this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2026
285 points (97.7% liked)

Technology

85698 readers
5313 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related news or articles.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots


founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Announced a short time ago, the Callback 8020 is seen as a means of combating the addictive lure of the modern-day smartphone. While it supports Android apps via its SailfishOS, it disables features like web browsing and social media by default.

However, despite the noble quest for a 'digital detox', the phone met with a somewhat frosty reception online (no pun intended), with many comparing it to an elderly relative's flip phone. In our poll, 70 percent of you said you wouldn't be buying one.

(page 2) 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] brucethemoose@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (6 children)

That’s more like it!

And I completely disagree with the people saying it should be much cheaper.

It’s a LTE Linux computer. In 2026. With multiple screens, a 48MP camera, good DAC, enough power to run real Android apps and tons of bells and whistles; what do you expect?

Electronics are expensive, unless it’s cheap garbage, heavily subsidized, or both. That has a huge externalized cost, and avoiding that is the whole point of this phone. R&D, customer service, and continued software support for the translation layer and OS, must crazy expensive too.

I know wages haven’t gone up with inflation, which makes $400 hard to afford, but that’s not in Commodore’s control.


If one wants a cheaper AliExpress Android fliphone, that’s reasonable.

But it’s not the same product. And you’re going to pay for it in other ways.

[–] blackbeans@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This, I think the price is decent. Most dumbphones are low cost but you notice it - terrible buttons, slow camera, lackluster audio. On top of that they have no coolness factor. This is a phone that ticks all boxes and is privacy friendly. On top of that, it is from a company I like to support.

[–] adarza@piefed.ca 4 points 1 day ago

the cheap flip phones are truly dollar-store build quality and cameras. mine has a crappy radio, it seems, too.. nearly always roaming on another carrier's nearby tower because it can't pick up the vzn one just a couple miles outside of town.

the 'rugged' ones are built better and can take a literal beating and still work, but they cost as much as a recent model 128gb smart phone.. and still have squat for storage and lousy cameras.

[–] uuj8za@piefed.social 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Android fliphone

Not interested. Want SailfishOS.

[–] brucethemoose@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

1st-party supported SailfishOS, to be specific.

That's huge, to me.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.org 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The alternative would be a mid-range phone with SailfishOS on it. I have one, a Sony Xperia III which I chosed for the small size. I like it. BTW I had nearly every Linux phone by Nokia and Jolla since the N900.

But if you still want something that is more like a pocket computer and less like a distracting phone, you could look for handheld PCs / ultraportables, and put Linux on one. These can run Threema Web, and Waydroid if you still want apps. (I have a Gemini PDA, and I like it, but be careful - this is NOT a phone - but fine for answering mail).

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago (10 children)

How about a phone for people who aren't addicted to them, but want the basics without being spied on?

Things I want in a phone:

  • GPS with maps and directions.
  • A browser for the rare occasions I want to look something up when I'm away from home. The last time I used it was to find which aisle something was on at Lowe's.
  • Texting.
  • Phone calls.
  • Notes.
  • A decent camera.
  • No bigger than an iPhone 12 mini, which is what I have now, and it's plenty big enough.

I don't do anything else. Mostly my phone sits on my desk, ignored unless it makes a noise at me. I take it with me sometimes when I leave the house, but sometimes I don't bother--not addicted.

[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (6 children)

This can easily be achieved with most any Android phone.

  • Switch to a degoogled OS like GrapheneOS or LineageOS
  • Install a minimalist launcher (there are dozens)
  • install CoMaps for private gps and navigation
  • use whatever chromium browser comes on the phone or install a privacy browser like Firefox (again, there are dozens)
  • add a notes app (there are dozens)
[–] defaultusername@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I'm personally waiting for the Moto/GrapheneOS collab coming out next year. I'm rocking a slightly older OnePlus with LineageOS now.

[–] determinist@kbin.earth 5 points 1 day ago

doing this with a used pixel 8 pro bought off ebay.

load more comments (4 replies)
load more comments (9 replies)
[–] bigbangdangler@reddthat.com 5 points 1 day ago

I want one, but I don't think they're going to get the pricing near anywhere where it becomes a reality.

That said, I'm really happy that this product has at least started a conversation. I would 100% prefer a dumb flip phone than the advertising machine in my pocket. There is a suggestion of a market; we'll see if the industry is too far up their own ass to respond.

Sadly I don't think the revamped Commodore will have the clout to pull it off.

[–] harrys_balzac@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm still on the fence about it but the price drop does move the needle a little. I'm still going to wait to make a decision until it comes out then give it a couple of months.

[–] GreyEyedGhost@piefed.ca 2 points 23 hours ago

I honestly like everything about this except the no browser and small screen choices. I get the idea, but I'm happy with my addiction, thanks, I just want the privacy and control. And SailfishOS looks interesting, but I cant find a way to try it, except as a VM.

[–] kibblebits@quokk.au 12 points 1 day ago (3 children)
[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There’ll probably be several to choose from on AliExpress at that price point.

[–] ProfThadBach@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Really? I am in.

Holy shit you weren't kidding

Edit. fixed

[–] Im_old@lemmy.world 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

holy mother of tracker URLs! lol

[–] DonGirses@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

we fit all yer favorites in this sum bitch

That is concerning amount of query parameters.

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Well now we know exactly where this person lives.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] jobbies@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 day ago

"We worked tirelessly to lower the price...and by subtracting 100 we managed it goddammit"

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 2 points 23 hours ago (4 children)

It's just a flip phone with Android running on it like every other flip phone with Android running on it that they've produced over the last 5 years. Commodore never even made phones historically, I don't understand why I should care about this.

[–] badgermurphy@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I heard it has Sailfish. Maybe its just an option but not default?

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] cecilkorik@piefed.ca 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm more concerned about the dictatorial-feeling attitudes in the marketing than I am about the price. I'm all for a privacy respecting phone, but an even higher priority than that is respecting me and my choices. Blocking me from social media doesn't feel like it's catering to me, it feels like its nannying me and dictating my choices to me. That's not something I'm interested in at any price.

I realize that I will, in reality, be able to choose whether to leave those blocked, but having them blocked by default feels just as aggressively judgemental and disrespectful as preinstalling them and shoving them in my face like most existing brands do. It's not your place to tell me what apps to use or not to use. Give me a fucking blank slate, and let me decide, thankyouverymuch.

[–] SharkAttak@kbin.melroy.org 2 points 1 day ago

That's what I thought, that keyboard means almost no messaging; I get the 'no social' vibe, but this way looks like there's no middle ground between "grandma and her SMS" and "glued to the screen 20hrs/day".

[–] XLE@piefed.social 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The ~~CAT~~ S22 is $150. It doesn't have the same hardware, but I don't see $250 worth of upgrades between that one and this.

Definitely closer than asking $350 more, though. And it's not like Sailfish functionality is worth nothing.

[–] enbee@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 1 day ago

bought and used one of these. it sucks ass. if you want something dependable dont get this. keypresses on the dialpad dont register half the time which nade t9 input impossible. also you must install a 3rd party app to use t9 as your main input. stock rom pops the qwerty touch keyboard on the yiny screen for every input

[–] Nonconfrontational@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 day ago

$500!? What kind of crack are they smoking?

[–] Twig@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

More tempting now anyway. I assume with SailfishOS you can add a web browser.

[–] Xerxos@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They said that they specifically blocked this.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] AlanWake2112@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I would be interested if I knew which networks it works on….

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

GSM, WCDMA, and 4G LTE

load more comments
view more: ‹ prev next ›