The Jitterbug Smart3 In Action
After purchasing my Jitterbug Smart3 and signing up for a plan, all I had to do was wait for my package to arrive. In the box, I found my Jitterbug Smart3 device, a wall charger, a car charger, and a user manual, which guided me through the setup process. First, I plugged my new phone into the wall charger, plugged that into an outlet, and then waited about an hour for it to fully charge. Once I powered the phone up, all I had to do was dial the service number listed in the guide, confirm my information, and then I was ready for some tests.
Immediately, I was struck by how the Jitterbug Smart3 looked similar to other modern smartphones, what with its large touch screen and few physical buttons; however, as I scrolled through the various menus, I came to see the difference. Unlike an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, which feature complex graphics, widgets, and display features, the Jitterbug Smart3’s home screen looks more like a list. Therein, I found dedicated buttons for the most essential functions: phone, voicemail, text messages, camera, internet, and maps. Sure, the design may not have been the most cutting edge, but I could definitely see the simplicity of this layout appealing to the older adults who I care for. The on-screen text was also large, which is great for the many people who suffer from vision impairment.
Also easy to use was the text message feature. With the Jitterbug Smart3’s five and a half-inch screen, I had no trouble accurately typing, and the same goes for dialing numbers. In my many test phone calls, I noticed no issues. Both the call quality and volume were superb, and all of my calls, both in and outside my home, went through without a hitch. Similar to the Jitterbug Flip2, the Jitterbug Smart3 also features voice dialing, so I was able to call various contacts using only my voice.
The one drawback I noticed with the Jitterbug Smart3 was that browsing the web often came with considerable wait times. For example, even when connected to my home’s Wi-Fi network, it would still take about 5-7 seconds for my phone to load The Senior List. Now, in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t really that long of a wait; however, it is certainly longer than the load times from other smartphones.