Display, usage
The structure’s weak element is the display. Of course it’s not colored, and it works in inverted mode: the background is dark, labels are bright. But unfortunately on one hand the display is not large enough and on the other hand the labels don’t seem large enough either – they are small compared to the buttons, anyway, but I think that no matter what would they have made, compare to a keyboard with such a size, even a billboard would look like a stamp.
The menu is made in a way, that at a short press a list of 50 names appears, on which we can edit the numbers (if there are contacts on the SIM card, they are not taken into consideration) and after a long press the settings page for the ringtones, the clock and date appear. That’s all what the menu knows. It’s visible on the pictures that labels on the keys do not involve letters, but only numbers, so SMS messaging is not part of the functions, is such a matter, that not even incoming messages are received. This is a bit of an exaggeration; at least a read-only interface could have been included, like in the case of the ancient Ericsson GH198.
Buttons A, B, C and D can have a phone number assigned for speed dial, the # key activates vibration mode, while * locks or opens the key lock. Doro is basically good in two things: first sound volume is something that one just keeps astonished of (although after pushing it up, it becomes distorted) and second the 700 mAh battery provides a considerable amount of standby time, which makes having the phone turned on for a week available.
Since I am no grandmother currently (and I can only hope that I won’t be, maybe the status of grandfather is something that can be considered), I can’t tell how usable the phone is. Although I think the Doro can fail conquering potential consumers because of its weak display and I consider my own granny not being afraid or shocked of receiving an SMS. The exterior, however, is just great; using this, a really nice little phone could be assembled, built on the functionality of something like Nokia 1112.
One more thing: for the current price of Doro, almost three basic Nokia handsets can be bought. And I think that for such a difference even granny would be willing to learn the use of a basically very simple phone, like 1112.
Bog
Translated by Szaszati
Doro HandleEasy 326 has been provided by a GSM Takács. Thanks.
The device can be bought online at www.gsmtakacs.hu.
