Commodore launches an Android phone (with a C64 emulator)

The Android 5.0 Lollipop handset will ship with two emulators built in (VICE C64 and Uae4All2-SDL Amiga, per Wired).

If you’re looking for an low-cost and unique smartphone, it might be worth a look – but be aware that virtually every other current smartphone can run those classic old games you (think) you loved back in the 1980s, so unless you really love the Commodore logo this might not be for you. That company went bankrupt in 1994 after its 80s heyday, and its rights have changed hands several times, with various attempts to resurrect it in the form of a retro-themed PC, a TV-compatible joystick and merchandise.

In the end, the Commodore PET is simply an Android smartphone with Commodore branding and pre-installed emulators, both of which can be done on any or even better smartphones.

The 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display sits behind a sturdy slab of Gorilla Glass 3, and is powered by a 1.7 GHz Mediatek 64-bit octa-core processor with ARM Mali T760 GPU, 3GB of RAM, and a large 3000mAh battery. The company announced its first Android smartphone, the Commodore PET, which will be launched in Europe later this week.

The phone will come in two different versions.

People of a certain age *awkwardly tugs collar* tend to get a little misty-eyed when talking about the great Commodore 64, as it was the machine that helped usher an entire generation into the world of personal computing.

As far as phones go, the Commodore PET isn’t all that remarkable. The entry-level model has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. On the rear is a 13-megapixel camera with a Sony sensor, paired with an 8-megapixel shooter on the front. They’ll be sold for around $300 and around $365, respectively, coming with free 32 GB microSD cards in the box.

Expect the Commodore phone to hit the United Kingdom soon after its launch in Italy, France, Germany and Poland (no specific date just yet), with a price tag of around £249.