Using Your Axim To Jack Up Your Trailer (AKA Another Otterbox Review)

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://geek.com/hwswrev/pda/otter1900/index.htm' target='_blank'>http://geek.com/hwswrev/pda/otter1900/index.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"I tried to get some kind of rating for how much weight I could place on the case, but I guess that data wasn't available. As you can see in the following photos, I placed my Dell Axim X50v in the Armor 1900 under one of the stabilizing jacks of my 25-foot travel trailer, weighing in at over 7,000 pounds. The top flip cover deflected a couple millimeters, but otherwise the case had no problems handling the load I normally place on wood blocks."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/westfall-20050718-otterboxagain.jpg" /> <br /><br />See that tiny little yellow sliver under the trailer? That's the Otterbox Armor 1900 case we've posted a couple of reviews on (Come on, you remember - the frontpage had a picture of the case in an very small <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=41162">bathtub</a> :) ) So when our most excellent news editor forwarded me this additional review, I was skeptical - Hadn't we seen all this baby could do? Well, after seeing the trailer picture, I knew it warrented another post. Really, what does someone have to do to destroy this thing? Check out the review, see the up close shot of it between cinder block &amp; trailer, and for diety's sake: If you need to protect your PPC from earthquakes, terrorists, tornados, icebergs, hurricanes, Barney the purple dinosaur, or anything else: Look into this case!

[Duncan]

Ho-hum. Now - when someone conclusively proves it can survive a nuke at point blank range - *then* I'm interested... (or possibly being catapulted straight at the ground from the top of the Empire State)...!

(BTW - is it just me or is this guy taking unnecessary risks? - 'I quote: 'I placed my Dell Axim X50v in the Armor 1900 under one of the stabilizing jacks'. All he actually had to do, rather than risk his severl hundred dollar Axim, was put the case itself at risk...! :roll: )

[ctmagnus]

The one thing I wonder is if any of these reviews were done with a PocketPCTechs (or similar) screen protector on the device. These protectors are rather thick and the Otterbox comes with one of its own, so it may be a bit of a squeeze in there with two screenprotectors.

[Jon Westfall]

Ho-hum. Now - when someone conclusively proves it can survive a nuke at point blank range - *then* I'm interested... (or possibly being catapulted straight at the ground from the top of the Empire State)...!

(BTW - is it just me or is this guy taking unnecessary risks? - 'I quote: 'I placed my Dell Axim X50v in the Armor 1900 under one of the stabilizing jacks'. All he actually had to do, rather than risk his severl hundred dollar Axim, was put the case itself at risk...! :roll: )

I don't believe there is a shot of the axim in the case under the trailer... so he may be more intelligent than it reads. It sounds ultra cool to say the Axim was in there - it sounds ultra wimpy to say you took it out ;)

[medic119]

Hmm, I might need some of these for my Axim, iPod and Elph Camera considering my next locale is likely to be a combat zone in Iraq.

Anyone from Otterbox wanna donate one or two for some pictures of it being used in Iraq? Contact me via the website as I leave tmorrow. :D

[applejosh]

Hmm, I might need some of these for my Axim, iPod and Elph Camera considering my next locale is likely to be a combat zone in Iraq.

Anyone from Otterbox wanna donate one or two for some pictures of it being used in Iraq? Contact me via the website as I leave tmorrow. :D

Good luck and stay safe!

[saru83]

Good point Jon Westfall, i agree with u, this might just be it :)

[palmsolo]

You know I actually thought of taking my X50v out of the case first, but after throwing it around and dropping it and then after standing on it on the cement (I weigh 240 lbs) I felt confident that the Armor 1900 could handle my trailer. The Axim was honestly in the case when I took the photos of the package under the trailer and in the water.

Also, the Pocket PC Techs screen protector would fit fine on the device in the case. The only issue I had was that the large 2200 mAh battery would not fit in the case because it was just a tad too thick.

The case is fantastic and will really come in handy when I go out on my ship salvage cases and give me much greater piece of mind.

[dMores]

that "TEST" is a little misleading, since the box is only carrying one corner of the thing, and it's justs stabilizing, not actually holding the trailer since you can see the wheels are still on the ground.
a human being could hold the trailer the same way with only 2 fingers.

so ... unless he actually drove a car over the thing, i'm not impressed :)

[Narny]

The one thing I wonder is if any of these reviews were done with a PocketPCTechs (or similar) screen protector on the device. These protectors are rather thick and the Otterbox comes with one of its own, so it may be a bit of a squeeze in there with two screenprotectors.

I'm using the Otterbox 1900 with a Loox720. I'm not using a screen protector, but my guess is that it would be OK.

The PDA is held onto the front portion of the Otterbox case hard against the bevel around the screen. The gap between the Otterbox membrane and the PDA screen is the height of the bevel above the screen.

If your screen protector sits below the bevel around the screen, then you're OK. If the protector is higher than the surrounding case, then you may get spurious taps then the Otterbox membrane touches it. I'd still guess it would be OK, though.

[palmsolo]

that "TEST" is a little misleading, since the box is only carrying one corner of the thing, and it's justs stabilizing, not actually holding the trailer since you can see the wheels are still on the ground.
a human being could hold the trailer the same way with only 2 fingers.

so ... unless he actually drove a car over the thing, i'm not impressed :)

Good point dMores. I did jack up the corner to put weight onto the case that normally compresses the wood blocks I use under the jack stand, but you are correct in the fact that it wasn't lifting the trailer all the way up since those jacks are not designed to do that. I was going to drive up on the case with my 1997 Chevy Silverado Z71 half ton pickup and may attempt to do so soon and add a photo to my review. However, I may try this first without my Axim in the case :D

As I stated in my review, although the OtterBox site states they are crushproof there has to be some limit and they didn't have that force limit available to give me. I highly doubt someone would actually do this with their device, but a considerable force was added to the case and it withstood it quite well so I think the point is that the case is quite tough and should handle most regular situations where you may be in a tough environment.

[dMores]

hey, dude, i was only kidding when i said the crush-it-with-your-car thing.
:)
unless you have like 25 identical cases that are just dying to be mistreated, you don't have to go to extremes.

what's important is that the case protects your precious second brain, and the test you did was pretty thorough.

one suggestion ... you might want to think about doing specific motorcycle tests ... i think a lot of customers who are interested in these kinds of protective cases are motorcyclists.
specific tests would be along the lines of vibration-reduction, handlebar-mountability, leave-in-the-sun-during-lunch-break heat tests etc.

if you really want to go to extremes, do it like "brainiacs" on mtv: microwave it, blow it up, and crush it with a bulldozer.

heh heh :)

[Jon Westfall]

You know I actually thought of taking my X50v out of the case first, but after throwing it around and dropping it and then after standing on it on the cement (I weigh 240 lbs) I felt confident that the Armor 1900 could handle my trailer. The Axim was honestly in the case when I took the photos of the package under the trailer and in the water.

Also, the Pocket PC Techs screen protector would fit fine on the device in the case. The only issue I had was that the large 2200 mAh battery would not fit in the case because it was just a tad too thick.

The case is fantastic and will really come in handy when I go out on my ship salvage cases and give me much greater piece of mind.

I can't remember if I saw this in the reviews or not (my mind is fried with otterbox reviews...) but does the thing float? I assume it does since every underwater shot has someone holding it down.

[palmsolo]

Yes it does float. This was an important feature for me since I work on ships and if my device ever goes over the side there is hope that I can fish it out. That is another reason I like the yellow case instead of the all black case, I have a better chance of seeing it in the water.

[ctitanic]

This kind of things are the one that make me feel good after having my wife telling me that I'm crazy! :devilboy:

[ctmagnus]

re: jacking up a trailer with the Otterbox:

The only real way to do it is to put the Otterbox under the front thing that you use to get the trailer level from front to back. ;)

(sorry, I can't recall what the actual part is called as the trailer is on holidays atm; I'm not, so I can't go look to see if it has a name on it; and I don't have that info in my iPaq.)