If you have poor hearing or eyesight,
this could be the phone for you
Doro makes a range of mobiles designed for
people who either don’t need or want fancy, feature- packed smartphones. Some
will scoff at the phone’s lack of web browser or even email, but this misses
the point. The 520X is a triumph because of what it leaves out, There is
nothing here but the basics: making and receiving calls, and text messages.
Calls were clear, with background noise
filtered out even when we were standing next to a busy road. The handset volume
can be set high so people who are hard of hearing can still hear the phone
ringing and the person speaking on the other end of the line. The display has
four different high-contrast themes, designed to be legible for those with poor
eyesight.
If
you have poor hearing or eyesight, this could be the phone for you
Despite this emphasis on ease of use for
the visually impaired, the number buttons are smaller than on previous Doro
phones. However, each button has a raised center so dialing by touch alone is
straightforward. The phone is sturdy, small, light and easy to hold. Accessing
the battery and SIM card was simple all we needed to do was put a 1p coin in a
small groove and twist to release the back panel.
Despite
this emphasis on ease of use for the visually impaired, the number buttons are
smaller than on previous Doro phones
The In Case of Emergency feature (ICE)
could be invaluable if you suffer an accident that leaves you unable to call
for help. ICE calls and sends text messages to a maximum of five people when
you press a large button on the back of the phone three times in quick
succession.
Doro has slowly added cameras to most of
its phones, but the camera built into the 520X was of little use. In our tests
the three megapixel camera was woefully poor. Colors were either wildly
inaccurate or washed out. even in the most favorable lighting conditions.
At $16, the Doro PhoneEasy 520X is
expensive compared to other simple mobiles aimed at the elderly and those with
poor eyesight or hearing. However, its simple design and well considered set of
features make it worth the money.
Its
simple design and well considered set of features make it worth the money
Our Verdict
A simple-to-use phone with useful settings,
for those with poor eyesight, and an excellent medical emergency alarm
Key points
Easy to use • High-contrast display themes
for people with poor sight • Loud • Very poor camera • Expensive
Best price online
Website: www.sriipca.com
Price: $163
Alternative
Binatone Speakeasy 600
Price: $70
Simple to operate thanks to its clear
screen and keypad, but the extra features may confuse some users
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Doro
PhoneEasy 520X specs
·
Talk Time: Up to 4 hours
·
Standby Time: Up to 16 days
·
Form Factor: Bar
·
Color: Black
·
Memory: 78 MB
·
External Memory: Up to 32 GB (microSD)
·
Network: HSPA+/HSPA 850/1900; GSM/EDGE
850/1800/1900
·
Operating System: Proprietary
·
SIM Card: Yes
·
Display: 176 x 220 pixels, 65K colors, TFT
·
Weight: 95 grams
·
Dimensions: 11.8 x 5.3 x 1.3 cm
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