CrackBerry - The #1 Site for Tech Users (and Abusers!)

Bring Back BlackBerry - The Next Chapter

CrackBerry Kevin — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 22:32:31 +0000

The first Bring Back BlackBerry episode of 2026 just dropped and in this one CrackBerry Kevin and Jeff Gadway debrief on the news coming out of CES with the unveiling of the Clicks Communicator and what it all means for the Bring Back BlackBerry movement.

If you're hoping for a new BlackBerry in 2026, not so fast... but I think you're going to appreciate what the Bring Back BlackBerry crew has been cooking!!

The first Bring Back BlackBerry update of 2026 is a doozy, and it's one you're going to need to watch from start to finish so you're up to speed. A blog post just isn't enough.

On this episode, CrackBerry Kevin and Jeff Gadway talk through:

The news they dropped in Las Vegas at CES with their reveal of the Clicks Communicator and Power Keyboard, which to their surprise became the BIGGEST story of the show. The news spread around the world and across social media - the NYTimes even named Communicator as the "2026 Heir to the BlackBerry."
🍀 The backstory of "Project Clover," whose aspirations date back to March 17, 2023. See CBK's write up on CrackBerry for more.
The positioning of "purpose built communicators" as a mobile device category adjacent to smartphones, and why this context makes sense for the industry and broader consumer market. See MKBHD WVFRM show for more.
A transparent look at the Bring Back BlackBerry campaign, and how this movement has evolved over the past six months, along with what has been learned along the way from doing the work and talking to hundreds of industry and BlackBerry (past and present) insiders.

This is the new Clicks Communicator… and BlackBerry fans, we need to talk!

CrackBerry Kevin — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 12:55:36 +0000

Clicks just announced their new Clicks Communicator and it is GLORIOUS. This the post-BlackBerry QWERTY your thumbs deserve, and you can reserve it today!

Clicks partnered with Joseph Hofer who designed the iconic BlackBerry Bold 9000, Bold 9900, Q10 and Passport to design a purpose-built communicator for the modern world!

If you're hoping for a new BlackBerry in 2026… not so fast.

But I do think you'll like what CBK has been cooking here.

It's the newly-announced Clicks Communicator and it is GLORIOUS.

Look at it! Just LOOK at it!!

I have been biting my tongue keeping this a secret which is HARD when you're CrackBerry Kevin and you built your reputation leaking unreleased BlackBerry phones to the internet.

But these days CBK also stands for Clicks By Kevin as I'm the Co-founder and President of Clicks Technology and have spent the last three years working behind the scenes to build the company to get to this moment.

I'm so excited about the Clicks Communicator that I just had to draft up an OG tech blogger first look. I guess old CrackBerry habits do die hard.

For more info and to reserve the Clicks Communicator, head to ClicksPhone.com, but keep reading for insider details you won't hear from anyone else!

Project Clover Revealed!

For those of you who love device codenames, let's start with a fun fact.

The Clicks Communicator actually started as Project Clover.

Why Clover? Because on March 17, 2023 I actually registered the domain name ClicksPhone.com.

Doom-scrolling defeated! Retro gaming wins the day.

Retro Jake — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:06:32 +0000

Is newer automatically better? Retro Jake recounts aspects of yester-year's tech that would do well to make a comeback; featuring the ModRetro Chromatic.

I like retro stuff. I like it a lot. Now don't get me wrong, vintage is great too, but there is something about the 'old-meets-new' aspect of retro hardware and software that really hits the spot for me.

Being in my mid-30s, I admit that some of the reason for this is that these old-themed, new-production apps and devices fondly remind me of a happy time of my life. But while nostalgia can be a powerful thing, it is not the only element behind the enjoyment I and many others derive from this "flavor" of technology. This retro stuff taps into some (mystical?) power, and I only become more convinced of this as time goes on.

I can't put my finger on it quite yet, but I am starting to believe there are aspects and attributes of the technosphere we as consumers allowed ourselves to erroneously move on from.

For yours truly, retro tech does an excellent job at scratching the itch this has created. Maybe it is the simplified functionality, the emphasis on disconnecting and spending time offline, the added focus gained from fewer distractions, or the "less is more" approach to graphical interfaces? Or maybe it is because retro designs and aesthetics are just more fun!

Whatever the reason(s), let me tell you the tale of my very first experience with a piece of retro tech that is quickly becoming one of my go-to devices, the...

ModRetro Chromatic.

Best Intentional Tech of 2025

Retro Jake — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 07:21:24 +0000

Our 2025 round-up of some of the best tools to help reduce distraction, increase productivity, and...have a little fun with your tech!

2025 turned out to be a break-out year for intentional, purpose-built tech! In ramping up to the official launch of CB26 we have compiled 15 of our favorite devices and software tools we've tested this year (not all of them necessarily first came to market in 2025) to help YOU in your search for the perfect setup to kick doom-scrolling to the curb in the new year.

A quick recap, what is "intentional, purpose-built tech" anyway? I'm so glad you asked.

In a nutshell, we're talking about tech tools designed to increase productivity, reduce digital distractions, and overall guide consumers to use technology with intentionality instead of compulsiveness. To quote our own CrackBerry Kevin,

"Basically, if it helps you use your tech more intentionally, or helps you use it less when that's the better choice, we'll cover it."

Sound like a pretty broad category? It certainly is, but then again so are the needs of consumers who find themselves looking for ways to do their technology better. To address this, we've come up with a few categories for our recommendations.

Ready? Set. Go!

The dream of QWERTY

Handsets with physical keyboards are one of the best choices for being more deliberate in how you use your device for one simple reason: physical-button input. And we are finally starting to see more of them hit the market a quarter into this century! We at CB feel VERY strongly that, well, life is better with buttons.

AI is everywhere! Just like we all wanted...right?

Tex — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 23:26:40 +0000

Let's address the elephant in the room, while AI can greatly expand the capabilities of mankind it can just as easily do so at the cost of our humanity.

The democratization of AI has been largely heralded as a remarkable achievement for humanity. Free magic, delivered directly to the device of your choosing, giving you the ability to generate images, movies, and endless content.

Not even Hogwarts can live up to what Anthropic and OpenAI are putting out there.

Disclaimer: I work in AI, I won't tell you for whom or exactly what I do, because frankly it's not important.

Why should you care what I have to say? I'm not sure that you should, and your mileage will vary on whether or not my stance holds any water. Nevertheless, in my intentional technology journey, Artificial Intelligence continues to show its head (or ass?) so I feel like I can at least offer where I'm at and persuade you to think a little harder before asking AI to do your most important work for you.

What do I think about AI? Honestly it's mostly pretty lame.

Back in my day, you had to come up with your own corny love letter for your Valentine, or put together your own ragamuffin "commercial" for a school project.

Sometimes you even had to gasp leave a question about the 2002 American League stolen bases leader unanswered because you and your friends couldn't remember while eating a triple dipper at Chili's.

Now, all of that is rendered moot with ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Gemini, and whatever else they're going to sell to us through targeted ads over the coming weeks and months.

How to Start Living Intentionally with Tech: A Step-by-Step Guide

Retro Jake — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:19:15 +0000

So, you’d like to give intentional tech a try but don’t know how to get started? This 4-step guide is for you.

"Hi, I'm Jake.. and I'm a Doom Scroller."

At least I was, until I realized something in my life had to change. Too much social media. Too much mindless usage of my phone. Too many bad habits.

Wanna know the worst part? None of it did me any good at all. It wasn't just wasted time either, it was time stolen from worthwhile pursuits that could have made a difference in my life or those of my loved ones.

The need for a digital decluttering was real. In this day and age the reality is most of us would benefit from one.

With no actual CrackBerry Rehab Facility to check myself into, I went through the process myself of figuring out how to fix my relationship with technology. It was a turbulent time (talk about an understatement), but I believe I cracked the code.

The good news: It's not a 12 step program.

The bad news: It'll still take 4 steps, and even once you get a grip it'll be something you need to manage for the rest of your life.

It actually is that easy to get sucked right back into old habits. But have faith… I believe in you!

The Journey to Intentional Tech

Before diving into the steps, a bit of context about my own experiences.

A couple of years ago, I attempted to go into intentional tech "cold turkey." At the time, I was using a high-end Samsung Galaxy smartphone as my everything device (every app I thought could ever be useful, Dex/desktop mode, work and personal phone lines on one device, you name it).

I switched to a CAT S22 Flip, an Android-based flip phone that is orders of magnitude more basic than even the lowest-end Samsung device.