CLIE TJ-27: Lessons in PDA frailty

Archived from groups: comp.sys.palmtops.pilot (More info?)

<jfaughnan@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:1106161578.123805.10570@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Last May I started using a SONY CLIE PEG TJ-27</a>. It often lives in
> my front pants pocket. This is a very inhospitable environment for an
> electronic device, but for me the entire value of a PDA is portability
> and availability.

You should buy a metal case for your next PDA. I have a lovely one that
fits my TJ-37 and fits the TJ-27 fine. If that can't protect a PDA, nothing
can.

Jim

Archived from groups: comp.sys.palmtops.pilot (More info?)

On 19 Jan 2005 11:06:18 -0800, jfaughnan@spamcop.net wrote:

> Fundamentally this is not a priority for most of (dwindling) base of
> PDA customers. The PDA, might be a "Personal Digital Assistant", but at
> least for men resisting purses it's not a "Portable Digital Assistant".

Real 'manly' men resisting purses should consider going the
undercover route. Unfortunately they may need to find a small,
dainty "Beretta" sized shoulder holster.   Actually, I think
something like this was once made for the much larger HP1000LX
handheld computer.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.palmtops.pilot (More info?)

Jim MacKenzie wrote:
> <jfaughnan@spamcop.net> wrote in message
> news:1106161578.123805.10570@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> > Last May I started using a SONY CLIE PEG TJ-27</a>. It often lives
in
> > my front pants pocket. This is a very inhospitable environment for
an
> > electronic device, but for me the entire value of a PDA is
portability
> > and availability.

> You should buy a metal case for your next PDA. I have a lovely one
that
> fits my TJ-37 and fits the TJ-27 fine. If that can't protect a PDA,
nothing
> can.
> Jim

I'd assumed a metal case would add enough thickness that I wouldn't
want to carry the TJ-27 in my pocket. It's pretty marginal as it is.
john

Archived from groups: comp.sys.palmtops.pilot (More info?)

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Hi J. Faughnan,

I have been wearing Palms on my belts in Rhinoskins for more than 5
years without damaging them. I tried a couple of leather cases, but
for durability, I don't think you can beat a Rhinoskin. And I tried
the Rhinoskin in my front pants pocket. It worked fine, but I didn't
always hear the alarms, that is why I prefer it on my belt.

Ciao . . . C.Joseph

That which a man buys too cheaply . . .
He esteems too lightly


jfaughnan@spamcop.net wrote:
> Last May I started using a SONY CLIE PEG TJ-27</a>. It often lives in
> my front pants pocket. This is a very inhospitable environment for an
> electronic device, but for me the entire value of a PDA is portability
> and availability. I don't carry a purse, and it's useless in my
> backpack. I've had phones on my belt, and that's at least as bad.
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<jfaughnan@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:1106266519.691814.99350@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>
> I'd assumed a metal case would add enough thickness that I wouldn't
> want to carry the TJ-27 in my pocket. It's pretty marginal as it is.
> john

It's not that bad. The front pocket is a pretty dangerous environment for a
PDA though, when you consider that the screen is made of glass. I'd suggest
you get a pad of paper and a pencil, or a belt pouch.

Jim

Archived from groups: comp.sys.palmtops.pilot (More info?)

jfaughnan@spamcop.net napsal(a):
(...)
> Today, seven months after buying the CLIE TJ-27, I happened to notice
> that 3 of the 4 screws that hold it together were missing. In other
> words, it's about to come apart. It's design is not suited the pocket
> environment. It's too bulky, and screws don't work when a device is
> subject to regular flexion stress. Fortunately I have an old JVC
> "walkman" tape device that died about 20 years ago -- but it's a rich
> source of small screws. They work to fill the missing CLIE screws.

"Lock" the screews with a small drop of Loctite GEL (keeps the screw
from loosing, but still remains soft should you need to disassemble the
device). Works with handguns, WILL work with PDA's :-)

Mark

Archived from groups: comp.sys.palmtops.pilot (More info?)

Heck, I was going to use crazy glue. I don't intend to service the
CLIE, if it breaks I'll replace it. Good tip though.

I saw the other comments about using a belt holder, etc. They are all
true, but they don't quite address the focus of my complaint. I used a
Vx for years, it worked well in my front pocket.

True, I'm a tad heavier, but my pants are proportionately looser as
well ...

Uh-ho. (Little light bulb goes off over John's head.)

I think I just answered my question. There will never be another PDA
designed to fit in a man's front pants pocket. All future PDAs, phones,
etc will be sized for either a minimum of a suit-jacket pocket or a
belt clip. This doesn't mean they have to be big and fat, but it's a
different size specification than a pant pocket (the shirt pocket was
never practical -- that pocket can barely hold a pen).

We americans are just getting too heavy. You can't put a PDA in a back
pocket (obviously), but the number of americans who could actually put
a Vx in their front pocket, and have it survive, has significantly
shrunk over the past five years. Obesity is moving into this space.

Basically, the bigger we get, the less useful front pockets become.
Like our appendix, they are an evolutionary vestige of earlier days.
Weight and age have made them obsolete.

In the world to come we will indeed have to get used to belt devices,
or backpacks/purses, or the return of some variant of the "mens suit
jacket/leisure jacket".

john faughnan
jfaughnan@spamcop.net

meta: jfaughnan, jgfaughnan, usability, PDA, CLIE, Palm, PalmOne, Palm
Vx, form factor, market, physiology, human factors, obesity, weight
gain, demographics, clothing, evolution, pockets
I'll probably go the route of the beltable device, but I can barely
stand one such. Two are unthinkable. That means, despite my loathing of
the price, I'll have to get a Treo 650. I just need to find a way to
insure it for loss and breakage (check my credit card contracts ...)