23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
An Excellent Phone for Most Users
The Pantech Breeze is a simple phone. It does not overload the user with options that are overly complex. But one must be able to plug in the charger into a small 3/8ths receptacle and do some minimal configuring to use it effectively.
I'm old enough to get a senior discount in many circumstances. I wear glasses and my hands are not as steady as they once...
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
nice phone
I just bought it for a senior citizen. I was able to program the 123 keys easily. The screen is large and very clear with large font options. The ringer is loud. The keys are large and easy to press and everything is clearly labeled. I like the magnifying glass feature lol.
I would not say, however, the phone is extremely easy to use or intuitive for "senior...
This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
The Pantech Breeze is a simple phone. It does not overload the user with options that are overly complex. But one must be able to plug in the charger into a small 3/8ths receptacle and do some minimal configuring to use it effectively.
I'm old enough to get a senior discount in many circumstances. I wear glasses and my hands are not as steady as they once were, but this phone is NOT difficult. The charger plugin is small, but like the USB plugins that we all are accustomed to, one must be steady and place it into its receptacle. If it doesn't go in one way, turn it over, and it will go in the other way.
When I received my phone, I turned off the simple Breeze mode, and put it in advanced mode. Then I went thru the menus and configured it to my liking. It gives just a few choices for wallpaper and I wasn't too happy with any of them.. I found that the big internal clock on the main screen suited me perfectly. I chose the blue digital on the dark background. That particular clock choice takes the place of the wallpaper.. Perfect for me. You can also configure a clock for the external part of your phone. When not active, clicking on the side button for two seconds lights it up so that we can easily see the time of day.
Shortcuts on the main screen is very helpful. Instead of digging thru the various menus to find alarms, the calendar or magnifying glass (that's right.. the phone even has a magnifying glass) our missed calls, the calculator, stopwatch, or any of the other options, shortcuts allows you to easily access those with just one click. So, we click on shortcuts on the main screen and there is an easy menu for us with all our most-used options. Doesn't take but two or three seconds to get where you want to go.
The camera included is satisfactory... I played with it for a minute.. It's there if you need it.. but the Breeze is not really catering to those of us who need highly sophisticated architecture or electronics. I have a camera already. In fact, I have two. And my wife has a camera also. There is no music player, per se. Nor is there much storage for many pictures or songs.. but you can store some pics and some sounds or songs for your own pleasure or you can associate them with different callers in your address book to provide an individualized ring or picture when you get incoming calls from those persons.
The bluetooth is handy. For those of you who don't really understand bluetooth, it is just a means for devices to wirelessly communicate at short range. So, if you have a file, a pic or a sound file that your wife might want on her device too, you can just connect them with Bluetooth and transfer the files back and forth. It's very easy. You just find the file on your phone in My Stuff, then use options to send it by bluetooth. First, before any transfers occur, devices must be "paired" so they recognize each other. Read the manual for instructions..
The Breeze is very attractive with rounded edges and is very light. It's a deep gray. The gray keyboard has a nice, modern, blue-lighted hue to it when you open it for use. Also, the keys are big, separated well... so we don't fumble too much. The internal screen is ample and bright for our needs. You can turn down the brightness to save battery life, but I keep mine on high. I only talk on average, once or twice a day, so I don't need to worry much about the battery running down too fast. You can quickly quiet an incoming call by simply pressing the long button (key) on the side. Placing it in "vibrate only" mode is done simply, by pressing the # key. Restoring it to ring mode is done in the same manner, just press the # key.
Voice quality is clear.. Sounds are generous, a little on the louder side.. You can turn them down if you wish. When receiving the phone, it will be configured to beep on every key touch. You can configure it for silence when pressing keys. (keytone type & keytone volume) I won't bother with all the configurations and tips... Otherwise, this review will turn into a book...
There is much to like about this phone. I'm very tech-capable, but for my needs, this phone more than fits the bill. For those who are really into gadgetry and configuring electronics till the cows come home, this might not be your phone.. But for those of us who use phones in a practical manner to communicate with friends and family, I rate this phone very high..
Edit: There is one valid criticism that I've seen in some of the reviews. AT&T does load up this particular phone with their own phone numbers(Check Bill, Customer Care, etc..). My wife uses a different model and her phone does not have all these "extra" phone numbers. These are hard-coded into the phones programming so these numbers cannot be deleted. Annoyingly, they sit right at the top of your phone list. So, upon opening your contacts, you will see all these da*n AT&T numbers and must scroll down to find your friends. There is however a WORKAROUND that will put these AT&T numbers under your more valued personal contacts. Just add a space to the very front of the name in your contacts list. So, if you have Joseph in your contact list, put a space right in front of his name.. This brings all addresses with a space to the top and they will be alphabetized. It's not much trouble to do it.. only took me about 3 or 4 minutes to do my 25-or-so contacts. And when you add a new contact, the same.. put the space in. And you're all set.
Enjoy!
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
I just bought it for a senior citizen. I was able to program the 123 keys easily. The screen is large and very clear with large font options. The ringer is loud. The keys are large and easy to press and everything is clearly labeled. I like the magnifying glass feature lol.
I would not say, however, the phone is extremely easy to use or intuitive for "senior citizens". The menus take some work to maneuver. I also think it is wrong of AT&T to load up their own numbers with no way to delete them. And the charging plug is hard to manuever to, especially for a person with arthritis-not a smart move there. Overall, it was a good upgrade from the old phone and a good idea if you have an elderly person who needs a cell phone but doesn't quite get how to use them.
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
This phone was purchased by me for my 67 year old mother.
she had the same phone in bone color and loved it right up to the minute she forgot and washed it.
the A,T&T store wanted $480.00 for a replacement and said it would take a week to get?
I purchased it from you on-line for much less and had it shipped overnight and it was still $200.00
cheaper than what they wanted. she would not go for any other phone. she likes the size of the buttons and the simple one touch features this phone offers.
Me i'll keep my samsung eternity because of all the pictures i take with this phone and the memory it has. but for someone that wants a no frills phone that is easy to use this is it.
JUST DO NOT PUT IN THE WASHING MACHINE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT TAKE THE ABUSE. (BUT WHAT PHONE WILL??)
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
i bought this phone for my grandmother, who does not know how to work a cell phone very well. out of everything i have bought her this is the simplest one out there for her. there have not been any problems at all with any of the keys. she has never gotten how to use speed dial, but with the 3 quick keys at the top its easy for her to get. it has a dedicated camera key that way she does not have to go thru any of the menus to get to it. it has large numbers and buttons for her. she always had a problem of hitting more than one key on other phones but not on this one. it is easy to set the phone to breeze mode witch does not give many options in case she does go thru the menu which can be good for someone that does not know how to do much with a cell, or advanced mode for anyone that does know how to work it. really this is the best phone she has had and she does not want a different one other than this. if your looking for a more complex phone this one is not for you, but if you are looking for one for an elderly person this one is great.
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
I don't have the words to say enough bad things about this phone.
I needed phones for my Mom and Dad, both in their 80s. My Mom has arthritis. My Dad has demintia. They need to be able to use a cell phone in case of emergency: One that works every time and is easy to use. I saw a Samsung Knack and was very impressed with this phone for Seniors, but AT&T doesn't offer it. So I went looking to find out what they offer for Seniors and this is it. There are no Pros, so here are the Cons:
1) The proprietary charger plug-in is impossible for someone with arthritis. You really don't look at this when you're buying a phone. I will look next time.
2) The Address Book, Contact List, or whatever you call it is filled with contacts that start with "AT&T". It is the first thing you see. Can't be deleted or edited. My Dad can't deal with it. He expects to see something familiar. He thinks he has pressed the wrong key and doesn't know what to do next.
3) You can't call this phone when it's being charged. Not much good if you are trying to make an emergency contact.
3) If you have a 'missed call' message (a small line at the bottom of the screen), none of the emergency buttons will work. You can't make a call. This phone, which was suppose to be easy, is utterly useless and frustrating.
4) The reception isn't good. Mom's motorola RAZR never dropped a call. On the Pantech, we can never complete a call. All calls are dropped at some time.
I could go on and on. I have contacted AT&T four times regarding this phone and their operating system. They are 'sorry' that I am unhappy. We paid $79 for each of these phones. Sorry doesn't help.
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
I bought one of these to replace my 2-year old Pantech Breeze I when the speaker went bad in it, but it is not the same phone. Most of the displays are in a much smaller font and the dialing buttons are much smaller and don't light up. The original was a good choice for someone who can't read small print without reading glasses, but the "new and improved" version isn't.
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
The Pantech Breeze is a great phone for someone looking for a basic, no-frills phone that is easy to use. It doesn't have a lot of complex features that seniors often find frustrating to use. It does have a camera which can be accessed through an easy to locate button. (The keyboard would not be ideal for texting.)
The flip open and close design makes it easy to answer and end calls without having to look for an "answer" or "end call" button. The keypad is a little larger that similar phones which makes it easier to dial. In addition, there are three buttons which can be programmed with frequently called numbers. The basic design makes it good for a first phone or for seniors looking for a phone that is easy to use.
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
It looked attractive, and the young sales clerk gave it a reassuring recommendation. Moreover, I was somewhat taken by it the first week, doubly so because of the reassuring pitch about its user-friendliness and ease of operation. And it seemed to offer a bit more sophistication and less of a patronizing "senior" connotation than the Jitterbug, the phone advertised heavily in AARP's materials.
But of what value is a phone when it doesn't work as advertised? Even with the three "single-touch" programmed numbers, I struck out more consistently than I established a connection. The darn thing charged me for minutes I didn't use and for features I didn't (or certainly didn't intend) to add (like changes in color and styles of background). Although it's far from a "smart" phone (in more ways than one), it practically pretends to be--with inferior versions of the features that come with the iPhones and Blackberries but none of them any easier to figure out and operate--whether it's the included camera, video, texting, mp3 player, photo album, and other "extras".
Some criticized my previous review for blaming the product for the user's incompetencies. Fair enough. But this thing was being promoted for its ease of use and as a phone appropriate for seniors--so I was not looking for a product that would test (repeatedly) my competencies (and patience) to the limit. Moreover, my iPod, Canon Elf and Zoom digital audio recorder--pocket-sized and relatively complex gadgets--have all performed just fine (even though I wouldn't recommend any to an elderly parent). The instructions in the manual are "deceptively" coherent--they read like marginal Asian English than has been machine-corrected by an MS program. Precise grammar, but disconnected, occasionally inconsistent, and "voiceless" directions.
The Breeze was aggravating, time-wasting, ineffectual, and quite costly, a step backward from the Nokia I purchased in 1995. It's definitely not an "old people's" phone--unless the recipient is a precocious senior who enjoys problem solving and has lots of extra time on his hands.
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
I got this phone and really like it as a phone. Unfortunately you cannot get a data cable to transfer files to your PC. Oh sure, they sell them all over the place, but only to charge. What a ridiculous engineering goof in today's world. I bet they saved 10 cents phone on that one. The wireless carriers probably paid them to do it so they could charge for email and media access!!
If I was the design team I'd be ashamed.
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This review is from: Pantech C520 Breeze Phone, Black (AT&T) (Wireless Phone)
While I would argue with one of the other reviewers that his or her problems with their wireless provider and NOT the phone, I would not argue that this is a really poor phone. Also, the ATT numbers that are listed in your contacts come off of the SIM and is not from the handset. This is coming from a person who works for a Telecomm infrastructure provider. I deal with different handsets on almost a daily basis.
Memory management is horrible on this phone. If you download audio files to this handset, once the memory is full removing old files is complicated. This should be one of the easiest things to do on a handset. I select a song and the only options that I get are "Play" and "Set as Ringtone". I do not get a "Delete" option! How rediculous is that!
As I am currently looking at the phoe I do not see any memory management options period! The users manual lists memory management, but it only shows you how to look at memory status. Unser that menu there are no options which will allow you to actually manage the memory.
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