A Simple New Phone for Seniors
A bit of refreshing news amid the hoopla over sophisticated, multifunction cellphones taking over the world: a simple phone for seniors. The ClarityLife will operate with a big screen, big text, four simple buttons, and amplified sound.
That covers the sight, touch, and hearing that fade as we get older. And as a bonus, the phone is no clunker. The simplicity lends itself to a clean, sleek look.
A keypad does slide out when needed. That's about as complicated as it gets. No camera, GPS, messaging, music, video, or the other features being lathered onto ever smaller handsets.
ClarityLife does add one interesting feature, an emergency button on the back of the phone. Hit the recessed red button and the phone starts dialing five preset contacts, cycling through until it reaches someone. A siren sounds on the phone to make sure the owner knows the emergency calls are underway.
The phone comes from a division of Plantronics called Clarity, which sells other communications products for the aging population. Clarity says it doesn't have pricing yet for the phone, which won't be available until late summer. But ClarityLife will come without a long-term contract, another nice touch of simplicity.
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Reader Comments
911 one touch auto dial button
An excellent article Dave. The seniors certainly can use this simplistic cellphone to easily call 911.
SACC (stop accidental cell calls) brought this idea with its protective "peel and stick" rubber 0 ring to surround the "9" button to prevent accidental 9-1-1 calls from the users...especially the disabled and challenged seniors. It is pointed out in the illustration of the ClarityLife unit that the 911 button is very much recessed which protects it in the same fashion as the rubber button guard. SACC made this simple add-on ring available in its presentation to FCC/WTB (wireless board members) in 2003 and has exhibited it to the nations 911 facilities and their associations...also to the NOKIA as well as cell phone carriers. It has been rejected to date...why? the 9-1-1 facilities are budgeted by the number of 911 calls and the button guard has proven to reduce those accidental and time delaying calls by 25-40%. Also the cell phone carriers get paid for the other button "redial last call" not being protected to accidental calling the last phone number called and runs up the air time. Please review www.stopaccidentalcalls.com and go to "in the news" ..this RICO activity to silence the U.S. and Canada patented solution is nothing short of a crime.
Respectfully Dale Lissner pres SACC a non profit corp.
Emergency heart phone
We are writing you in desperation because our father has a severe heart condition which can cause a sudden heart attack at any time. He is otherwise in fair health, and can walk, go places, etc. On the cardiologist's advice we have purchased a portable defibrillator to use which we carry around when we go out with him. Inside the house we have set up a Life Alert system which includes a wrist pendant which he can press, which then notifies the Life Alert system to call 911. However, outside, he needs a cell phone in which if he were having a heart attack, and were sufficiently conscious, he could quickly press a 911 button, and a phone which would have GPS enabled so that his location could be determined if he were able to say heart attack into the phone as he was falling to the ground, for example. We have gone to Best Buy and other cell phone centers, and upon their advice purchased a Verizon flip phone with a dedicated 911 button. Unfortunately, we now realize this is not a good choice because in order for our father to use it, he would have to take the phone off of his belt, which is not easy because the clasp is tight, probably necessarily; turn it right side up; flip it open, and then dial 911. The nature of the heart attack might be such that he would not be able to do this. Do you have any suggestions for a phone in which the 911 button is available without having to flip it open; with GPS; and in which he could simply push a 911 button if he were falling to the ground? We asked also about whether there are any voice command type phones, but were told that all of the cell phones, including those with voice command, require that one press one button, then wait several seconds, and then press or do something else. We are hoping that there is something more immediate in which he could have the phone set up ahead of time; have it easily accessible on his belt or around his neck; and then simply press a 911 button, or yell into the phone 911, heart attack. Thank you very much for your assistance. Thank you.
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