{"id":707315,"date":"2026-06-16T11:23:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T11:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/707315\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T11:23:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T11:23:11","slug":"commodores-newest-gadget-is-a-flip-phone-that-blocks-social-media-and-browsers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/707315\/","title":{"rendered":"Commodore\u2019s newest gadget is a flip phone that blocks social media and browsers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe\u2019re determined to approach this in a way that\u2019s fair and safe for everyone, and we\u2019ll be consulting with the Callback community over the next few months to make this determination,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Callback 8020 runs the Linux-based operating system Sailfish OS, which is made by Jolla, a mobile company created by Nokia employees<\/a> in 2012 that also makes phones<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Per Commodore, its phone will support \u201cover 99 percent of Android apps\u201d through Sailfish OS\u2019s Android runtime<\/a> app compatibility layer, including Spotify, Signal, and WhatsApp. Commodore also equipped the phone with some Commodore 64-era games.<\/p>\n


\n \"Commodore
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Some Internet-based apps, like WhatsApp, will work.<\/p>\n

\n Credit:
\n Commodore\n <\/p>\n

\n Some Internet-based apps, like WhatsApp, will work.<\/p>\n

Credit:<\/p>\n

Commodore<\/p>\n

To minimize distractions, the phone uses a dome-shaped LED light that lights up when you have a message. Commodore thinks this will be less distracting than pop-up messages, but I wager a lit-up phone draws attention, too.<\/p>\n

The former Nokia 3360\/3595 owner inside of me is highly interested in another attention-grabbing design feature: the ability to swap phone covers and attach a stringed charm to the case.<\/p>\n


\n \"\"
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\n Some of the phone\u2019s swappable covers.\n <\/p>\n

\n Some of the phone\u2019s swappable covers.\n <\/p>\n


\n \"\"
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

\n Commodore hasn\u2019t said how much the covers will cost.\n <\/p>\n

\n Commodore hasn\u2019t said how much the covers will cost.\n <\/p>\n

\n Some of the phone\u2019s swappable covers.\n <\/p>\n

\n Commodore hasn\u2019t said how much the covers will cost.\n <\/p>\n

Additionally, the flip phone\u2019s exterior screen is designed to resemble 1970s Commodore calculators and has a red tint.<\/p>\n


\n \"\"
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

A Commodore 776M calculator from 1975.<\/p>\n

A Commodore 776M calculator from 1975.<\/p>\n

Credit:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Vintage Calculators<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

As a former Nokia phone user, I\u2019m excited to hear that the phone is supposed to let you swap covers and let you attach a stringed charm through the case.<\/p>\n

For audio, the Callback 8020 uses an 8-bit SID music player, an app for playing music created for the SID (sound interface device) chip in the original Commodore 64. The phone also has what Commodore claims is a high-end, on-board DAC, an integrated FM radio, and a 3.5mm jack, and it comes with a pair of in-ear monitors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cWe\u2019re determined to approach this in a way that\u2019s fair and safe for everyone, and we\u2019ll be consulting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":707316,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[74],"class_list":["post-707315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/707315","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=707315"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/707315\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/707316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=707315"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=707315"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=707315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}