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geekIT

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#319796 3-Jun-2025 12:51
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Over at right, the News and Reviews menu shows a new, inexpensive ($109), simple-to-use flip phone,the (Spark) HDM 2660:

 

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=27166

 

Unfortunately, it misses out (for me) on just one feature - a charging cradle. Instead it has the same system as most phones and tablets - a USB-C cable connection. My aging Doro flip phone has a cradle charger which, for me, is ideal. It's quicker to use, tidier, I always know where the phone is, and its charged\non-charged state is obvious from the red light's on\off state.

 

The Doro sits unobtrusively in a small corner of a bench in our kitchen. The other meter of bench space is taken up by a six-box of power points and chargers and a tangle of USB and USB-C cables for our multiple android phones, tablets and laptops.

 

I'd buy the HDM 2660 in a heartbeat if it had a cradle charger, and I've told HDM this, but I'm not optimistic about a helpful response. 

 

 

 

 





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'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Goosey
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  #3380202 3-Jun-2025 15:43
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Plenty of cheap and not so cheap “phone stands / cradles” on the interwebs to buy…

 

im guessing you want it to also charge?   I don’t think there’s much demand for that… given nowadays the cables are becoming more standard…..but im saying this, someone somewhere might be making universal fit, usb C cradles !  (Remember iPod docks were a dime a dozen back in the day).

 

 




Behodar
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  #3380203 3-Jun-2025 15:49
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How well do USB-based cradles work? In the "good old days" there were external contacts on the phone itself so all you had to do was drop it into the cradle and not align a port.


geekIT

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  #3380209 3-Jun-2025 16:14
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I take back my comment about HDM replying, they did respond and said this:

 

In response to your concern regarding cradle charger for HMD 2660 Flip phone, we would like to inform you that this device supports cradle charger too but the cradle charger does not come with the original box. However it can be bought separately. 

 

However, they didn't say where an HDM 2660 cradle could be purchased 🤨 They sent a link to the guide https://www.hmd.com/en_int/support/api/pdf/hmd-2660-flip-user-guide but it doesn't show a cradle.

 

Maybe Spark knows, they're supposed to be partnering HDM in this release.





'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

 

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

 




Gurezaemon
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  #3380211 3-Jun-2025 16:18
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Making a cradle to use an existing USB-C cable sounds like a project for a keen teenager with a 3D printer.





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tieke
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  #3380222 3-Jun-2025 17:06
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Look like they are about $30 on AliExpress if Spark don't stock them: https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005006671855731.html

 

 


geekIT

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  #3380445 4-Jun-2025 14:39
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tieke:

 

Look like they are about $30 on AliExpress if Spark don't stock them: https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005006671855731.html

 

 

Thanks for the link. But I've just realized that USB-C cradle is still going to need a USB-C cable, and, presumably, a power adapter. So, I'm no further ahead. Maybe a newer Doro,then.

 

BTW: It's not that I'm a Luddite; my wife and I have numerous computers, laptops and phones. Personally, I have two Samsung tablets and a Samsung Galaxy A05 phone that I don't use because it's too complicated when all I want to do is phone home for about 20 seconds on the very rare rare occasions when I'm not there. I think manufacturers are missing the boat when they try to appeal to retirees. I'm sure a little phone canvassing would yield them better info about technical needs of the elderly. 





'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

 

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

 


shk292
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  #3380476 4-Jun-2025 16:58
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I don’t understand the problem with the cradle linked above. You plug it into a charger via a usbc lead, then it sits unobtrusively on the bench with the phone in it, charging. the one time you touch the lead is the day you set it up

 

 how is this different to an old phone with a non usb charger, other than you no longer need a specific power supply and can use any usb source available?

 

 


 
 
 

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geekIT

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  #3380806 5-Jun-2025 16:35
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shk292:

 

I don’t understand the problem with the cradle linked above. You plug it into a charger via a usbc lead, then it sits unobtrusively on the bench with the phone in it, charging. the one time you touch the lead is the day you set it up

 

 how is this different to an old phone with a non usb charger, other than you no longer need a specific power supply and can use any usb source available?

 

 

My Doro 6520 has this cradle setup. The phone has two 'wire' prongs that sit loosely on top of the protruding lugs in the cradle. You don't need to be precise when placing the phone in the cradle, you can just drop it in, one-handed. Now, never having had a USB-C cradle I can't say that I know this for sure, but I'm guessing that one would need to be a little more careful about placing a USB-C phone into its cradle. All I know is that connecting our tablets and A05 phones to their USB-C cables isn't as easy.

 

 

 

 

 





'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

 

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

 


SpartanVXL
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  #3380845 5-Jun-2025 19:07
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This is exactly the type of use case for wireless charging cradles. Just leave the phone on/in the cradle in any position close enough to charge, set and forget.


RunningMan
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  #3380848 5-Jun-2025 19:14
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geekIT:

 

My Doro 6520 has this cradle setup. The phone has two 'wire' prongs that sit loosely on top of the protruding lugs in the cradle. 

 

 

Which seems to be exactly what the cradle linked above does.


geekIT

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  #3381233 6-Jun-2025 13:01
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RunningMan:

 

Which seems to be exactly what the cradle linked above does.

 

 

You could be right, this pic from that link appears to show two protuberances in the cradle's base. Maybe the phone has a USB-C socket on the base as well as two contacts to match the cradle pins?

 





'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

 

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

 


geekIT

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  #3384648 16-Jun-2025 11:10
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This phone could be useful for me, especially if the cradle arrangement is simple and easy. One other point, my existing Doro flip is 3G and ONE has just notified me they're about to dump 3G. 

 

As the new HDM\Spark 2660 has a dual SIM, does this mean I could retain my ONE number on their 4G network? I'm guessing I'd have to use a new Spark number in the other SIM? 





'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

 

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

 


djtOtago
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  #3384655 16-Jun-2025 11:48
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Have a talk to Spark, but I don't see anything to suggest this phone is "locked" to the spark network. You could just buy the phone from Spark and put in your One NZ SIM. 
Note. Check your current SIM size. The HMD 2660 uses nano sized SIMs. It is likely your older DORO phone is Micro size. Any OneNZ store can change your SIM size for you.


geekIT

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  #3393332 11-Jul-2025 17:25
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djtOtago:

 

Have a talk to Spark, but I don't see anything to suggest this phone is "locked" to the spark network. You could just buy the phone from Spark and put in your One NZ SIM. 
Note. Check your current SIM size. The HMD 2660 uses nano sized SIMs. It is likely your older DORO phone is Micro size. Any OneNZ store can change your SIM size for you.

 

 

Thanks for the comment. I finally bought the phone and the SIM from the Doro switched over OK because it was a nano inside an outer frame. So no prob :-)





'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

 

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

 

 

 

 

 

 


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