60 second review
The Doro 6880 is just one of three new mobile phones from the Swedish technology brand, which is joined by the budget Doro 5860 and a mid-priced Doro 6820. The company focuses its efforts on improving the life of seniors and the trio of new handsets are aimed firmly at the 65 and over age group. Doro’s 6880 model features a flip-up clamshell design, is 4G-enabled and boasts HD voice technology that delivers clear and extra loud sound. It also has compatibility with hearing aids, plus there’s an Assistance button located on the back of the phone, for anyone needing it. The 2.8-inch colour display is simple but effective, while a large keypad sits on the bottom of the fold out design. This features high-contrast keys that can be pressed with ease, while text size can also be adjusted. There’s a cradle charger for anyone wanting to keep it on a lounge table or beside the bed.
Doro 6880: Pricing and availability
The Doro 6880 comes with a suggested retail price of £98.99 (US $120 approx.). The Doro 6820, which is the intermediate model and comes with a similar feature set and design to that of the Doro 6880 costs £84.99 (US $103 approx.). Meanwhile, the chunky and reassuringly basic candy bar design of the Doro 5860 doesn't have the clamshell-style casing and is available for the entry-level price of just £69.99 (US $84 approx).
Doro 6880: Design
While many of us hanker after the latest smartphone not everybody has the budget or indeed manual dexterity needed to get the best from one. For anyone who has sight or hearing problems the answer can often be to head in the direction of a basic phone, just like the new Doro 6880. This 4G-enabled handset, with its neat retro-style clamshell design is perfect for helping with all of the issues mentioned above.
The design is chunky, without being too bulky and using the phone itself couldn't be easier. There’s quite a lot of plastic in evidence with this handset, but the Doro 6880 still feels robust enough to survive an occasional drop without too much in the way of consequences. Not something you can say about many expensive smartphone models.
You get a charging cable and docking station too, which can be used as a home for the phone when you’re not on the go. The design thinking here is that it can be placed next to your bed, for example, and thanks to a built-in Assistance button provides a reassuring way of knowing help is always at hand should you need it.
Meanwhile, using the phone could not be easier. The designers have created the flip-up design to have a wonderfully easy to use keypad. The keys are chunky, easy to read and sport a real solid pressing feel when you’re dialling a number. This theme follows through to the display too. It’s not very high resolution but can be read easily, while text size can be adjusted to suit your needs.
Doro 6880: Hardware
Spec Sheet
The Doro 6880 comes with the following hardware:
4G: Yes
Hearing aid compatibility: M4/T4, M3/T4
Max. receiving amplification: 35dB
Max ringer volume: 75dB at 1 metre
Internal Storage: MicroSD card max 128GB
Screen size: 3-inch
Resolution: 320x240QVGA
Weight: 124g
Dimensions: 107 x 56 x 20mm
Front camera: 2MP
Flash: Yes
OS: Mocor OS
Battery: 1000mAh Li-ion
While the Doro 6880 lacks some of the sophisticated hardware of more expensive smartphones it has a beefy enough specification for the task in hand. Top features include 4G, an Assistance button, a 2MP camera with flash and video capability plus talking keys, a visual ring indicator and torch. Everything is accessed via the Mocor operating system.
Behind the scenes, there’s a Unisoc UMS9117 chipset, GPRS, Bluetooth, the capacity to insert a microSD card up to 128GB and full hearing aid (HAC) compatibility, with a rating of M4/T4, M3/T4. The 1000mAh Li-ion battery promises a standby time of up to 380 hours along with a talk time of up to 7 hours.
Doro 6880: Overall useability
We spent some time using the Doro 6880 ourselves and also passed it on to a senior member of the family. Everyone seemed to be in agreement that the Doro 6880 is one of the easiest phones to use currently on the market. Granted, the feature set is basic, but in some ways this is the best thing about the handset. There is very little to worry about, or to get wrong.
Case in point is the simplistic menu system. Accessing this using the keypad and navigating through the basic options is a dream for anyone who normally baulks at the thought of tackling a smartphone interface. In fact, it’s very much akin to using a traditional landline-style handset. Making calls is a doddle, while sending texts or simply adding contacts could not be easier. Doro certainly ticks all of the right boxes when it comes to addressing the needs of its target market.
We’ve also been impressed by the battery life of the phone. It’s certainly good for a few days without the need to worry about charging. Having the dock-cum-charging cradle is a sensible location for the phone when you’re at home too. That way, everyone always knows where it is, and there’s the reassurance that it will always be fully charged.
Full marks should also go to Doro for making the 6880 such an excellent audio performer. Thanks to its hearing aid compatibility the phone is wonderfully usable, even in locations with lots of background noise. The HD voice technology gets the job done very nicely indeed.
Should I buy the Doro 6880?
Buy it if:
You are after a basic phone with the emphasis on ease of use.
The Doro 6880 has to be one of the simplest phones to operate, but still packs in enough rudimentary features to make it useful on a daily basis. There's the added benefit of a low-cost price tag, making it very handy to have around but it won't be a disaster if you end up breaking it by accident.
Don’t buy it if:
You need high end features and functions. This is a basic phone, which makes the Doro 6880 ideal for anyone with a simple check list of being able to make and receive calls, or for texting. Therefore, if you're expecting all of the bells and whistles it will probably fall short of the mark.
First reviewed May 2022
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