I Kill Phones

[Geonz]

When cell phones first came out, I did finally learn how to keep them from falling out of whatever they were in and getting run over by my bicycle wheels.
Then I got a phone with Sprint (and the replacement plan), and had one last a whole 7 months... the next one for a week... and then between chargers and phones I went through three more, and I"m not sure what the real problem was. I'd gone with the onerous contract so's I could count on *having* a phone... except that wasn't happening (and their service people didn't communicate so I'd be told a phone was there for me... but that person wouldn't actually make that happen...) So, I decided to just buy a phone from a friend and go with Virgin and pay by the month.
Welp, that phone has lasted ... two months. Ih ad it tucked in an inner rain jacket pocket under two layers... but it seems to have gotten damp... a night in the rice bin cured it... for a day. Then the ol' "take out the battery and say a Hail Mary" worked... for a day. Now, it's just dead. No response.
Any BTDT stories?
It's a Samsung INtercept -- can I head down to Radio Trash and try anew battery? Will Meijer or Wally World have phones if that doesn't work that will go with VIrgin?..

[Pax]

I think you need to glue a leash to your phone! :p

[Owlie]

When we still did the Virgin thing, we got my phone from Target, so that might be an option.

My sister is on her third phone. She keeps leaving them in her pockets and washing them. One survived for maybe a day afterward.

[Pax]

http://www.bearhands.net/UserFiles/images/cart/ProductImages/BearHands%20black%20mitten%20clips%20600.jpg



:p

[jamijo]

Yuck. I used to work customer service and then tech support for Verizon, so I don't know much about Virgin phones -- but I can tell you that it's probably not the battery but rather the inside that's having issues due to moisture. Generally, once they die after water damage, they're toast :( You can try cleaning the contacts of the battery and the current phone with an alcohol swab to see if there's any corrosion on the contacts causing it to not work, but if that does nothing, it's probably done for.

As far as BTDT... my favorite story from when I was working at Verizon was the guy who called in to activate phone #5 in four weeks for his daughter. She worked at an amusement park, would ride the rides when she was done with her shift, and on one coaster her phone kept falling out of her favorite place to put it (in her bra).... :) They were re-activating old phones previously used on the account, she went from a blackberry to a simple 9-key with no external display during the span of those 5 phones. Never did go back to see if that one stayed activated any longer than the others.

[Geonz]

Thanx! I've actually done pretty well with... okay, not *dismally :) with knowing where it is. I am kinda thinking of getting a cheap phone -- and then using that bigger-than-I-expected tax refund to help fund a good tablet or Ipad. (There's *another* decision! Flash, or the Apple world???)

[Geonz]

I think you need to glue a leash to your phone! :p

Shhh! You know too much :P

I've been thinking it wouldn't be a bad thing to have two of them...

[marni]

I am very easy on cell phones, just got a new one, an upgrade on renewal with verizon but I still haven't mastered all the finer details. Not that it matters since it mostly lives in my purse and is only used in emergencies. On the bike it goes inside a zip lock sandwich bag in my jersey pocket. I have often double bagged it in doubts of rain.

Digital cameras on the other hand....... I have finally learned that if I have one in my jersey pocket, to flush the toilet by facing it, not to reach back and flush it while standing up.

marni

[Trek420]

Too bad the Rugby's out of stock:

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=Samsung+Rugby®+II+-+Black&q_sku=sku4670290#fbid=LWTsjc2qL5j

"Built to military specifications (Mil-STD-810F) to withstand dust, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, altitude and temperature extremes" .... and Geonz. ;)

Of course there's the Tundra but it's not one of the free phones:

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-details/?device=Motorola+Tundra+(TM)+-+Grey&q_sku=sku3320246#fbid=LWTsjc2qL5j

Then there's the Motorolla Humvee ... JK, no such phone.

[OakLeaf]

If a phone goes into a portajohn, it doesn't matter how rugged it is. In fact, I would prefer not to have to think about it still ringing in that soup. DAMHIK.

[ClockworkOrange]

I drowned my i-phone! :eek:

Very briefly, we had workmen turn up early one morning, so I was quickly cleaning the loo. I had placed my i-phone on a shelf above the loo (which was free standing)!

Somehow I nudged the shelf, which moved causing my DI (dearest i-phone), to plummet down to the bottom of the loo!


http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j353/1Clockwork1/loo.jpg

OMG shock, horror I could have cried.

My partner quickly removed the sim card and checked out on the internet what we should do.


Dry phone as much as possible
Use hairdryer on cool setting for 20 minutes
Place in bag of dry rice and seal
Then put in airing cupboard for 3 days


EUREKA.........................after 3 days she came out of her coma, 100% fit.

The i-phone has three tiny dots on the left hand side at the top of the phone, which are water detectors so obviously my warranty is now invalid


http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Bigelow/engineering_technology/images/Mobile_phone_3.gif

PS The loo was nice and clean beforehand :p

[grey]

I just killed mine. Can't read texts anymore!
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/846/deadphone.jpg/
See?
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/846/deadphone.jpg/

[Tri Girl]

"My name is Sue and I kill phones."

"Hi, Sue"



I killed two within a month. Both times involved water. The first time I went swimming with the brand-spanking new phone in my pocket. 2nd time I thew the replacement phone in the wash. DH made me use a crappy old borrowed phone from the ATT store until my contract was up (which was 2 years). Sigh... I'm a phone killer, too.:(