GreatCall outs Samsung-made Jitterbug Plus, for folks who want a phone without all the smarts

Adding features to a senior-friendly phone kind of defeats the purpose, but a sleeker design, improved battery life and boosted speaker? Sure, we'll take it. That's what you'll get with the new Jitterbug Plus, a bare-bones mobile phone for users who really only need to make and receive calls, and perhaps check the occasional voicemail. Manufactured by Samsung, the no-frills r220 includes an incredibly straightforward interface, with clearly marked Yes and No button options and large, backlit keys, including a panic button that puts you in touch with a 5Star Urgent Response agent. This latest model also adds a very basic 1.3-megapixel camera, which lets you post photos to Facebook with the touch of a button (you'll need to forgo the Instagram filters, though). The Jitterbug Plus is available now in red or silver for $99 at retailers like Best Buy, Radio Shack and Fry's, along with the company's online store, however pricing is expected to jump to $119 shortly after launch. Overall, the device appears to be a great choice for seniors, though CNET called the phone "overpriced" in its review, which you'll find at the link below.

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GreatCall Announces the All-New Jitterbug Plus - the Easiest and Smartest Jitterbug Yet

Latest Handset Offers Smart New Feature Set, Award-Winning Simple Design, and Absence of Feature Overload

San Diego, Calif. – July 2, 2012 – GreatCall, Inc., a leader in wireless services that enables its customers to stay connected, safe and healthy, today announced the national availability of its new Jitterbug® Plus cell phone. The new phone offers a sleek and simple design along with a smart new feature set that includes a stronger battery life and improved speaker, packaged in a lightweight, comfortable handset. The Jitterbug Plus also features an easy-to-use camera with a thoughtful one-touch photo sharing service that allows users to share their photos with the touch of a button. The celebrated design that made the Jitterbug the gold standard of simplicity stays the same, including the ability to easily turn features on or off to match your lifestyle, but avoid feature overload.

With one of the longest lasting batteries on the market – up to 25 days of standby time – the Jitterbug Plus provides the luxury of not running out of power frequently. The new handset also retains the simplest menu navigation available, by providing simple "YES" or "NO" buttons, a backlit keypad and big, legible numbers. The improved speaker ensures all conversations are loud and clear.

"For our customers, simple is smart, and we're helping them learn new ways to stay connected and safe by adding easy-to-use features that they'll actually enjoy using," said David Inns, CEO of GreatCall. "A few years ago it was simplified text messaging, now it's one-touch photo sharing on Facebook."

Since the original Jitterbug cell phone debuted in 2006, today's mature Americans are looking for additional features to meet their lifestyle needs. The Jitterbug Plus has evolved along with them to include a thoughtful feature set that is never intimidating.

Technology adoption by mature Americans in particular has grown significantly in the past few years. In fact, a June 2012 Pew Research report shows interesting findings that reflect the increase among Boomers and Seniors:
· For the first time, half of adults age 65 and older are online.

· One in three online seniors uses social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.

· Social networking site use among seniors has increased by as much as 150% (from 13% in 2009 to 33% in 2011).

· Seven in ten adults ages 65 and older own a cell phone (up from 57% two years ago)

· Baby Boomers are increasingly using Facebook-a combined[1] 28 million people over the age of 45 are active on the social network, uploading on average 391-418 photos-just as many as younger users.

The demand for a mobile device that can quickly and easily exchange information is high. With the simplicity of the Jitterbug Plus' new photo sharing capability on Facebook, consumers don't need to worry about computer cords and complicated uploading procedures. At the touch of a button, Jitterbug Plus users can easily capture special moments via the built-in camera and instantly share them with family and friends.

Key Features of the New Jitterbug Plus:
Modern and sleek handset design by Samsung
Easy-to-use camera with one-touch photo sharing to social websites, like Facebook
Easy navigation with "YES" or "NO" buttons, a backlit keypad and big, legible numbers
Improved speaker ensures all conversations will be loud and clear
Battery life of up to 25 days of standby time
· Bright color screen with large numbers

Dial "0" to reach a GreatCall Operator who can help manage your Calendar or Phone Book
· Compatible with GreatCall's award-winning, innovative health and medical apps, like 5Star Urgent Response

Available in two colors – Red or Silver

GreatCall's unwavering commitment to provide wireless services that people can count on means that the award-winning features customers know and love are also offered, including:
· GreatCall will never ask you to sign a contract

· All features are easy to understand and use

· You can call the operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and be greeted by name

· No long distance or roaming charges

The new Jitterbug Plus will retail for $119 with a limited-time introductory price of $99. To purchase the new Jitterbug Plus, call directly at 1-866-554-4751, online at greatcall.com or at select retailers including Best Buy, Sears, Radio Shack Dealer Franchise, Fry's Electronics and ShopKo. Visit our store locator online to find a retailer near you.

To learn more about all available GreatCall products and services, please visit: http://www.greatcall.com