moto q - the right phone for my parents? - Motorola Q Forum

davidnashsjn · 05-09-2008, 09:09 AM

I'm trying to help my parents pick out a new cell phone from Sprint, and the moto q caught my eye. It's available for a very low price after rebate ($29.99).

Now my parents (age - early 70's) are not very technical. In fact using any cell phone is a bit challenging for them. They're not into text messaging or web browsing or checking email - though they probably wouldn't mind receiving pics of the grandkids.

I'm just wondering if the querty keyboard of the moto q might make it easier for them to manage a contact list, and if some of the other features of the phone might outweigh the complexity of learning how to use it.

What do you all think?

-David

n99hockey · 05-09-2008, 09:11 AM

if they were even a little techincally inclined i would say sure...but i can tell you that i would not get this for my grandmother....

rudeboy · 05-09-2008, 09:52 AM

welcome aboard...

hmz... tough one, like Scott said i would not get one for my parents, but all people are different, my dad is close to 70 and still amazed by a calculator.. what also plays a role he -my dad- is not interested in stuff like this.. purely based on what you mention i would simply say 'nope'.

relisted · 05-09-2008, 10:05 AM

just no lol. sry but to me idk if they could figure out how to dial lol. just a simple phone should do

PacoJr67 · 05-09-2008, 10:14 AM

what about the jitterbug? I think it's at www.jitterbug.com

sherri · 05-09-2008, 10:15 AM

LOL! This phone is too advanced for my younger sister (although she is a brilliant lawyer and USED TO BE more tecnologically advanced than me). Besides the fact that I don't speak to my mother (she is only 65) I couldn't see her w/ the Q. I had to program all her other "dumb" phones...

n99hockey · 05-09-2008, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacoJr67

what about the jitterbug? I think it's at www.jitterbug.com

hahaha i love those commercials

davidnashsjn · 05-09-2008, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherri

LOL! This phone is too advanced for my younger sister (although she is a brilliant lawyer and USED TO BE more tecnologically advanced than me). Besides the fact that I don't speak to my mother (she is only 65) I couldn't see her w/ the Q. I had to program all her other "dumb" phones...

Whatever they wind up with I'll have to set up for them - so I don't mind the setup time. At least with the full keyboard they would have a *chance* at being able to add a contact.

What gets me is that with a lot of the basic phones, the screen is relatively small, so the function of the phone's buttons will change based on the context (on *this* screen the right convenience button now will EXIT or the left button will bring up the CONTACTS list, etc.). But this simple screen idiom is lost on my parents.

They could follow directions. If I tell them "in order to place a call, do steps 1., 2., 3" or "in order to turn down the ringer so that you don't embarrass yourself mid church service do 1., 2.", they're reasonably ok with that.

They have a computer at home, but I often have to remote desktop in to help them get past very simple issues.

lil_sunshine · 05-09-2008, 12:56 PM

I'm in the same boat with my mom. I'm kind of upset manufacturers don't make phones that are easier for people over 16 to use. You know like buttons and screens large enough for you to see and push.

Too bad your parents aren't on Verizon. The LG enV2 is perfect with it's big internal screen an huge external dialpad. You can use Verizon phones on Sprint's network and vice versa, but I don't know how easy or expensive that would be to set up.

My advice, get a regular phone with the largest screen and buttons you can find. Between the data plans and all the bells and whistles on the Q it's not the phone for the non-tech savvy among us no matter their age.

Besides, I just hack my homescreen on my Q because the font was too small for me to see and I'm no where near 70!

lil_sunshine · 05-09-2008, 01:06 PM

BTW, Verizon will back up your contacts to your online. So you can just download them to your phone. Sprint should have the same option. Not sure about adding new contact. Sprint will be able to provide more info if they offer the service.

*Edit: Just checked Verizon's service. You can add and delete contact from your computer.