Geeks in Paradise | Brian Chee » September 2007

September 11, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Research Scientist and Blackberries out to sea

TAGS: Testing notes

Some comments from Brian McLaughlin of the University of Hawai’i School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology (SOEST) working on a cabled underwater observatory anchored just off of Waikiki Beach

Mr. McLaughlin’s comments…
What works well:
- For the most part, the housing is nice the blackberry seats well inside and has never unclasped.
- Keyboard presses are nearly always accurate.
- Track wheel usage is good, pressing the track wheel sometimes leads to scrolling a little bit first resulting is choosing a different choice than you wanted.

The Otter Box doesn’t add a whole lot to the size. The blackberry is large to begin with anyway. I can still use one hand to operate it.

What could be better:
- Definitely not water proof, probably not water resistant. The gasket and speaker membranes probably do a good job of keeping out dust, but a light shake of the housing while just under the water’s surface allows water inside. Splash proof, maybe.
- The screen is illegible in sunlight, indoor conditions require the brightness on the blackberry to be turned up to max.
- Track wheel adapter does need to be re-seated sometimes and this works to get more accurate track wheel clicking.

I feel that is it robust and have more confidence I won’t break the blackberry from dropping it. If I were to use this on a boat, I still would take great care to keep it dry. Depending on the retail cost and inconvenience in replacing the blackberry, a good sacrifice if the housing were to be damaged due to a drop.

--
Brian E. McLaughlin
Oceanographic Research Specialist
Department of Oceanography
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI 96822

Posted by Brian Chee on September 11, 2007 07:32 AM