Jitterbug Smart 2 Software Update

[Kemal Allan]

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Lively Jitterbug phones are specifically designed for older adults or anyone wanting a more simplified phone. Both the Smart4 and Flip2 have list-based menus for easy navigation, an extra loud volume option, the ability to call contacts and send messages with your voice, and more.

Lively Jitterbug phones are a great option for older adults who want to upgrade their current phone at a more affordable price. This is especially the case for the Smart4 device, which is only $149.99, while smartphone competitors start at $400. The Smart4 also has one of the largest touchscreens on the market at 6.75 inches.

Both phones come with the option to access emergency help through the Lively Urgent Response app. Urgent Response connects you to a 24/7 monitoring center straight from the Flip2 keypad or Smart4 touchscreen.

You can make video calls, take pictures, browse online, use your favorite social media apps, and more with the Jitterbug Smart4. The Smart4 uses an Android operating system, so you can download and use any app available on Google Play. This device also has a back- and front-facing camera lens, so you can snap photos and selfies with your family and friends.

Unlike standard medical alert devices that only have a few functions outside of 24/7 monitoring services, the Smart4 is primarily a smartphone that comes with the Lively Urgent Response service (the medical alert function) as an add-on option.

The Smart4 is designed for easy use starting with its menu layout, which features your apps in a scrollable list labeled with large text, as opposed to the standard smartphone grid layout. This device also has facial recognition technology, which lets you unlock your phone by looking at the screen instead of entering a passcode whenever you want to use it.

Our Reviews Team also likes that the Smart4 is hearing aid compatible. This means the phone reduces unwanted noise a hearing aid would receive when the user is talking on the phone, according to the Federal Communications Commission. [1]

The Smart4 has been tested and rated under the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) C63.19-2011 hearing-aid compatibility standard and has an M4/T4 rating. This rating indicates that the phone reduces feedback noise and is compatible with a hearing aid telecoil.

When deciding between a smartphone with a touchscreen and a flip phone, you should involve the primary user of the device as much as possible, according to Christopher Norman, a geriatric nurse practitioner based in New York state.

You can set up speed dial for certain family members and friends, which allows you to call them by holding down one keypad number. Want to switch to speakerphone during a call? Press the Speaker button at the top left of the keypad, so you can talk hands-free or hear your conversation more clearly. No need to search through the menu or settings for the speakerphone function during your call.

Like the Smart4, the Jitterbug Flip2 is both a phone and a medical alert system. You can connect to a 24/7 monitoring center by pressing the Urgent Response button on the keypad. In case the call was accidental and you need to cancel it, there is a six-second delay after pressing the Urgent Response button.

The Flip2 has all the perks of a simple flip phone with additional accessibility features. The keypad numbers are large and light up, so you can navigate your phone even in low-light settings. Our Reviews Team likes the clearly labeled Speaker button at the top left corner and the large red Urgent Response button at the bottom center.

You can change the font on your phone to extra large in settings, and you can also adjust the volume level from Low to Super High. It also has a setting called Read Out that reads the phone menu out loud as you navigate it, which may be helpful for those with low vision. These settings are in the Accessibility section of the Settings menu.

Your Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) may offer partial or complete coverage for your Jitterbug phone since it has features that work like a medical alert system. Check with your insurance provider to confirm whether coverage is available with your Medicare Advantage plan. Coverage varies by plan.

Another way to save money on your Jitterbug phone is to sign up for paperless billing. This will reduce your monthly bill by $5. Otherwise, the basic plan is $24.99 per month, instead of $19.99. If you use your mailed bill as a reminder to pay for your service, try setting an alert on your new phone to remind you to pay. You can also set up auto payment.

When we called Lively, our Reviews Team member was connected with a friendly and empathetic customer service representative in less than one minute. The representative answered all our questions. Our call felt more like a conversation than a sales pitch.

During your call, monitoring center staff will access the information you provided in your Lively account to share with emergency responders and family members. This may include medical history, emergency response instructions, contacts, and other custom information.

Overall, Lively Jitterbug phones have mixed reviews across multiple sites. Lively has a Better Business Bureau (BBB) score of 1.16 out of 5 stars from 178 customer reviews. It has an A+ rating and is accredited by the BBB, indicating that the brand resolves customer complaints and responds to negative reviews.

There were only a few positive reviews at the time of writing. Positive reviewers praised the customer service department. A majority of BBB reviews were negative. Many reviewers mentioned poor customer service and a blackout in their phone service in late December 2022.

Yes, the Smart4 and Flip2 offer accessibility features designed for older adults, such as a large screen, backlit keypad, voice commands, text enlargement, and hearing aid compatibility at an affordable price. Lively Jitterbug phone uses the Verizon network, which offers strong cellular coverage in the majority of the United States.

While younger generations have long been familiar with the ride-sharing app Lyft, many older adults have yet to catch on. With Lively Rides, Jitterbug Smart4 users can bypass the app altogether by calling an operator who will arrange the ride for you. The cost of these Lyft rides will be added directly to your monthly bill from Lively.

The Lively Link app is a great way for caregivers to keep tabs on their loved ones. Using this app on his smartphone, my partner received notifications each time I pressed my Urgent Response button. He could also check on my location and the battery level of my Smart4.

One of my favorite wellness features, Nurse On-Call, allowed me to speak directly with registered nurses and doctors who provided me with medical advice and could even prescribe common medications over the phone. Available 24/7, I found this feature to be much more useful than the care advocates.

I think that Nurse On-Call is a great way for seniors to answer nonemergency medical questions in a prompt manner. It definitely beats standing in line for Urgent Care or waiting several weeks to schedule a primary care visit.

For starters, the Smart4 home screen is intuitive and easy to read. Just like the Smart3, this phone features a list-based menu. This makes it easy to access each of its features. Additionally, the phone has dedicated Home and Back buttons on the bottom of the screen to help users avoid getting lost in various features and menus.

One notable difference with the Smart4 is its camera features. While the Smart3 featured dual rear cameras (13MP and 5MP) and a selfie camera with 5MP, the Smart4 has three rear cameras (13MP, 2MP, and 2MP), and an 8MP selfie camera. Practically speaking, however, the images look more or less the same.

The Jitterbug Smart3 has long been one of our favorite phones for seniors, and now, with the release of the Smart4, Lively has halved the price of the Smart3, reducing it to $74.99. So what exactly makes the Smart4 worth the extra money?

In terms of cameras, on paper, the Smart4 has higher pixel counts, as well as an additional rear camera. That said, the cameras on both phones perform similarly. Images captured with both phones are good enough to capture text and share with friends, but inconsistencies in light and color prevent them from being photo album-worthy.

The most noteworthy difference between the two phones is battery life. The Smart3 has a battery capacity of 3500 milliampere hours while the Smart4 has 5000 milliampere hours. This translates to the Smart4 having a battery that lasts roughly fifty percent longer, which was noticeable in our tests.

I also noticed that the Jitterbug Smart4 had a slightly smoother performance overall. So while both Android phones have an identical set of features (calling, voice commands, apps, etc.), the Smart4 moved more quickly. This is possibly due to the more powerful processor used in the Smart4 (manufactured by TCL) as opposed to the Smart3 (manufactured by Alcatel).

Still, what the Jitterbug Smart4 offers is a bridge between older adults and the modern smartphone. With its intuitive controls and added safety features, chances are this smartphone will be great for any of your loved ones.

The Jitterbug Smart4 has 32 GB of internal memory, which is enough to store about 3,200 songs, 6,000 photos, or several hours of video. Additionally, you can add up to 32 GB of external storage through a micro SD card.

Ryan has years of experience researching and testing products that help people successfully age in place. After years of working for various publications such as Boston Magazine and The Believer, he has found his home at The Senior List, writing about all things related to caregiving and senior healthcare.

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