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mobile phone loksak
despite the onward march of communications technology, i have remained one of only two people in the world without a mobile phone. this, in essence, is not a one-person protest against the iniquities of always on sources of information, but simply what i regard as a different perspective on the relevance of owning such a device. as i write this, i am sitting next to our british telecome phone placed on the mantlepiece, and when at the office, i am mere metres away from a telephone handset. by using, or ignoring both, i am able to keep in communication with those that wish to contact and vice versa. they also offer the opportunity to have someone say that i am in a seminar and unable to take their call at present.
this luddite tendency does not, however, take into account the enormous range of so-called apps, little pockets of software without which many of the younger generation seem unable to survive. i cannot deny that my visit last weekend to the great metropolis was greatly eased by having access to a london underground app allowing input of the stations of departure and destination resulting in step by step instructions on how to get from point a, to point b. who knew there was an underground station at bethnal green?
followers of such technology will undoubtedly be as aware as am i, that the selffsame apps that function well on an iphone tend to do so just as competently on an ipod touch. this, to my mind, provides all the benefits with none of the disadvantages as i perceive them. however, though i might appear to be slightly out of touch with modernity, i do not believe myself to be completely naive; the mobile phone has weaved its way into every corner of society, particularly via the youth of today.
while standing patiently outside a cinema door recently, waiting for the previous showing to end, the exhalation of younger generation through the swing doors was augmented by almost each and every one of them staring intently at their phone screens, presumably checking for monumentally important e-mails or texts that may have been sent while their phones were on silent. other than one or two presidents and prime ministers, i cannot think of any snippet of news or information that could be deemed important enough not to wait until they got home. how did my generation at that age ever survive?
but, i am happy enough to be one of the minority for the time being. i can see the way the future is heading and hold every expectation that, within the next two to three years, i will have to eat my own words, knuckle under, and acquire a mobile phone of my own. i have already seen situations where the lack of a phone excludes me from participation in certain events, though so far those have been less than compulsive. i very much doubt things will remain that way for too much longer.
for the huge majority who are tethered to their phones, checking every few minutes to see if a knighthood has been conferred, or their stock in twitter has risen sufficiently to allow purchase of a second porsche, there are certain concerns to be addressed. the day before my daughter dropped her iphone on concrete and broke the glass on the back, she informed me that she had figured a protective case to be unecessary because she 'never dropped her phone'. add to this the fact that many manufacturers seem intent on advertising their device as a camera with a phone attached (41 megapixels anyone?), it's no wonder that jessops found themselves on a sticky financial wicket recently.
as i know through several years of snapping pics for these very pixels in less than pristine conditions, the camera has a tendency to fall over every now and again. my intended venture later today will subject the haples panasonic to an inordinate quantity of precipitation, a fact that is unlikely to aid its constitution. there are also likely to be situations where use of the camera in any given mobile phone might be subjected to swimming pool or beach use during the annual holiday. water, particularly sea water and printed circuitry do not mix well which is sort of where a loksak might prove to be a useful accessory.
distributed in the uk by nrg4, the loksak is, in essence, a small, clear plastic bag with a watertight seal at the top. according to the manufacturers, it is waterproof to a depth of 60 metres, though i'll admit if i ended up at that depth on my bicycle, taking photographs would be the last thing on my mind. it does mean, however, that while stuffed in a rear jersey pocket, you need not fear for the phone's safety riding through a sudden and unexpected deluge. and with the hermetic seal on the pack, it'll also remain immune to attacks from energy gels and bars that may have been sharing the same pocket.
though i have no cell phone of my own, i was astute enough to distribute one or two loksaks to family and friends, all of whom have not only managed to keep their phones dry, but expressed an unnatural delight that they could still access all their apps and text messages without having to remove the device on each occasion. my son has given it the hardest seeing to in his daily activity as an electrician. i cannot deny that the loksak is now scratched to the border of opacity, yet still works as designed.
so, despite not having tested this particular product on a personal basis, all the evidence from my army of assistants would appear to warrant five stars if i indeed awarded such marks of distinction. i have also kept one example in reserve for that far off day when i can avoid 24 hour communication no longer.
the loksak can be purchased in a pack of three to fit apple's iphone at a cost of £8.99 or similarly for a pack of three larger loksaks for bigger phones. it's also possible to purchase a multipack which includes an iphone size, large size and tablet size loksak for £10.99.
monday 16 december 2013
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