AT&T today announced the Pantech Breeze, a device aimed for novice or first-time mobile phone owners to customers looking to simplify the overall user experience.
The Breeze is an uncomplicated mobile phone, specifically designed for people needing an easy way to stay in touch with friends, caregivers and loved ones. From its clean and uncluttered design to its simplified menus, oversized display with large keypad and quick-call keys, the Breeze includes a host of convenient features in a comfortable, modern design.
The Breeze is the result of AT&T and Pantech's collaboration to build a device usable by the most customers possible.
"Universal Design helps define important design criteria to meet the wants and needs of as many of our customers as possible," said Carlton Hill, vice president of Product Management, Voice Products and Affiliate Marketing for AT&T's wireless operations. "The Pantech Breeze is a result of our efforts to meet these criteria and offer a great-looking phone that's a breeze to use for everyone - from tweens to great-grandparents."
The Breeze takes into account many of the design principles set forth in AT&T's approach to Universal Design:
- 1-2-3 Quick-Call Keys - Three preprogrammable quick-call buttons are located below the screen - users can easily select one of the three quick-call contacts and press the send button to start a call
- Simplified Menu - Navigating the phone's features is trouble-free with the simplified "breeze menu," which prioritizes the features that customers want to access most
- Large Font - Menu screens on the Pantech Breeze use a highly visible large font. Additionally, the font of SMS messages is enlarged and the date and time of messages sent is at the beginning rather than at the end of a message
- Easy-to-Use Buttons - The oversized buttons on the device respond with a tactile click when pressed, and the amount of time the keys remain illuminated after use is extended
- Clear and Loud Speakerphone - A large, dedicated button starts and stops speakerphone use
- Camera - A dedicated hard key for the camera brings up camera options "take a picture" and "photo album" to give users easy access to useable camera functions
- Audible Keys - An option to have audio accompany numeric keystrokes makes it easy to know which buttons have been pressed, resulting in mistake-free dialing for those with limited sight
The Breeze is a GSM quad-band world device, able to make voice calls in more than 200 countries and access data and send messages in more than 145. It features a talk time of up to three hours and up to 10 hours of standby time. Full messaging, camera and video capabilities, Bluetooth compatibility and tools such as an alarm clock, notepad, calendar and calculator are included.
"The Pantech Breeze is a unique and important target product for us, one that underscores our commitment to all levels of customers," said Patrick Beattie, vice president of Marketing and Sales at Pantech Wireless Inc. "By incorporating AT&T's socially responsible Universal Design model, this product speaks directly to people needing a down-to-earth handset that provides easy access to core features."
The Pantech Breeze will be available May 27 at AT&T stores and online at a price of $39.99 after a two-year service agreement and a $30 mail-in rebate.
