The first phone is the closest to a traditional clam shell style phone. The difference is the Jitterbug has a screen with a much larger default font. Also all notifications such as incoming calls or incoming messages have been greatly simplified to provide the ability to show the largest characters possible. Making the phone and screen extremely easy to read. Also the phone has extremely large words written on each button so that even without reading glasses you can easily see the keys. The smooth fonts with white characters on a black background also add to the legibility of the keys.

The second Jitterbug model has been simplified even further to serve as mainly a safety device that can also be very useful for seniors who have extremely bad cases of arthritis. This version of the Jitterbug only has three primary keys. Allowing someone to call emergency services were a single phone number that they want to call. Obviously that number is usually there grown children's.

Though the device is a major selling point the true benefit is from the live operator service. Unlike carriers such as Verizon wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile the Jitterbug operators actually serve an important part to the service. Any changes that your grandmother might want to make to the phone can all be done remotely by the operator. No longer do you have to come personally to her house or attempt to guide her through the maze of menus on many of today's cell phones. She can simply contact the company and tell the operator to add address book entries or change the phone number associated with a button. This really gives your favorite senior a true sense of freedom.

Jitterbug subscribers can reach a live operator 24 hours a day. Operators greet customers by name when they call and are trained to connect calls, provide directory assistance and make changes and updates to customer phone number contact lists. It is often not mentioned, though, that every call to such an operator deducts 5 minutes from the customers monthly allowance.

Jitterbug airtime is currently offered at a starting price of $10 per month, and they highlight the fact that there are no binding contracts - Jitterbug provides service on a month to month basis as desired.

Jitterbug has received a number of industry awards, including the New York Times Top 10 Brilliant Ideas of 2006, Andrew Seybold’s 2007 Choice Wireless Technology Award for “Best New Company” in the cell phone industry, as well as a 2007 selection for the Reader’s Digest: America’s 100 Best.