Doro Liberto 820 review: the best Doro phone yet?
**Doro might not be at the top of your list of most recognizable mobile phones, but its range of easy to use handsets seem to be climbing up the ladder when it comes to phones for first timers. **
And with the launch of the Doro Liberto 820, it looks like we could be in with a treat; after all, why should a simple phone have to mean boring?
An easy to use mobile phone
The best thing about the Liberto 820 is that this understanding smartphone does what other smartphones do but in an easier way, so age and technical knowhow are no longer a barrier.
The grip friendly design of this simple phone really does make it feel secure in the hand and we love the fact that there are physical home, back and options buttons. These make navigation much easier than on other smartphones that use virtual keys on a touchscreen.
The 4.5-inch display has a good resolution for its size (940 x 560 pixels) which makes it crystal clear when viewing your messages, apps and photos. But perhaps the most notalble thing about the Doro smartphone is that it doesn’t look like a handset for first time smartphone users; its large screen and polycarbonate body give it a more premium feel.
**Looking for a phone that’s simple to use? **Check our these top 5 easy to use mobile phones that will suit any beginner.
Guidance every step of the way
Your first interaction with the Liberto 820 after pressing the power button is a friendly welcome from the Startup wizard. This guides you through the setup process as you set the time and date, ringer type and volume.
Large icons and adjustable text size create an easy to see interface and there is a helpful built-in coach that guides you as you go and a discovery guide where you can learn about the features of this Doro phone and how to use them.
So if you’re a little unsteady on your feet when it comes to technology, the Doro Liberto 820 will be there to guide you through it, step by step.
Or why not grab a Doro 612, available free on Talkmobile.
The technical bit
The smartphone is powered by the Android KitKat v4.4 operating system, which is Google’s software that powers the majority of smartphones. And while on other smartphones the user experience can sometimes be confusing, Doro delivers a very simple to use interface which is perfect for beginners. You can still download apps from Google Play store, browse the internet with 3G or Wi-Fi and navigate using GPS.
A mighty quad-core 1.3GHz processor is built into the device, and provides a lag free experience no matter what you’re using the phone for. Also, the Doro phone is hearing aid compatible and the memory can be expanded upon with a MicroSD card of up to 32GB. Inside the box there is a dual-purpose headset for use as a hands-free kit or for listening to the FM radio.
The handset also comes with a charging cradle in tow which allows you to position the phone on a table just like a home phone, boosting your battery levels as it goes. The 1900mAh battery delivers up to 400 hours of standby or 16 hours of talk time and you could even watch catch-up TV for hours before draining all the phone’s juice!
The easiest typing experience yet
When it comes to texting, a SwiftKey keyboard is included on the 820 making this easy to use handset one of the best for typing. SwiftKey is a clever keyboard that learns your typing style and predicts your next word, making you a pro in no time.
You can enter whole words with one tap and the auto-correct means that you won’t have to go back to correct typos. You can either tap the letters on the keypad in the normal way or slide your finger from letter to letter to type out sentences, whilst different layouts tailor the experience further allowing you to resize the keys to suit your fingers.
Looking for a first time smartphone? We also recommend the Nokia Lumia 530.
Emergency assistance when you need it
On the back of the Doro Liberto 820 there is an assistance button which can be used in case of an emergency. This unique feature, when activated, will call 5 pre-determined numbers in sequence until one of those numbers answer the call.
The assistance feature can also send a text message to each number along with your GPS position, meaning that wherever you need assistance, help will be able to find you.
Capture life in high definition
The final feature of note is the Doro’s camera, and with an 8 megapixels lens built in, you can probably forget about your digital camera altogether! The resolution and clarity of the camera are excellent and you can even record video in 720p HD.
After you’re done snapping, you can view the results on the Doro phone itself and zoom into the finest details using the magnifier function.
Who is the Doro Liberto 820 for?
Unlike other handsets in the Doro range, the Liberto 820 boasts tons more features including apps, internet access and a camera, which make this Doro phone perfect for the modern thinking user that wants to live life to its fullest.
Peace of mind is still the main reason to buy a Doro phone thanks to the emergency button and easy to use contact features, but with the hefty offering of features you’d expect on any typical smartphone, any user young or old would be content with the Doro Liberto 820.
More interested in a phone for your young ones? Here are a selection of the best phones for kids!