Unlike the younger generations that have never even used a rotary phone, a majority of senior citizens have spent the their life using a landline type of telephone with very basic controls. The Samsung Jitterbug is not the most simple mobile phone ever invented but it is very easy to use, does not include complicated advanced features, has a dial tone, designed to accommodate the use of hearing aides and if you dial “0” you can actually access an operator.
Design and Features: The Samsung Jitterbug phone is a clamshell type cell phone with large white lettered black button keys that are very similar to a simple, push-button landline type of phone. Large buttons would also be helpful to those people that find small buttons difficult to use. At 4.4 ounces it is heavier than most cell phones on the market today but has a very comfortable feel to it.
The phone also features a simple external display and a 1.8 inch internal display that is capable of rendering up to 65K colors. This cell phone has a soft, rubber earpiece designed to accommodate the use of hearing aids and the speakerphone can be adjusted to play quite loudly. Those with impaired vision or hearing that aren’t necessarily senior citizens may enjoy using the Jitterbug because of these unique features as well. The phone also includes the ability to voice dial for those seniors that suffer from arthritis, enabling them to place calls more easily.
What’s Missing: This phone does not include advanced cell phone features and it is designed to be exceptionally simple. Many wireless phone users nowadays have become accustomed to phone cameras, email or multimedia messaging, playing music or surfing the web that this phone certainly cannot do. This phone can only hold 50 entries in the phonebook and does not have T9 predictive text technology. However, listing everything it lacks is pointless because Samsung never designed Jitterbug phones to compete with more mainstream types of cell phones.
This phone will surely be appreciated if you are if you are a senior, or someone with impaired vision or hearing and would like to have a cell phone for safety or just for staying in touch. However, if you need a more complex and capable cell phone you will need to check out other options.
