Need a Help to Choose a "Smartphone" for Mother

LKevinski on 27/08/2015 - 23:56
Last edited 27/08/2015 - 23:56

Hey folks, it's my first post on Ozbargain. Sorry that my first post is a question.
I need any opinion or recommendation to choose a phone for my mother who is late 50s. She used to have an old thick Nokia phone for past few years. I bought her an LG phone around a 6 month ago from Dicksmith. I think LG Filo 2 or something which is quite basic, but I think she needs a better phone which has a clear display that can show "big enough" fonts and internal storage and menu icons on frame not on bottom of the screen. Unfortunately I'm not a tech-friendly person…that's why I need any suggestions from experts. My budget is maximum 500. I believe that she doesn't need any fancy functions for her daily use, all she does with her phone is using Kakao messenger, YouTube, Internet, calls and pictures…oh and battery life as well…

Thanks for reading and your time

Mobile

Comments

  • Cheeper on 28/08/2015 - 00:18
    +3

    No need to go to $500 :-) ..
    This will deliver what you are looking for plus a lot more and you will save $400 in the process. Huawei Y550 @ $99.
    http://www.harveynorman.com.au/phones-accessories-gps/phones…
    It is an Android phone and that may take some getting used to but it is very straight forward and she should pick it up in no time. You may have to configure her favourite icons to the desktop to make life easier but that is very easy to do.
    The phone is prepaid but you can get an unlock code from bagman for a couple of dollars and then it will be ok to use on any Telco band you choose.
    It has a good camera, great battery life, plenty of memory and is also 4G capable and reasonably well built.
    Bang for your buck.. it is hard to beat.

  • JohnnyP on 28/08/2015 - 07:12

    I've seen plenty of 70-75 year olds with older iPhones given to them by their kids as they have upgraded.
    I'd say a refurbished iPhone 4S would be good. Runs latest iOS and I think Kogan have a sale on them for around 300

    Edit:
    https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/apple-iphone-4s-8gb-black-apple…

    Thats $249 for an 8gb model. I'd spend a bit more cos a Mother i more likely to take pics/videos.

    • tonyjzx on 28/08/2015 - 08:05

      thats more than twice what i'd pay for an iphone4

      in the real world the 4 or 4s whatever is worth shit as its single core and 3g only but if you use it as a phone, its ok i guesss

      • JohnnyP on 28/08/2015 - 09:48

        But the requirements are for an older woman and iPhone is simple to use.
        I had a 4S 2 phones ago and its still being updated by Apple. My current S5 wont get the Marshmallow update so effectively Samsung drops support for their phones after 18 months

  • altomic on 28/08/2015 - 07:37

    lenovo K3 AU$190

  • zealmax on 28/08/2015 - 10:43

    It took my mum 6 years to make phone calls, accept phone calls, take photos. She still struggles to reply to SMS and know where the photos are going to. However, she is the first to know of a new smart phone on the market.

  • iridiumstem on 28/08/2015 - 10:53

    Samsung phone has those "Easy Mode Launcher", but then again, you'd be able to get a launcher from the Play Store that's similar to that.
    http://ausdroid.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/easy-mode.png

    LG phone might have similar setting so I'd check on that first (the LG phone that I have access to is on CM, so can't help you there :S)

    So my recommedation is grab something cheap and good like Huawei Y550 (like xywolap suggested) and install launchers that are designed for big icons and large phones on home screen. Or at least try getting a launcher before hand and see whether that makes your LG phone usable for your mother first (since few bucks or google credit from survey is cheaper than spending $100).

  • akd on 28/08/2015 - 11:00
    +1

    I would also recommend Huawei Y550 with its good battery. It has simple home mode, quite good for elders.

  • Looking4Bargians on 28/08/2015 - 11:49

    Same here. Looking for my mum. 60+ Age but not too much Tech Savvy. Can use YouTube + WhatsApp + Pic/Video Clicks + Make/Take calls. What else she wants. I think i will go for Lenovo K3 Note ( roughly $200) but i can't get it in Australia. Only from Overseas shipped.

  • aoeueoa on 28/08/2015 - 17:42

    My mum is 61, ok with sending emails and browsing the net. She's using an iPhone 5 without issue.

  • Kevinski on 28/08/2015 - 18:34

    Thanks for the comemnts guys!

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