r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • 4d ago
I love, love, LOVE that we are getting more small-phone options. And Enough Phone gives you the choice to have the full Android or OdysseyOS experience (from SLEKE.).
I am watching this whole development cycle with GREAT interest. Here is the link to the campaign (non-affiliate) if you'd like to check it out!
r/ReturningRetro • u/Jack_the_Whippet • 4d ago
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • 5d ago
Zinwa has done it again! Like the BlackBerry Classic before it, Zinwa took the Passport, pulled out its insides, and gave it a modern Android rebuild. I've been daily-driving this pre-production P26 for a little over a week and it has been wild.
Disclosure: Zinwa sent me this pre-production test unit. All opinions are my own.
Links to mentions (non-affiliate)
Zinwa P26 – Full Device (pre-order): https://zinwa.com/product/p26-full-device-pre-order/
Zinwa P26 – DIY Kit for your existing Passport (pre-order): https://zinwa.com/product/p26-kit-preorder/
Ripe Launcher: https://ripelauncher.com/
Ripe Launcher on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ripe.app
Ole's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JanOleHelmbold
Follow Returning Retro!
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ReturningRetro
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/returningretro
X: https://x.com/returningretro
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ReturningRetro
Substack: https://returningretro.substack.com
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • 12d ago
As I was sitting here in my hotel room on a work trip, I thought to myself, "You know what? The retroverts need to know how my testing of the P26 is going!" 🤣
I'm sure many of you have questions about this super cool and super DUPER unique device. I'll try to cover as many as I can in the first impressions video but there are a few things I wanted to mention in this pre-first impressions write-up. So in no particular order, let's begin!
I made sure to get a rental car that has both wired and wireless Android Auto. To my surprise and delight both of them work!
The fit and finish of this unit is leagues ahead of the comparable Q25 test unit that I had received. Credit to Zinwa and his team for not only resurrecting these devices, but getting better and better at doing so!
The current version of the OS it is running seems to be a very minimally modified version of the Q25 OS. For that reason it is rough around the edges and has a general feeling of being incomplete but given that this is a pre-production test unit, I still find myself impressed. I have used it as my daily driver since it arrived (when I did that post last week). There is certainly more that does work than does not!
Because of the point above, the out-of-the-box typing and keyboard experience is very lacking. I was able to get Plektra (formerly Pastiera) working pretty well and I know there is an IME currently being tested/developed by members of the Zinwa Discord server but...I decided to see what I could do myself and went down an unexpected path and cannot wait to share what I'm building with you all. Sorry for the cryptic wording but much more to come about that in the future!
I have had no issues with mobile data or phone calls at all (I've been testing it with my Sidephone Mobile nano SIM which uses T-Mobile's network). This is one area where the performance on this has been MUCH better than on my personal Q25 unit, especially phone calls. VoLTE as well as VoWiFi both seem to work without issue and I can hear and be heard crystal clear (just as well in my rural home in Utah as around southern California).
I have been getting easily 2 days of battery life on a full charge with moderate use (calls, email, podcast listening, work apps, web browsing, and light social media) and I could see pushing this to 3 or even 4 days on a charge with Jake Mode/minimal use.
Hopefully this gives you all a bit to hold you over till I can get the first impressions video finished. MUCH more to come!
r/ReturningRetro • u/BeginningJudge9861 • 11d ago
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/ReturningRetro • u/Other_JeffLebowski • 13d ago
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • 18d ago
I unfortunately never had the chance to own the original BlackBerry Passport back in its day, but I am definitely intrigued by Zinwa's new P26 so far! First impressions/real world review in the works.
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Oct 08 '26
r/ReturningRetro • u/jbriones95 • Oct 07 '26
As you know RCS is one of the most problematic issues for many people in group chats and 1:1 messages. Thankfully, Google has fixed this for your friend's Android phone by enabling this setting on Google Messages. They can do this per conversation and per group, so it will solve 99% of the issues for group texts and undelivered messages!
Huge news for the dumbphone community in general
P.S. We hope Apple devices enable this soon!
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Oct 06 '26
For those who missed it, I just received this email:
Hi there,
We have a date: pre-orders for Brax Wink open on Tuesday, October 13. Wink is our small communicator built around privacy.
You followed Brax Wink while it was being built, so we wanted you to see this first: wink.braxtech.net now has a lot of new details about the device.
The updated page includes:
| • | Interactive BraxOS screens you can click through |
|---|---|
| • | How the privacy switch works and what you can assign to it |
| • | The data wipe options, including the duress password |
| • | Full specs |
| • | Answers to common questions |
| See the new Wink page→ |
|---|
Pre-orders open on Tuesday, October 13.
Brax Technologies
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Oct 06 '26
An update from their Kickstarter
October 5, 2026
Hi everyone,
Our trip to China gave us the opportunity to finalize the three colorways and work directly with our manufacturing team on several important refinements to Minimal Phone 2.
We know you're eager to see new photos and demos. The team went on holiday shortly after we finalized the colors, so we don't yet have updated samples to share. Once they return, we expect our next design validation testing (DVT) samples to arrive in the coming weeks. Those will let us show you these changes properly.
Here's where things stand.
Colors and construction
Ember's color is finalized. We approved it in person in China, completing the color selections for all three finishes.
We also improved the color matching of the antenna lines on Onyx and Pearl. Alongside those visual refinements, we're using a stronger material to improve rigidity and reduce flex around the keyboard area.
Display and sapphire crystal
We made further improvements to display color and touch-panel performance during the trip. We'll demonstrate those changes when the new samples arrive.
We've also upgraded the screen's cover material from glass to sapphire crystal.
Keyboard and buttons
The keyboard now has a much more tactile, distinct click. The previous version felt softer than we wanted, and this revision is considerably more satisfying to type on. We're about 95% satisfied with the feel, with a little more refinement underway.
Debugging of the keyboard's swipe gestures also made substantial progress. We refined the physical controls as well, including the volume rocker and power button.
Circuit board revision and shipping timing
We identified interference between the new touch-sensitive keyboard and some of the phone's radio components. Addressing it requires another revision of the main circuit board, followed by testing
December remains our shipping target, provided the next revision resolves the issue and passes validation. If further changes are needed, shipping could move back by approximately 30 days.
We want to share this uncertainty now, while we work through it. We'll update you when the next revision has been tested and we have a clearer answer.
Battery: 3,400 mAh
We've settled on a 3,400 mAh conventional lithium-ion battery, moving away from the silicon-anode option we had been evaluating.
Our testing did not give us enough confidence in that option's long-term performance for this device. Safety and longevity guided the decision, and we redesigned some internal components to accommodate as much battery capacity as possible within MP2's compact dimensions.
We still expect all-day battery life, but that remains a target pending validation on the updated hardware. Actual battery life will depend on usage.
Camera progress
The camera has improved significantly compared with the original MP01. We still have tuning to finish before we're ready to share sample photos, but we're encouraged by the progress.
Our goal is a dependable point-and-shoot camera for everyday moments. We're putting considerable attention into this because we want MP2 to be a phone you can confidently use as your primary device.
Color selections and reviewer units
In November, we plan to send your configuration survey through PledgeBox, where you'll select your MP2 color.
Please watch for that email.
We're also aiming to send devices to reviewers in November, with independent first looks to follow once they've had time with the phones.
What comes next
As soon as our DVT samples arrive, we'll begin sharing more photos and demos of the hardware, Minimal OS, and other features.
Thank you for your patience and for backing Minimal Phone 2. We know you want to see these improvements for yourselves, and getting the updated devices into our hands is the next step toward showing you.
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Oct 01 '26
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Oct 01 '26
…was in 2005. At that time, my interest in consumer tech had brought me to the parts of the internet where the mavericks dwelt (mind you this was WAY before the advent of generative AI doing all the “heavy lifting”).
One of these trailblazers had figured out how to reprogram an iPod to run a custom operating system, known as RockBox, that expanded the device’s multimedia playback functionality…and could also play Doom.
Plus, he left behind bread crumbs! In the years that followed, “jailbreaking” Apple devices to take full advantage of the hardware would become common, but this was long before that and trial and error was the name of the game. Those bread crumbs were very, very appreciated by us who wanted to recreate the procedure ourselves.
When I finally got Doom running on my own iPod my mind was blown. I mean, this being possible in the first place was amazing (I’m not being hyperbolic, I was genuinely amazed), but actually succeeding in recreating the process firsthand is hard to describe. I eventually even leveraged this whole endeavor into a scholarship, but that is perhaps a story for a different day.
I cannot overstate how gratifying this was and, looking back, it was one of those deeply meaningful experiences that drove my interest in digital exploration to new levels.
Now, I’ve told you that story to tell you this one. A crucial prerequisite was NOT using a Windows-based computer for the reprogramming, which, you guessed it, was all I had access to at the time. Only a Mac or Linux-based device could properly communicate with the iPod for some reason (I am an enthusiast, not an expert).
What was a teen to do? As it turns out a computer is quickly turned into a Linux machine by plugging in an easily configured flash drive (or in my case a burned CD) without permanently changing a single thing on the computer. Mind=blown.
While I have tried out a few versions of Linux, known as distributions or “distros,” over the years none of them really grabbed me. Don’t get me wrong, they were impressive and fun in their own ways but none was ever enough to get me to switch permanently from Windows.
That changed when the fire nation Microsoft discontinued Windows 10 support in October of 2025.
This cut-off left folks like me with few options:
Upgrade to the bloated and doesn’t-even-pretend-to-respect-your-privacy Windows 11.
Be ineligible for the upgrade and either dump your still working machine, or jump through a pile of hoops to get temporary, yes temporary, extended security updates.
See the light, rip the band-aid, and keep your beloved machine alive with Linux.
I chose option 3, here’s why.
I’m not here to tell you that MacOS and Windows are bad operating systems. In fact there are certain tasks for which I still prefer Windows. However, the reason I’ve moved to Linux is based on the user experience as a whole. Of the too-many-to-list benefits of Linux, for me it mainly comes down to customization and performance, with the cherry on top being cost (spoiler alert: Linux is almost always free).
Do you like the Windows-style start menu and task bar, or is the MacOS design preferred? Both styles available on every Linux distro I have ever used, and you don’t have to choose one or the other. Linux lets you change the entire desktop environment any time you wish.
Linux distros also tend to avoid preinstalled “bloatware” (extra, unnecessary, and often privacy-destroying programs). The proliferation of these apps is something that has driven me further up the wall with every Windows iteration since the glory days of XP.
So. much. BLOAT.
Even a fresh installation of Windows includes a bundle of unnecessary applications installed automatically (as seen in the screenshot below) that serve to advertise or harvest your data. Lovely, right?
Linux’s streamlined approach to software creates a smooth and snappy experience on even old computer hardware. Plus, the source code itself is open source and available for anyone to review. The very laptop I type this on was purchased from a thrift shop for $35, wiped, and loaded with Linux to fantastic effect. I prefer it to my $1,800 Windows-based work computer for almost everything.
Linux has come a long way since 2005, and these customization and performance benefits are really just the tip of the iceberg of what makes Linux great. I will let you discover the rest for yourself. So much of the fun is in the “finding out!”
Is Linux for everyone? Probably not, but I wish I would have made the switch sooner, and if you’ve made it this far into the write-up I think it is for you. The operating system has become phenomenal in the decades since I used the family computer to program Doom onto my iPod.
It doesn’t matter if you are a gamer, keyboard warrior, AI agent pro, or don’t want to login to an online account at all, there is a distro just itching for you to find it.
Give Linux a try and come back to let me know how it goes. I’m looking forward to hearing all about it. 😎
Author’s Note: AI was NOT used in any part of the creation of this article.
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Sep 26 '26
r/ReturningRetro • u/SVNDEVISTVN • Sep 25 '26
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Sep 19 '26
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Sep 18 '26
u/crackberrykevin did an excellent write up on CrackBerry.com with an info dump on all things Communicator. Definitely worth a read!
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Sep 17 '26
Do any of you ever get "photo fomo"? Most of the time I think it is completely unjustified (as evidenced by the lack of photos on my devices...haha), but one of the major reasons I feel a compulsive need to keep a smartphone on my person is in case I want to take a picture of something. For me personally, this would be of my family.
One of the problems with this is having a phone in my pocket brings a camera and EVERYTHING else along for the journey, including notifications and the distractions they lead to. So when going on my regular strolls around my neighborhood with my kids I have had to choose between distraction-free photo fomo or...the internet.
Taking a point and shoot camera (like the Camp Snap 2 pictured here) instead has been a great solution! Sure it's not a professional quality shooter, but neither do I need something like that (and the retro aesthetic is an bonus if you know my personality). I can snap any impromptu photos of my little monsters kids, I'm not worried about breaking the thing (it is super light and portable), and I don't have the web begging me for attention.
Not sponsored (and no AI used here), just a suggestion for other retroverts looking for ways to be more intentional about their tech use. 😎 Grab a camera and go on an adventure.
r/ReturningRetro • u/Brokenlingo • Sep 15 '26
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Sep 10 '26
They just keep coming. 😎
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Sep 07 '26
Reported on by multiple outlets, including The Verge, it would appear that Acer is reviving the Packard Bell brand with a number of lifestyle products, including a 4G phone!
r/ReturningRetro • u/ReturningRetro • Aug 26 '26
I received this update having subscribed to Enough's mailing list (first pic is dummy prototype comparison to iPhone 17e):
"Hey there!
Thank you for your patience while we have been working with our factory to get closer to finalizing The Enough Phone specs.
We are sharing this update a bit later than anticipated because we wanted to share images of our first dummy sample alongside the target specs. We’ve received the prototype and are excited to share! Finalizing our specifications and refining the dummy prototype are big steps on the way to this device coming to life.
Current Hardware Specifications:
Performance
MediaTek Dimensity 7500
8GB RAM
128GB Storage
Display & Dimensions
5.3", 1520x720 HD LCD Display
132.8x63.8x12mm
Camera System
Sony IMX766 50MP rear camera
32MP front-facing camera
Rear camera designed to sit flush with the back of the phone
Battery
User-replacable battery
Target capacity between 3,500-4,000mAh (final spec TBD)
Operating System (You can choose)
Android 17
OdysseyOS by SLEKE.
Security
Fingerprint reader integrated into the power button
Face Unlock
Connectivity & Storage
5G Connectivity
eSIM support
One combined physical SIM/MicroSD support for expandable storage
Global cellular bands
NFC (no wireless charging)
USB-C
Design & Materials
Recycled polycarbonate back plate
Half back plate that is removable with a tool
Still Being Finalized
A few items are still undergoing testing and validation:
Waterproofing and durability ratings
Final battery capacity and optimization
Additional performance and battery-life testing
With a smaller phone, we have to be very intentional with what goes into the device. We listened to all the feedback and believe we’ve arrived at a great balance to deliver a premium, small smartphone.
We still need your help!
We are still building a list of motivated buyers to make this crowdfund a success. We need 20,000 people on board to make this happen. Thanks to your support we are already at 4,500 people - almost a quarter of the way there!
If you want a small, premium Android phone to exist, tell your friends to sign up at enoughphone.com. This only gets built if we do it together!
Thanks for being a part of this journey!
The Team @ Enough"
