Chatsie Phone

PRODUCT STAR RATING (out of 5 stars): 5 out of 5 stars

"If I could give a 10-star, I would. Excellent phone with easy-to-follow prompts"

There are very few products, apps, operating systems, and designs that leave me gobsmacked. Chatsie's phone is one of those.

Chatsie is an operating system designed for people who struggle with typical Android or iOS (iPhone) setups. It's far simpler than all other operating systems I have come across. This is not just designed for people living with dementia. Anyone can use Chatsie.

It is simple to set up, but if tech isn't your thing, it's best to have someone set it up for you. I did it myself with no trouble, but I am a bit more tech-inclined. It lets you set up biometric sign-in, so you no longer have to remember passwords, though you will still need to enter a password to set it up.

You can add the apps you use, and they will appear on the home screen. Rather than the app logo that, let’s be honest, looks like others and goes somewhere on your phone that you must scroll through to find and then forget what you are looking for… or is that just me?  Frustrating!

These apps are on your home screen with a message, for example, “open WhatsApp” or “open Photos”

For those of us who must keep going back to our loved ones because they have changed the phone's settings, and now the phone doesn't ring when you call, or messages aren’t received anymore. Chatsie has sorted that by putting the setting in a place accessible only after passing a big warning sign that appears on screen. I think it can be password-protected as well. However, I did not set that up for me. Hopefully, the problem is solved.

Simple home screen instructions. “Call someone”, “Listen to voicemail”, “Read text”, “Text someone”, “open calendar”, the list goes on. Rather than app logos, they are prompts to help you know where to go and what to do.

When the phone rings, it shows an easy instruction for you to follow: “Answer Yes No” When a text comes through again, easy instructions appear: “Read text”, and then a “Draft a reply” prompt appears. You can choose to type or dictate your message. The prompts are large and easy to read.

You can set up emergency call numbers and a list of emergency numbers that are easy to access.

I thought this operating system was brilliant, and so I showed it to others who had dementia and those who cared for people living with dementia. I also showed it to some people who had elderly parents. Their response was the same as mine: “How can I get my parents one of these phones?” Eventually, someone has made an easy-to-use phone”

The phone comes with the sim card installed. It comes with Chatsie set up. All you really must do is log in and set up your Wi-Fi and contacts, which you can do if you know how. Follow the prompts on screen, simple as that.

When you think about the cost, remember it includes a phone, protection cover, a SIM card (with a phone number assigned), a charger, and the Chatsie setup. There is a monthly cost to stay connected to airtime.

I cannot rate this system highly enough. If I could give a 10-star rating, I would!!!