Doro Launches New Mobile Phones Designed for Baby Boomers & Active Seniors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Doro^® (STO: DOROA), the IDEA® award-winning phone design company from Sweden, announces the availability in the U.S. of mobile phones designed by experts in ergonomics and in communications technology to meet the needs of consumers seeking design simplicity and functionality in mobile handsets.

Two Doro HandleEasy models available in the U.S., the HandleEasy 330gsm and the HandleEasy 326i gsm, are GSM-compatible, include large easy-to-view display screens and keypads, features that baby boomers and active seniors use most, and none of the complicated features that often go unused.

The palm-sized Doro HandleEasy 330gsm features a high-contrast color screen, text messaging, FM radio, a variety of ringers, a speakerphone, and easy access to phone directories stored on the user’s SIM card. Doro HandleEasy 326i gsm features a conveniently larger keypad, four prominently positioned speed-dial buttons, a phone directory, a speakerphone, and a special coating that creates an easy-grip surface on the entire phone.

Jerome Arnaud, CEO of Doro, explained, “Many senior citizens still believe that mobile phones are difficult to use with complicated functions and therefore are reluctant to buy new ones. In contrast to other mobile phones on the market, we carefully design our phones according to the needs of active seniors and combine ergonomic demands with functions and simplicity. Baby boomers and active seniors don’t have to adapt their lives to our technology; we’ve already adapted it to their needs.”

“Finally, a phone that is intuitive to use and uncomplicated,” declared John Donnelly, a 65-year-old business management consultant based in New York and a Doro HandleEasy 330gsm user. “I turned on the HandleEasy 330 and began using it immediately without having to read through the manual. From the first minute I turned-on the Doro phone, I could easily navigate through the large, brightly colored screen, look through my phone book without reading glasses, check voicemails, and I especially like the cool, sleek design. It’s much nicer looking, lighter, and easier to use than the three-year-old phone I was carrying around.”

Eighty-two-year-old Manuel Machado – who lives in Modesto, Calif., travels extensively in retirement, and has limited vision from a medical condition, macular degeneration – said of the Doro HandleEasy 326i gsm, “This is a phone I can actually use! I can read the screen, see the directory, and easily make calls. This is the first phone I’ve had in several years that I will use more frequently.” Dr. Steven A. Machado of Los Angeles, Manuel’s son, explains, “Macular degeneration can be especially frustrating for patients like my father because it puts a blank spot in the center of their field of vision, making it nearly impossible to see details right in front of them, like when dialing a phone. So, this phone from Doro is a godsend for Dad.”

A fixture in most every household in Sweden for 35 years, Doro is well known for innovatively incorporating the latest technologies while maintaining simplicity of design and functionality. Consumers in over 30 countries already enjoy the inclusive designs and easy functionality of Doro’s phones. Doro HandleEasy 330 and 326i are the company’s first products available in the U.S.

Doro HandleEasy phones are currently available at all Centennial Wireless retail stores in six states (www.centennialwireless.com). “We are thrilled to offer Centennial customers Doro mobile phones designed especially for baby boomers and active seniors,” said Philip Mayberry, President of Centennial Wireless. “Doro’s long history of design innovation in Sweden is legendary in the telecommunications industry and now Doro’s user-friendly phones are popular all across Europe. Centennial is proud to be the first place in America that Doro phones are available.”

Doro’s U.S. Representative, Christopher Lundstrom, further explained, “Doro’s goal is to make its products available through a national delivery model in the months ahead, we want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy Doro products. We are very pleased and fortunate to have Centennial Wireless offering our products in the U.S. market, Centennial created an excellent custom rate plan for the HandleEasy 330. This is a very attractive offering for both baby boomers and seniors alike, a tailored rate plan is key for this demographic and the overall customer experience.”

About Doro

With over 30 years’ experience in telephony, Doro is today characterized by its innovative and user-friendly telecom products. The company develops, markets, and sells a wide range of telecom products in more than 30 countries through a variety of retail outlets, including electronics stores and online stores. The company had sales of US$54 million in 2007. Doro’s shares are quoted on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Nordic list, Small Cap list. Read more about Doro at www.doro.com.

High-resolution product images and mobile handsets for review are available upon request.