Doro PhoneEasy 618 (Consumer Cellular)

Pros: Ease of use
Sound quality
Sturdy
Inexpensive to buy and use
Nice flashlight
Easy to use camera

Cons: A bit bulky
Battery needs frequent recharging
No games

Summary: I'm retired, not a big talker and don't need much data when I'm out of the house, so I don't need a smartphone or an unlimited voice/text plan.

The new Doro 618 (it's from Sweden) is fairly simple and very straight-forward. It has a slick speed dial, I flip it open and push one button and it calls the Mrs. The phonebook is simple to use, as is checking voicemail. Voices are understandable and sufficiently loud. The ringer can be set loud enough that I can hear it from several rooms away.

It does include a single alarm, daily reminders (great for medication times), a calendar and an FM radio. All are very basic and simple to use.

For anyone that doesn't want the complexity and expense of a smartphone and doesn't need their phone to make a fashion statement, the Doro 618 is a terrific choice. The phone costs $60 and I can make plenty of calls and text messages on a plan that's under $20/month. Looking at the numbers, I see mine as the really smart phone. Could call it a frugalphone.