Miss Blackberry? Clicks' New Devices To Bring Physical Keyboards Back

There was a time when smartphones weren't designed to swallow entire afternoons. They were built to send emails quickly, fire off texts with precision, and get real work done, preferably with a physical keyboard clicking beneath your thumbs. If that era makes you think of BlackBerry, you're not alone.

Clicks Technology is betting that the craving for focused, no-frills communication hasn't disappeared; it's just been buried under infinite scrolling. Its latest product, the Clicks Communicator, revives the spirit of those classic BlackBerry handsets, but with the smartphone not going anywhere.

Rather than competing with iPhones and Galaxy devices, the Communicator is designed to live alongside them. The retro-styled device will make its public debut at CES 2026 (January 6–9), positioning itself as a secondary screen for people who want to stay connected without being constantly consumed.

Clicks describes the Communicator as a response to digital overload. While today's smartphones are engineered for social feeds, this device narrows its focus to communication and productivity. Emails, texts, calls, and voice notes take priority; the rest fades into the background.

The company points out that many users already carry a second phone, whether to separate work and personal life or simply to regain control over their attention. The Communicator formalises that behavior with a purpose-built device that connects to your primary smartphone, syncing messages while keeping distractions at bay.

You still need a regular smartphone for it to function - this isn't a replacement - but the goal is to give users a more deliberate way to interact with their digital lives.

Visually, the Communicator is unmistakably inspired by BlackBerry's iconic form factor: compact body, modest touchscreen, and a physical keyboard front and center. In Clicks' own imagery, it's shown paired with an iPhone 17 Pro, underscoring its role as a companion rather than a competitor.

The keyboard itself is touch-sensitive, allowing users to scroll through messages without reaching for the screen, and it supports voice recordings for quick notes. There's also a welcome return of hardware features many modern phones have abandoned: a 3.5mm headphone jack, a physical airplane mode switch, expandable microSD storage, and both SIM tray and eSIM support.

It runs Android 16, packs a 50MP rear camera and 24MP front camera, weighs 170 grams, and stands 131.5mm tall.

The official retail price of the Communicator is $499, but early adopters have options. A $199 reservation deposit is available now, while a limited $299 early-bird offer knocks $100 off the final price ahead of its release later this year. Clicks hasn't confirmed an exact shipping date yet.

Alongside the Communicator, the company has announced the Power Keyboard, a detachable physical keyboard that brings those familiar BlackBerry-style keys to modern smartphones.

Attaching via MagSafe or Qi2, the Power Keyboard can adapt to different phone sizes thanks to a sliding mechanism, and works whether your phone is positioned vertically or horizontally. Beyond phones, Clicks says it can also pair with tablets, smart TVs, and even AR and VR setups.

“Power Keyboard brings a consistent, confident typing experience to all your smart devices,” said Clicks president Kevin Michaluk, describing it as a pocketable solution for anyone who still values tactile feedback over glass typing.

The Power Keyboard is priced at Dh295 in the UAE, available for preorder now, with shipping expected in the spring.

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