I finally broke down and bought one after i put my old phone through the wash. I realize the potential increase in productivity this phone presents for the contractor, but I really got it so I could get current wind conditions for sailing while at work.
Here is the issue, how do you guys carry this brick around? I use to clip the my old phone to my pocket, no big deal. I am a “working” contractor. I go under houses, into attics, I use tools, etc. I am afraid of demolishing this thing.
Right now I have it in a clear case and keep it in my pocket, which is driving me totally nuts. I hate having anything in my pockets.
I want to use the headphones, which allow u to listen to music, and also take calls. But I can see very easily breaking the port and jack. I was thinking of getting an armband set-up, not sure though.
I would be interested to find out how you guys and gals who actually do physical labor are carrying your iphones.
Replies
Sorry if this is no help, but I have a rubber jacket on mine and I keep it, and only it, in my front pocket. I don't do heavy field work.
Check out Case Logic:
How 'bout this one in bubblegum?
http://www.caselogic.com/pockets_trade_medium/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=86122
Edited 5/27/2009 9:40 pm ET by Southbay
leave it in the truck's console...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I have the I-touch. Im on it now. I use it mostly for work and i love it. I have a screen protector and a rubber case. I leave it in the truck. I wish i had the phone mainly for internet when im away from wifi. I would probably go insane trying to protect it if i had to have it on me all the time.
I like it for to do's, shopping lists, and showing clients photos.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I use this case for a Palm Treo (well not this case, the one they make for the Treo). I put my Treo in with the front facing in to provide a little extra protection for the screen. Tough as nails and absolutely will not come off your belt. Made for cops to wear on their equip belts.
Here's a link:
http://www.desantisholster.com/storefrontB2CWEB/itemdetail.do?action=prepare_detail&itm_id=12076&itm_index=21
Bluetooth headphones are what you need. I use the S9 motorola with my motorola phone for music on the go. I believe the iPhone will work with them. They are cordless.
The s9 won't let you listen to music on the iphone without an adapter. And it's not just the s9. The iphone doesn't support music streaming via bluetooh as of yet.There is a software update coming out, hopefully by July, that is rumored to address this.More info here if you are interested, including some possible workarounds until then.http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1917196&tstart=0'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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I got an Otterbox (http://www.otterbox.com/?cid=GOGOT8&kw=otterbox&gclid=CLnJ8Mzr3poCFQoMDQod608DzQ) which I would highly recommend as an absolutely bombproof case. It comes with a belt clip, which unfortunately seems unsecure, so I don't use it. I keep mine in my pocket, though I don't do a lot of manual labor.
I have the otterbox and I would highly recommend it, even if it is just for the port protectors.
I am a field guy so my pockets seem constantly full of sawdust and other debris.(I need longer shirts or something)
You don't have to worry about jamming the ports with sawdust or dirt. When I take my phone out of the case it still looks brand new.It is a dilemma about the iphone. Now that I have one, I wouldn't think of going back to another phone due to all of its' features, but I am also terrified about breaking it and having to buy another one at full price. Because of that, I just keep mine out of my pocket and around the jobsite where it won't get damaged, but still within earshot for incoming calls.
Another vote for the "OTTER BOX".
I just switched to the Blackberry....protecting it was my MAJOR concern. Having a phone with all the apps/internet/email etc., sitting in my truck made absolutely no sense.
Shock proof, water resistant, and dust proof.
I agree the belt clip isn't ideal....but it's no worse than my old Nextel which only got knocked loose on occassion. It suffices for 99% of the field work I do. On the rare occassion that I'm climbing around rafters from three stories, I find a more secure, yet still accessible means of holding on to it. (Usually clipped onto my tool belt within one of the pouches so that if it does get knocked loose, it stays put.)
Makes for a bulkier phone, but even without the case, I'm not a phone-in-pocket kinda guy.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
I got the Crackberry Curve and got and Otterbox $31.78 on ebay del. It is sort of bullet proof but sure makes it awfully big. Right now I have the otter film on and a oem silicone cover I got for 5.47 del on the bay. I share the feelings about the holster. The belt clip does not make me feel secure. Do like the magnet function to go standby.
With the current skin I use one of the Texas Holdem leather cases when not working and have a nite ize cloth one for work. I added some magnets in appropriate spaces and they turn her off and on.
Was lusting for iphone but went this way. I think I like the lg env3. For the c'berry did you addvlingo. It works pretty darn well. Not just a voice dial but can text and email by voice.For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
Haven't added any apps as yet....just bought it a couple weeks ago.
Came with some kind of voice activated program....but haven't yet experimented.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
This sounds like a possibility. Thanks.
Thank you for letting us know about the s9 thing. iPhone stopped me buying it again! Or is there an app for that?
There's not an app yet. You have to wait until June/July for the new 3.0 firmware to be released.And I went back to the announcement and it does appear that the new firmware will support A2DP, or stereo bluetooth.There's the possibility of putting on a third party adapter on the iphone, but it sounds a bit kludgy, especially if a real solution is 30-60 days away.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Mine fell out of my shirt pocket on the job a few weeks ago ... smashed the glass (but I had a protective film on it so it stayed intact and kept working). $150 repair. Ouch.
Now I keep it in my pants pocket.
It's an awesome phone though ...
I woundered if the screen was glass or plastic. I have the I-Touch and I also bought a screen protector. I now feel better about putting it in my pocket.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Docked in the portable speakers playing music or in the left front pocket, screen towards the skin.
This sale is good until tomorrow I think. I have it on my Eternity phone which is sort of like the Iphone but not with as many bells n whistles (or the hefty monthly data plan). this pritector is worth it's weight in gold ...to me. Takes some patience to install it but I put it on perfectly within 20 minutes.
http://www.zagg.com/j/newletter/memorialday.html
I'l link you to the case I bought in my next post which is also excellent.
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
OK...after much research I scored this case for my phone and LOVE IT! It's very lightweight but cusions my phone beautifully. Way easy to open and stays closed perfectly (velcro). Has a nice little built in flashlight I use often. Has a watch right on the outside I use a lot. No need to take out my phone or wear a watch on my wrist.
Alos keeps all rain off it if I'm working in the rain...The Invisable shield I linked you to in the prior site also helps cushion the phone and keep it dry not to mention everytime I answer my phone w/spackle or paint on my hands it comes right off.
Has a built in collapsable pen (I mainly use as a to tap the letters on my phone when I write longish emails). HAs a retractable key ring.
If I lost it I'd buy it again. I've seen deals on it on other sites. I think I found a good deal on Amazon the day I bought it.
https://dakota.webfeatsecurity.com/chosenwatch.aspx?ProdID=328
edit: Click where it says "additional images" in the site....also it's not nearly as big as it looks in the photo.
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
Edited 5/28/2009 8:33 pm ET by andybuildz
Wow! Can you get to the phone before Voicemail takes over. Thats alot of case.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Opens as fast as any case posssibly could and stays locked better'n most. How hard is it to opena velcro flap?
Plus The Invisable Shield's 50% off sale is over today. Regularly $25. If you get it I'll give you some tips as to how to install it properly. It's a litttle tricky but WELL worth the effort.
http://www.zagg.com/j/newletter/memorialday.html
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
Flips open faster'n any case I ever owned and holds tightly closed so I never worry about it opening..
PS...todays the last day of that 50% off of the Invisable shield....I think it regularly costs $25. It;s saved my phone more times then I can tell ya...plus I like the grip/feel it gives my phone.
http://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&source=navclient#inbox/1218d7e8acfffea3
About the invisable shield history http://www.zagg.com/company/about_us.php
http://www.cliffordrenovations.com
http://www.ramdass.org
I've had my Iphone for a year now - I wouldn't be without it.It gets a lot of flack around here for being delicate, but IMO - it's no different in durability than any other smart phone - except for being better at almost everything.It's a computer you can take with you - obviously, it requires a bit more care than a $5 pay-per-minute phone, but it's worth the slight extra care.I've personally dropped mine a few times from about 2-3' and it survived fine.In fact, although I hesitate to admit it, the other day I set it on the hood of my truck (which has huge tires and is lifted 4") and than forgot and opened the hood.Phone must have fell about 5-6' onto my concrete driveway - no issues.Of course - I've had mine in a slip-together plastic case. I'm sure it'd have been toast all by itself for any one of those falls, but even with a simple case to absorb the shock - it's pretty darn tough.It's very cool to have it in your back pocket playing music from the speaker phone from the ipod when your running trim in a house - the speaker phone is loud and clear enough to be plenty of music when working inside or even outside.Best phone I've ever had and one helluva portable computer.JT
I don't wear tight jeans so I keep mine in my front pocket. Like someone else said that's all I keep in there. If I'm gonna get rough or down and dirty, like crawling around I take everything out of my pockets anyway. I have a clear plastic case and a rubber cover on mine. I am gonn get one of those otters though.
And I wouldn't have any "smart phone" without a screen protecor. That's the life blood of the phone.
Gangstas don't dance. We boogie.
I like to keep mine in a shirt/jacket pocket. Or locked up in the Makita radio.I crunched an ipod when I had it in my pants.Groovin' along to some tunes, sat down to make a cut and went 'uh-oh'.And, yes, screen protector is a must.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Sorry. Front pocket. Who the heck would carry
A $200.00 phone in their back pocket?
Gangstas don't dance. We boogie.
Hey....the bigger question is what kinda job is he doing "sitting down to make a cut"?
I'm happy if I get to sit down to eat lunch!
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
That's right. Makes you go Hmmm.
Gangstas don't dance. We boogie.
Hey, it's the leisurely South down here. You trying to tell me that not everyone has a barcalounger and large glass of lemonade set up in front of the miter saw? I think I was ripping some ply with an ez guide or something and hopped up to stretch to finish the cut.'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Even though they cost $12 for three, I agree the screen protector is not an option. I feel alot better taking my I-Touch along knowing the screen is protected.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.