Every spring-summer, we return to the same news: imports / sales of push-button phones have increased in Russia.
And every time experts compete in inventing justifications, although the reasons do not change from year to year. With the beginning of the warm season, the mobility of the population increases. People go to summer cottages, travel to nature more often and, as a result, they think that it would be nice to have a long-playing phone at hand in order to always stay in touch.
The main trouble with modern push-button phones is that they have ceased to be simple and convenient. The modern “button” is simply impossible to use. The menu is a labyrinth in which Theseus and the Minotaur would never have met, no matter how hard they tried. And the buttons are so tight that you won’t want to call again.
Another negative point is the abundance of pre-installed applications. Often these are games that are allowed to be played 3-5 times for free, and then it is very easy to click in the wrong place and send an SMS, spending 200-500 rubles. And you can’t delete them.
So finding a convenient push-button phone is not an easy task. Comfort when using the phone is especially important when an elderly person or a child is planned as a user. In my opinion, the Philips brand coped with the task best of all.
In this article, let’s talk about the new Xenium E227, which I would like to call almost an ideal basic push-button dialer. Especially for older users, since the phone has really large fonts and large icons, and the menu logic and functions are implemented in such a way that everything is intuitive and does not require training.
Perhaps, we must immediately say about the main feature of the phone – it’s a charging station in the kit. With its help, Philips Xenium E227 becomes the best replacement for a landline telephone at home or in the office. Charging cradle with the same principle as DECT phones: simple and reliable.
And now let’s take a closer look at the main advantages of the phone.
Table of Contents
#1. Design
Although the phone is primarily aimed at the elderly, you can’t tell from the outside. Of course, there are large buttons and inscriptions on them, but if other similar phones it looks like a necessity, then in the case of the Xenium E227 it is perceived as a design decision.
This is what a feature phone should look like in 2022. It should be perceived as a modern gadget, and not as a remnant of cheap plastic.
The phone is compact and fits comfortably in the hand. The handset is perfectly balanced, and the buttons are moderately elastic. The phone is easy to handle with one hand.
The back panel is made of plastic. Below it are 2 SIM card slots and 1 microSD card slot.
There is also an SOS button on the back panel, a long press on which leads to a call to the previously specified number.
At the top end there is a flashlight, which can be turned on not only from the menu, but also by holding the joystick on the unlocked phone.
By the way, Philips also has a model with a metal finish, which may be of interest to those who want something unusual.
#2. Battery life
Days without recharging and hours of talk time are the forte of any feature phone. Philips uses the patented Xenium energy-saving technology for devices, which back in the noughties was associated with gigantic battery life. Xenium E227 is no exception: 923 hours of standby time and up to 52.7 hours of talk time.
Modern push-button dialers have 500-700 mAh batteries. The Xenium E227 has a 1700 mAh battery.
In fact, the phone can be charged about once every couple of weeks. Subject to a large number of calls.
By the way, Philips has models in which the battery is even larger. There is even a model with a classic USB port to use your phone as a power bank. Link is below.
#3. Charging station
The charging station is an extremely simple thing, which at the same time greatly facilitates the process of interacting with the phone. This is especially important for older people who are used to landlines.
The Philips Xenium E227 has a neat and compact charging cradle.
Thanks to the rubber feet, the cradle does not slip on any surface. The design of the charging station is made in such a way that the phone is easy to put on and take off from the charging station. The designers have foreseen that users will pick up or put down the phone on the go. So the cradle has increased stability, and the grooves are made in such a way that the Xenium E227 itself falls on the charging contacts. At the same time, the phone can be easily removed without fear that it may catch on the cradle.
Thus, the phone has its own place, from where it can be taken and where to return it. It sounds ridiculous, but for many people this is important. At one time, such a decision helped my grandmother come to terms with a mobile phone, which she, for some reason known only to her, rejected, saying that she could not figure it out. I can only assume that when the phone is on the charging station, it is immediately perceived easier. Probably, if a telephone cable could be plugged into it, it would be absolutely ideal.
However, the charging station is a useful option not only for the elderly. With it, Philips Xenium E227 can be a great alternative to a home landline phone. By the way, in terms of costs, a mobile phone is already more profitable than a wired home phone.
Another optimal area of application is a landline phone for offices. Still, a mobile phone, unlike a traditional DECT phone, is devoid of such disadvantages as a limited range. This option is suitable for those office employees who are forced to move around the office or enterprise during the day.
#four. Simple menu and large fonts
As mentioned above, I purchased a Philips push-button cot for my retired father. One of the reasons for choosing the Philips phone was the simple menu and the lack of pre-installed adware.
Since the Philips Xenium E227 is aimed at the elderly, the phone, firstly, has a large screen, and most importantly, large fonts and huge icons.
The menu is simplified as much as possible: one screen – one large icon. You can scroll through the icons using the joystick.
Along the way, there are quick commands. For example, each button can be tied to a speed dial. And on the back there is an SOS button, a long press on which leads to a call, even if the phone has been locked. The button is prudently slightly recessed into the case, so that it will not be possible to accidentally press it.
#5. Useful Features
The phone has a camera. No need to look at the camera as a source of photographic masterpieces. The main purpose of the camera in a push-button phone is to capture information: take a picture of a phone number, a car, a schedule or an announcement. For these tasks, the phone’s camera is enough.
The device also has an FM radio. And here Philips Xenium E227 will give a hundred points ahead even to smartphones. Radio is not uncommon, it is often added to mobile phones. However, it almost always requires headphones to function as an antenna. The Xenium E227 has a built-in antenna. And the speakers have a good margin of volume. So the phone can be used as a portable radio. Although you can make a stationary one if you put the phone on a charging station.
The ability to quickly launch a flashlight has already been discussed above. Don’t underestimate this feature. One of the most frequent functions that I use in a smartphone: they turned off the light in the stairwell, I need to highlight something under the hood of the car, etc.
Conclusion
In retail, Philips Xenium E227 was priced at 3,490 rubles. Fair price: charging station, big screen, loud speakers, radio with built-in antenna (headphones not needed) and a separate SOS button that you can use just for a quick call. Well, in short, Philips Xenium is about simplicity and convenience.
Philips phones stand out from the competition due to the absence of ads and pre-installed applications and a simple menu. At the same time, unlike smartphones, where paid applications usually ask for a bank card number, the concept of paid SMS still works in push-button phones. And the menus are made in such a way as to dilute an inexperienced or inattentive user for unnecessary expenses. In addition, unlike smartphones, paid applications cannot be removed, and they lie dead weight.
The included charging station is an important difference that allows you to increase the number of useful use cases and makes the Philips Xenium E227 a replacement for a landline phone both at home and in the office. The principle of operation of the cradle, familiar to DECT phones, makes the phone convenient for all family members.
Philips Xenium push-button phones have 3 to 6 times the battery life of conventional push-button dialers. Thanks to this Philips Xenium E227 can be charged once a month. And the charging station will allow you not to bother with sticking the cable into the charging port. And when the phone has a charging station, read – the right place, the likelihood that the phone will be discharged is reduced.
You can find out about the phone at official website.