Simplified smartphones for Boomers and seniors

Published 1:15 pm Sunday, March 10, 2013

This Android phone also offers voice dialing, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and optional features like medication reminders, 5Star personal security service, a live nurse service to answer your health questions, and more.

Available at greatcall.com or 800-733-6632, the Touch sells for $149 with a one-time $35 activation fee, no-contract, and calling plans that cost $15 per month for 50 minutes, up to $80 per month for unlimited minutes, text messages, operator assistance, and voicemail. And their data plans run between $2.50 per month for 10 MB up to $25/month for 500 MB.

Samsung Galaxy Note II: If a bigger screen is the most desired feature, the Samsung Galaxy Note II (samsung.com/galaxynoteII) has a huge 5.5-inch touch screen display and can be used with a stylus, which makes it easy to see and maneuver. It also offers an easy mode feature, which simplifies the home screen providing access only to key functions like the phone, messaging, Internet, contacts and your favorite apps.

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Available through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular for $300 to $370 with a two-year contract, the monthly service plans for talk, text and data start at around $80.

Doro PhoneEasy 740: If you don’t mind waiting, the Doro PhoneEasy 740 (dorousa.us/experience) is another excellent option, but it won’t be available in the U.S. until later this year.

This Android slider phone has a 3.2-inch touch screen and a numerical slide-out keypad with raised buttons for easy operation. It also offers a large-text, clearly labeled menu to frequently used features like the phone, email, messages, Internet, photos, games and apps.

Expected to cost around $99, other age-friendly features include a 5-megapixel camera which can double as a magnifying glass, and an emergency call button that will dial and text five preprogrammed numbers when pressed.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, O.K. 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.