Each week between August 23 and September 10, you have the opportunity to win a Clarity C900 mobile phone for seniors (regular price $269.95) through a social media contest.  This is for the Clarity C900 mobile phone only, and does not include any service agreement.

Entering and winning is easy.  Just follow these simple steps:

For Twitter: 1) Simply follow @clarityproducts on Twitter.  2) Send a tweet including @clarityproducts, the hashtag #GPDay and a link to this post.

For Facebook: 1) Become a fan of Clarity on Facebook.  2) When you see the contest offer on your news feed, comment on the post from Clarity.  3) Share the post from Clarity on your wall.

One winner will be picked weekly from both combined groups.  Clarity employees or Clarity’s employees’ family members are not eligible to win.

Arthritis Awareness Month Tips and Facts

2-hr Pain Rule: If you experience above normal arthritis pain 2 hours after exercise, then you have over-done it. http://bit.ly/aOkRu6

Reduce arthritis pain by distributing a load over a greater area and on stronger joints. http://bit.ly/9VZpX2

Water workouts are great options for arthritis. The buoyancy takes the pressure off joints & makes it almost pain free.http://bit.ly/aOkRu6

Arthritis Awareness Month – Those with arthritis should be sure to pace themselves by balancing rest and activity. http://bit.ly/aTpmcs

Avoid stress on arthritic joints by minimizing stooping & reaching. Store frequently used items at waist to eye level.http://bit.ly/9VZpX2

Better Speech and Hearing Month Tips and Facts

DYK? 36 million (17%) American adults have some degree of hearing loss. Third only to heart disease and arthritis.http://bit.ly/9EVUpN

Better Speech & Hearing Month – Three things to consider about noise: How loud. How long. How close. http://bit.ly/ckCNAe

Everyone reads lips & facial cues to better understand conversations. Stand where lighting is good to help yourself.http://bit.ly/duZdH4

Don’t speak too fast. Don’t mumble. If asked to repeat yourself, try using different words than the first time. http://bit.ly/aNbD0X

If you notice a change in your hearing, contact your doctor. Your regular doctor can refer you to an otolaryngologists. http://bit.ly/ceZMhb

Do you have a trick or tip for those with arthritis or hearing loss? Leave a comment below.

Arthritis Awareness Month Tips and Facts

Those with arthritis should avoid being in a position too long. Get up and stretch or move joints while sitting. http://bit.ly/9VZpX2

DYK? 67 million (25%) adults 18 years and older will have doctor-diagnosed arthritis by 2030. http://bit.ly/9Fd8zd

Choosing exercise you enjoy to counter arthritis will make it easier to become and stay more active. http://bit.ly/alh8qU

A soothing soak before bed can relieve arthritis-related muscle tension, aching joints and help you sleep. http://bit.ly/do6Lc3

Arthritis Awareness Month – Those with arthritis should be sure to use assistive devices to preserve joints. http://bit.ly/aTpmcs

Better Speech and Hearing Month Tips and Facts

Better Speech & Hearing Month–Keep the volume low when using headphones or when listening to the radio or television. http://bit.ly/ceZMhb

Better Speech & Hearing Month – Maintain eye contact as you are talking to someone with hearing loss. http://bit.ly/a2jtyk

Use simple words & expressions. Plain language can make it easier to comprehend what is trying to be said. http://bit.ly/a2jtyk

Remind people of your hearing problems and mention that they need to get your attention before beginning to speak.http://bit.ly/duZdH4

Get hearing checkups if you’re exposed to loud noises regularly, like if you work at a factory. http://bit.ly/ceZMhb

May is both Better Speech and Hearing Month and Arthritis Awareness Month, two causes very important to Clarity. To help the 36 million Americans dealing with hearing loss – and their families – as well as the 19 million with arthritis, Clarity is posting tips and facts all month on its Twitter feed. We will share these tips here on Fridays this month, or you can get them instantly by following us attwitter.com/clarityproducts.

Arthritis Awareness Month Tips and Facts

• Not just for those with arthritis: Sit with feet flat, lower back with curve, knees higher than hips, upper back straight. http://bit.ly/9VZpX2
• Arthritis Awareness Month – DYK? 19 million (9% of adults) have arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation. http://bit.ly/9Fd8zd
• If you suffer from arthritis back pain, consider replacing your pillow. It should place your head, neck & shoulders straight. http://bit.ly/do6Lc3
• Fight arthritis by stretching regularly to improve your range of motion; it will keep the stress off of the joints. http://bit.ly/aOkRu6
• Arthritis Awareness Month – Those with arthritis should be extra sure to get a full 8 hours of sleep a night. http://bit.ly/cBxBUP
• Arthritis Awareness Month – Those with arthritis should be sure to put each joint through its full range of motion everyday. http://bit.ly/aTpmcs
• Regular, gentle exercise can help range of motion, reduce joint pain and ease sore muscles for people with arthritis. http://bit.ly/cjLLWd

Better Speech and Hearing Month Tips and Facts

• Better Speech & Hearing Month – Wear earmuffs/earplugs when you are exposed to high levels of noise, like mowing.http://bit.ly/ceZMhb
• DYK? It is estimated that more than 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job. http://bit.ly/pNwyZ
• Don’t speak for or answer for a hearing impaired person when talking with others. Give them time to respond. http://bit.ly/aNbD0X
• Better Speech & Hearing Month – Don’t be passive. If hearing or understanding a conversation is unusually difficult, say so. http://bit.ly/duZdH4
• Be expressive! Hand gestures and facial expressions can help give clues about what you’re saying. http://bit.ly/aNbD0X
• Instead of saying “What?” when you don’t understand what you heard, repeat the parts of the statement that you did hear. http://bit.ly/duZdH4
• If you can’t hear or be heard by someone within 3 feet because of a noise, it is too loud.http://bit.ly/aCySMz

Austin, Texas – The Clarity XL40D, a new amplified telephone designed by Clarity, a division of Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), is now available through the Texas Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP).  The new phone makes conversations easier to understand for the estimated 3.8 million Texans with hearing loss

The Clarity XL40D can be obtained at no-cost by Texas residents who are certified as having a hearing loss by calling 1-866-525-2748. Callers will be directed to distribution centers in their area.

The Clarity XL40D amplifies incoming sound up to 50 decibels while reducing distracting background noise using a technology traditionally found only in hearing aids.  Dubbed Digital Clarity Power™, the technology improves conversations by not just making words louder, but making them clearer and easier to understand. Additionally, outgoing speech can be amplified up to 15 decibels.  The XL40D is an ideal solution for those with a severe hearing loss.

“Nearly 4 million Texans struggle with hearing loss. STAP is doing a tremendous job by providing these individuals with a means to connect with friends and family,” said Carsten Trads, president of Clarity.  “We are honored to provide STAP with the XL40D—we’re confident this phone will make a tremendous impact on residents across Texas.”

Among the features of the XL40D is ClarityLogic®, the latest technology from Clarity that allows for simplified customer support that provides accurate and immediate results. Phone users simply call an 800-phone number and a Clarity representative can remotely evaluate their phone to provide feedback or adjust settings.

“ClarityLogic gives a new meaning to ‘smart phone’ and is unlike anything available in today’s standard phones,” continued Trads. “One call to Clarity and our customer service team can remotely diagnose and adjust the settings of the phone.  The STAP program enables residents of Texas to get the benefit of this smart phone.”

The XL40D features four tone settings for a customized listening experience and an extra loud speakerphone for hands-free conversations. It also has large backlit keys that speak the number when dialed and offers 12 speed dial buttons.

About STAP

The STAP is a voucher program offered by the state of Texas for the purchase of specialized assistive equipment or services by Texasresidents whose disability interferes with their ability to access the telephone network.  For more information about this program please contact the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services at 512-407-3250 orstap@dars.state.tx.us or visit www.dars.state.tx.us/dhhs/stap.shtml

Clearly, more and more people are turning to wireless phones, which today is almost a misnomer as the devices now functions as cameras, computers, music players and gaming gadgets. But where does this transition leave people, such as seniors, who aren’t adopting this technology quickly? Or people who have disabilities that make using these devices difficult–or even downright impossible? These are important questions to consider for consumers and manufacturers alike, as we will soon be living in a world not cluttered with tangled wires, but driven by the next generation of wireless networks.

CELL PHONES FOR ALL

Most often, it’s seniors who suffer from disabilities like hearing loss, arthritis and poor vision–health challenges that aren’t conducive to using modern day cell phones. However, instead of living in a wireless dark age, seniors are increasingly embracing cell phones despite experiencing difficulties using or understanding them. While landlines still remain a staple for the 65 and up group, 64 percent of the adults over 65 used a cell phone in 2008 according to a national survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

Clearly, seniors have interest in these devices, as they provide a means to stay connected with family, friends and caregivers and can contact help during an emergency. But it doesn’t take a trained eye to see that mainstream cell phone manufactures ignore this group. On just about every model, buttons are too small, sounds are too quite and menus aren’t intuitive. This leaves seniors searching for more friendly devices that are built to fit their specific needs.

In order to provide your customers with a modern wireless device that fits their needs, the design must stretch beyond the typical tactic of “dumbing down” a pre-made cell phone by adding larger numbers or putting pictures of older users on the packaging. Rather, development of these phones must start from the ground up with seniors’ needs in mind.

CREATING WINNING WIRELESS SOLUTIONS

When we set out to create the ClarityLife C900, a cell phone for seniors, we began with our specialty: amplification. Currently, the C900 is the only amplified cell phone on the market and the 20 extra decibels of sound nicely complement the large text on the big, bright display and the oversized buttons for people with low vision.  Plus the robust size makes it easy to hold for those with arthritis. Just as important, it also has an emergency help button on the back that, when held down, automatically calls and texts five pre-programmed contacts should the user need help.

But it’s not simply about cell phones.  Wireless technology means connection.  For example, another solution Clarity built for seniors from the ground up is our AM6000 wireless notification system. Ideal for those with moderate to profound hearing loss and the deaf, this system connects to the telephone, doorbell, alarms and motion sensors to alert users of activities within the home. Bright LEDs have distinct flashing patterns for each event and a bed shaker is included for those times spent relaxing so the hearing impaired never miss another call or visitor.

The need for these devices is evident, and the C900 has already been recognized as the leader in this category by major media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. As wireless technology advances, seniors and people with disabilities can’t be left out in the cold.  Make sure the wireless products that are being offered to your customers are designed–not just marketed–with their unique needs in mind.

• Among grandparents providing financial support to their extended families — 23 percent help with daycare, 40 percent with housing (mortgage and rent), 21 percent with education, 70 percent with cash for daily expenses, and 24 percent with health care.
• They spend $52 billion a year in supporting their families, including $ 32 billion in educational and related costs; they are responsible for 45 percent of all consumer spending on gifts.
• They control three-fourths of the nation’s wealth.
• They have spent an average of $8,661 on their grandchildren during the past five years, or a total of $370 billion.
• Twenty-six percent are providing more support, due to the recession.
• Nearly 43 million households include a grandparent.
• 6.2 million grandparents had grandchildren younger than 18 years old living with them in 2007.
• 2.5 million grandparents were responsible for most of the needs of grandchildren living with them in 2007.
• 30 percent of children younger than five years of age, and whose mothers worked outside the home, were cared for by a grandparent in 2005.

At Clarity, we’re  showing our appreciation by staying committed to developing products  that  help seniors, many of whom are grandparents, live better lives longer.   Most tech companies are designing for the youth and have left seniors behind.  Not us.  We know people like your grandparents need our help and that’s why we exist.

So, join us, and don’t forget to call and say thanks to your grandparents.

New amplified DECT cordless phones from Clarity

Chattanooga, Tenn. – Clarity, a division of Plantronics (NYSE: PLT) and the nation’s leading provider of amplified telephones for people with hearing loss, has launched a new line of amplified phones that utilizes Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology 6.0 (DECT). The two new phones—the D613 and the D603—include DECT to ensure crisp, clear and interference-free communication for the millions of Americans experiencing hearing loss.

The DECT phones also feature a new ergonomic design with soft touch buttons that makes the handsets easier to hold and use.  Plus, bold numbers and text helps those with waning vision. The new phones are available for purchase at leading retailers and online at www.clarityproducts.com for $89.95 (D613) and $79.95 (D603).  An expandable handset, the D613HS, is also available for $49.95.

“Our new DECT product line combines advanced amplification with a pragmatic design,” said Carsten Trads, president of Clarity. ”We have created technology for the hearing impaired for 40 years, so we have a deep understanding of the people who use and need our products.  Hearing loss is often one of several health challenges our customers face.  That’s why our new DECT line is aimed at helping people with low vision and limited mobility as well as hearing loss.”

The D613 cordless handset uses Clarity Power^TM to amplify incoming sounds up to 30 decibels, or up to 32 times louder than a normal telephone. It also features a digital answering machine.  Other user-friendly elements on the lightweight handset include large, easy-to-push buttons and a contrasting caller ID display for people with low vision. The phone is hearing aid and T-coil compatible and complies with TIA-1083 guidelines. This ensures reduced interference for those using hearing aids during conversations.

In addition, the D613 features call waiting caller ID, call screening, call transfer and mute call functions. It also includes a speakerphone, a 30 name and number phonebook and nine speed dial options.

The D603 offers all the features of the D613, but does not include a digital answering machine.

Integrated DECT allows the expansion of up to five handsets on one phone line, plus intercom capabilities between handsets. Customers can purchase the D613HS expandable handset separately or in a package with the D613C for $119.95.  Each handset offers up to six hours of talk time on a single charge. All phones come with a one-year limited warranty. Menu language is available in English, French and Spanish. For more information, visit www.clarityproducts.com.

]]> http://clarityproducts.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/clarity-unveils-new-line-of-dect-cordless-amplified-phones/feed/ 0 SPR DECT_phones http://clarityproducts.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/clarity%e2%80%99s-latest-cordless-amplified-telephones-tia-1083-compliant/ http://clarityproducts.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/clarity%e2%80%99s-latest-cordless-amplified-telephones-tia-1083-compliant/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 15:49:14 +0000 rwitherell1 http://clarityproducts.wordpress.com/?p=23 ]]> Hearing aid users experience reduced interference on new C4220, C4230 phones, Walker handsets