Digital Trends

Believe it or not, not everyone knows how to use a cell phone, especially one gussied up with advanced multimedia frills. Among the most mystified and confused by cell phones are senior "don't call us old" citizens. Our grandparents, to whom "wireless" is another name for radio, were born in the age before the transistor radio, television, VCR, and personal computer, and therefore lack the second-nature technological intuition of today's high-tech generation, and born into an environment inundated by digitalia.

Stepping into this demographic void is a new company called GreatCall. Its Jitterbug cell phone service turns the whole cell phone paradigm on its head to meet the needs of this underserved niche. There are two Jitterbug clamshell phones, both made by Samsung, both priced at $147. Simple service plans are priced at $10/SOS (emergency use) only per month, $15/30 minutes per month, $20/60 minutes, $30/150 minutes or $40/300 minutes USD.

One interesting note: GreatCall's founders are Arlene Harris and her husband, Marty Cooper, who is the former Motorola executive responsible for the development of the first cell phone in 1973.

*Editors Note 4/29/07 - We changed the Jitterbug discount on page to from 20 to 40%. We also removed the link to the secure Jitterbug website which was not working.