Jitterbug Cell Phone
Samsung/Greatcall Jitterbug – New Tricks for Old Hands
One market that most cell phone manufacturers have missed out on is the one for senior citizens. Yet this is such a huge and untapped market that the potential is there for a company to make an extremely healthy amount of sales. Korean manufacturer Samsung obviously agrees, as is shown with the introduction of their Jitterbug cell phone, in conjunction with Greatcall.
Even the name suggests what market the Jitterbug is aimed at, with the dance craze popular with people 60 and above. With none of the features that more tech-savvy users would want, the Jitterbug is an excellent handset that offers a more than viable option for those who simply want a phone to make and receive calls. It even comes in two versions, the Dial and the OneTouch, so you can buy the one that’s best suited to your needs.
Simple yet Effective
Although both handsets are a little bulkier than similarly designed cell phones, this probably won’t seem such a problem for the audience the Jitterbug is aimed at. Besides, the features that the phone comes with more than make up for any aesthetic shortfalls.
Coming in the clamshell flip phone design, there’s a small window on the outside that shows both the time and the date in a large display, ideal for those with failing eyesight. However, the real design success of this phone becomes apparent when you flip open the phone. Initially, you may be wondering what the noise is, until you realise it’s the dialling tone, just as you’d get if you picked up a normal household phone to use.
Although this may sound like a minor piece of design work, it’s an absolute Godsend for the target audience, since a lack of a dial tone is one of the things that has confused many elderly users of cell phones. Combine this with a rubber-protected cushion on the earpiece itself, ideal for those with hearing aids, and already Samsung are onto a winner.
The other improvement in design compared to similar models from other manufacturers’ is the button layout, especially on the OneTouch. The power button is exactly that – and to prove it, it has ON/OFF written on it, as opposed to the usual little symbol that can be confusing. Even better is the fact that you’ll never forget your number ever again – it’s printed on the handset itself! Ideal for situations when you need someone to call you back.
Something to Shout About
Perhaps the Jitterbug’s real star quality here is the fact that it’s a voice-operated unit. Whether it’s the Dial or OneTouch version, if you press the Operator button you’ll be taken through to a real-life person. This is much more than a simple customer service helpdesk, though – if you need a call connected, they’ll do that for you; if you want to enter new contact numbers and names, they’ll do that for you as well. The only drawback here is that it can soon be quite costly to continuously use this service.
The call quality is excellent, both for making and receiving calls, which for a voice-only handset is as how it should be. With a host of plans to choose from and a back-up service second-to-none, the new Jitterbug is ideal for those less technically-minded, and who just want a simple everyday phone.
Gee, big buttons and a big display font. I only wish they made a Treo phone with those features.
Comments
2 Comments on Jitterbug Cell Phone
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Andrew Ray on
Mon, 3rd Nov 2008 2:56 pm
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Nina on
Thu, 30th Apr 2009 2:09 pm
YAY!!!!
I ordered a Jitterbug cell phone for my client and all the things you have said are true – but – my client has macular degeneration and technophobia. These two combined means she has had difficulty learning to use it. The one complaint, that you think she wouldn’t have disliked, is when the phone opening to ask if who you want to call in voice activated mode. It drives her buggy and she refuses to speak a name. I have taught her how to by pass this feature now and she does use the phone on a limited basis. The other issue for her was remembering to dial the area code for all numbers. All in all this is a great service but some of the population is so technophobic that it’s simplicity is still not simple enough.
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