Flip N' Jitterbug - Amazing Product Reviews!!!
Posted by Expecting Executive at 9/5/2007 12:28 PM and is filed under Disabilities,General,expectingexecutive,motherhood,Parenting,jitterbug,Videos,New Products,easy technology,flip video,ADA,Family,eldercare,Gadgets 
On more than one occasion, I have been accused of being a gadget junkie. I admit it. I do like easy to buy and use gadgets that innovative people invent to make my life just a little bit easier or more enjoyable. I especially like technology that is inexpensive, easy to use and helpful. I have recently gone a little gadget happy with two new products on the market and I am happy to give them my very enthusiastic (and completely unpaid) endorsement!
PRODUCT ONE - 60 MINUTE FLIP VIDEO
I went a little crazy when my son was born and bought a super amazing and complicated mini digital video camera. It came with EVERYTHING!!!! Literally. Besides the camera it came with all of these wires and a special rechargeable battery that I have twice replaced. My fancy camera was accompanied with TWO instruction manuals that were more than fifty pages long not to mention three DVDs to help make pictures and movies work, I think. It But, truth be told, I hate this camera. It has always been such a hassle to use. It is hard to focus for easy and quick picture taking. It is too big. It took me forever to figure out the gosh darn camera buttons. Sigh. I know this camera can do amazing things. I know because I read all about them when I bought the stupid thing camera. But, for the life of me, I have never been able to figure them out how to use this amazing camera. So, after all of these years, I still take only okay pictures that have a tendency to be slightly out of focus and I have used the digital video feature with some success but only after buying more of those expensive memory cards that I am forever losing. After that rant, now begins the endorsement.
I received a gift in the mail about a month ago. My father, who was tired of hearing me complain about my camera, sent me a 60 minute Flip Video that cost $120.00. I assumed it would not be impressive at all because it was what I might consider "cheap" for a high quality technology gadget. But, I was wrong, wrong, wrong. After using my Flip Video almost non-stop for the past month, I have to tell you, the little Flip Video is amazing! This little video camera with only five single function buttons is about as big as a pack of cards. It comes in white and you can order it in white with black trim. I opened the packaging and was sure that UPS was going to soon deliver the second box with the required accoutrements. But NO, the shipment was complete. I looked frantically but there was no CD, no AC adapters and NO MANUAL. Instead I found a neatly folded 2" six panel brochure. That was it! It had a picture of my new Flip video and instructed me to install the two double AA batteries included and start taking some videos. And I'll be darned, but, it was that easy!!! Yippee! This little Flip Video is the coolest and easiest to use gadget I have every owned. It takes videos of my precious 2 1/2 year old tornado that are just fine and properly accomplish my main objectives; 1) document my cute kid so that I can remember how cute he was when I am trying to remember his cuteness when he is 17 and 2) entertain friends and family spread across the country via the internet.
I received a gift in the mail about a month ago. My father, who was tired of hearing me complain about my camera, sent me a 60 minute Flip Video that cost $120.00. I assumed it would not be impressive at all because it was what I might consider "cheap" for a high quality technology gadget. But, I was wrong, wrong, wrong. After using my Flip Video almost non-stop for the past month, I have to tell you, the little Flip Video is amazing! This little video camera with only five single function buttons is about as big as a pack of cards. It comes in white and you can order it in white with black trim. I opened the packaging and was sure that UPS was going to soon deliver the second box with the required accoutrements. But NO, the shipment was complete. I looked frantically but there was no CD, no AC adapters and NO MANUAL. Instead I found a neatly folded 2" six panel brochure. That was it! It had a picture of my new Flip video and instructed me to install the two double AA batteries included and start taking some videos. And I'll be darned, but, it was that easy!!! Yippee! This little Flip Video is the coolest and easiest to use gadget I have every owned. It takes videos of my precious 2 1/2 year old tornado that are just fine and properly accomplish my main objectives; 1) document my cute kid so that I can remember how cute he was when I am trying to remember his cuteness when he is 17 and 2) entertain friends and family spread across the country via the internet.
Because I am complete sucker for efficient creativity in action, I love the USB connector arm that just "pops" out of the camera when it is time to hook it up to my computer. Once I plug the Flip Video into the USB port, all of the required software is already inside of the camera!!! That's right, I just plug my little camera into my laptop and I download (upload?) video to my YouTube account and now I have proof that grandma's "little angel" can scream like a banshee when I tell him he can't hit the pug with a pool cue. Or, I can email Grandma a custom video and spare the general population from toddler wrath. My favorite part of Flip Video is the fact there is nothing to lose or store. No power supplies to identify and lug around. No expensive batteries that need recharging the moment I want to use my camera. No lost or left behind battery chargers! I love it, I love it, I love it! Click here or on the Flip Video picture for more specs and information. (P. S. You may want to consider the $70 thirty minute Flip Video as potential great Christmas gift!)
PRODUCT TWO - JITTERBUG CELL PHONE
Another fantastic and timely product is the Jitterbug Cell Phone marketed to "simply" keep baby boomers in touch with the aging parents. Arlene Harris, founder of Great Call, Inc., and this really cool company offer two different phones and extraordinary operator assisted call services to support those who may need a little (or a lot) of extra assistance making a telephone call. Samsung manufactures the two custom developed phone that only differ with the available keypad configuration. Jitterbug Dial looks like a traditional telephone with 0-9 number buttons a user would depress to enter and call a telephone numbers not already programmed in the telephone's directory. Jitterbug One Touch has only three large oval buttons (instead of the 0-9 buttons) on the keypad. The first oval green button is identified in large letters as OPERATOR and connects the user with the Jitterbug operator for call assistance. The second oval yellow button is custom programmed and labeled (prior to delivery) to provide the user direct dial calling to the contact of their choosing. The third oval button is red and it labeled 911. Both phones have these great oversized, padded earpieces with a "powerful" speakers. The buttons are brightly backlit, oversized and easy to read. They are hearing aid compatible and use the familiar concept of a dial tone (which I personally love)! The text on the oversized screen is large and easy to read. There are only four "command buttons" that indicate up, down, yes and no and power. Both phones are the same price, $147 and the accessories are reasonably priced.
The Jitterbug Calling Plans are varied and there appears to be a plan to suit most caller's requirements. While I do not believe this is probably the cheapest way to make a cell phone call, it is competitive with major cell phone providers as a limited to moderate use cellular phone. The Jitterbug calling plans are pre-paid type plans. Each operator assisted call is paid for with a five minute deduction from the available airtime minutes (except the SIMPLE Plus plan). There are annual and monthly payment plans that may be customized to include voicemail, voice activated dialing and you can change plan options for free. Plans may be canceled without penalty! Love it!
So, the phones are great and the calling plans are flexible and pretty affordable but it is the Jitterbug Operator Service that takes this product from good to GREAT! Day or night, when pressing the 0 (zero) or pressing the OPERATOR button, a kind and helpful human being greets the caller by name and asks how they may be of assistance. That's right, a telephone company with an operator truly waiting and glad to be of assistance. Jitterbug operators will connect a call, provide directory assistance and help add and delete the Jitterbug telephone numbers stored in the phone. Every user has a secure personal telephone directory with up to five contacts identified as emergency contacts. The directory can be updated by calling the operator, sending Jitterbug a fax or make changes online. I just love it! Click here or click on the photos for get more information.
One more note: I believe these products may benefit and serve many consumers with disabilities. As baby boomers (and their parents) age, companies are now racing to create products and services for those who may face "age related impairments". As a result, many under served "niche" markets will certainly benefit in tandem but none more than the currently under served and under appreciated consumer with disabilities market for three reasons; 1) products will be less expensive because the cost burdens of new product R&D, manufacture and marketing will be shared and supported across a broader consumer base by companies with greater access to required capital resources 2) due to demand, consumers with disabilities will find more "disabled friendly" products with better options in greater quantities and 3) product support and customer service will continue to improve and become more "disabled conscientious" as a larger percentage of our population faces mobility, communication, visual and health challenges. Not an ideal way to see improvement happen but improvement nonetheless.
So, there you have it - two great, easy-to-use and affordable products that have the magic quality of mixing technology with simplicity. These two companies have placed their bets and their R&D dollars on the middle to elder age customer market. They are courting this sometimes finicky consumer group who wants to use today's amazing technology without being overwhelmed, intimidated or alienated by the complexity of even making a product work. Well, good for Flip Video and Jitterbug. Good for them! I think they are on the right track and they have both won the bet in our household. We love to Flip and Jitterbug and we think you just may too!
Do you have any experience with these or other easy-to-use technology gadgets that you have used and would recommend as well?
Be well!
Erin
I think it's great to have these kinds of services for callers who may have difficulties or disabilities. There are certainly a lot of conveniences, such as operator assistance, but I wonder about the cost, especially since many users might be living on fixed incomes or tight budgets. For users who want directory assistance without having to pay for it, we have 1-800-Free411 -- this number also has live operator back-up support in most locations. And of course, it's free. I hope it's helpful to have this other option.
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I have no experience with either, but they look really cool.
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I love the look and description of the flip video. I've needed a new video camera for a couple of years but have procrastinated simply because it's too overwhelming to get used to a new one. (I loved my old one that I've had since the early 90's but it finally died.) Now I have no excuse -- looks like I'll be investing in this one. Thanks for sharing!!
Best,
Kristin
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
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Thanks for the tip about the phone. That sounds like a great product for some of my older family members. I'm going to look into it.
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Love the video camera! WOW how cool is that, perfect for moms lugging around tons of baby stuff.
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that Flip does sound c0ol*
i have Video on my Sony Digital Cam + it's pretty impressive - I haven't used it much nor have I uploaded any Video to YouTube but it sounds like Flip make that EZ!!
we like EZ!!
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Check out this article
Video for Everyman
By CHRISTOPHER LAWTON
September 26, 2007
Wall Street Journal Online
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119076444203939332.html
or my see my post here:
http://paulinobrener.blogspot.com/2007/09/video-for-everyman.html
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I have to say the JitterBug phone#2 is hilarious. Operator Tow 911, what more do you really need?
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Are you kidding me? Seniors are old but not dead or is that their demographics.
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Stay away from Jitterbug!! The customer service is weak and the product is not well built. The phone makes seniors look like children that are helpless. This company is going to go bust very soon and the subscribers will get hurt.
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