Samsung Jitterbug J – with pricey Jitterbug service

For:

Multimedia and text messaging, Bluetooth, spacious keypad, big font size, bright display, option to change service provider.

Against:

Pricey Jitterbug service, especially if you go for premium services. The phone book is limited to only 50 contacts and text messaging is difficult.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

Samsung Jitterbug J is based on CDMA 20001X technology. It has folder type design.

1-inch monochrome external display sits on the lid. 2.1 inches internal LCD display has resolution of 176×220 pixels that supports 18-bit (262,000) colors.

The battery life of Samsung Jitterbug J is 180 minutes of talk time and 300 hours of standby time.

Razzle Dazzle:

Samsung Jitterbug J is 4 inches tall, 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick and weighs 4.4 ounces. The cell phone is available in white and dark gray colors. It feels comfortable while taking in as well as on holding it against the ears due to its rubberized body.

Inside Dope:

The very first Jitterbug phone had set a market trademark due its great hit. The previous ones to hit the floor are Samsung Jitterbug One Touch and Samsung Jitterbug Dial. Now, company has launched the new – Samsung Jitterbug J. The two new additions are Bluetooth, and send/receive messages. Previously the Jitterbug was available for only Jitterbug service (a virtual network operator). Now, the Jitterbug has made the deals with major CDMA service providers and you have the freedom to change the carrier. The Jitterbug J is available for $147 plus additional $35 for one time setup fee. It has round and clamshell design like original Jitterbug phone. Jitterbug claims that the ear cushion is so built that that it can fit the hearing aids also. What’s more – Jitterbug is not charging for any contract or cancellation fees. The cell phone features large keypad for easy work and powerful speakerphone for loud/clear sound. On purchasing the J phone, Jitterbug is also providing free 24/7 U.S. Based customer service and free car charger plus its free activation.

Design

Rubberized volume rocker is located on the lid beneath the external display. It may be an odd place to find out when you are on a call. You will hear a dial tone while opening the Samsung Jitterbug J phone to access the internal display and alphanumeric keypad.

Display

1 inch monochrome external display shows basic information such as caller ID, and date/time. 2.2 inches internal LCD display supports 65,000 colors. It is bright enough to exhibit colorful main menu screen. There is no annoying wallpaper or animated menu icon. You can customize the display by changing colors of lower and upper borders. On the contrary, you cannot change the font size, backlight time, and brightness level. There is no need to change the font size as the Jitterbug J already has large font size.

Navigation Array and Keyboard

The navigation array is simple and located beneath the internal display. It consists of up-and-down toggle for scrolling, Yes and No buttons, speakerphone key, and power key. The numeric keypad sits underneath the navigation array. All the keys are spacious enough for easy usage and are bordered with a circle that is raised above the surface. You can dial and text quickly and accurately by feel.

Phonebook and PIM features

Samsung Jitterbug J can store 50 contacts in its phonebook, like the Jitterbug Dial. The other basic features include voice dialing, voice mail, multimedia and text messaging, and Bluetooth. We do not like that the cell phone does not include T9 smart input for auto word completion.

Call Quality

We made few calls through Samsung Jitterbug J via Jitterbug service for testing. The overall call quality was impressive. We received loud and clear sound with strong signal strength at our end. The callers also received clear and loud sound without any static at their end, but the sound was not natural. They could tell that we were calling from a cell phone and not from a landline. However, they could not tell us the difference between normal and speakerphone calls. We received good quality of sound at our end from speakerphone.

Battery Life

Samsung Jitterbug J has a battery life of 8.3 days of idle standby time and 3 hours of talk time. The digital SAR is 1.22 watts per kg as per the FCC radiation tests.

Verdict:

If you need to purchase a cell phone for a senior person and can afford extensive services, then you can purchase – Samsung Jitterbug J.