Text Messaging Device For the Hearing Impaired? 86
spaceball1 asks: "I was in the army and served in Iraq — one of the side effects being some permanent hearing loss. I now wear hearing aids all of the time, in both ears. Talking on a cell phone has become nearly impossible. I have considered moving to a device more geared towards text messaging, but they are all very expensive and have a lot of the features that I will never use. Are there any devices out there that are geared only towards simple text messaging? The No-Frills-Cell-Phone concept has been largely ignored in the US; does a No-Frills-Text-Messaging device exist?"
Yes. (Score:2)
BTW, any decent hearing aid can nicely cooperate with a good cell phone.
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It's got a fold-out keyboard and is a GREAT text-messaging device. They're cheap as all get out. Mine works great with the Cingular/ATT network.
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He uses a Blackberry. You get a data-rate only, with no voice... perfect for him.
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I use a Sidekick II from T-Mobile under Data contract. Cost about $40/mo.
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thanks in advance.
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As to dialup speeds, heck, that's what I'm using now!
Songs for the deaf (Score:5, Interesting)
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My grandmother is deaf. All three of her children are licensed sign language interpreters. And several of her grandchildren are licensed sign language interpreters. If you're deaf and in Alabama, it wouldn't be surprising if you know my family. :-)
Grandma uses a Blackberry. Several of the others use a Sidekick. For some reason T-Mobile seems to be the preferred provider, but I'm not sure why.
By the way, sorry to hear about your loss and, in all seriousness, thanks for serving.
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Oh, I forgot, several of us use a Treo 700p.
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Yep, it's all about the Sidekicks. That's what my deaf friend uses.
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- Stefan
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Indeed. Even the original grayscale-screened Sidekick is eminently usable for text communications: SMS, POP email, and AIM support are built-in, with IP-RELAY and i711 Wireless clients available as free downloads. The soft rubber keypad is a joy to thumb-type on.
TTY? (Score:1, Informative)
Personally, I have a Treo 600. I can hear ok with the speakerphone, and I love the keyboard for sending text messages, which I do often. But when I need to call someone and discuss something important, I use an online Relay service like Hamilton Relay (google for it). It's free (domestically, anyway), and it's just like using AIM, basically, except you're on the phone.
I wish more people would STOP using the phone and switch to email or texting. I hat
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Two way pager or (Cr|Bl)ackberry (Score:2)
Otherwise a two-way pager f.ex. Motorola T900 or a Blackberry since it has a full keyboard. But most important is to find a way to get it subsidized as a hearing-impaired communication device.
What is "Geared towards text messaging"?? (Score:2)
So what's the issue here? That it has a camera? Don't use it. That it has polyphonic ring tones? Don't use them. That it has an MP3 player? Don't use it.
The phone I just mentioned above (don't quite remember the model number) has both a camera and ring tones and a bunch of other junk that I never used. I just i
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Sidekick iD (Score:2, Informative)
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The Sidekick does not do this.
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ZipIT (Score:3, Informative)
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Texting Tools (Score:4, Informative)
Some states also mandate that the local telephone carriers subsidize the use of a C-phone (which they also provide), but that is tied to a land line although portable versions are available for retail purchase.
Good luck with your search!
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Zounds (Score:2, Informative)
Motorola v100? Nokia E-series (Score:2)
if it is compatible with US mobile systems.
A phone specifically designed for texting but pretty well useless for
speech (!).
More realistically look at the Nokia E62 if you can find a decent
connection deal. Better yet, get the E61 (probably have to import from Europe)
this supports WiFi connectivity as well as GSM (and 3G)
and dozens of messaging features.
Andy
Even better/cheaper Nokia option (Score:1)
Actually you can have my old Sidekick (Score:1)
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reneg8 - you are a great example of a slashdotter!
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We have actually advanced beyond natural selection. We have the power to make ourselves overcome obstacles that would take natural selection eons to do. It's one of the nice things about being able to reason...but you wouldn't understand anything about that
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What makes you think natural selection would spare you?
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Obviously... (Score:2)
Two-way pagers (Score:2)
Get the Hearing aids to work (Score:2, Informative)
Sidekick/Treo/Blackberry/Nokia 6822 on Ebay (Score:1)
Nokia has a few good ones (Score:1)
Better hearing aids might be the key (Score:1, Interesting)
Up until I bought my latest set of hearing aids I had a lot of difficulty with phones. I was able to get a basic pair of digital In The Canal (ITC) hearing aids last time, and it has made a world of difference. The digital processing makes for much better sound quality and feedback is greatly diminished. The smaller ITC form factor a
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Use a cellphone. (Score:2)
Cheapest would be cellphone + bluetooth mini KB (Score:2)
BTW: The ears are the closest to being repareable with cybernetic enhancements. There are completely deaf people who've had implants with mics and coils attached to their hearing nerves (or so) who can now hear. I saw this on a TV show about 10 years ago, it should be a relatively regular thi
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Something I Know a Little About (Score:2)
The Blackberry is really the device of choice these days with the hearing impaired and deaf. They're relatively cheap (especially if you buy an older model), they actually are quite solid and can take a beating and parts (like batteries) are cheap and easy to buy.
Also, if you're registered as disabled and/or hearing impaired you may actually be able to get fina
You have options (Score:2, Informative)
Let me preface this by saying that the services are US based, and YMMV greatly in another country with a less established deaf community.
Relay:
In nearl
Virgin Mobile (Score:1)
Sidekick (Score:2)
The new Sidekick iD is $99 with a
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Deaf too (Score:2)
Which models have you tried? Verizon is very good about offering cell phones for the hearing impaired, and you can try nearly evey phone in their store before purchasing. I lost my hearing 7 years ago to illness (while active duty USAF, no less) and was left profoundly deaf. Left ear is completely gone, right ear works just enough for a high-powered hearing aid (100% deaf medically speaking). I use a digital Phonak, and previously an analog, w
Text capable phone (Score:1)
T-Mobile, Cingular or any GSM service. It will make you look like
Maxwell Smart with his shoe phone.
http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/9000i#phone_featur
Nokia Communicator 9300 (Score:2)
All of them have excellent keyboard compared to other phones and they still work like a decent phone as well (not like pda like windows smartphone lot).
Regards,
Peter
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The E90 has one, but it's going to be quite expensive.
Carrying is not a problem (depending on what you're wearing)
X.