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.
Come on Commodore, I want a retro computer with new Herdware in it. Not some crippled linux phone.
You’re in luck! It was their first product of this reborn company. They sell that right here: https://commodore.net/computer/
That’s the thing. I already have almost a dozen original and remake Commodore 64s. Also Plus/4, C128, and so on. I don’t know who the target market of the new Commodore is, but it doesn’t feel like its me.
We’re similar then. I am a long time user of VICE, built parallel port (IEEE 1284) to 1541 interfaces to read my old floppies onto PC in the 90s, and even bought one of the c64 Minis when it came out. I also have 3 original C64s (in various states of function).
All of the “modern” c64s have always been just a bit off from the legacy hardware experience. I still love them, but they don’t compare to the experience on the original hardware.
Well, me, I suppose. I bought one of the new Commodore Ultimate units (breadbin model). There are absolutely hardware limitations to the legacy c64 experience using in with modern computing in 2026. Sure there are workarounds for most of them, but those workarounds add up in cost, and even then aren’t always the best solutions. Even then SID chips were never all identical, and many continue to fail with age. Certain revs of original hardware have specific bugs (which sometimes are beneficial) so having the option to use or avoid those would mean owning multiple original hardware in working order. That still won’t get you HDMI, Ethernet, USB or flash storage access without lots of extra addon hardware.
The Commodore Ultimate has on that baked in. Currently I’m still using my original hardware more because of some projects I’m working on that require the TTL signals of the USER Port, but more regular use I am glad to have the Ultimate for better interoperability and maximum compatibility to the original 6510 CPU and SID (from its FPGA).
The new slimline Ultimate units are actually made from the original CBM case molds which were found in a warehouse!
Thats certainly fine. This is a hobby after all, and there’s no requirement to buy something you don’t find interesting.