Best way to carry Nokia 5190/6190, or any cell phone really?

My first cell phone came with my job and was a Nextel that had a
plastic clip which worked fine, except that about three times a day at
work, plus every time I got out of my car the phone hit the deck if I
brushed up against something or someone.

Then when I got my own phone I started using Nokia 6190s and 5190s
because clearly it was a waste of time having an expensive cell phone
when they so frequently get stolen, lost, or dropped in toilets.

My first case was (I think) a Belkin from Walmart which was useless
because when attached to by belt the phone would swivel round on its
own accord and drop headfirst to the ground. I tried gluing it so it
wouldn't swivel, but with only mediocre success.

The next, and best, until it got stolen was a Nokia made case that
zipped tightly round the phone and had a tight metal clip. The only
problem I had with this one was that if you were driving or something,
it was difficult to get the phone off your belt. But it was pretty
good. I wish I could find another the same.

Right now I have a plastic clip which fits tightly on my belt and
rotates in clicks, so the phone can't fall out so easily. In fact it
can't fall out at all, because you practically need to explode a
nuclear bomb to get it out of the clip, and even when standing it is
difficult to get the clip off your belt before it switches to voice
mail.

I also have another 'clamshell' type leather case from Wal-Mart, that
has a metal belt tip of the type that I prefer, but it still tends to
part company when doing physical work. Today I was dumping stuff at the
county dump and lost the phone and case together from my belt. As I was
driving home I realised it was missing and went back to look for it. I
found it on the ground and it was undamaged in spite of having tire
marks on the case. So I guess the case did a good job of protecting it.
On the other hand, if the case had stayed on my belt, it would not have
needed to protect the phone against being run over by the extended-cab
trucks which are the standard means of transportation around here.

My ideal case would fit on a belt, not fall off, not turn upside down
and dump the phone out, and still make it possible to take the phone
out and respond when it rings for an incoming call.

Is this possible, or is there always a trade-off between the
convenience of being able to answer a call and the risk of losing the
phone altogether?

I have also tried not using a clip or case and just carrying the phone
in my pocket, which works well enough, though it is still prone to fall
out, especially in cars, which is not good if you are using taxis on
vacation in foreign parts.

Seems to me that if I was to design a case, then it needs some kind of
lock to attach to your belt, and also a locking mechanism with a quick
release to hold the phone in place and still be able to release it to
answer incoming calls.

---

› See More: Best way to carry Nokia 5190/6190, or any cell phone really?

On 16 Dec 2004 14:38:57 -0800, [email protected] said in
alt.cellular.nokia:

>Seems to me that if I was to design a case, then it needs some kind of
>lock to attach to your belt, and also a locking mechanism with a quick
>release to hold the phone in place and still be able to release it to
>answer incoming calls.

"The Clip". http://www.theclip.com/

Look in Best Buy, etc. or any cell phone store.
---
CellPhonesEtc at optonline dot net

Al Klein wrote:
> On 16 Dec 2004 14:38:57 -0800, [email protected] said in
> alt.cellular.nokia:
>
> >Seems to me that if I was to design a case, then it needs some kind
of
> >lock to attach to your belt, and also a locking mechanism with a
quick
> >release to hold the phone in place and still be able to release it
to
> >answer incoming calls.
>
> "The Clip". http://www.theclip.com/
>
> Look in Best Buy, etc. or any cell phone store.
> ---
> CellPhonesEtc at optonline dot net

Thanks, Al. OK, I looked at The Clip and I was not sure what you were
referring to. There were a variety of clips, all of which seemed to
rely on some kind of adhesive to attach your phone to the clip, which
seems pretty impractical if you want to frequently switch out
batteries, which I do.

As for looking in any cell phone store, you can certainly find a
variety of cases and clips, but I was looking for something that would
work with the above phones that other people had found to be
particularly effective for people who are carrying phones in a physical
working situation (clips don't really protect your phone from dust and
bumps). Cases and clips in stores are invariably tightly wrapped in
bulletproof plastic to stop you from trying them out.

On 16 Dec 2004 20:13:36 -0800, [email protected] said in
alt.cellular.nokia:

>As for looking in any cell phone store, you can certainly find a
>variety of cases and clips, but I was looking for something that would
>work with the above phones that other people had found to be
>particularly effective for people who are carrying phones in a physical
>working situation (clips don't really protect your phone from dust and
>bumps). Cases and clips in stores are invariably tightly wrapped in
>bulletproof plastic to stop you from trying them out.

As you already know, there's only 1 really good case for the 5100/6100
series, and they're almost extinct. I have one and I'm not letting go
of it. Good luck - maybe you can find one.
---
CellPhonesEtc at optonline dot net

[email protected] wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> Al Klein wrote:
>> On 16 Dec 2004 14:38:57 -0800, [email protected] said in
>> alt.cellular.nokia:
>>
>> >Seems to me that if I was to design a case, then it needs some
>> >kind
> of
>> >lock to attach to your belt, and also a locking mechanism with
>> >a
> quick
>> >release to hold the phone in place and still be able to
>> >release it
> to
>> >answer incoming calls.
>>
>> "The Clip". http://www.theclip.com/
>>
>> Look in Best Buy, etc. or any cell phone store.
>> ---
>> CellPhonesEtc at optonline dot net
>
> Thanks, Al. OK, I looked at The Clip and I was not sure what you
> were referring to. There were a variety of clips, all of which
> seemed to rely on some kind of adhesive to attach your phone to
> the clip, which seems pretty impractical if you want to
> frequently switch out batteries, which I do.
>
> As for looking in any cell phone store, you can certainly find a
> variety of cases and clips, but I was looking for something that
> would work with the above phones that other people had found to
> be particularly effective for people who are carrying phones in
> a physical working situation (clips don't really protect your
> phone from dust and bumps). Cases and clips in stores are
> invariably tightly wrapped in bulletproof plastic to stop you
> from trying them out.
>

Go to Home Depot. Haven't checked Lowes, but they might have them
too. Go to the tool belt/back support/etc. section (usually on
outside of tool corral) Don't have brand handy but they sell a
really well built canvas phone pouch with both a metal belt clip
and a woven belt loop on the back. The cover is a flap that goes
over the top and fastens with a velcro patch. Since the belt loop
is closed at top and bottom, it never falls off the belt. I also
have never had the velcro come undone by itself or had the phone
come out by itself, yet it is loose enough to be able to two finger
the phone out when wanted. Best of all - under $6.00.