Comments on: The Cell Phone That Says “I Give Up!” http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/ A personal finance blog dedicated to discussing such topics as budgeting, asset allocation, 401K, IRA, cash flow, insurance, financial planning, portfolio management, and other areas in personal finance. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:32:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: denon http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-196066 denon Mon, 24 Dec 2007 22:21:46 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-196066 I don't get it - if you want an emergency phone, why not just get any old deactivated phone and use the free 911 feature? Or a practically free new retail trackfone or whatever. I'm sure 911 would be happy to get you a tow, ambulance, etc, and you don't need any monthly plan at all. Plus, if you set all the speed dials to 911, and use most phones' 9 feature for emergency, all you have to do is hit any button and "talk". I don’t get it – if you want an emergency phone, why not just get any old deactivated phone and use the free 911 feature? Or a practically free new retail trackfone or whatever.

I’m sure 911 would be happy to get you a tow, ambulance, etc, and you don’t need any monthly plan at all. Plus, if you set all the speed dials to 911, and use most phones’ 9 feature for emergency, all you have to do is hit any button and “talk”.

]]> By: Aric http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-193947 Aric Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:44:26 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-193947 I'm 32, healthy (i.e., capable of pressing small buttons), and would use this phone plan if it was even remotely competitive. The regular cell phone companies treat everyone as if they were a 14 year old girl. While most Americans may act that way, some of us think that gadgets and fancy pictures are fo' suckas. Please, Jitterbug, make the numbers work. I’m 32, healthy (i.e., capable of pressing small buttons), and would use this phone plan if it was even remotely competitive. The regular cell phone companies treat everyone as if they were a 14 year old girl. While most Americans may act that way, some of us think that gadgets and fancy pictures are fo’ suckas. Please, Jitterbug, make the numbers work.

]]> By: Jenn @ Frugal Upstate http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-193503 Jenn @ Frugal Upstate Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:51:37 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-193503 I'd agree that for most folks this phone would be ridiculous. But then again, for someone like my grandfather (90 this summer) who still lives alone and occasionaly drives, but has problems seeing small stuff and isn't quite as "into" technology (although he does do email), this type of thing might be useful. Overall it's a crock though I’d agree that for most folks this phone would be ridiculous. But then again, for someone like my grandfather (90 this summer) who still lives alone and occasionaly drives, but has problems seeing small stuff and isn’t quite as “into” technology (although he does do email), this type of thing might be useful.

Overall it’s a crock though

]]> By: Don http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-193169 Don Thu, 20 Dec 2007 01:09:23 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-193169 Yeah, I gotta agree with Angie. My wife had a stroke and has trouble with the small buttons on cell phones. She just asked for one of these phones as well (although she wants the one that has the big number buttons). I was actually thinking that it was a pretty good deal. She can't speak all that well, so she almost never uses the phone, and when she does it is really quick. So for us, $10/month with really expensive minutes is way better that $72/month with infinite minutes. Even with an expensive up-front cost for the phone I can still expect to come out ahead. Yeah, I gotta agree with Angie. My wife had a stroke and has trouble with the small buttons on cell phones. She just asked for one of these phones as well (although she wants the one that has the big number buttons). I was actually thinking that it was a pretty good deal.

She can’t speak all that well, so she almost never uses the phone, and when she does it is really quick. So for us, $10/month with really expensive minutes is way better that $72/month with infinite minutes. Even with an expensive up-front cost for the phone I can still expect to come out ahead.

]]> By: Angie http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-193106 Angie Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:13:24 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-193106 Ok, had to put my two cents in. I take care of a fifty-some-odd year old disabled person. He is very sharp but has problems with small buttons. SO, the large buttons would come in handy. And while he can't travel anywhere, he does live by himself. You don't have to be old or in a nursing home to be the target of this product. But yes, it is over-priced. Ok, had to put my two cents in. I take care of a fifty-some-odd year old disabled person. He is very sharp but has problems with small buttons. SO, the large buttons would come in handy. And while he can’t travel anywhere, he does live by himself. You don’t have to be old or in a nursing home to be the target of this product. But yes, it is over-priced.

]]> By: Mrs. Micah http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-193048 Mrs. Micah Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:27:26 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-193048 Overpriced but still potentially useful. At least the minutes don't expire monthly... Overpriced but still potentially useful. At least the minutes don’t expire monthly…

]]> By: dimes http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-193012 dimes Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:08:35 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-193012 Overpriced, especially with $.35/minute. Our plan is like $72/month for 450 rollover minutes between two phones and virtually unlimited night/weekend time. And the phones came with the plan. I think this is silly. Overpriced, especially with $.35/minute. Our plan is like $72/month for 450 rollover minutes between two phones and virtually unlimited night/weekend time. And the phones came with the plan.
I think this is silly.

]]> By: Daymon http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-192931 Daymon Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:38:15 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-192931 I am going to have to agree on the price of the phone. One could get a much nicer phone at half the price, and the air time is over priced too. If an elderly person could barely see the buttons on a normal cell phone, or had problems with their dexterity, I could see maybe a family member giving them one of these phones for emergencies purposes, but then one has to think, 'where would someone that old be going by themselves'. Not to mention, they're probably in a nursing home, or assisted living already and have no use for a cell phone in the first place. Really, the only use I could find for a phone like this is for someone who is near the age of being sent to a retirement home, or assisted living, and for whatever reason still gets out of the house from time to time. The two people in the picture probably own an iPhone! That's funny. Good stuff. I am going to have to agree on the price of the phone. One could get a much nicer phone at half the price, and the air time is over priced too. If an elderly person could barely see the buttons on a normal cell phone, or had problems with their dexterity, I could see maybe a family member giving them one of these phones for emergencies purposes, but then one has to think, ‘where would someone that old be going by themselves’. Not to mention, they’re probably in a nursing home, or assisted living already and have no use for a cell phone in the first place. Really, the only use I could find for a phone like this is for someone who is near the age of being sent to a retirement home, or assisted living, and for whatever reason still gets out of the house from time to time. The two people in the picture probably own an iPhone! That’s funny. Good stuff.

]]> By: Skinny City Girl http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-192922 Skinny City Girl Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:19:23 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-192922 It's clever. They are marketing to the people in the picture, but the phones aren't for them. The phones are for their parents-- people who are 80, 90+ years old and can't figure out the DVD player or email, either. How many of you have parents/grandparents with a phone in the glove compartment (given by a guilt-ridden child) that he or she can't figure out how to open, let alone turn on and call someone. It’s clever. They are marketing to the people in the picture, but the phones aren’t for them. The phones are for their parents– people who are 80, 90+ years old and can’t figure out the DVD player or email, either. How many of you have parents/grandparents with a phone in the glove compartment (given by a guilt-ridden child) that he or she can’t figure out how to open, let alone turn on and call someone.

]]> By: Sam http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/comment-page-1/#comment-192908 Sam Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:05:56 +0000 http://allfinancialmatters.com/2007/12/19/the-cell-phone-that-says-i-give-up/#comment-192908 I have an aversion to phones that try to do and be everything for everybody, cramming in all sorts of useless gadgets. But this phone goes too far in the other direction. And like you say, the price seems pretty expensive for what you get. I pay about $50/month (including taxes) for a plan that splits 300 minutes between two phones. Like you, I don't do that much talking. I have an aversion to phones that try to do and be everything for everybody, cramming in all sorts of useless gadgets. But this phone goes too far in the other direction. And like you say, the price seems pretty expensive for what you get. I pay about $50/month (including taxes) for a plan that splits 300 minutes between two phones. Like you, I don’t do that much talking.

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