[DM-MUG] boo hoo (iPhone)

[Bill Davis]

Sorry to hear that. Which case did you get?  I hope the case is   
padded, rubberized and covers the glass face.   I still haven't found  
a case that I like and feel safely protects the too-fragile iPhone  
screen.

I dropped mine less than a month after purchasing it and the glass  
shattered.  I've had several cell phones over the years, some with  
external glass screens, dropped all of them on concrete, I've even  
fallen on my old RAZR in a rock bed (landing with the RAZR facing the  
rocks on a belt clip) and it's external screen didn't shatter.  The  
case didn't even scratch.    I dropped the RAZR and others on  
concrete from head level several times, no noticeable scratches.    
Yet my iPhone popped out of my belt clip from waist height onto the  
concrete walk outside my house, and the screen shattered.   The irony  
is that a few weeks before the iPhone was released there was a big  
announcement from Apple trumpeting the replacement of the plastic  
screen with high-quality glass.   It was supposed to resist scratches  
(like the glass used on good watches does).  Reviewers told of  
carrying their iphone in their pockets with their key rings and not  
having any scratches (I call baloney on that one, frankly!)

The plastic to glass change was a huge mistake.  They apparently  
didn't do much drop testing.  None, if you ask me.

For those folks who are considering buying an iPhone, I truly love  
mine's software, and the hardware is beautiful, but the hardware is  
far too fragile for a phone or PDA or other mobile device.  I  
recommend them, but be SURE to invest in a good, sturdy, rubberized,  
padded, fully-covering case/belt clip.  Avoid belt clips. If you drop  
it on something hard you will more than likely break the screen. I  
complained to Apple about this and sent feedback to their iPhone  
feedback site, though I don't expect them to change anything much  
less refund the $280 they charged to fix my phone!  If it breaks  
again, though, I'm going to lodge a complaint with the BBB and the  
state Attorney General's office.  I love the phone's features and  
usability, but the fragility is ridiculous.  I've never had a damaged  
cell phone through dropping it before.  Or even an iPod.   I dropped  
my PowerBookG4 once and the HUGE glass screen didn't shatter, it just  
dented and tore one corner a bit. Worked fine for almost a year after  
until I replaced it with a new MacBook for the Intel support.

The iPhone is simply poorly designed from a hardware standpoint for a  
mobile device.  Be warned and take steps to minimize the danger when  
you buy one.  I very much like the iPhone as a phone/PDA (less so as  
a PDA as it's far more limited than my Palm's PDA and has no 3rd  
party software and Apple won't allow 3rd party developers to write  
software for it, a probably fatal mistake.)  I am wishing I purchased  
a Treo, however.   I have considered selling the iPhone and buying a  
Treo and may yet do so.  If only the darn iPhone software wasn't so  
well designed.   Makes the Treo look like 1970's mobile tech.  Not  
perfect, much much, much better software!   I may yet change my mind  
though.  I'm still almost afraid to use the iphone anywhere but on a  
carpeted floor.  That's ridiculous for a cell phone!

Note:  This most likely applies to the iPod Touch as well, since it's  
pretty much the same hardware and software.

  - Bill Davis


On Oct 15, 2007, at 4:41 PM, John Eller wrote:

>
>
> ordered a more protective case (than i already own) for it last week.
> case arrived today.  was waiting for me on my doorstep.
> but phone screen was scratched somehow at work today.
>
> not so bad that it needs replacement yet, but boo hoo.
>
>
>
> i hate it when that happens.
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