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A Comparison of the Jitterbug and ClarityLife C900 Cell Phones for Seniors
By Christina Mulberry
There are a handful of cell phones available which are specifically designed for seniors who have difficulty with more traditional cell phones. The most recent entrant into the market is the ClarityLife C900 while the current leader is Great Call's Jitterbug. Both phones offer a number of advantages for those who have decreased fine motor skills, reduced vision, or mild to moderately impaired hearing. They also eliminate some of the extraneous functions that many seniors don't value in a cell phone. Features such as built-in MP3 players, cameras, and web browsing are absent.
Design While the Jitterbug is a flip phone, the C900 is a slider. The C900 has a larger screen that is viewable at all times but for some elderly, the operation of a flip phone is easier. The Jitterbug does offer a small external screen for time/date and caller ID. Both phones are bulky by today's standards and therefore easier to handle. However, the Jitterbug with it's more rounded design and easy grip exterior fits in the hand more naturally.
Ease of Use For some seniors, navigating the menus of a cell phone can be confusing and time consuming. With fewer functions, both of these phones provide a more simple option. The C900 allows users to toggle through the menu without difficulty. The Jitterbug is probably even easier however as it uses simple yes/no questions rather than a menu to which the user replies with a yes or no button. Very intuitive. Both the C900 and the Jitterbug offer large buttons that are easy to read and use. Both have bright, enlarged text on their screens and are easy to see. Single button dialing is available with the Jitterbug and emergency one button dialing is also a feature. The C900 also offers a one touch emergency button which can be programmed with up to 5 numbers. The phone will then contact these numbers to alert them to the emergency. For those who have never really used a cell phone before, the Jitterbug's dial tone signals when the phone is ready to use. The Jitterbug service also offers operator assistance and the ability to use voice activated dialing.
Suitability for Those with Hearing Loss The C900 and Jitterbug phones are hearing aid compatible to reduce interference caused by close proximity with such assistive devices. Both also offer increased volume (around 20dB) and user controls to adjust it. While the Jitterbug offers a padded ear cushion for blocking some outside noise, the C900 adds in a flashing alert to assure users are aware of incoming calls.
Cost and Network The Jitterbug handsets can be purchased for $147 while the C900 has a higher introductory cost around $269. The Jitterbug is a CDMA phone and can be used only with such networks. The C900 on the otherhand is a GSM phone which comes unlocked and can operate with any GSM network; T-Mobile and AT&T are the primary providers.
Calling Plans After purchasing the ClarityLife C900, users merely need to contact AT&T or T-Mobile to identify a plan and obtain a SIM card to start using the phone. As an example, AT&T offers their Senior Nation 200 plan for those over age 65. The plan provides 200 anytime minutes, 500 night and weekend minutes, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling for $29.99 per month. These plans include freedom from roaming and long distance charges. Plans with more talk time are available of course but monthly fees are significantly higher. A two year committment is required. Jitterbug offers a number of plans designed for those with more limited use and are easy to understand. There are no roaming or long distance charges, and no time of day restrictions to worry about. Users can select a monthly plan for as low as $10/month or as much as 800 minutes for $80/month. Jitterbug for a Year is another option at only $120 per year and as little as $.15/minute. One of the primary advantages of the Jitterbug plans is that there is no committment required. These plans are economical for users with low to moderate usage but less advantageous for those requiring more talk time. Both phones offer advantages for many seniors. The C900 is better suited to seniors who have experience with cell phones while the Jitterbug is a better choice for those who are much less comfortable with them and particularly if they occasionally require assistance with calling or using the phone. |
Clarity Products
| Jitterbug
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This intel was contributed by mulberry
mulberry
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May, 2012
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