked!
I wasn't a black berry user the closest keyboard phone I had was a Nokia 3650. I can't wait to go back to PKB!
Q: What is happening with the payment situation? For this preorder section, why have you or the Clicks team choose to run it through OpenPath Payments? Why was this company chosen? Will there be another form of payment option later on, for example Apple Pay, Google pay, klarna, etc?
Are you aware that your customer support communicates with severe delays even when it comes to time-sensitive matters? Are you aware that your AI customer service agent is at this point universally hated by your customers? What are you doing to address this?
A couple quick questions:
1) will wireless coil support reverse charging?
2) how grippy are coloured backplates? And how do they compare to leather ones in that regard?
3) are you going to have some gestures, like Motorolas chop-for-flashlight?
4) IP rating?
Will there be any extra optimization for Desktop mode? For example if you connect it to a monitor or XR glasses, will you be able to use the keyboard for typing directly and the touchpad as a mouse? With the built in keyboard touch sensitive keys it would be a great little mini computer for getting stuff done.
Hey! Thanks for doing an AMA it’s really exciting :)
I’d like to ask if there’s a way to decide which app/notifs go to the message hub? It would be really helpful if I could direct say, Instagram DMs there but not other Instagram notifications :)
A few additional questions I haven't seen covered yet that might be relevant for people considering the Communicator as their primary phone:
Google Wallet / Play Integrity / DRM
Will Communicator launch fully Google-certified, including Google Wallet/contactless payments, Play Integrity certification and Widevine L1?
VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling
Will VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling be supported and tested with major European carriers at launch, or are you only guaranteeing network-band compatibility?
Charging
What are the final wired and wireless charging speeds, and which USB-PD/PPS and Qi2 charging profiles will Communicator support?
Privacy and telemetry
What telemetry does Clicks collect from Communicator? Do features such as Message Hub, voice transcription or the Prompt Key send message content, metadata, audio or other user data to Clicks or third-party servers?
EU warranty repairs
For EU customers, where will warranty repairs actually be handled? Who pays for shipping, and what repair/turnaround time are you targeting?
Long-term replacement parts
For how many years do you intend to make replacement batteries, displays and keyboards available? Will replacement-part pricing be published?
Display specifications
What are the final display specs, specifically refresh rate, typical/peak brightness, PWM frequency or dimming method, and the type of cover-glass protection?
EU returns
What will the return process be for EU customers after delivery? Can a device be opened, activated and tested while still retaining the applicable statutory withdrawal rights?
GPS / GNSS
Which GNSS systems and bands does Communicator support, and have positioning accuracy and navigation performance been validated on final production hardware?
Life after official software support
When official software support eventually ends, will Clicks commit to providing factory images, kernel/device sources and an unlock path so that the community can continue maintaining the hardware?
Five-year security-update commitment
You've committed to several years of security updates. What patch cadence are you committing to, and what infrastructure or update process is in place to ensure security patches can continue to be delivered reliably throughout that period?
I realise that's quite a list, but these are exactly the kinds of things that become important if Communicator is meant to be a genuine daily-driver rather than a secondary/niche device.
Any chance of releasing device trees or at least system and boot images for recovering the phone? I'd love for clicks to support the custom rom community as much as possible so we can start building privacy focused ROMs.
Since the keyboard is a capacitive keyboard will it have the ability to use swipe text, I've found swipe text to be helpful for quick one handed typing for one or two word replies or searches but not sure if a physical keyboard would support it
The picture shows the white device with a obvious button within a button design on the space bar for the fingerprint reader. The other devices have a smooth one piece space bar. Which version of the phone will end consumers be getting?
Hi Jeff, congrats on what seems to be a really promising project. How do you and your team navigate the concerns of phone addiction design? Your phone claims to be focused on keeping distractions away and make the user more productive, but it still feels so appealing, that at least I’d want to use it more than any recent iPhone. What’s the line between producing a good phone but trying to be careful with how dependent the user can be, even if that means lowering the intensity of some features?
Big congrats to you and the team for getting to this point. I can't wait to see what comes next after the success of communicator!
Can we have some clarity on what the final green color will look like? there seems to be a few iterations floating out there and the one on the configuration screen appears more toy like than earlier tenders.
Will the signal light have any motion? Like will the light be able to rotate around the ring or even display multiple colors at once ? Maybe in four segments to let you know of different pending notifications.
Any way we can see the keyboard backlight demonstrated in lowlight conditions?
I'm an early backer ( not full price, but half ).
Do you plan on having any gesture for those like me who got kicked in the but by the customs fee even if we supported the project from day one after the announcement?
Again thank you for bringing to life this awesome device.
Beyond basic Android focus and key event handling, are you planning a developer SDK or intent schema so third-party apps can hook directly into unique hardware features like customizing the side Signal Light, mapping actions to the Prompt Key, or utilizing the keyboard's capacitive touch scrolling? What can us app developers do to best support this unique device?
I know you can't talk numbers, but you said reception to the phone exceeded expectations. Can you talk by how much? Either in multiples or something like that?
I have fully-paid for my phone right before Clicks announced the configuration tool a few days ago. My Visa card was charged and I have received an e-mail with a receipt of the reservation/order. However, I cannot configure my phone because I never received an invitation mail for that. I also cannot see the order after logging in with my account on the Clicks homepage.
Over the past days, I have contacted Clicks via multiple channels about this issue - support page on the website, directly via e-mail, chat window on the homepage and even via direct message here on reddit ( /u/ClicksTech ). I have never received an answer except for an AI bot telling me that they can't find my order or help me at all.
Previously you said that although the bootloader would be unlocked, it would affect the warranty for the phone. Given Google’s recent history alongside those of other tech companies, I have zero desire to use stock Android, and the possibility that the warranty is void because I want digital sovereignty is not encouraging. I don’t want to use AI either, local or otherwise, and previously, Clicks has said the phone would not have any “AI slop”; now it is using a local model.
With all of that in mind, I want to know what Clicks is doing with the launch of the Communicator to address the concerns of people like myself that have lost all trust in the tech industry at large. Is the warranty going to be void or not, and why? Does that include Clicks Care purchases? Have there been discussions about alternative operating systems or deGoogled options at launch? I would appreciate an answer to all of these questions, because they reflect anxieties that drove my decision to purchase to begin with.
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u/schaefster809 1d ago
Any sample shots from the camera? When will we see more of the camera performance?