Digital Trends

Jitterbug Dial April 20th, 2007 | by Stewart Wolpin

Features and Design

The target market for Jitterbug is not this reviewer, and probably not most of you reading this. In order to more accurately gauge Jitterbug's attributes, I loaned a phone to my parents, both in their early 80s. Much of the judgments reported here come from them.

Jitterbug operates on a CDMA network, either Verizon's or Sprint's — the company won't say which. It doesn't have (or need) EV-DO service since there's no internet access. The five simple monthly minute service plans do not require a lengthy multi-year commitment (for obvious reasons), but there are substantial discounts if you pay for a year of service in advance, including up to 40 percent off the price of the handset. All unused minutes roll over to the next month, up to 90 days. Voicemail is the only extra — $3 a month. The phone itself can be purchased in three $49 payments. Phones are available in English, French, and Spanish versions.

There are two Jitterbug phones, the OneTouch and the Dial. The OneTouch phone is literally an emergency phone — it has no keypad, just three call buttons: "OPERATOR," "TOW" (or "FRIEND," "HOME," "WORK," or whatever — Jitterbug will program any number you want behind this button), and "911." Jitterbug Dial, officially the SPH-a120, is a more standard dialpad-equipped phone — and only a phone. No camera, no wireless Web, no text messaging, no music player, no anything except a cell phone. We'll be concentrating here on the Dial, but both phones operate similarly.

Both duckbill-shaped, satin white (if slightly effeminate) phones measure 4 x 2.25 x 1 inches, which might seem a bit bulky to younger folks with youthful digital dexterity accustomed to miniaturization. But for often arthritic seniors, the wide-body, contoured phone is easier to grip and manipulate. When open, the phone is 7.25 inches long, which places the microphone closer to the mouth. Technically, mouth-to-mic proximity doesn't ensure a clear conversation (in fact, if you're too close, your voice could become distorted at the other end), but it provides a psychological assurance to seniors that their voices will be heard.

Unlike other modern phones, there are no buttons lining the perimeter of the Dial for seniors to accidentally press. Plus, small spine buttons are hard enough to find and identify with young eyes, much less with optics afflicted by age, cataracts, or glaucoma.

A volume toggle on the front flap under the small screen (which always displays the time and date) is the only external control. When the phone is open, this control is at the top of the phone, where most seniors — used to large, wired phone receivers — hold the phone. All other buttons are inside.

Jitterbug's dialpad is comprised of extra-large round, colorfully lit, and easy-to-read buttons. The glowing white-on-black numeric buttons are ringed with a neon yellow glow for extra emphasis. Above the dialpad are green-ringed "YES" and red-ringed "NO" keys. Backlights stay illuminated for 10 minutes, plenty of time for even the slowest number puncher. In between the "YES" and "NO" keys is an up/down toggle. Above the "NO" key is a separate "on/off" key. And that's all the buttons.

Below the 1.85-inch, 160 x 128 pixel LCD screen, your phone number is embossed (a nice touch, since seniors may be unable to recall a not-often repeated phone number). Above the screen is the large earpiece speaker.

Lining the rim of the top flap is a rubber gasket to protect delicate elderly ears. The gasket also helps the user accurate locate the speaker on their ear and doesn't slip when hunching the phone in place with your shoulder.

There's no menu button, because there's no menu. There's no menu, because this phone has only five features to scroll through when needed. One of these features is, of course, a phone book, which can hold up to 50 numbers. When you order a phone, you give Jitterbug a list of the top five phone numbers you want initially programmed into it. Once you get your pre-programmed phone, your contact list can be updated and managed from the phone, from a secure Jitterbug webpage (coming soon), or by calling Jitterbug (they'll add the names and numbers for you). Also, after a call comes in, you are asked if you want to save the number.

There is also no-training voice dial and voice mail. However, it's not what's offered, but how you use what's offered that's the impressive part of the Jitterbug experience.

Image Courtesy of GreatCall