The dictionary meaning of ‘senior’ suggests a person of a higher or an older rank. This effectively shows the thought and visualization put into the concept of this phone. The idea of creation of a radiophone was augmented to take the shape of a mobile phone. When Reginald Fessenden invented the radiophone, his basic purpose must have been to craft a communication system which transmits speech. A mobile device took it further with essential calling and texting facilities. This is actually what defines the Senior. iBall has efficiently decided to tap a wide user segment which needs a mobile phone but have difficulty operating today’s smartphones or phones with complicated user interface. Cutting down the fancies tagged along with a handset, the iBall Senior phone dexterously puts forth the crux use of a mobile phone with appropriate content. So read on, a hassle-free review of the model.
When unwrapping it from the bright red and white box, we were thinking that the ‘Aasaan’ accurately lives up to its word of ‘simplicity’. The extremely hassle-free no-frills handset sat peacefully with its headset, manual and charger as opposed to the USB cables, deluxe cases or any other decorated equipments which are packed with a mobile device. Before we scrutinize the handset’s non-complex features, let’s go through what its user guide says. Looks like this review will surely be filled with synonyms of ‘easy’. A thorough step-by-step procedure of installation/removal of the battery, insertion/removal of the SIM card and safety precautions graced the first few pages on the mobile phone. The details of the special SOS keys and standby state follow up. All the other notes in the manual about the included functions of the device were easy to figure out.
As soon as we switched on the mobile phone, it came alive in a locked mode. Within seconds we figured how to unlock it, sans the manual. The efficient slider lock key on the right edge can be smoothly slid with the thumb for further non-complexity. After realizing that we hadn’t inserted our SIM card, we switched it off by long pressing the end call key. By simply skidding off the back cover, we opened the mobile phone, the battery could be removed with little effort and SIM was inserted along with packing the device again in no time. The exterior of the grayish unit was decked in matter for a firm grip and avoided slipping of the device. One thing which was obvious other than its huge, clear keypad was the weight of the phone. It was comparatively heavier than others. We guess that the heaviness is especially instilled for seniors to realize that the mobile phone is not misplaced from their pocket.
The vital components like the charging point and a 3.5mm headphone jack conveniently take their throne on the top edge of the Senior. Next to them lies the torchlight, another essential attribute which can be used for emergencies. The elderly just need to slide the torchlight button, placed on the right edge, on top to activate it. The left edge subsumes the volume adjust keys and one-touch FM key. iBall has integrated the bottom edge with a microphone and a loop which can be used to attach a string for dangling the handset around the neck for suitable portability. The rest of the portion covers the battery. Moving over to its back, the loudspeaker is seated next to the exclusive SOS button and both are situated on the upper part of its rear. The underlining attribute of the device, its keypad is generously crafted for utmost ease. The 15 keys coherently display all the characteristics.
Designed for a mature audience, the USP of the mobile phone is the exclusive SOS button which doesn’t seem to be included in any other handset before. Users can save five emergency numbers like that of their son/daughter, grandchild or best buddy. In an occurrence of some mishap, you can down-slide the red SOS button on the back of the device to alert others around. On activating this key, the phone starts emitting a loud siren sound which attracts the attention of surrounding people. Concurrently, the handset starts dialing the emergency numbers fed into it one after the other until someone answers the call. Even after reaching through a call, the Senior will continue to dial the next emergency number until you up-slide the SOS button. The phone also sends short messages to these included numbers. In this real-fast world, this special function can undoubtedly be of great use.
You as an owner need not worry about searching those fat spectacles and bother about the inaccessibility of using a mobile phone without glasses. The start-up wallpaper of this black and white model displays the current time and date in bold letters. All the choices are showcased in jet black color and illuminated with bright orange backlight for complete clarity. The homescreen exhibits the signal, the current profile mode and battery life on the top from left to right. Lucidity at each and every step of the interface is visibly proffered by the device. The two-way navigation button of the device renders only up and down arrow keys. The upper press will lead to the main menu and the down key gives quick access to the phonebook.
To state it simply, the menu of the mobile device is easy. It modestly has seven elementary options which take care of the primitive needs of a mobile phone. Sweating details of each and every preference, the SMS tab comprises of all the elementary options which allowed us pretty straightforward messaging facilities. Thanks to its big keys, writing a new message became a piece of cake. A few concerns that we experienced were that there was no option to activate delivery reports and the text formats did not support dictionary. The call log subsumed neatly organized lists of dialed, received and missed calls. The phone was uncomplicatedly comprehendible and extremely easy to use. Users can choose any of the five user profiles which offer customization through the available options only. So, personalization via setting your favorite title songs as ringtones may not be up in the mobile phone.
Next, the settings option consolidates a ‘without trouble’ accessibility to all the required setup. A self-explanatory in-choice menu can be accessed for any changes into the settings of the phone. Another really important option for seniors remains ‘alarm.’ Seniors usually tend to follow a time-to-time schedule of any day with the help of the alarm clock. iBall allows users to simultaneously set five alarms for the entire day or an entire week. The toolbox alternative puts forth all the necessary items like the calculator, reminder, stopwatch, countdown, currency converter and unit converter. All these selections offer really effortless controls and self-study instructions. The seven preferences in the menu make it really compact and consolidated for senior citizens.
Pros:
The unique SOS button turns out to be of a great help to the elderly.
Its enhanced battery proffers up to two days of operation with ease.
iBall Senior’s large keypad allows seamless and easy typing.
Cons:
Although we love the bold and clear display, a little bigger size of the screen would be appreciated.
The added inclusion of the comfort offered by the four-way navigation key could have further helped with simple usage.
Verdict:
Despite the fact that the screen of the phone is considerably small, we couldn’t help but notice the efficiency of the handset in simple functionality. ‘Compact’ and ‘crisp’ are two adjectives which might aptly sum up the definition of the iBall Senior. The company has certainly put their creative brains for a toss for the development of a mobile phone for such a niche market. Truly crafted for seniors, this feature phone gets a thumbs up from our side. Post to carefully weighing the pros and cons, we agreeably decide to rate it a good 8.5 on 10.