liquidblue

@81632bit the article author is well known for being anti AI in far too many uses. I code for a living and think AI is a graduate level coder for doing whole projects currently, despite me using it for side projects that wouldn't happen otherwise due to time. I think you're confusing people disagreeing with the article and author's almost religious bias, not being AI fans

It's the difference between hand crafted and mass produced.
They all have their place and not all of what is made is slop, that's for sure.
This website promotes anti AI, so don't expect an unbiased view.
For me it has allowed me to produce a Gameboy game that wouldn't have otherwise happened due to my work and parenting commitments, which has made me and players very happy

Pre-orders are absolutely an early demonstration of commercial success; large sales for such a small company and growing their market past retro users. If that's not a commercial success then what is? While the article writer is right about the phone being devisive since it's intentionally not designed for absolutely everyone, it is very clear that this writer is pushing their own agenda based on personal preference alone instead of reporting. Is this just sensationalism or not able to deal with it? Dunno

The article is incorrect about Commodore International being able to make an Amiga computer. These deals mean that only the Amiga Corporation can make an Amiga with Commodore logos. Commodore International has now been given full domain over making the 8 bit computers only.
Whatever tho, now all the retro computers can return, but not all from one company

@81632bit Everyone that mistakenly thinks this is a dumbphone has got the price wrong. Plus, for a mid-range phone that it actually is, you can't get a flip with these specs any cheaper.

@sdelfin The sales numbers have proven you wrong. The beige model that I bought is the lower seller, yes, but the 90's starlight model where all their marketing is targetting is the super seller.
If they did retro alone the company wouldn't grow. So they can next go back to some safe retro product, and then again go for something niche like every small company should do when they're not big enough yet to compete with big companies like HMD using the Nokia brand

@40by25 They aren't telling you what you can or can't do. You don't have to buy it and it wasn't designed for you. I'm in the target market and bought it. I understand you're upset because of your brand commitment, but you can do what you want.

@Exerion76 The results are in and looks like many people are buying in. I bought the beige model because I'm a C64 fan, but the 90's-style starlight far outsold it. More of their marketing was targeting the 90s too. So looks like it'd be mistaken to think nobody would want this phone based on the idea of retro Commodore alone, which makes no sense for a contemporary non-retro product, and for their first product they've let people choose a decade (or some other blander or random themes).

Damn I've been sucked into this agendad joke of an article. This isn't a dumbphone but TimeExtension won't accept that and wants the conspiracy that this is an expensive dumbphone instead. You can't find a flip of this level of specs for any cheaper, so anyone refuting that need to cough up with some research that counts - ie that aren't dumbphones.

@Taka_Sakagami
Commodore have put out lots of statements about their position on AI. I also agree with you, that people without knowing more might make their own wild assumptions like this article has expanded itself into.

Anyone saying even the original price was high hasn't done their research or mistakenly compares it to dumbphones. You can't get a cheaper flip with specs as high as this. The closest but lesser device is the Subbeam F1 Pro Aspen at $359.
Luckily Commodore made the headphones optional (good for me) and otherwise the higher price is due to RAM prices affecting all new proudcts; I wish other companies would take their lead and offer recycled RAM for the price reduction.

@Taka_Sakagami
Ok, well to balance Commodore keep saying both digital detox and digital minimalism. I guess they're leaving that up to user choice?

However what I originally said still stands, because even digital detox also has nothing to do with GenAI's piracy of IP, environmental issues, displacing workers, etc.
Both digital minimalism and digital detox are about a moderation act to soley help the one individual implementing it, for their context. NOT the broader issues. Saying detox does encompass these things is like saying a nudist is on a clothes detox because plenty of companies use sweatshops, when that's totally not why they're doing it. The author of this article is targetting Commodore invalidly.

Commodore also aren't trying to end social media companies and they've never said to stop social media entirely, like on PCs (an allowance which is minimalism not detox; minimalism says like 30mins per week to achieve needs in that area of low-quality socialisation).

Digital minimalism and its detox steps have nothing to do with things like GenAI, environmental issues, displacing workers, etc. While I hate that AI is stealing IP illegally everywhere too, none of that has anything to do with digital minimalism. Go read the book called "Digital Minimalism", it's excellent.
Basically, this article is a mess of reporting mixed with very personal unrelated opinion.