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This keyboard-equipped Android phone wants to bring back the glory days of physical typing
Remember when phones had actual keyboards? You know, the kind you could feel under your fingers? When typing didn’t involve fighting with autocorrect every five seconds? Yeah, those were the days. And Clicks Technology thinks a lot of us miss them.
At CES 2026, I got my hands on two new products from Clicks that are all about bringing back physical keyboards. The Clicks Communicator is a full phone with a keyboard built in, and the Power Keyboard is an add-on that slides out from behind your current phone. After trying both, I have to admit something. I kind of miss the BlackBerry era.
Meet the Clicks Communicator
This phone comes from two guys who really know their mobile tech. Michael Fisher (you might know him as Mr. Mobile) and Kevin Michaluk (aka CrackBerry Kevin) created this device. Both are huge BlackBerry fans, and it shows.
Now, I should be honest here. Clicks didn’t have fully working models yet. But the physical mockups I played with were pretty close to the final product, and they gave me a good sense of what to expect.
The phone has a 4-inch screen that’s almost square. It runs Android 16, but don’t expect the usual Android experience. Clicks stripped things down to focus on what matters for communication. The home screen is text-based and shows your messaging apps, notifications, and lets you manage your inboxes all in one place. Pretty smart, right?
Here’s the cool part. The phone includes a 3.5mm headphone jack (remember those?), a physical SIM card slot, swappable batteries, and support for microSD cards up to 2TB. These are features that most modern phones ditched years ago.
That Keyboard Though
Let me tell you about this keyboard. It feels really good. Clicks actually hired one of the original BlackBerry designers, and you can tell. The keys have that same sculpted shape that made BlackBerry keyboards so famous. They feel solid when you press them. There’s real feedback.
But here’s where it gets interesting. The keyboard isn’t just for typing. It has capacitive touch built in, so you can swipe across it to scroll through content. You don’t have to keep reaching up to the screen all the time.
The keyboard layout includes function keys and customizable shortcuts. For someone who types a lot of messages or emails, this could be a game changer.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | 4 inches (square shape) |
| Operating System | Android 16 with custom UI |
| Keyboard | Physical QWERTY with capacitive scrolling |
| Special Features | 3.5mm headphone jack, physical SIM slot, swappable battery, microSD support (up to 2TB) |
| Price | $499 retail / $399 preorder |
| Availability | Second half of 2026 |
A Second Phone Strategy
What I really like about the Communicator is the whole philosophy behind it. This isn’t meant to replace your iPhone or Galaxy phone. Instead, it’s designed to be a second device. One that’s just for messaging and getting things done.
Think about it. You keep your main phone for taking photos, watching videos, and all that multimedia stuff. The Communicator handles your communication needs. No distractions. No endless scrolling. Just productivity.
The phone comes in different colors. I saw silver and green versions at the show. The green one has this retro Eddie Bauer vibe going on. The body is plastic with a removable back panel.
You can preorder it now for $399. Regular price will be $499 when it launches in the second half of this year.
The Power Keyboard for Everyone Else
Not everyone wants to carry two phones. Clicks gets that. So they also made the Power Keyboard, which works with most modern smartphones.
This thing is pretty clever. It attaches magnetically to the back of any MagSafe or Qi2-compatible phone. It looks like a power bank at first. But slide your phone upward, and boom, there’s your keyboard. The sliding mechanism has this nice ratcheting feel to it. It locks at different heights to fit various phone sizes.
The keys are smaller than on the Communicator, obviously. Your phone is only so wide. But Clicks added a full number row above the QWERTY layout, plus action keys and programmable shortcuts. You can use your phone vertically or horizontally, whichever feels better.
Oh, and it actually is a power bank too. It has a battery inside that charges both the keyboard and your phone.
The Power Keyboard costs $79 if you preorder it. Regular price is $109. It should ship in the first half of 2026.
