Reviews related to : Doro
Most people with limited sight or poor hearing will have heard of Doro and over the years I have reviewed a number of their handsets. Outwardly it looks like any recent SmartPhone so there is no embarrassment about using it. Right from the off things on the Home screen are just that more widely spaced and more easily focused upon.
Going around the outside has the on/off button on the right side, 23 seconds boot to Home and three seconds shutdown to blank screen. The base has USB ‘C’ for charging, microphone and speaker. The left side has separate buttons for volume down and up, and, the SIM and Micro SD Card entry point. The top has 3.5mm sockets for earbuds or headphone.
The Doro 8080 has been designed to meet the needs of those who want to obtain the benefits of a smartphone but are less familiar with technology
With the 8080 Doro has recognised that the sophistication of a smartphone can be daunting to a new user. Consequently, in the Quick Start Guide and when setting up the phone for the first time, one is given the choice of selecting between “Yes, I am a beginner”, “No, I have already used one” or “I’m setting the phone up for someone else”.
The Doro 6620 is an easy-to-use clamshell phone which has been designed to meet the needs of the elderly
Having a closed size of 106 x 55 x20mm, and weighing just 110 g it slips conveniently into a pocket or handbag and has large and easy-to-use keys together with a 70mm easily read display. On the right hand side of the phone are the volume up/down controls while, on the opposite side is the standard 3.5mm headphone socket together with the microUSB charging port.
Doro have been selling their phones in the UK for many years, not only do they do home phones but they also are the premier manufacturer for those with disabilities be that sight or hearing, now they have moved into SmartPhones that look normal but can still offer help but you no longer have a phone that looks like it’s for someone who has a disability.
The Doro 8035 smart phone measures 14.5x7x1cm and weighs 171 grams. The viewable screen is 11x6.4cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 5inches. The screen and surround is black while the sides and back are blue grey. Above the screen is the selfie camera. The normal show all, home and back controls are below the screen and do require a press to activate which will take time to adjust to for those coming from a standard SmartPhone.
I think of Doro for home phones and basic mobiles for those with hearing and sight problems. While they have released a SmartPhone previously I never got to see it. This was shown at their Xmas In July event but only arrived with me in November.
The Doro 8030 Android SmartPhone measures 14.6x7x.9cm and weighs 141 grams. The viewable screen is 10x5.5cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial screen measurement of 4½ inches. Start-up is 51 seconds and shutdown is 14 seconds. Even though this is chunky in comparison to most standard SmartPhones it does feel solid in the hand. Going around the outside finds the charge point on the right side with a dedicated camera button towards the base of the right side.
The Doro 6520 is the latest clamshell “easy” phone with added features aimed at the needs of the elderly and frail. It offers greater security to them and peace of mind to their relatives.
The latest handset to come my way from Doro belongs to the feature phone category
While smartphones are a popular choice with users, especially with the younger and fashion conscious market sectors, there is an alternative type of communication device. I am referring to a feature phone such as the Doro 6520 which is the subject of this review. The Doro 6520 is a clamshell handset that is available in a choice of magenta and white or, as in the case of my review sample, graphite and white.
This next mobile handset is smart enough to act as a clock while it is being charged or not used for other purposes.
Described as being “Small size, Big heart” by Doro, the Liberto® 820 Mini is a smartphone. It is relatively compact by modern day standards of such devices, hence the “Mini” part of its title. Available in a choice of Silver, White or Red (my review sample), the Liberto 820 Mini has dimensions of 126 x 66 x 11mm (H x W x D) and weighs 132g (including the rechargeable Li-ion 3.
While Doro phones are extremely easy to use and have lots of features to suit those with sight and or hearing problems why should those people have to accept a phone that does not have basic features that other able bodied have, none whatsoever hence the PhoneEasy 632.
It is 10x5x1.5cm when closed, the first figure increases to 19cm when flipped open for use. Unlike most Doro phones when in use the emergency button – although still there on the back – is not that obvious, it sits beside the speaker at top of the base half of the phone. Somewhat more unusually the camera is at the base of the top part of the phones back. The volume up and down buttons are on the right with the micro USB charge point on the left with the headphone socket beside it.
Not everybody wants or needs a smartphone with all its bells and whistles. There are many users, especially those often referred to as silver surfers, who are more than happy to find their mobile communication needs adequately covered by a feature phone such as the latest addition to Doros growing 3G feature handset portfolio. This new addition to the Doro catalogue is the PhoneEasy 624 model.
With dimensions of 102 x 52 x 19mm and weighing 104g (800 mAh Li-ion battery included), the PhoneEasy 624 is a clamshell unit with a metallic red outer casing featuring white trimmings. A charging stand, micro-to-standard USB lead, three-pin power plug, earphones with mute control, lanyard and User Manual are included in the box.
Making a change from the usual offerings from Doro, this next handset has a name change to reflect its additional functionality.
In the past I have looked at numerous Doro handsets that have been designed primarily for the more mature user or those with visual or mobility issues. All these various handsets, whether of the clamshell or candy bar style of unit, could be classified as feature phones. This next Doro offering however, while retaining some of the same design concepts of the earlier models, is the company’s first smartphone offering.
Doro have long been the company to look after those who have limited hearing and or sight. Here is what even for Doro is an entry level product. However for not that much money it could for a vulnerable person be a real lifesaver.
One thing that often bothers those less able is the abundance of extras that often confuse. Here most of those are already stripped out but even some basics can be removed from the setup menu so you just have little more than a phone. One thing Doro never remove is the emergency button which can be linked to a relative, neighbour or the emergency services once setup this is a real lifeline for those who do not have regular contacts.
Around a year has passed since I last looked at a Doro handset. This latest handset has cut back of features and has a reduced price tag.
The Doro PhoneEasy 508 is a new addition to the Doro family of easy to use handsets. Designed for the more elderly members of society, this candy bar style of mobile phone is available in a choice of black, white or graphite. With its plastic casing, dimensions of 118 x 53 x 13mm (H x W x D) and a weight of 81g (including rechargeable battery pack), this handset can easily be slipped into a pocket or bag without causing an unsightly bulge.
Here I am looking at two different Doro phones. Doro are a company that started in land line phones and soon found their niche in supplying mobile phones for the hard or hearing and or those with limited sight at a reasonable price.
This is a small flip open phone and simple to use. It is 10x5x2cm when closed, flip it open to show the keypad and screen and the length becomes 19cm, it weights less than 100grams. Once you have inserted your SIM and the battery run the Setup Wizard and the seven things include setting time and date, ringtone, volume level and text size, total time less than three minutes.
Sticking with the same name followed by a unique number does provide a manufacturer with an easy choice of options when it comes to naming its various products. One company that has taken this approach is Doro with its range of handsets designed with simplicity in mind. The latest of these products to come my way is the PhoneEasy 622 which adopts a clamshell style of appearance.
Available in a choice of burgundy and white or black and grey, the PhoneEasy 622 is certainly not going to be confused with any of the numerous smartphones that are appearing by the bucket load for use by the fashion conscious members of society (and yes I do have a smart phone despite being a total stranger with regards to fashion).
This is the latest in a line of Mobile Phones from Doro suitable for those with a hearing or seeing disability. It even now comes in a box little bigger than the phone itself, even the box is easy to get into for those with less dexterity.
The Doro Phone Easy 506 measures 12x5.5x.9cm and weights 80grams. My unit was black with bold white lettering on the keys and clear illustrations around the connections. There are only two sockets on the unit both towards the top right side the micro USB charger which is hard wired to a good long lead ending in a conventional three pin plug. Below this a 3.5mm socket for the supplied earbuds.
Doro are the biggest UK name in phones for the hard or hearing or those with limited sight. I have looked at at several designs and shapes over the years. So when one arrives with a new feature it immediately gets my interest.
The Doro PhoneEasy 520X measures 11.5x5x1cm and weights 93grams. Things you now expect and get from Doro, are different colour schemes for those sight is poor, very loud ring tones for those who hearing is poor, big buttons for ease of use for those who have difficulty in being precise with movements and now a back that is simple to remove using a coin twist mechanism to easily remove the back by turning a screw through 90 degrees. A simple thing that I am sure others will soon follow with.
Branching out from its normal target market of the older generation, Doros latest handset is aimed at those working and enjoying the outdoors.
Described as an easy-to-use durable unit for a user who enjoys an outdoor lifestyle, the Doro PhoneEasy 520X is a 3G candy-bar style of handset. Predominately black in colour, with a silver trim running around the front face, my review sample of the 520X has dimensions of 118 x 53 x 13 mm (H x W x D) and a weight of 95g (including the battery pack).
In the past I have looked at a number of Doro products of which the greatest majority were handset designed specifically for the older generation. These handsets, whether of the candy bar, slider or clamshell variety, feature an easy to use interface combined with large style buttons with a useful emergency facility.
The Doro experience has now migrated to the world of tablets and desktops. Doro has developed an application, suitably entitled Doro Experience, for use on the Android family of devices and the Windows desktop. My review is based on the Android version of this software, Currently the Doro Experience app for Android is available for downloading from Doro’s website and Google Play.
Doro are a name that produce phones that allow the visually and audibly challenged to still send and receive calls, until now the main problem is most of their handsets looked different so drawing attention to the users disability.
The Doro PhoneEasy 715 however looks like a number of mainstream units but you can have very large text, extremely easy to read displays and ring volumes far above that on most phones. The other advantage is this is extremely easy to set up. The handset measures 10x5x1.5cm, slide it open to reveal the keypad and the 10cm height becomes 15cm. The unit weights only 104grams.
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