Vodafone launching a cellphone for simple folk
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 19th 2005 3:45AM
posted May 19th 2005 3:45AM
The new Vodafone Simply is likely to be launched on Friday across "several countries" and is targeted at those feisty old people who still cling to their old cellphones like they are holding, well, naked pictures of The Captain and Tennille. The phone will feature a minimum set of buttons (what, no number 5!?) and do little else than make calls and send (and we presume, receive) text messages. But even that sounds like one feature too many.
I think this is actually a great idea. I know a bunch of old people who could really use the practicality of a cell phone but can't understand how to use them. The lack of fluid intelligence is killer.
I think this is actually a really crap idea. If the networks and cell phone makers could be arsed to spend a fraction of their money on a little more R&D they could come up with a decent menu system that everyone understands how to use. To change the name of an entry on my cell phone it takes about 7-8 button presses excluding the editing!
Sometimes I even forget where settings are in the menu. I just give up looking for how to put the date in the menu bar. And this is on a Nokia, supposedly one of the easiest to use menu systems out of all phones.
Cutting features isn't the answer, making them easier to use is.
Have to agree with Conrad Quilty-Harper maybe because I'm getting older. I do, however, have a Nokia 3650 (OK so it's not the latest model). It's so simple to use, has fantastic screen size, etc. etc. Oh, one more thing. I can use it in the USA even if I live in Europe.
sorry guy's - no amount used on R & D will make those that could't care less about technology and/or are tech-illetarate have a happy meeting with todays & tomorrows hightech cells.
you probably don't expect your grandmother to use photoshop to view the photos you email her because the default photo viewer of her os does the job perfectly - the same goes for cells.
the low-end or simple users are problably further away from the the average users than the high-end or advanced users are...
and i forgot to add that a lot of these low-end users have no interest what so ever in learning all this tech-stuff just to place a call to a friend, kid, etc.
Here in Japan one of the smaller network operators (Tuka) already has a simple mobile on sale. It is primarily marketed at the older generation and is modelled on a house phone, with no display, no text messaging etc. The link below is the product info page.
http://www.tu-ka.co.jp/line_up/tu-kas.html
Such a phone could have a lot of potential users:
- Older people of course for the simplicity, but also it could make them spare money. At least in Europe a fixed line often involved a heavy monthly fee, and if you don't call a lot, a mobile package would be cheaper. My grandparents get more called that call (and in Europe you don't pay for receiving calls);
- Many less old people but not so familiar with technology. I know many people who choose their phone based on the smallest set of feature, assuming the phone would be easier to use.
- And even for people who already have a fancy high-tech phone, but want a second phone as backup solution, or when doing things that could break it.
Great idea! It is not just about easy-to-understand menus or not, but also the simple fact that older people might not be interested in all these gadgets at all. And maybe that's not a too stupid attitude after all? What is a telephone, actually? A means to talk to others from a distance. OK, so young people want it to be the centre of their life, but lots of older people don't need that.
I actually hope to see computers like this, too - simple stuff with a lean browser, a simple e-mail client and a text editor and a photo viewer and a reasonably-sized monitor along with that absolutely reasonable retirement price-tag!
The company who would make that and make it with a good design, as well, would have a winner!
For what it's worth, I think this is a great idea. My mother is in her 60's and couldn't care less about text messaging, taking pictures, color screens, etc. She doesn't have a phone because it's "over her head". If there were a simple phone that just sends and receives calls, I'm sure she'd be more open to the idea of having one.
I'm only 38 (that isn't "old" in the way I think they mean), and I have resisted getting a cell phone because I already have gadgets that do all the things I want, and I really resent having to pay extra to get more functionality than the function I expect to use. I don't want to have to get a "standard" monthly plan that charges me for things I don't need. If I want photos, I carry a camera (a good Elph). If I want a pocket brain, a book, or my e-mail, I carry a Tungsten T3. What I don't have now is text messaging and a phone line, and it looks like this stripped-down phone has both (hope the calling plans are going to be stripped down too, or they can kiss my, uh, grits).
How about a cell phone service that replicated the old operator assisted dialing network? "Operator, connect me to Denver 5-8734."
Text messaging is way too much and a waste of time for the target market. The phone should have a nice big numberpad, and one big button labelled "Talk." That's it. No display, no menus, no phone book, nothing. And it should be about 8" long, just like an old telephone receiver.
#11, I think the button should be called "Dial"
You're probably right. It should also have a dial tone (fake obviously). Press Dial, get a tone, enter the numbers and wait for the ringing. Just like Alexander Bell intended. It also needs a big simple cradle charger, so it can be left on the hall table to charge, without fiddling with little plugs and wall warts.
So how do we make money on this thing? Airtime use will be minimal, and retirees on a fixed income won't spring for high monthly charges. Market it as a land line replacement? Offer it as an odd-on option for grown children / grandchildren maybe? I would pay $20 a month to put a simple phone in my grandparents' hands.
The hell here is that to replicate the same functions (simplified menus, big buttons, one-touch calling), I'm taking an x66 and writing applications for it. $320 for the x66 with subsidy (thankfully, I already have a dev environment), whereas there will be two European entries (Silverphone and Simply) for the equivalent of $40 or so. All this so that I can make sure my father-in-law can call if he gets lost or needs something.
One feature that would be *excellent* to add to a handset like this is a network-based locator system, so that people who have frail parents can know where they are in the event of an emergency (did they fall at the grocery store, or at home?).