cell phones with large display screens free sample

According to the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging at UMass Boston, approximately 50 percent of older adults living alone and 23 percent of older couples have annual incomes that fall below the amount necessary to meet their basic needs.4 There are multiple government assistance programs that provide seniors with free or discounted phones, internet service, and computers. Let’s take a look at the options and how to qualify.

Market forces made us endure screens interrupted with various sorts of notches and cutouts for a considerable time, but that’s all about to end soon. In the last few years, we have seen the Android community evolve from hating notches to being indifferent towards them. But living with the new wave of bezel-less, full-view display phones has convinced us that the world is better off without notches and it’s imperative that natural order be restored to our phone screens. (हिंदी में पढ़िए)

For now, most of the true full-view and notch-less display phones use Pop-up cameras or sliders, but a few tech giants including Samsung, Oppo, and Xiaomi have already demonstrated prototypes or released phones that place the front camera behind the screen.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 5G comes with an improved under-display camera (UDC) which was first introduced in 2021. The main screen of this foldable phone is a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 22.5:18 aspect ratio, QXGA+ (2208 x 1768) resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 374ppi. Thanks to that UDC, you get an 90.9% screen-to-body ratio.

In our review of the device, we found the UDC to be discreet most of the time and is only evident in certain colored backgrounds and when you view it from an off-axis. However, it is definitely an engineering marvel and cool from a visual standpoint. Also, on the front, there is a 6.2-inch 120Hz FHD+ cover screen with a narrow aspect ratio.

Rest, the device runs on a Snapdragon 8+ gen 1 chipset, 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage, 4400mAh with 25W fast charging, and a penta-camera setup.

Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 4 is yet another under-screen camera phone. It calls its implementation CUP (Camera Under Panel), but the mechanism is pretty much the same as the other under-display selfie cameras out there. Above its 20MP selfie camera lies 400ppi pixels of the screen. This display stretches 6.67 inches and sports 120Hz refresh rate.

It ships with Snapdragon 888+ processor, 8GB/12GB RAM, 128GB/512GB storage, 4,500mAh battery and has 120W wired charging, 108MP camera, and Harman/Kardon speakers.

Asus Zenfone 8 Flip has a 6.67-inch (2400 × 1080 pixels) Full HD+ E4 AMOLED HDR10+ display with 90Hz refresh rate, 200Hz touch sampling rate, 110% DCI-P3 color coverage, up to 1000 nits brightness, and Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection. This full screen fascia is possible thanks to a flip camera module.

Legion Duel 2 is a gaming smartphone from Lenovo that’s envisioned to be used in landscape orientation primarily. The screen is a 6.92-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel with 144Hz refresh rate, 1300 nits peak brightness, 111.1% DCI-P3 color gamut support, and 20.5:9 aspect ratio.

The front camera is present within a pop-up camera that raises from the right-hand edge of the phone. The logic is to allow players to stream their gameplay while playing in the horizontal orientation.

OnePlus was one of the first few Android OEMs to usher in a notch, and it’s also one of the first in the premium segment to get rid with OnePlus 7 Pro (review). It further continued the trend with OnePlus 7T Pro which comes with a gorgeous true full-view display with extremely narrow bezels.

The 90Hz refresh rate makes it super smooth, the resolution goes all the way up to 2K, and, there are those slick curves at the edges. The phone is powered by Snapdragon 855 octa-core chipset paired with high-quality UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR4X RAM. On the downside, the 7 Pro is big and bulky, is missing the audio jack, and has a mediocre set of cameras.

The elevating module opens like a fin and also makes room for the earpiece and LED flash. Anyway, the result is an immersive full-view AMOLED display that extends edge to edge. The Reno 10X Zoom has flagship-grade specs, including the Snapdragon 855, but all the tech housed within makes it a tad thick and heavy.

The Galaxy A80 is the only phone from Samsung with an AMOLED screen that extends edge to edge. Yes, even the high-end S-series and Note-series flagships rely on cutouts or punch holes to accommodate the front camera.

The 6Z (globally known as the Zenfone 6) is one of the most impressive phones we have seen from Asus in India. The 6Z (review) has a gorgeous and well-calibrated IPS LCD display that covers the entire facia. The selfie camera is housed in a flip module and this glass body phone houses a massive 5000mAh battery while being reasonably manageable.

Xiaomi’s Redmi K20 Pro (review) brandishes an impressive set of specs that you’d otherwise find on phones priced significantly higher. With the K20 Pro, Xiaomi pays due attention to design and the phone gets a full-view AMOLED display (6.4-inch, full HD+) with an in-display fingerprint sensor lying underneath.

As is the case with most other Xiaomi phones, the K20 Pro is a great value proposition. Key features include triple rear cameras, 4000mAh battery with fast charging support, and MIUI 10 interface with fewer ads.

Oppo Reno, which is a trimmed-down version of the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom, has the same design with shark-fin pop-up and is also slimmer and significantly lighter. The handset has a 6.4-inch AMOLED display (Full HD) with around 87% screen-to-body ratio that targets DCI-P3 color gamut and is shielded by Gorilla Glass variant.

The phone is powered by Snapdragon 730G with 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a 5000mAh battery. There is support for 15W fast charging. There is Vanilla Stock Android software too in the mix.

The Realme X (review) is a very competent phone that includes trendy features like a full-view AMOLED screen with minimal bezels on three sides, in-display fingerprint sensor, and pop-up camera – all for a sub Rs. 20,000 price.

Redmi K20 passes on most of what’s good with the Redmi K20 Pro at a lower price point. The handset has the same design as the Pro variant and the same immersive full-view AMOLED display.

The Redmi K20 is however driven by Snapdragon 730 and replaces the Sony 48MP sensor with a Samsung sensor of the same resolution. Other features include in-display fingerprint reader, Pop-up camera, and 4000mAh battery with fast charging.

The Vivo 15 Pro has been around for a while, but it’s still a relevant option, especially at the new price. Both the V15 Pro and V15 employ a pop-up front camera and have a full-view display. The Pro variant, however, benefits from a better AMOLED screen and is powered by Snapdragon 675.

The Oppo K3 has a near bezel-less and uninterrupted AMOLED screen that measures 6.5-inch diagonally. The handset houses a 3765mAh battery with VOOC 3.0 fast charging support and runs Android Pie based Color OS.

Huawei Y9 Prime is the first Huawei phone in India to deliver a full-view screen. The IPS LCD display on the phone measures 6.59-inch and is full HD sharp.

The handset is powered by Kirin 710 octa-core chipset paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. Other features include triple rear cameras, 4000mAh battery, and Android Pie based EMUI 10 software.

Samsung has developed one of the best full-view display devices globally. One such example of the same is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The smartphone has a 6.9-inch dynamic AMOLED display complemented with a 120HZ refresh rate. The device has 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 1TB via a microSD card. It is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 9 series processor.

On the camera front, the smartphone has a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 108MP primary shooter and two 12MP shooters. On the front, it gets a 10MP sensor for the sake of selfies and video calls. The device packs a 4500mAh battery along with fast charging as well as wireless charging support.

iQOO took the whole market by storm with the launch of the iQOO 9 Pro 5G. The smartphone stands as a strong competitor of devices like the OnePlus 9 Pro in the market. It comes with a 6.78-inch AMOLED display that also has a 120Hz refresh rate to offer a smoother experience. The smartphone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage in the high-end variant of the device.

The Xiaomi 12 Pro could be hailed as one of the best devices launched by the company so far. The smartphone has a 6.73-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate The smartphone works on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor for high-speed performance, It also has 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage to store all your data.

The flagship devices by Vivo have always amazed the users in terms of camera prowess, performance, and display capabilities. Vivo X70 Pro follows the same trend with its 6.56-inch AMOLED display coupled with a 120Hz refresh rate. Though we will say that the smartphone lags behind in terms of the processor as it has a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor. Apart from that, it has 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage that cannot be expanded.

The smartphone rocks a quad rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, two 12MP sensors, and an 8MP sensor for delivering the best shots in both daylight and low light. On the front, the device has a 32MP front camera for clicking selfies and attending video calls. The handset is powered by a 4450mAh battery that comes with flash charging support.

The OnePlus 10 series failed to make an impact like the OnePlus 9 series due to the changes and experiments. Still, the OnePlus 10 Pro was something which the audience loved because of the specs. The device works on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. The smartphone comes equipped with a Fluid AMOLED display and 120Hz refresh rate.

Furthermore, it flaunts a triple rear camera setup including a 48MP primary snapper, 50MP ultra wide-angle snapper, and an 8MP tertiary snapper. The smartphone has a 32MP camera at the front and it offers decent selfie shots along with allowing the user to attend video calls in HD. The device has a highly durable 5000mAh battery along with 80W superfast charging that completely charges the smartphone in less than 30 minutes.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE packs a compact 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display along with a 120Hz refresh rate. The device runs on the Samsung Exynos 2100 processor accompanied by 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage that is non-expandable in nature. The smartphone operates on the Android 12 operating system offering the user a snappy interface without lots of bloatware.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE features a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 12MP primary shooter, a 12MP secondary shooter, and an 8MP tertiary shooter. On the front, it has a 32MP camera for the sake for selfies and video calls. A 4500mAh battery powered the handset and it also comes with fast charging support.

With its bright screen, large text, and streamlined menus, the JitterBug Smart3 makes its advanced features accessible and intuitive. I could see even the most technologically averse person using this phone with ease.

While smartphones are not known for being the easiest to use, the Smart3 makes it easy with a large, bright screen and its list-based menus. On the home screen, you’ll see all of its features — phone, messages, camera, and internet — laid out neatly. Activating one of these features is as easy as pressing on the touchscreen. I had no trouble typing accurately, and the same goes for dialing numbers.

In my many test phone calls, I noticed no issues. Both the call quality and volume were superb, and all of my calls, both inside and outside my home, went through without a hitch. The Smart2 also features voice dialing and messaging, so I was able to make calls and send messages solely by using my voice. The 13 MP camera on this phone is also impressive. Compared to the flip phones on this list, the Jitterbug Smart3 is in a league of its own in terms of image quality. Additionally, you can use this phone to make video calls.

As with the Jitterbug Flip, the Smart3 must be paired with a plan from Lively. Unlimited talk and text costs at $19.99 per month, and data plans range from $2.49 to $30 per month. Additionally, you can purchase safety features on a subscription basis.

Multiple apps — many of them free — for every type of phone can act as amplifiers for sound, helping seniors clearly listen to and hear conversations with others, family videos and more. Some phones are also compatible with hearing aids, but it’s important to check that the two can match before making a cell phone purchase for a senior.

Take a look at: Sound Amplifier for Android and HearYouNow for iPhones are two examples of free apps that offer help for those who may have difficulty hearing when using a device.

The smart size and enhanced features on mini tablets make them a great cell phone for senior option, especially when accompanied by a robust data plan. The larger screen offers a way for seniors to get around any visual challenges and gives them a bigger keyboard too. And if your senior parents or grandparents aren’t aware of it, conference calling can be a great way to have a group family catch-up.

Replacing standard watches with smart watches can be a good way to supplement a cell phone for seniors and make one-touch responses that much easier. Helpful features include a high-contrast background for readability and simple buttons to manage dexterity issues.

As with any new tech, a sturdy case to accompany cell phones for seniors is almost a must-have. A more tactile finish on the case may be easier for older fingers to hold, and a screen protector offers extra protection in case of accidental drops and bumps.

Stay in touch with loved ones by giving you and them the ability to text, stream and share any time and any day. For older parents, grandparents and friends, key features offer empowerment and independence — and boost peace of mind for everyone. Discover more Verizon phones for seniors with features that everyone can depend on.

In this blog post, RAZ Mobility identifies and reviews some of the best cell phones for seniors. We examine the phones based on three criteria: (1) ease of use, (2) loudness of the audio, and (3) clarity and contrast of the text for individuals with vision loss. All three of these characteristics are important for seniors.

With respect to ease of use, we are looking for a simple menu system with as few “sub-menus” as possible, as well as easy-to-use apps, if apps are included.

The four cell phones reviewed in this article are the RAZ Memory Cell Phone, the Jitterbug Smart3, the Jitterbug Flip2, and the Consumer Cellular Link II. The Jitterbug Smart3 is intended to be an easy-to-use smartphone, and the Jitterbug Flip2 and Consumer Cellular Link II are traditional basic cell phones: they have large buttons and easy-to-use menu systems. The RAZ Memory Cell Phone, on the other hand, is unique in that it is designed primarily for seniors with cognitive decline.

The RAZ Memory Cell Phone is sold by RAZ Mobility. RAZ Mobility specializes in mobile devices, including cell phones and applications for people with disabilities. The company sells to government agencies across the country, as well as directly to consumers.

The RAZ Memory Cell Phone is unique. Unlike the other cell phones on this list, it is designed specifically for individuals with cognitive decline. There is no cell phone that is easier to use. The phone only supports calls (video calls coming soon). Text messaging, email, web browsing, and other capabilities are not available. Also, unlike the other phones, the RAZ Memory Cell Phone can be controlled remotely by family caregivers. This is particularly useful if the senior lives a good distance away from a son or daughter who wants their parent to have a cell phone.

The RAZ Memory Cell Phone looks like many other smartphones. It has a large 6.5-inch display with narrow bezels. Because it does not look different from other smartphones, seniors will not feel self-conscious that they have a “special” phone.

The display is bright and easy to see. To save battery power the phone dims slightly when it has not been used for 2 minutes. However, even when dimmed the screen contents are clearly visible. The screen brightens as soon as the user touches the dimmed display.

Accessories that can be purchased separately include a protective case, a 6-ft coiled charger cable, a pouch with a belt clip, and an emergency contact information tag that attaches to the phone and includes basic information, such as name, an emergency contact number, and medical conditions. Importantly, also available are two options for wireless charging sets which are very helpful to seniors who have difficulty charging their cell phone with a cable.

The menu system could not be simpler because there is no menu system! The RAZ Memory Cell Phone has one screen that shows contacts in the form of pictures with names underneath. That’s it. The senior has no additional options. The pictures assist individuals with memory loss. The senior taps & holds the picture of the person they wish to call, and the call is initiated.

In short, the app and portal provide the caregiver with complete control over the RAZ Memory Cell Phone. The senior, on the other hand, does not have any control or access to settings. This is done so that the complexity is assumed by the caregiver, while the senior experiences maximum simplicity.

RAZ Mobility offers an optional emergency service. The service is designed for cases where users imagine emergencies and frequently call 911, needlessly tying up emergency resources. With the service, emergency calls are directed to a private emergency dispatch agent rather than 911. The agent knows that the caller has memory loss, or other medical conditions, and will determine whether to contact 911 guided by this knowledge. Also, when a senior calls the Emergency service, up to three caregivers will receive text messages, providing them with the opportunity to cancel the emergency alert, preventing unnecessary calls to 911. The service costs $79.99 annually. In the alternative, it costs $7.99 monthly with a one-time activation fee of $19.99.

We tested the loudness of the RAZ Memory Cell Phone with a sound level meter. The loudness of the phone’s earpiece during a regular conversation was 77.4 db. This is consistent with the average smartphone.

By default, the background of the RAZ Memory Cell Phone is black. Each picture is presented as a circle approximately 1 inch in diameter. So, the pictures are quite large for individuals with low vision. The names underneath the pictures are white, providing good contrast with the black background.

There are two versions of the phone. One version is priced at $309.00 and works on T-Mobile, as well as carriers that resell T-Mobile service, including Metro by T-Mobile, MINT Mobile, Simple Mobile and Ting. It does not work on Verizon, AT&T or wireless providers that resell Verizon or AT&T service. The phone comes with a free SIM card and three (3) free months of service from MINT Mobile. After the free service is used, the service costs as low as $15/month for unlimited service.

The other version of the phone is priced at $349.00 and works with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. In other words, the phone can be used with just about any wireless provider, including wireless resellers such as Straight Talk, Net10, Cricket Wireless, Consumer Cellular, and Metro by T-Mobile. This phone also comes with a free SIM card and three (3) free months of service from Affinity Cellular, which operates on the Verizon network. After the free service, the cost is $25 per month. For more information click here or call 1-800-729-0083.

The Jitterbug Smart3 has the appearance of a modern smartphone. The display has a “teardrop” at the top to accommodate the camera and is a generous 6.22”. On the right edge of the phone is the volume rocker and power button. The left edge includes a dedicated Google Assistant button and the SIM card tray. The top edge of the phone includes a microphone and audio jack, while the bottom edge includes the speaker, another microphone, and the USB charging port. The rear of the phone includes the camera set up.

The Jitterbug Smart3 is designed to be an easy-to-use smartphone. It tries to accomplish this primarily through a customized menu system. Rather than app icons organized on the display, there is a vertical list of apps. It seems questionable whether re-organizing the menu system in this manner resolves challenges faced by seniors. A safe assumption is that most seniors looking for a simple experience have difficulty operating the apps themselves, rather than difficulty with the manner in which the apps are organized. And, on the Jitterbug Smart3, the large majority of the apps themselves are standard android apps. For example, if the senior wants to surf the internet, they must use Google Chrome; if they wish to send or read an email, they must use an email client like Gmail; if they want to navigate while driving, the senior uses Google Maps; if they wish to place a video call, they must use a video calling app such as Google Duo; to view pictures, the senior uses Google Photos … etc. In fact, the only apps designed by lively are the Phone, Text Messages, Contacts and Settings apps. Accordingly, if the senior has difficulty using standard apps, the Jitterbug Smart3 is not the solution.

In the menu system, the text size and contrast are very good. The characters are bolded and large, and the color contrast is black on white. In the standard applications (e.g., Google Maps), however, the text size and contrast are the same as on any smartphone.

On the front panel of the exterior of the phone are a camera, an LED flash, and a notification LED that flashes to notify seniors of a voicemail or emergency alert. There is also an outside screen that displays the time, day, date, and some status information, such as the battery and signal strength.

The volume rocker is on the right edge. On the left edge is a 3.5 mm jack for headphones and the charging port. On the bottom edge are the microphone and the charging dock connectors. The speaker is on the back of the phone.

If you flip open the phone, the top half includes a 3.2-inch display and the earpiece speaker. The bottom half includes the keypad and urgent response button.

The Jitterbug Flip2 includes a convenient charging station, which makes it especially easy for seniors to charge their cell phone. The charging station has a nice sturdy feel to it and the rubber on the bottom grips surfaces nicely.

The battery of the Jitterbug Flip2 is 1780 mAh and advertises up to 12 hours of talk time. On the other hand, the RAZ Memory Cell Phone has a battery with 4000 mAh and advertises up to 46 hours of talk time.

The menu system consists of vertical lists, which are easy to navigate and well organized. The phone does not have many features, which makes it easy to use. However, the menu system does go three levels deep in places, which likely makes it too difficult for many seniors with dementia and other cognitive challenges. Moreover, the contacts do not include pictures, again making it challenging for seniors with dementia.

Furthermore, the Alexa feature’s integration with the phone is very limited. Alexa cannot provide the battery strength, signal strength, adjust phone settings or provide a contact’s phone number. It can seemingly be used for only three tasks: (1) placing a call, (2) sending a text, and (3) finding out how many minutes are left in the seniors’ Lively account. In order to initiate any of these functions, the seniors must say the words “use Lively” before the command. For example, to send a text message, the seniors must say, “use Lively to send a message.” To place a call, the user must say “use Lively to make a call.” Some seniors may have difficulty remembering to preface requests with the words “use Lively.”

The Jitterbug Flip2 does not have a feature comparable to the RAZ Memory Cell Phone’s Remote Manage, where caregivers can manage all features of the phone from afar through an app. Accordingly, the senior must be able to operate the phone independently.

Accordingly, lively’s claim that the Jitterbug Flip2 has powerful speakers is justified, although the supported volume level is certainly not exceptional. Moreover, we found the sound quality to be lower than on an average smartphone, which may be a problem for seniors with hearing loss who require clear sound.

The text is black on white and the contrast is very good. There is no option for switching the color scheme to white on black, although the text size can be set to either “regular” or “extra large”.

The phone can be used only with lively service, which operates on the Verizon network. Unlimited talk and text costs $19.99 per month, and lively charges a service activation fee of $35, as well. No data is required. The Alexa features uses data, but this data is provided at no additional cost. Lively offers additional health and safety packages with the phone that are priced between $19.99 per month and $34.99 per month. The basic package of $19.99 per month includes Urgent Response: the user presses the Urgent Response button and the call is answered by Lively’s private dispatch agents.

As the name suggests, the Consumer Cellular Link II is sold by Consumer Cellular, a wireless provider that focuses on the senior segment.  It is intended to be a simple flip phone for seniors.  However, unlike the other devices in this article, it is not a senior phone in the sense that it is not designed with seniors in mind.  For example, unlike the Jitterbug Flip2, it does not label buttons to enhance ease of use.  Rather, it is a basic flip phone manufactured by ZTE, a Chinese manufacturer, and designed for the general public.

On the front panel of the exterior of the phone is a camera.  Unlike the Jitterbug Flip2, the Link II does not have an LED flash or a notification LED to notify users of a voicemail or emergency alert, although you will hear a notification sound, as well as see the notification on the outside screen.  The outside screen also displays the time, day, date, and status information, including the battery and signal strength.

The volume rocker and 3.5 mm jack for headphones are on the right edge.  On the bottom edge are the microphone and the charging port.  Unfortunately, the phone has a Micro-USB charging port, which means that the senior will need to insert the cable in the proper direction.  The Jitterbug Flip2 and RAZ Memory Cell Phone, on the other hand, uses a USB type C, and is therefore directionless, which is definitely preferable for seniors.  The speaker is on the back of the phone.  There is no charging station.

The battery of the Link II is 1600 mAh and advertises up to 14 hours of talk time, two more hours than the Jitterbug Flip2. On the other hand, the RAZ Memory Cell Phone has a battery with 4000 mAh and advertises up to 46 hours of talk time.

For two reasons, the menu system of the Link II is more complex than the menu system of the Jitterbug Flip2: (1) as mentioned, the buttons on the keypad are not labeled, so the senior must remember which buttons perform what functions, and (2) there are two “soft” keys which are each marked on the keypad with 3 horizontal dots.  These soft keys perform different functions when using different apps and the senior must memorize when to use the respective keys.  This user experience is arguably even more complex than that of a smartphone!  If the senior has any cognitive decline, the Link II is likely to be too complicated.

On the other hand, the decibel reading of the speakerphone during a test conversation was 103; this is not quite as loud as the Jitterbug Flip2 or RAZ Memory Cell Phone.

Text is presented as a combination of black on white and white on black. You can invert the color scheme, but it is still a mix of black on white and white on black, so the benefit is unclear.  There is no option for other color schemes, such as yellow on black.  The display does not appear to be quite as sharp, or bright, as that of the Jitterbug Flip2, and certainly not as sharp or bright as the RAZ Memory Cell Phone.

Font size can be enlarged, but it would help if it could be made even larger.  The font size on a standard smartphone can be made larger than the font size on the Link II.

The phone is shipped with a Consumer Cellular SIM card inserted.  Consumer Cellular operates on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks. Unlimited talk and text with 3GB of data is priced at $25.00 per month. AARP members receive a discount of 5% on monthly service.

This post reviews five popular cell phones for people who are blind or visually impaired. Two of these are basic cell phones: the MiniVision2+ and Jitterbug Flip2. The remaining three are smartphones: the Synapptic, Google Pixel and the iPhone.

The phone speaks everything on the screen and everything that is typed. It can also be controlled to a large extent through voice commands. The MiniVision2+ is a basic cell phone but includes a number of features associated with smartphones. In addition to making calls and sending text messages, the MiniVision2 has an alarm, camera, FM radio, light detector, color identifier, money identifier, calculator, recorder, voice notes, flashlight, weather and a “where am I?” feature.

As will be discussed further below, the MiniVision2+ is a 4G LTE phone that works on the T-Mobile network, and is also authorized to work on the AT&T network, which is quite an accomplishment since it is the first and only cell phone specifically designed for people who are blind that AT&T has authorized.

It is made of hard plastic and has rounded edges that makes it feel comfortable to hold. The lower sixty percent of the phone consists of the keypad, which has large black buttons with large white characters. The buttons are well spaced, making it easy to press the correct key. The navigation buttons are especially tactile. The OK button has numerous tiny bumps on its surface, giving it an unmistakable textured feel. The navigation buttons, which surround the OK button, are raised. And the Call and Power buttons each have three large bumps on their surfaces. In short, the MiniVision2’s keypad is the most tactile keypad we have experienced.

The bottom edge of the phone includes a micro-USB charging port, a 3.5 mm audio connector for headphones and two small holes to charge the phone when it sits in the charging station. The power and volume buttons are integrated into the keypad and not on the edge of the phone, as is typical on smartphones.

Calls can be placed in four ways: First, the blind user can dial phone numbers with the keypad. The numbers are spoken out loud as the user types the digits. Second, calls can be placed directly from blind users’ contacts. Third, calls can be placed from Call History. Finally, calls can be placed by voice command. As discussed above, the visually impaired user presses and holds the OK button and says, “Call John”, for example.

Text messages can be composed and sent with the assistance of the voice guide. The process for doing so is quite simple. Text messages can also be composed and sent using voice commands and voice dictation. Voice commands is by far and away the easier way to send text messages. The MiniVision2+ will verbally notify the visually impaired user when new text messages are received and will provide the number of new unread messages. Incoming text messages will be read out loud.

Although the MiniVision2+ is a basic cell phone with buttons, it offers much more than just calling and text message capability. The phone also offers an alarm, camera, photo gallery, FM radio, light detector, color identifier, banknote recognizer, calculator, recorder, notes, flashlight, weather, “where am I?” and an emergency feature. All of these are accessible to someone with no sight and work very well.

We tested the banknote recognizer feature with $1, $10 and $20 bills. The MiniVision2+ recognized the bills correctly and consistently. Similarly, the “Where Am I?” feature consistently provided the correct location. These and other features should be very helpful for individuals who are blind.

Font size can be set to either small, medium, large or very large. When set to very large, the letters are larger than any font size on a smart phone. In fact, when set to very large, some words are unable to fit on the display and scroll across the screen as a result.

The MiniVision2+ is unlocked and operates on AT&T, T-Mobile or other wireless providers that operate on one of those networks, such as Cricket Wireless, Metro by T-Mobile, MINT Mobile and Ultra Mobile. Except that the MiniVision2 does not work with Cricket Wireless or Consumer Cellular. Purchase of the MiniVision2+ includes a free SIM card and three (3) free months of service from MINT Mobile. After the free months of service, MINT Mobile costs as low as $15/month for unlimited service.

The Synapptic solution consists of software that can be placed on most Android smartphones or tablets to make them more accessible to individuals with low vision or who are completely blind. Synapptic is a British company; the solution is more popular in Europe than the U.S. RAZ Mobility, however, believes that Synapptic is an excellent solution and deserves to be popular in the U.S., as well.

The Moto G Pure includes a 6.5-inch display with a teardrop-style display. At 6.5 inches, the device provides plenty of real estate to accommodate large font sizes. The Moto e generally has small bezzles, providing for a modern design. There is, however, a somewhat larger bottom bezel.

Synapptic replaces the standard Android user interface with its own user interface, which is more intuitive for individuals with vision loss. It includes a simple menu structure where every menu screen is presented as a vertical list. The text size can be increased and made very large, larger than on any other device; much larger than on a standard android device or iPhone. There are a number of options for different color schemes.

The ability to adjust text size and color schemes makes Synapptic an excellent option for individuals with low vision who want to rely on their own eyes to use a smartphone rather than a screen reader.

Synapptic allows the blind user to control much of the device by voice. The user can dictate with their voice, make calls, request various types of information, open applications and control various device settings.

Websites are spoken and can be explored with either the volume buttons or the “Previous” and “Next” buttons at the bottom of the screen. Individuals with low vision can increase or decrease the size of the text on the screen. There is an advanced mode for exploring websites, that allows the user to move around a web page by heading, link, text or even letter by letter.

Synapptic offers many well-designed applications. These include a calendar, voice memos, note pad, camera, weather app, magnifier, OCR for reading, color identifier, GPS, letter writer, calculator, clock, flashlight, compass, music player, internet radio, YouTube, and a news feed. They are all presented with Synapptic’s large text and impressive color contrast.

The Moto e with the Synapptic software is unlocked and compatible with all major networks, such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and their respective resellers.

There are three ways in which someone who is blind can place a call:  first they can dial the number with the keypad.  The Voice Guide will speak the number entered, but the keypad is quite flat and not very tactile, making using the keypad challenging for the blind user

The second method is to call the Personal Operator.  The Operator is accessed by dialing zero and can look up phone numbers, connect to any number in the U.S. or Canada and place calls to anyone in the user’s contacts.  This service costs $.99 per call and the time spent on the phone with the Personal Operator counts towards the user’s allotment of minutes.

The blind user can access some limited information regarding missed calls. The phone will speak the number associated with the missed call, but it will not speak the date or time that the call was placed. Blind users will need to ask someone who is sighted for assistance in order to obtain this information.

The keypad is reasonably well designed for someone with low vision.  The keypad is backlit.  The numbers are white, and the remainder of each key is black, providing good contrast. However, the keys are flat and not tactile.

Jitterbug Flip2 is really all about the health services.  It advertises itself as a “personal safety device.”  The Basic health and safety package costs $19.99 (on top of the cost of your cell phone service), and most notably includes a private emergency dispatch service, as well as a service that sends medication reminders.  There is also a Preferred package for $24.99 and an Ultimate package for $34.99.  The Preferred package includes access to a board-certified doctor or nurse without an appointment.  The Ultimate package includes a personal operator that can help the user with tasks, such as looking up addresses or phone numbers.

Some people may find the right angle gestures a little difficult.  However, the need to use such gestures can largely be avoided by customizing the gestures.  Specifically, new actions can be assigned to the one finger gestures, replacing the right angle gestures.  For example, instead of going back to the home screen by using the up and to the left gesture, the user could simply swipe down.

Browsing the web with TalkBack is quite easy.  First, open a web page in Chrome.  Next swipe up or down to hear the various ways that TalkBack can read the page for you.  When you hear the way that you want to explore the page, stop.  You can then explore the web page using the selected method by swiping to the right to go forward or to the left to go backward.

An excellent list of android applications for people who are blind or low vision can be found on the RAZ Mobility Accessible App Installer.  This application lists and describes the top applications for individuals who are blind.

Google recently launched an excellent application called Lookout.  This app was developed specifically for people with vision loss.  It recognizes objects and tells the user where they are located in relation to the user, reads text, currency, barcodes and more.  Lookout is available on Pixel devices, as well as certain devices from Samsung and LG.  There is no iOS version of this application.

While there are some excellent android applications for people who are blind, applications developed specifically for people with vision loss tend to be launched on iOS first.

The easiest way to send a text message is with the Google Assistant.  The user can easily ask the Assistant to “send a text message” and the Assistant will respond “who do you want to text and guide the user through the process.

The user can access the information in the status bar (such as battery level and signal strength) with explore by touch and then swiping to the right or left to have the different elements in the status bar read out loud.

The Google Assistant is probably the best virtual assistant available.  It has excellent speech recognition and allows the user to perform many functions by voice.  A few examples include calling, managing your calendar, playing music, listening to audio books or podcasts, sending text messages, listening to the radio, setting alarms, performing Google searches and much more.

The iPhone is the most popular smartphone with people who are blind or visually impaired, and for good reason: Apple was the first to develop an excellent built-in screen reader, called VoieOver.

Tap the slider to select it, then swipe up or down with one finger; or double-tap and hold the slider until you hear three rising tones, then drag the slider

Tip:As an alternative to selecting an item and double-tapping to activate it, touch and hold an item with one finger, then tap the screen with another.

For example, to drag a volume slider with your finger instead of swiping up and down, select the slider, double-tap and hold, wait for the three tones, then slide left or right.

Just like with the Pixel, you can explore a web page by element type.  For example, you can explore by heading or link.  Use the rotor to select the desired element type, then swipe up or down to move between the headings, links, or whatever was selected.

The iPhone has an excellent selection of apps for people with vision loss.  Apps designed for people who are blind are frequently, but not always, launched on iOS first.  This is definitely an advantage that the iPhone has over the Google Pixel.  In some cases, developers decide only to develop an iOS version of their application.  As an example, Seeing AI, a popular app developed by Microsoft for people who are blind, launched the iOS version of their app a few years ago, but has yet to launch an android version.

As with the Google Pixel, the easiest way to send text message is with the virtual assistant.  Simply activate Siri and say “send text message” and Siri will prompt you for the rest.  You can also ask Siri to read your received messages.  Again, activate Siri, and say something like “read my texts.”  Siri will announce how many messages you have waiting for you.  Siri then starts reading all new messages, beginning with the sender’s name — or if the name is unknown, the phone number it’s coming from. Like the Google Assistant, Siri will not read old messages.

If you want to send a text message with the messaging app, the easiest way to draft a message is with voice dictation.  VoiceOver offers a great shortcut for activating voice dictation.  After you open the app and select the recipient, use a two-finger double tap to start dictation.  The two-finger double tap also ends dictation.  Editing text is easy using the rotary tool.

An easy way to obtain certain status information, such as the battery level, is to ask Siri.  You can also tap the status bar at the top of the display and swipe left or right to hear the time, battery, signal strength and more.  This is much like the Pixel.

As a junior high teacher, I know (as I"m sure you do) that students would much rather type out a text message than pick up a pencil. Engage students of all ages in written expression with this fill-in-the-blank text message dialogue pack. Including seven graphic organizers, these printable cell phone graphics mimic the look of a text message screen. Choose and print which style of screen you like best and allow your students to write their own dialogue. There are a multitude of possible uses

Phones come in all shapes and sizes with different features and different prices. The first step is to assess your specific needs, says Ramon T. Llamas, research director for devices and displays at IDC, a research firm based in Framingham, Massachusetts.

If you don"t need the latest iPhone or souped-up Android device and are simply looking at an emergency communication device to keep in your glove compartment, then a regular cellphone may be right for you.

"For example, there"s the well-loved Samsung Galaxy A32 5G [for $282] or the [$239.99] OnePlus Nord N200, which features a large display with triple rear cameras and a front-facing camera,” he says.

The next consideration should be any accessibility features worth considering, whether tied to using the device, seeing the text or hearing the person you"re talking with.

"Many senior citizens can use a mainstream smartphone with little to no issue, while others may benefit from additional features, such as bigger buttons, a larger screen and louder speaker,” Llamos says. “Since needs vary from one senior to the next, assess whether your needs merit a smartphone designed especially for seniors."

For example, some phones offer high-definition voice for those who are hard of hearing and speech-to-text features for those with arthritis, Parkinson"s disease and other medical conditions that may make using a cellphone more difficult.

Virtual assistants, such as Google Assistant, are ideal to have in a smartphone since talking can be faster and more accurate than typing. And you don"t need to break the bank for this feature: The $100 Alcatel GO FLIP 3 is a basic flip phone with large buttons, hearing aid compatibility and long battery life — nearly 22 days on standby — plus Google"s integrated personal assistant.

"Also important is scam protection,” Lal says. “We know that older Americans are often being ‘gamed,’ and we offer a great service to prevent that with Scam Shield, which is included in all 55+ plans."

Other major phone carriers, such as T-Mobile and AT&T, offer similar services to help customers ward off robocallers and scammers, plus apps such as Nomorobo and YouMail work with any carrier.

The Pixel 7 is better than phones that cost several times as much, and it has the best version of Android and one of the best Android smartphone cameras we’ve ever tested.

Who it’s for: People who want a fast, secure Android phone with the best camera and guaranteed software updates, but don’t want to spend a thousand dollars.

Why we like it: The Google Pixel 7 offers the high-quality software and cameras that have made all of Google’s Pixel phones great, and it costs just $600. This phone comes with Google’s clean, responsive version of Android 13, and it’s guaranteed to get updates through fall 2027. The Pixel 7 has a dual-camera setup that takes better photos than almost any other Android phone..

Though it has only two camera lenses, Google"s amazing photo processing is borderline magical. It uses True Tone technology to accurately render darker skin tones, which can be a problem on other phones, and the Pixel camera app offers options to tweak exposure and color temperature live in the viewfinder. The Pixel 7 also has Google’s Magic Eraser feature, which can remove distractions and unwanted background objects in photos.

The Pixel 7 has a 6.34-inch OLED screen that stretches nearly edge to edge with minimal borders. It’s bright enough for outdoor use, and it also has an extra-dim feature that makes the brightness easier on the eyes in dark rooms. In addition, there’s an optical fingerprint scanner under the screen; it’s not as fast or accurate as Samsung’s ultrasonic sensor, but it’s much better than the one in the Pixel 6a or in last year’s Pixel 6.

Nearly three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, screen usage has increased exponentially, especially among children. The average amount of time children spend staring at screens has risen 52 percent since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Smartphones are an integral part of our lives, but what effect does all this scrolling and staring have on our brains? What can we do to protect ourselves and our children?

Although there is not yet clear evidence that smartphones have a long-term negative effect on the brain, health experts are concerned that excessive use can be harmful—especially to children whose brains are not yet fully developed.

For example, research has shown that smartphones may adversely affect cognition (but more study is needed to understand the connection). Cognition is the process of acquiring and applying knowledge through thought, experiences and the senses.

A study in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research found that cognitive capacity was significantly reduced whenever a smartphone is within reach, even when the phone is off.

With smartphones, you no longer need to memorize a phone number or find your way around town using a map—your smartphone does these things for you. Research shows this overreliance on your phone can lead to mental laziness.

“Social media, in my view, provides the user with inconsistent positive reinforcement, similar to gambling. When the user posts a message, the number of likes serve as a reward, and the chance of more likes increases with one more scroll or one more message. The user is not always rewarded with likes and positive responses, but these are quite satisfying when occurring. In fact, the user may unconsciously change their views to appease friends who provide likes, and select a friend population with shared values,” says UNC Health neurologist Jorge L. Almodóvar-Suárez, MD.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been an increase in children with myopia (nearsightedness), says UNC Health neuro-ophthalmologist Maja Kostic, MD, PhD.

“We are currently doing studies to measure the effect of smartphone usage on children’s long-distance vision,” Dr. Kostic says. “If kids are looking at phones at a near distance for long hours without any break, then we think this could lead to more and more progression with myopia.”

The more time you spend looking at a screen, the less time you spend interacting in person with others. This makes it more difficult to establish interpersonal connections and strong relationships, which are important for mental health and the health of the community at large.

To avoid harmful side effects of screen usage on the eyes, adults and children should practice “screen hygiene,” a set of best practices for using screens. To start, hold digital media at least 18 to 25 inches from your face.

With each passing year, the variation in mobile screen sizes increases in complexity, presenting a challenge for modern web and app interface designers.

From there, most subsequent iPhone models toggle between 375 and 414 pixels wide, with increasing viewport sizes as you move into the Galaxy phones and tablets. The average phone width in pixels is useful to have handy.

With more people browsing the web on their mobile devices, it’s important to have pixel-perfect designs that look as good on high-resolution mobile devices as they do on desktop. (Especially since Google counts mobile responsiveness as an SEO factor!)

However, more complex designs (think multi-layer backgrounds and stacked columns) require a bit more care to ensure they respond correctly with a reduction or increase of screen width.

There’s another WordPress theme that allows you to test website on different screen sizes, which is Bricks Builder. Find out how we migrated to this theme and why we completely failed to test on different cell phone sizes before we went live.

For example, stats tell us that 75% of people who shop on your website will never actually complete a sale because they abandon the cart without purchasing.

It’s not that they don’t want to. For a large number of those would-be customers, something actively comes between them and the product they added to their online cart. That’s why the right dimensions responsive settings are so important.

It’s the tech issue that makes a mobile visitor throw up their hands in frustration (“I’ll buy this later, when I’m on my desktop”) and never return to complete their order. (Or worse, they complete their order with a competitor. Yikes.)

That’s why choosing a mobile responsive subscription plugin that’s actively developed with modern screen sizes in mind can either make or break the overall success of your site design.

If your smartphone rests right next to you (or even under your pillow) every night when you go to sleep, you’re not alone. Our phones are constant companions, even during the wee hours of the night. You’re able to answer calls, texts and emails at a moment’s notice. And isn’t that the best part about technology? Always being connected and never truly shutting down or logging off?

However, it’s not just that you’re on your phone that can disrupt your sleep. It’s more what you’re doing with the technology that makes a difference, like actively using your phone.

Smartphones are designed to make our lives easier and more productive, as well as entertain us and provide information. But the smartphone era has forced us to feel like we can never really log off, even when we’re sleeping. That can have a negative effect on your health, and here’s why.

Phone screens and sleep have a tricky relationship. The blue light from your phone is an artificial color that mimics daylight. This can be great during the day, as it can make you feel more alert, but it’s just the opposite of what you need at night when you’re winding down and ready to hit the hay.

Exposure to blue light can affect your internal body clock and throw off your circadian rhythm. This rhythm is in tune with light and dark. It’s why you feel more tired at night when the sun starts to set and why you feel more energized in the morning when it’s light.

This isn’t necessarily happening to everyone, though. “Studies that have really shown support for light’s impact on sleep onset and melatonin production are much more people using screens for two hours straight prior to bedtime,” Dr. Drerup notes.

Dr. Drerup adds that what you’re doing on your phone before bed matters more. “The content you’re looking at probably has more of an impact than the blue light from the screens,” says Dr. Drerup. “There might be people that are more sensitive to it — but it’s really much more about what you’re doing on those devices.”

Going to bed and falling asleep should be a peaceful, happy and relaxing experience. Engaging with your phone too close to bedtime can negatively impact those feelings.

Generally, however, tucking your devices away for the night an hour or two before bed is a good rule. That includes not just phones but also other devices and electronics. While smartphones are typically the main culprit, even tablets and TVs can contribute to poor sleep.

If you’re really struggling with limiting screen time before bed, you might need to put your phone in a different room or invest in a clock radio for your bedside table. There are also options within your phone (like setting it on “do not disturb” or “night mode”) to minimize distractions and notifications that can help get you in the mood to snooze.