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iPocket Bungee
Product:
iPocket Bungee
Description: restrain system for Compaq iPAQ PocketPC
Manufacturer: www.ipocketbungee.com
Price: $19.95 and up.
After a little more than a week of using the iPocket Bungee, I can finally share with you my comments on this product.
I can't tell you how rough I actually am with my electronic tools/toys. Usually, a typical device working on batteries will not last any longer than 6 months. I had to replace my digital camera about 4 months ago after a drop on the tile floor! 9 out of 10 times the device will break after I mishandle it or simply drop it! And no, I don't do this on purpose. I've been thinking about rugged Pocket PCs for a while but due to the relatively higher price I never actually convinced myself to purchase one of those. Instead, I promised myself to love and cherish my iPAQ and NOT drop it! Well, I have managed to do just about that for a little over a year now. Well, almost! The unit still flew of my hands on more than one occasion. I've been quite satisfied with my Vaja case as far as shock protection goes but never about actually preventing the drop from happening...
Enter the iPocket Bungee, a relatively simple solution to keep your iPAQ close and tight!
How it works:
The concept isn't new. Almost every single camera that one can buy does come with some sort of wrist cord. What's new and quite inventive is the way that the iPocket Bungee attaches itself to the device. Instead of using an inexistent hook to attach to the PocketPC, you simply have to slide the bungee part of the product under the iPAQ's Expansion Pack. The iPocket Bungee will work with any single Expansion Pack, and the company's currently looking at the integration for other devices (such as the Jornada 560 series).
The feel:
Once attached to your wrist, the Bungee cord feels like a ski stick wrapped around your wrist. Users should feel pretty confident. In the event that your iPAQ gets caught in a magic force field and slips out of your hand, you'll experience the bungee effect! Nothing too big, don't worry the iPAQ won't smash your face! Instead the drop will be nicely absorbed by the bungee cord preventing any damage to your PPC's internal!
The good, the bad, and the evil;
Engineering has proved for many years that successful products aren't always the most complicated. As a matter of fact, one of the first thing taught at school (engineering) is to minimize the number of parts. The iPocket Bungee falls in this category. Simple, and cost effective.
Using it with the Silver Slider was a little more difficult than with an unmodified sleeve as the lower part of the bungee cord tends to slide towards the sides.
The bad; I could only think about one thing. The price. $19.95 still isn't cheap. After talking to many users about this product, pretty much all had the same reaction: "Too much for a piece of rope". I know that this might seem harsh but unless you try it, you really can't see why it costs that much! It's a true plus that will most likely save your iPAQ from the fatal drop!
The Bungee is also available in red, white and blue and leather (the later cost $55 and comes with a very nice carrying case). iPocketbungee.com also offers custom name plates, the Bungee ID, that can be attached to the end of the iPocketBungee (up to 10 letters engraved).
After talking to John Newby, CEO of iPocketBungee.com, I was told that the company tried several cheaper bungee cords but after intense testing, they ended up with one of the most expensive. The reason: it stands a whooping 40lb of force! Not to mention that every iPocketBungee is assembled by hand and fully tested before shipping!
Give it a shot... What's another $20 anyways... Santa might even slip one of those in your stocking!!!!
Finally, I'd like to thank John (Dr. Newby) for sending me my iPocket Bungee (I love it and keep it on at all time!!!).
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