Jitterbug Flip Easytouse Cell Phone for Seniors Red by Greatcall Review

SeniorLiving.org is compensated when you click on the provider links listed on this page. This compensation does not impact our ratings or reviews.

The Buying Experience with Lively

If you're interested in purchasing a Jitterbug Flip2, you have a few options: online, in-store, or over the phone. I appreciate that Lively offers several purchasing options because, let's face it, sometimes you just want to speak with a human! Especially when buying a valuable item like a cell phone. If you want to get your Jitterbug Flip2 at a brick-and-mortar store, Best Buy, Rite Aid, and Walgreens all carry the senior-friendly phone. Lively even has a section on its website where you can enter your ZIP code, and it'll show you where the closest store is. Talk about convenience!

Use the 'Find a Store' feature on Lively's website to buy your device in person

I ordered my Jitterbug Flip2 online. When browsing the Lively website, I noticed the mention of an activation fee, but I had trouble finding out how much it is. To clarify, I reached out to customer service, and they quickly let me know that a $35 activation fee would be charged on my first monthly bill. My initial purchase ended up costing me $108.49 — $99.99 for the phone, $8.50 for tax, and $0 for shipping. The buying process was quick and painless — all I had to do was enter my payment information and address.

FYI: Looking for a smartphone? Lively makes a senior-friendly smartphone as well. Check out our full Lively cell phone review to learn more.

When signing up, I had the choice of the Value Talk & Text plan or the Unlimited Talk & Text plan. Value Talk & Text is $14.99 per month, while Unlimited Talk & Text is $19.99 per month. (I'll get into the details of the plans below!)

Some providers we've reviewed, like Consumer Cellular, bump you up to the next tier when you go over your minutes. Lively doesn't do that. It charges 35 cents for each minute over your limit and 10 cents per text, so you'll want to select the best plan for you to avoid high overage fees.

Lively also offers Health & Safety Packages. These are optional and cost $19.99 to $34.99 per month (more on those later).

Setting Up My Jitterbug Flip2 Cell Phone

The little red phone showed up at my door in a box with the following items:

• User guide
• Activation guide
• Wall charger
• Charging dock
• Jitterbug Flip2

Unboxing the Lively Flip

Since many older adults experience a change in vision as they age,1 I was happy to see that the user guide was printed in nice big font. The first step in the instructions was to activate the Jitterbug Flip2 – either online or by phone. I tried activating my phone online, but the website just gave me an activation number to call. So, I'll save you some time: Activate your Jitterbug Flip2 by calling the number listed in the activation guide.

You'll need a working phone on hand to place this activation call, since your Jitterbug Flip2 won't be up and running quite yet. You can use a landline or borrow a friend's or family member's phone for this! The live agent set up my account and activated the phone.

Quick tip: If you're transferring your old number to your new Jitterbug Flip2, you'll follow special activation instructions. They are clearly outlined in the activation guide.

Next, I flipped open the Jitterbug Flip2 and pressed the on/off button, which is clearly located in the top right corner of the keypad. The phone vibrated and the screen lit up, so I knew it was running. On the similar Alcatel GO FLIP 4 from T-Mobile, which is featured on our list of the best flip phones for seniors, the power button is hidden. So, I'm thankful the Jitterbug Flip2 button is obviously labeled.

Testing Out My Jitterbug Flip2

One of the first things I noticed about the cherry-red flip phone (which also comes in dark gray) was that it's smaller and lighter than my iPhone. So, if you're looking for a phone that's less of a hassle to carry around, the Jitterbug Flip2 checks that box. It's simple in design, great for older adults who want a no-frills phone, but still has convenient features that I found easy to use.

Lively Flip comparison to the iPhone 11 Pro

Navigating the Jitterbug Flip2

The buttons on the Jitterbug Flip2 are easy to see and clearly labeled. No more pressing random buttons and hoping you pick the right one! The list-based menu is pretty straightforward, and the screen is large and bright. Though the text on the screen is already quite big, I found an optional "extra large" setting in case you want to really boost the visibility. Another nifty feature, ideal for those with vision loss, is the "read out" setting, which will read menu options and text messages out loud to you. I tested it and could hear everything loud and clear.

The Lively Flip keypad

Making Calls

Calling my husband from the Jitterbug Flip2 was a breeze. I chose to dial his number, but you can save contacts in the Jitterbug Flip2 if you have trouble remembering everyone's phone number like I do!

The Jitterbug Flip2 has a number of features that stand out when you're making a call:

• Speaker button: The speaker button in the top left corner is great when you need to up the volume, or if your partner is next to you and you both want to speak with your children.
• Hearing aid compatibility: Since nearly 1 out of 4 Americans ages 65 to 74 experience hearing loss,2 I appreciate the Jitterbug Flip2's M4/T4 hearing aid compatibility rating.
• Adjustable volume: If you have trouble hearing your phone ring, you can set the volume to "maximum" on the side of the phone. You can also set the volume to low or silent if you don't want to be disturbed.

Using the Jitterbug Flip2 Camera

The 8-megapixel camera is nothing to rave about, but it is sufficient if you just want to take and send photos of things around the house. I took a photo of my flowers and my dog, Bella, so you can get a better idea of the photo quality.

Photo of my potted flowers taken with the Lively Flip

If selfies are your thing, you can take them with the Jitterbug Flip2's front-facing camera. The rear camera is also equipped with autofocus and a flash. Though it isn't top-notch, the camera is much better than what you'll find on the Link II from Consumer Cellular, which lacks a flash and front-facing camera.

Photo of my pup taken with the Lively Flip

Amazon Alexa

A new feature of the Jitterbug Flip2 is Amazon Alexa. With this feature, you can use your voice to place a call and send text messages. I sent a text to my friend Katie using this feature. I flipped the phone open and said, "Alexa, text Katie Reed." (Make sure you have the contact saved in your phone first!) Then, I spoke the text I wanted to send to her. Alexa typed the message for me. I looked it over to make sure it was correct before pressing "OK" to send it.

Quick tip: Your phone must be flipped open to use the Alexa feature. I tried activating Alexa with my voice when the phone was closed and quickly realized it wouldn't work.

When I asked, Alexa also told me my phone's battery level, how many minutes and text messages I had left for the month, and what my phone number was (we all forget sometimes). For older adults with dexterity or vision issues, this Alexa feature is quite valuable.

burnsidetwome1963.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.seniorliving.org/cell-phone/jitterbug/flip/

Share this post