Jitterbug Phone: A Hope for Gray Computing

Sooner or later we're all there. The eyesight starts to fail, and the tiny screen becomes unreadable. We'd rather not communicate at all than have to submit our fingers to pecking out a text message on a minuscule keypad. And all the geegaws and whizzes of the "does everything but shine your shoes" cell phone become a handicap, not a selling point.

And yet, to Arlene Harris, founder of GreatCall, the makers of the Jitterbug phones and phone services, an aging consumer is not to be ignored and should be seen as a great opportunity for smart people to create more intuitive and accessible products.

Every excruciating detail of the Jitterbug Dial phone was designed to be comfortable for aging boomers and their parents. Built by Samsung under Arlene's watchful eye, every detail speaks to the needs of the aging population. The no-glare keypad is bright yellow against a dark background with oversized keys that have a nice tactile feedback. The phone is a bit heftier than most. Its contours make it easier to hold. A cushioned earpad adds to listening comfort. The text display is large with large type and the audio is crystal clear. Another model of the Jitterbug, called the OneTouch, is even simpler, with no dial pad and three large buttons to call an operator, a tow, or 911. Each phone sells for $147.

The phone comes with a simplified service designed to make every part of the phone experience more accessible. GreatCall will enter your contacts and phone numbers for you, or you can have a friend or relative manage your lists remotely from a web page. Special operators help you access numbers on your list and update your lists if need be, and a simplified billing plan is based on a set monthly or annual fee. The idea is that if you can't do it or you don't want to do it, GreatCall has figured out a way to service you.

The people behind the Jitterbug are just as integral to the story. Arlene Harris has been a successful entrepreneur in the wireless business since the days of the early car phones. Her husband, Martin Cooper, started and ran Motorola's wireless division. He placed the first wireless call more than 33 years ago.

I caught up with Arlene for a drink while she was in NYC. Her determination to make the Jitterbug a call to action as well as a great product came through loud and clear. Boomer to boomer, we talked about how consumer electronics and technology are supposed to be helping people live their lives better but how they're failing an entire segment of the population instead.

In Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman's eternally patient wife, Linda, turns strident as she demands, "Attention must be paid." Those words keep echoing in my head as think about Arlene Harris and her work. It could be the start of the gray revolution for the electronics industry.