Bluetooth Headsets for Seniors and the Hearing Impaired

A number of seniors users have less than perfect hearing so they need a handset with loud tones to communicate effectively. However, some find that using a Bluetooth headset can also be a remedy for the challenges of weak hearing while operating a cell phone.

Let's look at some Bluetooth headsets that can be of service to senior mobile phone users and the hearing impaired.

Sound ID 510: This device offers noise canceling, A2DP, multipoint connectivity, and voice prompts. It can even act like a hearing aid when paired with the EarPrint app. This application allows users to fine-tune incoming audio by adjusting the volume and the tone.

Plantronics Voyager Pro Plus: This Bluetooth headset offer good audio quality and wind noise reduction. It's features include a dedicated power switch, a volume rocker, a swiveling boom mic, multipoint, A2DP streaming, and voice alerts.

BlueAnt Q2: This headset features A2DP streaming, multipoint connectivity, and great sound quality. The Q2 also comes with a voice control interface that includes text-to-speech and access to Bing-411 services.

These devices are just a few of the Bluetooth headsets for seniors and the hearing impaired. If you want to explore your options, then do a bit of research on the web. I'm sure you'll find other great examples of headsets for seniors and the hearing impaired.

That's it for this post. Check out this blog every week as we feature mobile phones for seniors and related topics.

The Simple and Rugged Motorola i296

Frail and delicate handsets are not ideal for seniors. Elderly users need a sturdy device that can withstand a few bumps and falls. Senior citizens have a limited budget so they can't afford to purchase a replacement after their phones broke down after a few months of use. A durable cell phone like the Motorola i296 can be ideal for senior users.

Of course, durability and ruggedness are not the only attributes that make the Motorola i296 a good cell phone for senior citizens. This handset also offer other capabilities that make it an ideal device for baby boomers. Let's talk about those qualities in the next few paragraphs.

The i296 is also a simple and easy to use mobile phone. Seniors will not spend a lot of time to learn how to use it and there are no complicated features that can cause confusion. It's a cell phone that is made for making calls and sending text messages. It can even be described as ultra-basic since it lacks a camera, music player, and web access.

I mention previously that good cell phones for seniors should be able to withstand being dropped a few times. Well, the Motorola i296 is mil-spec 810F compliant for dust, shock, and vibration resistance. It can take more punishment that most mobile phones in the market.

The rugged i296 also comes with a user-friendly keypad. It features raised, easy-to-press, cleanly separated keys. This means that the phone is easy to navigate and the elderly can easily dial numbers or compose messages.

This handset also comes with a senior friendly price of $49.95 contract free.

Other key features for this cell phone include a 1.8-inch display with 128-by-160 pixel resolution, Bluetooth, 600-entry phonebook, speakerphone with voice-activated dialing, multimedia and text messaging.

That's it for this durable mobile phone for the elderly. Stay tuned for more articles on handsets, accessories, and plans for folks over 65.

The Easy-to-use Motorola C168i

AT&T's Go Phones service offer a number of senior-friendly cell phones such as the F160. Here's another Go Phone that you might find to be ideal for your elderly parents or relatives.

The Motorola C168i is a basic handset that features an uncomplicated candy bar style design with a 1.5 inche (128x128 pixels) color display. I have to admit that the display is bit small for a senior phone. Users can adjust the backlight time on this display.

The C168i makes up for its small display with a nice keypad. The backlit keypad buttons and the Talk and End/power keys are raised so senior-users will have no problem with dialing on this phone.

You can see by now that the Motorola C168i is a very basic phone. It's an uncomplicated handset that was crafted to make phone calls.

Other features include in this handset's arsenal include 600 phonebook entries, polyphonic ringtones, as well as downloadable wallpaper, screen saver and ringtones. It also provides a calculator, a calendar, an alarm lock, text and multimedia messaging.

Consumers can purchase the this handset at Amazon and other online retailers.

That's it for this cell phone for senior citizens. Staty tuned for more handsets, plans, and accessories for the elderly.

Cell phone for Seniors: Kyocera TNT from Virgin Mobile

Here's another mobile phone for seniors that I found after surfing the web. The Virgin Mobile TNT or the Kyocera Adreno S2400 offers compact, simple design combined with an affordable price tag.

Let's take a closer look at the Kyocera TNT from Virgin Mobile.

The TNT features a clamshell design with emphasis on being a cell phone that concentrates on making calls and sending messages. That's always a good attribute for a mobile phone for senior citizens. A simple and practical handset will fit the needs of the elderly.

Let's delve deeper into the design of the Kyocera TNT.

The main display on this device measures 1.8 inches (160x128 pixels) and supports 65,000 color. It may not sound impressive but a touchscreen or a high-resolution display is not needed by senior users. The text is readable on this display and that's enough for elderly consumers.

The TNT also offers an external display but it's not very useful. It's a tiny (96x16 pixels) monochrome display that shows the date, time, battery life, and signal strength. Unfortunately, it may be too small for seniors.

The keypad for this handset is user friendly. The keys are a bit flush and slippery but it is still easy to use since the arrangement is spacious. The numbers on the keys are large and the back lighting is bright so users won't have to worry about misdials when texting or calling.

The TNT offers a decent selection of features for its price. This cell phone for seniors also offers a phone book, MP3 tones, vibrate mode, text messaging, a calendar, a calculator, an alarm clock, a voice memo, a two-way speakerphone and voice dialing.

That's it for the Kyocera TNT from Virgin Mobile. A simple and affordable phone with features that suit the elderly.

Join as every week as we feature a new cell phone for seniors and other related topics.

Cell Phone Plans for Seniors: PureTalk USA Flex Plan

I was browsing the Snapfon website when I checked out the section for their cell phone plans for seniors. This company offers the Snapfon ez One, one of the mobile phone for seniors I featured in the past.

Without further ado, let's look at the PureTalk USA Flex Plan for the Snapfon ez One.

The company pairs the mobile phone for senior citizens with the offerings of PureTalkUSA, a nationwide provider of low cost rate plans. Why is this plan ideal for senior users? Well, it starts at $10/month for 101 minutes with no contract, no restrictions, and no extra fees.

The PureTalk USA Flex Plan also allows users to adjust the plan to fit their needs and budget (hence the name FLEX, from flexible). Subscribers can select from 101 minutes to 1000 minutes depending on their needs.

There's another useful feature from this senior-friendly cell phone plan. The PureTalk USA Flex Plan offer rollover minutes so the elderly can have the freedom to carry unused minutes over into another month. They never expire so here's no need to worry.

Here's a chart that might help to explain this cell phone plan for senior citizens:

Visit the PureTalk USA website to get more details on this plan.

That's it for this post on the PureTalk USA Flex Plan. Join as every week as tackle plans, accessories and cell phones for seniors.

Is this a Good Design for a Mobile Phone for Seniors?

A number of manufacturers now specialize in mobile phones for seniors. Doro, Just5, Jitterbug and Clarity focus their efforts on producing simple and user-friendly handset that fit the needs of an elderly. However, some independent designers have published designs for mobile phones for senior citizens. I previously made a post on a concept phone designed for seniors called the Fit. This time let's look at the Simplesee Cellphone designed by Emma Caddick.

The Simplesee cellphone design includes massive buttons and built-in SOS function. If you have been reading this blog, then you'll recognize those features as necessary for a handset to be suitable for seniors. The large buttons help seniors with weak vision to dial more easily or by feel. The built-in SOS function is a feature that can deal with any emergencies.

The Simplesee cellphone design is also centered around simple functions. It is designed to for making calls. It was made to function more like a home phone. A more mobile version of course. While that might seem limited, one has to consider that a mobile phone for seniors should be a hassle-free phone.
The display on this concept appears to be quite small. However, the font on the screen appears to be large enough to accommodate the weak eyes of senior citizens.

The body of the Simplesee cellphone design also appears to be shaped for improved grip. The curved design may make it easier to hold for users who have frail hands.

So do you think that this design should be manufactured for the senior market?

Of course, design alone is not enough. It needs to be combined with a cheap price and affordable rate plans.

That's it for this post. Stay tuned for more articles on cell phones for seniors and related topics.