Category: Cell Phone Talk
I have a basic AT and T cell phone with buttons. I can upgrade in November, and thought about an iPhone. Just want basic features like making and receiving calls and texting. I know buttons are going away, and am willing to use a touch screen. Would like to be able to text with the phone. Will go to an AT and T store to buy. Don't want to switch companies if I don't have to; have been satisfied with AT and T. Any opinions are appreciated. Will make sure I deal with a tech at the store who knows about the iPhone but want opinions and ideas from young people since I am a senior citizen.
Congrats for taking the leap and getting a Smart phone. I advise you to go to a store and play with an iPhone, practicing gestures and things like that. It will take time and patience to learn how to use the phone and VoiceOver. Playing with the phone before you purchase it is a big advantage, especially if you visit the store several times. I had the opportunity to play with and explore an iPhone for a week before I purchased mine two years ago, and I think it helped tremendously.
Also, check out applevis.com. There are many helpful podcasts and threads on that site, and also reviews of and recommendations for various apps. You may find over time that you'd like to use your phone for more than calling and texting. You can listen to the news, religious services, and check out a gamut of radio stations and podcasts with different apps. You may also want to use the phone for color and/or money identification.
Lastly, I know that companies are working to educate their employees about the accessible features of mobile phones, but just know that the person you approach with questions about the iPhone might not have a clue about VoiceOver.
The At&t store I went to had terrible customer service. I seriously hope they're not all like that, but when I was considering getting an IPhone, all the guy wanted to do was sell it. He had absolutely no interest in letting me try it, though he said he did, just to sell it. Because I was switching from T-mobile, I had to sign a contract that day as well. So, I went into the store, explained that I was interested in purchasing an IPhone, and explained that I would like to play with it before purchasing it. I also told him that because I'm blind, I would need to have voice over turned on. He acted like he was ok with that, but then he made me buy the phone before he let me use it. He said that's because if he turned voiceover on, the phone would have to be activated, and then it couldn't be sold. So, I was forced into making a purchase I was unsure of. Because of that, I was extremely frustrated with the device, and ended up taking it back to the store several days later. I think I might have been able to give it more of a fair chance if I hadn't been treated that way at the store, especially since pretty much everyone I knew expected me to just magically be able to pick up all the gestures and things practically in the first 10 minutes of having it even though I had never used a touch screen in my life, let alone anything with the Apple OS.
So, after taking it back to the store, I did a little research into phones that have buttons. Yes, they're going away, and yes, they're much harder to find than they were even 2 years ago. But I found one. It's called the Pantech Breeze 3. It's a basic phone, and it has a feature whose exact name I can't remember off the top of my head that allows speech output. I'll look it up if you decide to go with it, because it's a feature that the person at the At&t store can activate when you buy it. You can buy it at any At&t store, or online if they don't still sell it (it has been a little over a year since I purchased mine.) I will warn you though, not every feature is accessible, which sucks. But you can call and text, which is what you want, so if you can get your hands on it, it might be worth it. I think it costs about $50, as opposed to the $400 you would pay for an IPhone, plus the mandatory data fee, which you might not even use.
I know that most likely a day will come when I have no choice but to use an IPhone. I know that holding onto older technology isn't, shall we say, normal. But the experience I had left a seriously bitter taste in my mouth, and I won't take that step until I absolutely have my back against the wall and am left with no choice. For me, holding an IPhone was not love at first sight. This is just my 2 cents' worth, and I hope it's been at least slightly helpful.
LG has a phone with buttons. You can do the things you want. Call them and ask for a phone with speech, but not Android or the iPhone. I don't know the model that A T and T has, but LG is your best bet.
Senior citizen or not has nothing to do with it. You aren't dead are you? Try that iPhone. Its boss. Lol
Bea, my parents in law have an iPhone and they are probably your age. I went to a reunion recently and observed while many people in your age range were using this computing appliance.
As someone that's blind there are going to be apps for you that will change your life completely. I have a folder called 'bionic eye' where I keep things like the money identifier, object recognition apps (identifies packages, products, etc.) and any other apps that function as eyes.
It's not just the blind: I know pilots with these things using various apps where they have saved themselves hundreds and even thousands of dollars.
When you buy an iPhone, you are buying into an ecosystem. Of course that is true of any smartphone, even was true of Blackberry or Windows Mobile 2003, but with the iPhone its natural use technologies make a lot of things easier, especially for people your age. I encourage you to give one a try - perhaps at the Apple Store in your area. You'll have to hold your nose against the religion and fandom as you walk in the door, but they're supposed to be pretty good about showing people.
Cost. I now spend about $100 on a package where cell and lan line phone is combined into one bill. I can't spend $200 a month for just a cell phone so I am definitely looking for cost. I thank folks for the info; it's what I wanted.
I suggest a slider phone from a t and t, let me go look up the phone's A T and T have at this time. There going to come with android, it to will have a touch screen gbut if its got android 4.0 your good to go. Talkback "one of android's" screen readers will come pre-installed and if you want a simple talking home screen moble accessibility Light. All of this is free, let me go look at A T and T's web sight. I am a t-mobile customer, so not sure what A T and T has.
samsung Captivate glide is the phone I am talking about but its upgrade has been put on hold as I just read. Still a good phone if you want to talk, text, serf the web to look up content and have access to apps later. I wil say its running gingerbred which is limiting but if you need help just ask me or a zoner named glimmer she has a 2.3 device from A T and T. "Keyana" is her name, well take care and good luck to what ever you decide.
I for got to add, talkback might be installed because this is a gingerbred device but again, the A T and T rep can help you take care of your phone before you leave the store. As you can tell I am not a Iphone user, I am the black sheep of this sight lol.
Starfly,
I appreciate your use of android as I've stated on several other boards, but do you really feel an android device would be an appropriate recommendation for a user who clearly stated they arn't familiar with smart phones, and really by the tone of her message is looking for a simple to use device. In this instance, your prefference for one product over another namely android over IOS IMHO doesn't really offer Bea a good solution. In this instance it's almost as if you're unable to accept the fact that android isn't for all. personally, I would have first suggested Bea see if her carrier offers any of the phones from LG and samsung which provide limited but extremely helpful voice feed back to complete every day tasks. This is looking outside of the fact that I love my iPhone and realizing it's not for some users. Again not an attack against your personal preferences, but seems like you're not willing to consider the big picture of what she clearly stated she wanted to accomplish and her history of using phones.
Don't care if you are a supposed black sheep. I want info and that's what you and other posters have been putting out there. I do want to stick with AT and T at this point in time. Knowing me though, I may become so fascinated in the store I may ask what else is available. But before I purchase anything, will make sure the rep knows what he is talking about and will try the phone out in the store. With you talking about going on line, will also call my nephew and have him look at AT and T phones too. Thanks again.
big dog daddy, she already asked about basic phones, people already gave her information about an Iphone, I gave her a simple, free cheeper sulution then the Iphone. Like it or not moble accessibility is far simpler then using an Iphone and allows a user to stay with in MA's eaco system of 11 apps with out ever seeing the android's Os. It also would give her a keyboard as well which she is looking for, so yes, I am going to suggest this phone.
Ah, but my first suggestion was an LG product. She said she didn't feel she could use an iPhone, so that was what made me add it. For what she is wanting an LG is fine, but I feel she'd not have to struggle with an iPhone. Android she'd struggle, sorry.
But the LG would be just in the ram of what she says she requires.
Last Dee smartphone billing has come down, so one could fit in the 100 range.
true if Be goes with talkback, and then has to install this and that to get it to work, however, code factery worked wonders in simplifying android with barely any gesters needed in gingerbred. This is where sad but true even to me who has moved away from code factery's products they when hands down. Lets see swipe up to move or arrow around the screen with the keyboard on the samsung phone I suggested, any way Be just a suggestion from me. If you ever wanted to move past just texting calling, addeing contacts and basic surfing of the web, you have a choice with this phone. Again not a tun of gesters to learn.
Will keep you folks updated. Will look at a phone in December when I can upgrade.
good luck on that and if you want to read the manual for moble accessibility I will post it on here or its own board, one thing I have to say good about CF over using talkback they actually know the use of posting a manual.
Hi. Dee.
I also took a look on AT and T's website and I could only find 5 handsets and neither seemed to have the feature I wanted.
LG had its own screen reader on some phones. The last one I saw and owned was Verizon, called an Octane. Before that it was the inV 2 and 3.
The only phone I saw close was LG Xpression™ , but while it has voice dialing and control, it doesn't say it has the screen reader.
Maybe when you call say you want either the LG or Samsung model that had or has a screen reader already installed.
I thought it was interesting that maybe these models, or that feature is not offered anymore.
I really enjoyed mine, and it was able to do exactly the things you require, so dropping these models would make us have to change. Just my observations.
Please post here what you do get if you decide to upgrade at all.
Have to agree mobile accessibility has a fantastic manual which is easy to read and does a good job of teaching there software.
Are they keeping up with the new versions of Android? That probably a yes but thought I should ask. Also, they support Braille, yes?
I'd recommend going to an Apple store rather than an AT&T one. I find their customer service is much friendlier/on top of things. therefore, you'll be able to better advocate for your needs/wants, ask questions, and get honest answers...not from employees whose goal it is to sell you something, but help you get what you're seeking.
Good idea if she decides to go iPhone.