A Tribute To My Dad For Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Dad. Late as usual I suppose. Thank you for giving your life and dreams to provide for us kids when we needed it most.

TomTom One - Worth its 1lb weight in gold!

Technology designed to do a number of things: phone, internet, gps, music player - will usually do all of them only reasonably well. But a device that is designed to specialize in one of the above will generally do that task MUCH better. This is definitely the case with the TomTom One 140-S GPS device.Overview

With the advent of faux-GPS available on Smart Phones today, many people, including myself, believed the stand-alone GPS device to be obsolete. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I discovered that when I travel overseas and don't wish to incur mammoth data charges, clumsy map books from a "petrol garage", or ask directions in a language I don't speak, I have relied on my TomTom One GPS to bail me out and help me navigate unknown towns and cities.

The following review will give a basic look at the hardware and software of the TomTom One and will apply to the following TomTom One models: ONE 3rd Edition, ONE 130, ONE 130-S, ONE 140, and ONE 140-s - all of which utilize essentially the same hardware technology minus cosmetic, aesthetic changes from the 3rd edition (fatter and more square 3.5" screen casing) to the ONE 140-s (slimmer and more rectangular 3.5" screen casing) and software technology 140-S (features text-to-speech - announcing streets and Points of Interest) vs ONE 3rd edition (No voiced street names and POIs receive a "chime").

Whats In The Box

I wish I could start this review on the right foot, but I can't. Here is one of the few negatives of the TomTom One Line. You will receive the GPS unit itself, a USB Car Charger and USB cable, an Easyport Mount (Windscreen Holder for the ONE 3rd Edition), and last but not least, Documentation - Quick Start Guide and Accessory leaflet.

Conspicuous by its absence is the wall charger that EVERY Electronic Device should come with, even stingy old Apple provides a very basic wall charger for its products! Not so with TomTom ONE. You can use the USB cable to charge the device on your laptop or home computer and the device will charge while running from the cigarette lighter, but if you are at a motel and don't have your laptop, and the car is parked and turned off safely 3 floors below, you're out of luck for charging this thing. It also does not come with any thin flimsy faux-leather case that even cheap $8 Sunglass purchases come with! Not to fear, I've found aftermarket GPS cases for about $7 and the discount stores.

I picked up a $5 USB wall charger and found it to charge this unit just fine. *WARNING* Do NOT buy this accessory from TomTom or from Radio Shack, they will hammer your wallet for $40 or $50 to buy the actual "charger" and its completely unnecessary. The USB wall adapter and TomTom supplied USB cable work just fine for my unit.
Specifications (for all models mentioned above)

Screen Size is 3.5"
Screen Type is 4:3 LCD
Screen Resolution is 320 x 240 Pixels
It weighs about 140 grams (about a pound)
It has an internal non-removable battery that is rated for 3 hrs
Memory - Internal Flash Memory only 2GB no SD slot!
Hardware

I'm a big guy and this GPS device fits in my hand well, but it would not fit into a smaller person's hand. (My wife hates carrying this thing around.)

It has a power button on the top and a mini USB port on the bottom (ONE 3rd edtion has a traffic antenna port on the bottom that works with FM radio - traffic antenna is an additional $125 accessory)

The back contains the speaker for voice instruction.

I've saved the LCD on the front for the last observation. Before the iPhone came out, the touch LCD was amazing technology that seemed to work so well. Now that I've had an iPhone for a couple years, the LCD response and lag can be a bit frustrating but ultimately does the job. Without going into the software here, it basically requires a quick 'pop' of the finger to register an entry and is sluggish to register when attempting to "zoom" or scroll like you would Google Maps on an iphone.

It has an internal GPS sensitive chipset that often times requires a precise position on your dashboard or hand to properly pick up triangulation accuracy. Think of it like the old days where sometimes you had to hold the rabbit ears of your TV set and stand on one foot when trying to get M*A*S*H to come in 'just right'. Once the satellites lock on your TomTom, you're in. I've rarely ever seen this GPS drop the satellite link unless I've done something obvious like driven into a tunnel or parking garage.

A negative here is there isn't an SD slot for expansion. You are stuck with the scant 2GB internal flash Memory forEVER! The problem here is that one map set: US/Canada or Western Europe etc, will use up all 2 GB of that space which means you have this horribly complicated process of wiping the GPS and trading out for the alternative map EVERY time you leave your main map area. Believe me, this process is a pain because the technology is USB 1 and the transfer time is an over night endeavor.
Software

The software is where the TomTom really shines. It comes preloaded (in the U.S.) with U.S. and Canada maps with most additional countries running about $79 for each map.

Like the earlier units you get:
• turn by turn voice directions
     The volume can be set to auto-adjust to your vehicle speed.
     I have been through downtown LA about 20 times and the ONLY
     times I have successfully navigated the tangled mess of off and
     on ramps without a reroute has been when I've used this TomTom.
    
• automatic rerouting when you miss a turnoff (intentionally or unintentionally
• Fast Navigation
     Several months ago I had this TomTom working directly next to
     my iPhone 3G GPS and the TomTom gave directions well before
     a turnoff whereas the iPhone GPS lagged behind to the point
     where it gave instructions (non-voice) well after I had already
     passed the turnoff - definite advantage TomTom
• Fairly reliable and updated maps
     This can be user generated (most up-to-date but only somewhat
     reliable) or TomTom generated (behind the times but very
     accurate)
• Find POIs near you, or near destination, etc
     I have used this here in the States or overseas to find ATMs, gas
     stations, and post offices, etc which can come in VERY handy in a
     city you don't know very well. On this 140-S unit, it will voice the
     POIs you've selected as you near them. On the ONE 3rd Edition,
     you can set it to chime as it nears a selected POI.
• Saved destinations for future use.
• Set Routes for Driving, Walking, Bicycling - Fastest, no freeways, etc
     I walked around Paris with this GPS in my hand and set it to find
     the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame. It kept guiding me
     along strangely LONG routes until I discovered that I needed to
     set it to "walk" routes and not "drive" routes. The TomTom was
     paying attention to one-way streets that are all bypassed in "walk"
     mode. VERY handy once again.

The 140-S adds the following features:
• Advanced Lane Guidance
     Now detailed information about complex freeways (like downtown
     LA) and the ideal lanes to maintain your particular route of travel.
• Text-To-Speech
     This is just a minor "add" as it now allows you to have street
     names and POIs 'spoken' which the older models cannot do. I
     don't find that this feature is necessary, so you could save a few    
     bucks and get the older models which do not run this version of
     software.
• IQ Routes
     This utilizes compiled user data of average speeds on a given road
     at a given time and then passes that information on to your device
      if you select "fastest route"
Conclusion

Technology designed to do a number of things: phone, internet, gps, music player - will usually do all of them only reasonably well. But a device that is designed to specialize in one of the above will generally do that task MUCH better. This is definitely the case with the TomTom One 140-S GPS device. If I need to do some serious navigation and don't want to continue looking at my iPhone for instructions, this is the device that has saved my bacon time and time again.

I paid about $100 for this device and considering I no longer stop for directions or to buy maps or waste hundreds of dollars in time and/or gas driving or walking in circles. I would count the benefits of this GPS in the thousands of dollars - 1 pound GPS device equal in value to 1 pound of gold, even with the stingy box offering and sometimes glitchy screen!
Pros: Price, Map Accuracy, Software, Fast Navigation, POI locators.
Cons: Poor LCD map touch response, No wall charger or case! Expensive accessories, No SD EXPANSION!
The Bottom Line: If you need a device to help you navigate an unknown concrete jungle or spaghetti bowl of freeways, this is your GPS!
Recommended:
Yes

Remembering My Mom on Mothers Day

Today is the first Mother's Day without my Mom. I wasn't sure how to feel about it. The obvious feelings are "loss", a bit of "emptiness", and somewhat"lost", but mostly it was really just awkward I suppose. I didn't quite know how to go about the day. In the end, I figured I would write a quick blog to honor her memory and reflect on a few of the more obscure moments with my Mom.

I remember that as a small boy, my Mom would pray with me every night: the typical Catholic "Our Father" + "Hail Mary" + personal petitions and intercessions. I remember that after each night of prayer she would give me a kiss and say, "Goodnight Andy, sweet dreams, God bless you!" and every night this was repeated. It became a very comforting ritual, the most satisfying of which was my Mom's goodnight blessing.

One night she left my room by saying, "Good night Andy, sweet dreams." and began to close the door. I remember crying out in a panic, "YOU FORGOT TO SAY 'GOD BLESS YOU!?!'". I remember her gentle smile and a sort of laugh at my correction. She assured me that everything would still be OK even if she forgot to say one of those magic phrases. However, she saw how important it had become to me and she would never forget to include all three elements of the "Goodnight" ritual thereafter.

Today, when I pray with my six year old, I give him a kiss and repeat those three elements in that exact order, "Goodnight Joshy, sweet dreams, God bless you!" He seems to derive a similar comfort from this blessing and even repeats it back to me the same way that I would with my Mom.

Each night I say this, I privately think of my Mom and it brings a bit of her into my daily life, her kindness and love paying dividends even to the next generation.

Happy Mother's Day Mom. I'll never forget you and I sure do miss you.

I. Did. Not. Know. That. Little known Cliff Claven facts about the world.

Alaska More than half of the coastline of the entire United States is in Alaska . Amazon The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% of the world's oxygen supply. The Amazon River pushes so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than one hundred miles at sea off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh water out of the ocean.  The volume of water in the Amazon river is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the world combined and three times the flow of all rivers in the United States . Antarctica Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country. Ninety percent of the world's ice covers Antarctica . This ice also represents seventy percent of all the fresh water in the world. As strange as it sounds, however, Antarctica is essentially a desert; the average yearly total precipitation is about two inches. Although covered with ice (all but 0.4% of it, ice.), Antarctica is the driest place on the planet, with an absolute humidity lower than the Gobi desert. Brazil Brazil got its name from the nut, not the other way around. Canada Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined. Canada is an Indian word meaning ' Big Village '. Chicago Next to Warsaw , Chicago has the largest Polish population in the world. Detroit Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, carries the designation M-1, so named because it was the first paved road anywhere. Damascus, Syria Damascus, Syria, was flourishing a couple of thousand years before Rome was founded in 753 BC, making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in existence. Istanbul, Turkey Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world located on two continents. Los Angeles Los Angeles' full name is: El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula -- and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A. New York City The term 'The Big Apple' was coined by touring jazz musicians of the 1930s who used the slang expression 'apple' for any town or city. Therefore, to play New York City is to play the big time - The Big Apple. There are more Irish in New York City than in Dublin, Ireland; more Italians in New York City than in Rome, Italy; and more Jews in New York City than in Tel Aviv, Israel. Ohio There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio , every one is manmade. Pitcairn Island The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn in Polynesia , at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km. Rome The first city to reach a population of 1 million people was Rome , Italy in 133 B.C. There is a city called Rome on every continent. Siberia Siberia contains more than 25% of the world's forests. S.M.O.M. The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M). It is located in the city of Rome, Italy, has an area of two tennis courts and, as of 2001, has a population of 80 -- 20 less people than the Vatican. It is a sovereign entity under international law, just as the Vatican is. Sahara  Desert In the Sahara Desert, there is a town named Tidikelt, Algeria , which did not receive a drop of rain for ten years. Technically though, the driest place on Earth is in the valleys of the Antarctic near Ross Island .. There has been no rainfall there for two million years. Spain Spain literally means 'the land of rabbits'. St. Paul, Minnesota St. Paul, Minnesota, was originally called Pig's Eye after a man named Pierre 'Pig's Eye' Parrant who set up the first business there. Roads Chances that a road is unpaved: in the U.S.A. = 1%; in Canada = 75% Russia The deepest hole ever drilled by man is the Kola Superdeep Borehole, in Russia . It reached a depth of 12,261 meters (about 40,226 feet or 7.62 miles). It was drilled for scientific research and gave up some unexpected discoveries, one of which was a huge deposit of hydrogen - so massive that the mud coming from the hole was boiling with it. United States The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies. Waterfalls The water of Angel Falls (the world's highest) in Venezuela drops 3,212 feet (979 meters). They are 15 times higher than Niagara Falls.

Ted and Pat Hamilton: Celebrate Life Memorial Fund

http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/tedandpathamilton

Ted and Pat Hamilton met in 1953 in Topeka, KS. Pat was the ROTC Queen of her class at Washburn University where she attended and volunteered to register returning veterans to the University. It is here that she met a man who would become her "Knight in shining armor" and lifelong best friend: Ted Hamilton.

They would marry in 1955 and welcome their first child in 1956 and their second child in 1958. Tragically, they lost their third child, "Kenneth" in the first few months of his life due to brain damage at birth.

This young couple persevered through this tragedy and because of their undying faith and love for children they would bless 6 more children with life: A total of 3 boys and 5 girls.

They would spend their lives wiping tears, changing diapers, and packing lunches for these eight children. Endless stories read to eager young minds, countless sessions of nighttime prayers, and an eternity of hymns and campfire songs would cheer our spirits set our childhood world aright. They would support, mentor, and pass on their values of family and hard work to all of us.

Patricia Hamilton became a 4th grade teacher while still a young mother in Topeka, KS. She would eventually transition to full time "home and family builder" until her early 40s where she would move on to become a Social Worker for Clark County, Nevada. This was a God-ordained role that was a natural fit for her natural compassion.

Pat also spent some time as a case worker for St. Vincents "Haven of Hope" in Las Vegas and would talk make continual mention of the kindness of those people around her there. She would eventually retire from the County with her husband Ted to a little town in Southern Utah called Cedar City. She would achieve her dream of living in a green forested area.

Theodore Hamilton was a renowned photographer of his Hayden High School class, earning him the nickname "Snappy" by all of his classmates. "Snappy" would follow in his father's footsteps and join the Navy almost directly after high school. Ted went on to become a Naval Veteran of the Korean War and immediately entered the University of Washburn in Topeka, KS after his tour of duty in Korea was completed.

Ted was a hard working man of many talents. With a degree in Systems Analysis from Washburn University, he would marry his college sweetheart and they would embark, on a journey that would take the family from Topeka, KS to Louisville, KY, to Greenville, TX, to Phoenix, AZ and finally to Las Vegas, NV, adding 8 children along the way! He was a firm believer in providing for his children in many ways. He was always willing to share his engineering skills and woodworking craft with family, friends, and neighbors even after he began to struggle with his health.

Both Ted and Pat were quite active in the Catholic Church while in Las Vegas. Ted was in The Knights of Columbus and a lead usher while Pat sang in the choir and sat on the Church council for a time at St. Francis De Sales.

Tragically, on December 14th, 2010 while toting Christmas gifts from Cedar City to Las Vegas for their children, grand children, and great children, they were involved in an auto accident outside Cedar City that would immediately claim the life of Pat and complicate the health of Ted where he would pass away and join his best friend only 12 days later.

It is because of their lifelong love of 8 children, 7 children-in-laws, 14 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren that we have set up this page to celebrate the lives of our parents who tirelessly celebrated the lives of their own children. This memorial fund offers an opportunity to honor their memory by donating to the work of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in lieu of sending memorial flowers. We felt that supporting the medical well-being of children who cannot support themselves would be most consistent with the way our Parents lived on this Earth.

http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/tedandpathamilton

Services to celebrate our dear Mom and Dad's lives will be held at 9:30am on January 26th, 2011 at Christ The King Catholic Church in Las Vegas.

Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ :Your HD Movies,DVDs, Netflix, Internet Streaming

Great variety of formats, ample inputs, 1080p, and easy set up will cause you to overlook the awful operating system of this sub $100 glitchy media player. It will play ripped DVDs and Blu Ray files and will...

What I Was Looking For:

I saw media boxes out there that streamed Netflix (Roku) and boxes
out there that could play my HD media files and ripped DVD files
(popcorn hour) but I was looking for a media box that could do both.
I saw a couple variations from Western Digital etc but decided on the
Seagate FreeAgent Theater+.
Whats in The Box:

The unboxing was unspectacular and I found myself asking "Is that it?"
Its basically a very slimline plastic box about an inch or two high and
roughly as big around as fat DVD package. It came with the following:

• a feather light (not always a good thing) remote control
• a composite cable (yellow, red, white old-school garbage)
• a component cable (red green blue - for up to 1080i play)
• an ethernet cable. (for streaming Netflix, Youtube, Mediafly, etc)
• a 1 year warranty.

Strangely, a big selling point of this box is the fact that it can play
1080p which is HUGE. However, Seagate went cheapie cheap and did
not include an HDMI cable. I guess when they considered all that
expensive plastic they poured into the box and remote, we had
already received enough value for our $99.

Hardware:
OK, so I've harped on the somewhat "flimsy"-feeling construction,
but lets look at what we can plug into the Seagate Theater+.

• Connection of this box is very simple and very straightforward and
requires very little technical expertise. However, operation of the
remote, as you will soon see, requires the patience of a thousand monks.

• No physical buttons on this thing save a small deeply recessed reset
button on the back panel. Get familiar with this button you will need
it. No buttons means TOTAL reliance on the remote. DON'T LOSE
THAT REMOTE. Just a subtle warning.

• This compact media box has a removable plastic cover on the front
right panel. When removed it reveals a niche with a dock that
fits/connects a USB Seagate FreeAgent drive "almost" nicely. I say
"almost" because the drive extends beyond the front of the player and
the removable plastic cover does not fit back over the niche with an
attached hard drive so you're left with a media player that constantly
looks like its in the middle of giving birth to an overpriced mini hard
drive at all times.

I don't know what Executive at Seagate signed off on this glorious
design but really, 2 more inches of plastic and it all looks wonderful.
Seagate wanted an almost invisible media player, so in a brilliant
effort to preserve aesthetics, some designer decided to sacrifice...
well...aesthetics. Weird, really weird.

• On the backside of this unit there are a number of ports to
accommodate a variety of audio and video input.
Going left to right:
     - a 1/4" mini "AV" input which is compatible with the standard
       definition composite to mini cable included in the box. This also
       acts as an audio input to compliment the component input.

     - Red, Green, Blue component input for those who still have only

       1080i capable TVs and/or devices. These inputs are picture only
       so if you are finnicky like me, and require audio with your video
       you will need to utilize the composite to mini cable and just plug
       in the red and white (audio) cables to your TV or device. This is a
       clunky weird set up for this box I know. Seagate could have just
       added an additional 2 RCA audio inputs and Bob would be our
       uncle, but they went ultra cheap on this media player to compete
       with Roku and get one up on Popcorn Hour,
       so this is what we get.

     - Optical Audio Input - this is pretty cool, if you have a TV or
       device that has an Optical Audio output. If you do, by all means,
       utilize this input for your component audio, its far better and
       clearer kluging RCA composite cables with Radio Shack
       extenders to get the AV cable working.

     - HDMI Input - For those of us who decided to party like its 2007.
       Basically all HDTVs now come with multiple HDMI outputs that
       enable you to view 1080p HD. This is an added feature to the
       Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ and the picture quality is not bad
       in my opinion. In fact, very good considering the sub $100 price.

     - LAN or "Ethernet" input - Run this to your broadband router or
       home network and you are well on your way to enjoying Netflix,
       Youtube, Mediafly, vtuner, picasa, Flickr, AND access to any
       movies you've made available on your home network.

     - USB port - You can load your movies, music, pics on an external
       USB2 hard drive, run a USB cable discreetly to this USB 2.0 port
       on the back of the box and you've just expanded instant access
       to your media library. You can also connect digital cameras,
       camcorders, or flash drives to access movies, music, & pictures.

     - 12v DC power input - not sexy - just does what it does.

     - RESET button - DEFINITELY not sexy - wished it weren't necessary

• And now, we address another "con" of the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+:
The Remote.

Actually, I'm not really even sure if its the remote or the infared
receiver on the box, but nearly every command to this player from
the compulsory remote, requires 2 or 3 presses of the same button to
get the box to respond.

Sometimes, its just horrible lag and then suddenly it catches up and
bombards the interface with multiple "left" or "enter" or "back"
commands and you find yourself at the root folder of the player and
far far away from that glorious Meatballs III movie you had intended
to watch 5 minutes ago.

This remote, I believe, is responsible for more hair and eyes being
pulled out of humans than all mass murderers in history COMBINED.
Very frustrating interaction between the remote and the box.
Software Interface (OS):

Some of the problems I've listed above are actually not problems with
the remote but rather are issues with the OS of the media player.

The Interface is very basic and really feels like a 3rd rate Chinese rip
off of Popcorn Hour or Roku, which, I believe, are both 3rd rate
Chinese rip offs of something else.

Very basic selections to choose from: Movies, Pictures, Music, Internet, Devices - all as square thumbnails floating in a blue room.

• "Movies" opens up an archaic "DOS-like" screen which lists all movie
files you have on any connected hard drive.
• "Pictures" opens up a thumbnail list of available pics found on a
connected hard drive.
• "Music" same as pics and movies
• "Internet" connects you to Netflix, Youtube, Mediafly, some VIDEO
RSS feeds and hundreds (if not thousands) of internet radio stations
through vTuner. You can also access Picasa and Flickr photo sites.
Sadly, no Hulu connection here yet, a DEFINITE disadvantage over
other competitive media boxes for sure.

• "Devices" gives you access to media on whatever hard drive, or 3rd
party devices you have connected.

Software: Media Formats

This is definitely a strong point for the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+
Media Player, and definitely the reason for my decision to buy:
Video: MPEG–1, MPEG–2 (VOB/ISO) this was important for me
because I wanted to rip my collection of DVDs and make them
available on my home network for instant viewing (in my home only
of course, only legal usage) When you use the VOB/ISO file format, it
will play with menus like you have a DVD running.
More Video: MPEG–4 (Xvid), DivX Plus™ HD, Xvid HD, AVI,
MOV, MOV is a format that I've noticed gives the FreeAgent Theater+
some problems for some reason. The Mpeg1,2, and 4 formats work
fine but the larger .MOV files are not readily recognized when the
Theater+ scans my drive for movie files.
MKV - This is HUGE I tell you, HUGE! If you own Blu Ray and have
figured out how to legally rip your blu rays to MKVs for personal
in-home "backup" or some other legal reason, then you will delight in
the fact that the Seagate box plays those blu ray files. yahoo.
Even MORE Video:  RMVB Real Media, AVC HD, H.264, WMV9, VC–1,
M2TS, TS/TP/M2T

Video Resolutions: NTSC 480i/480p, PAL 576i/576p, 720p, 1080i,
1080p
Subtitles: SAMI (smi), SRT, SUB

Audio: AAC - it is important to note here that this box will definitely
play Apple's AAC format, but will not play the "protected/locked" AAC
files you've purchased from iTunes. That isn't really a knock on the
Theater+ though, even most APPLE devices won't play the locked
AACs unless you authorize them with big brother.
More Audio: MP3, Dolby® Digital, DTS, ASF, FLAC, WMA, LPCM,
ADPCM, WAV, OGG Playlist: M3U, PLS
Photo: JPEG files (up to 20 megapixels), BMP, GIF, PNG, TIFF

I have had a couple firmware upgrades which have made some of the
above file formats play a bit more smoothly but there are still a few
kinks to work out with this media player. I paid about $85 for my box
and then about $150 for a 1TB FreeAgent "Go" drive and overall I'm
not really disappointed, but not overly overjoyed with this media
player.

It has been a workhorse in my home and my 5 year old quickly
figured out how operate it, AND, dare I say, trouble shoot it when it
freezes up: that's right, he clicks the recessed "reset" button on the
back which starts the box all over, or he just unplugs the DC cable
and fires it back up.

I would recommend this box to a friend or family member at the
current price point of about $50-$75. Its definitely worth that much.
Versatility of file format playback
Versatility of inputs
Price
Picture
CONS: Navigation interface and software is circa 1994
Remote Control operation is horrendous
Plastic Construction
The Bottom Line: Great variety of formats, ample inputs, 1080p, and easy set up will
cause you to overlook the awful operating system of this sub $100
glitchy media player.

PROS:

Recommended:
Yes

Otterbox Defender for IPhone4: All-In-One Bulky Protective Case But Worth The Price.

The Background:

My wife and I recently picked up a matching set of iPhone 4's and because I was a veteran "screen breaker" of my old iPhone 3G, I figured I would either buy insurance at $8-10 per month, or pay a bit extra for a top quality case that could protect my phone. I chose the latter and 2 months later, I am not looking back.

 


Types of iPhone Cases:

First of all, with regards to iPhones in particular, there are 4 basic types of cases:

• Bumpers - the cheap rubber ring that surrounds the outer edge

     of the iphone while leaving the front and back open to all the
     disasters that are magnetically attracted to all iPhones.
     This is the type that Apple temporarily offered for "free" to quell
     an angry mob that was suffering from the antenna design flaw
     built into the iPhone 4. If you didn't get the freebie, then you have
     to cough up about $4 on ebay (plus shipping...usually $44.95 or
     some ridiculous amount that ebay Nazis charge)

• Silicone Case - this is generally an inexpensive "wrapper" that  

     surrounds your iphone around the back and edges but leaves the
     front open to any disasters that might befall your over priced
     iPhone. you can use a thin annoying film-plastic sticker over
     your screen if you are a glutton for punishment and crud on your
     screen. I have tried these "film screen protectors" and the only
     thing they protected my iPhone from was actual use by its owner.
     dust, cold, heat, breath, will cause this film to become a barrier
     between your touch and the touch screen. Nevertheless, some
     people use this film crud and swear by it. This Silicone style can
     be picked up for about $8.

• Hard Shell Case - this is definitely the "next step" of cases and

     offers slender hard shell protection around the back and edges
     and is raised a bit above the front rim of the iPhone which allows
     minimal protection against dropping the iPhone. This is the type I
     had for my old 3g before buying the Otterbox Defender for the 4.
     This can be used with a thin annoying plastic film to give a "thin
     annoying" level of protection to your screen but I still don't
     recommend this type. A hard shell case usually runs about $15 or
     so, I got mine at cellphoneshop.com or something like that.
     shipping was free, price was fair, legit dealer, no problems there.

• All-In-One Case - This is the best of all worlds. Generally is a 3

     or 4 part case that involves in internal plastic case that securely
     wraps the phone and has a plastic "window" that protects the
     iPhone glass and allows for touch operation directly through the
     plastic and this snap on case is covered by a grippable "silicone"
     wrapper/bumper that allows for holding the Phone and offering
     water resistance and an additional layer for phone and case
     longevity.
     These cases are like plastic tanks that protect your iPhone: Big,  
     Bulky, and Pricey, and if you've broken your iphone screen a
     couple times like I have, those things stop mattering as much.   
     This style of case will generally run from $30-50 depending on
     what kind of shopper hound you may be.There are only about 3
     makers of "All-In-One" cases:
     Ballistic, Logitech, and the one I am reviewing - Otterbox.

The Look and Feel:

The Otterbox Defender Case for iPhone 4 is definitely the skinniest pig in the litter of fatso cases. The new Defender case has been slimmed down to better match the contour of the squarish iPhone4 yet the outer silicone is textured to allow for a good grip. I like that the Otterbox has a coating on the outside of the touch screen protective window that protects it from static, oil slicks (eww), and bubbles while still permitting full functionality of the touch screen.

Access:

The Otterbox Defender allows for easy, protected access to all major ports: headphone on top, sync/charge cable on bottom, and the silence switch on left side. Otterbox has improved the Defender line by removing that annoying plastic film (all plastic film is annoying by the way) that used to cover the camera holes on the old 3g versions of the Otterbox. They now just have a beveled/recessed hole for the lens and for the flash which now gives us clear wonderful pictures without weird light aberrations. Good job Otterbox.

Installation:

Here is where the negative mark comes in. Yes I want protection, yes I'm glad it completely covers the phone. No, I do not want to take more time to open the phone case than it takes to prepare a Doctoral Thesis on the mating habits of the amoeba! MAN! They make this totally un-user friendly when it comes to popping this thing apart, putting in your phone, and plopping it all back together.

Basically, it requires peeling the tight silicone off the snap ridges on the top and sides and then popping the interior plastic case apart and then lining your iPhone in the front half just right and then aligning that front half with the phone into the snap slots of the back part and then the silicone goes back around the outside. God help you if you need to take your phone out of the case in a hurry. Its not going to happen at first.

Be prepared to watch a couple Youtube vids like I did to figure it out. Apparently its hard for those weirdos too because every video cuts away right at the point that you have to pry the plastic case apart to insert your phone. Anyhow, this is the only negative I found besides the price. In defense of the Otterbox, once you've mastered the install it becomes easier to take the iPhone in and out each time.

Protection:

The outside silicone absorbs shock from drops, the interior plastic case further absorbs shock and keeps the phone secure, because of the plastic operating window, broken or scratched screens are a thing of the past.

There is a soft felt lining on the interior that serves to gently protect your over priced iPhone from the inside against case scratchings etc.

However, please note, this case does not protect the iPhone 4 from owner stupidity. It does not protect from theft and: The Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 is NOT, repeat 'not' waterproof, but rather, is water resistant. So dropping the iphone in the toilet while in the Otterbox case will not save the iPhone. However,  if you have to speak on your phone while holding it in the rain or if you are using your phone in the sweltering Sun of Las Vegas and your palm is sweating profusely (again, ew), the Otterbox will keep your iphone relatively dry and safe. The majority of risk with an iPhone is damage by droppage or squashage etc and the Otterbox is awesome to protect your there.

Whats in the box?

You will get a fully secured Otterbox case fully built in one piece that you will have to learn how to take apart like a rubix cube. You will now get a holster which can be used to attach your iPhone 4 to your belt like you were some kind of techie Clint Eastwood. AND, this holster doubles as a stand for "hands free" viewing of movies, etc OR, as a decent stand to use your overpriced iPhone as an overpriced
"web cam" on your desk.

Price and Availability:

The Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 lists for $34.95 on the Otterbox site but I've seen it at Amazon for around $25. We got ours from a place called "recellular" where it was basically an open box or store demo and we got it for about $15. I do consider the $34.95 a bit pricey for this case, however, the alternative is paying for a new $125 screen replacement or $8-10 per month for insurance. I'll pay the $30 and zip it. Its a value for what this case provides
Pros: Protection, Access, Usability, Look and Feel
Cons: Complicated installation and Price
The Bottom Line:
Of the "all-in-one" plastic bulky tank cases, the Otterbox leads the pack. Great protection, horribly difficult to install, but worth the price.

Overall Product Rating:
  Above Average

Recommended:
Yes