Looking for any suggestions for a cellphone for my 88 year old mom. She had a flip phone, but has been asking for a smartphone like "everyone" else has when she's sitting in dr. waiting rooms :-) Talking to her she wants to be able to text her family members. She struggles with the ipad we gave her to use, so hesitant to get an expensive complicated smartphone. Looked into Consumer Cellular and Lively, and found mixed feedback. Has anyone found a simple flip or smartphone that supports voice activated texting?
For me, everything you do on your cellphone, I do on my desk top computer. I remember my boss and I challenged each other to see who could find a telephone number the quickest. He used his cell, I used the desk top computer. Big smile, I won. I would have been faster if I had an old fashioned Yellow Page phone book :)
Yep! Those huge phone books had tons of phone numbers!
Cell phones have their drawbacks. Landlines have their drawbacks too.
Solicitors were the only people calling my landline. Now the solicitors blow up our cell phones too!
If you don’t need or want a cell, it’s one less thing to deal with.
Who is going to pay for this ? I hope not you .
After being in the hospital and rehab a few times and 6 months before my father in law died he decided he wanted an iPhone to call us from the hospital or rehab because he “ forgot “ how to use his Android .
My DH was able to get a free phone for him on our phone plan . Father in law couldn’t use it. He could use his landline still , which he did in AL . Now FIL died and we are stuck paying his portion that increased our phone bill for the next two years .
My mother in law ( divorced ) had a smart phone for 3 days and brought it back , she couldn’t figure it out . She complains that nobody talks to her in the waiting room at the doctor , or in line at the store cashier because they are all on their phones. She is that lady that starts talking to strangers wherever she is . I told her to bring a book along to the doctor .
My MIL only wanted a smart phone because her friends are always showing pictures of great grandchildren , so she wanted a smart phone too. Btw she has no great grandchildren , but MIL has been demanding my children produce them so she can keep up with her friends .
Honestly , I would talk your mother out if it . Nobody in a doctors waiting room who doesn’t feel well wants to hear your mother struggle to use voice activated texting . If people have to listen to her trying to use voice text she might as well just call her relatives on her flip phone .
Plus the cellphone was cumbersome putting in one's pocket, it kept sliding out. I have landline phones in all the rooms. Plus if I need 911, on a landline the dispatcher will automatically see my address if I am unable to speak [such as a stroke].
I decided if anyone wants to contact me, use the landline house phone or email me. I have zero issues typing on a good old fashioned keyboard :)
Yes, I also see a lot of people in doctor's waiting rooms on their cellphones. For me, it is just nice to just do my own thinking without interruption. To look out the waiting room windows and enjoy the spring flowers, etc. And smile at that one other person not using a cellphone.
Remember when pay phones were a thing? Nowadays, people have to own cell phones.
You are a rare breed. Most people have gotten rid of their landlines.
Sometimes, I joke around and call cell phones an electronic leash! Yet, I couldn’t survive without mine!
I do everything from my phone, pay bills, doctor’s portal, stay connected to others, etc.
She may or may not be able to use it. What kind of phone do you have? Can you let her try yours out? If you see that she can’t navigate, then don’t waste a ton of money on an expensive phone.
You could have her text someone she knows while you watch her do it.
Best of luck finding a phone that is suitable for her needs.