vB Easy Archive - Amazing story: BlackBerry survives 9 foot drop to concrete

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Amazing story: BlackBerry survives 9 foot drop to concrete
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Posted by: Mark Rejhon

There is a story about BlackBerry's amazing ruggedizedness in this thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Workingmen

These things are tough! Eighteen months ago and only two days after I got this Blackberry, it slipped out of my pocket while I had both hands full carrying a box into the rafters above my garage

- Nine feet seven inches (physically measured) onto bare concrete -

The battery cover popped off, the battery came out and the BB bounced under the car. I picked it up put the battery back into place and it restarted but the wireless would not come on. Took the battery out and reinserted. Everything came right back on!! Only remaining damage was a small scuff mark on one corner.

This was a bare BlackBerry 7230 with no case or sleeve for protection. It is still working today.

There are dozens of stories about how Blackberry tends to survive drops and abuse a lot better than all other models of smartphones. Very interesting! (More BlackBerry abuse stories listed here )

Posted by: jase88

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7250/4.0.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I used to work with the RIM OEM radio modules (embedded in Panasonic "toughbooks"). I was amazed at how well these modules were constructed. I had one device that was in a fire--but the modem survived! RIM engineers their products very well.

Posted by: optimuscrime

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Rejhon

There is a story about BlackBerry's amazing ruggedizedness in this thread:
There are dozens of stories about how Blackberry tends to survive drops and abuse a lot better than all other models of smartphones. Very interesting! (More BlackBerry abuse stories listed here )

Mine dropped about 6 feet from my pocket while on a moving bicycle onto a pavement street. Same deal: Battery cover popped off. Put it back on, popped off a quick SMS to test it, no probs.

Posted by: PCW

Well then, maybe they oughta reengineer the battery doors!

Actually, I'm on my third RIM device (850, then a 950, now a 7250), and I've ordered my 4th, a 7250 from Verizon, which should be arriving soon.

I've dropped 'em all at various times, in various places. Aside from some minor abrasions to the corner that impacted, there have been no problems whatsoever.

RIM does make a tough product.

Posted by: hillstrubl

Quote:

Originally Posted by PCW

Well then, maybe they oughta reengineer the battery doors!

the battery door popping off prob acts as the "shock absorber" that keeps other parts from cracking

Posted by: Mark Rejhon

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillstrubl

the battery door popping off prob acts as the "shock absorber" that keeps other parts from cracking

That's true -- some of the energy is expended at ejecting the battery door at high speed. That's way preferable to a cracked screen.

In addition to the sturdy plastic casing and the rubber shock absorber under the edges of the screen, it is also the rounded design of a BlackBerry, which helps turn a lot of vertical energy into horizontal energy as it bounces around.

It's ruggedized -- without looking like military surplus. Good ruggedization design.

Posted by: Jay101

I work at RIM, and if it wasn't for the ruggedness of these devices, I wouldn't have lasted that long!

Posted by: madrabbitt

one of the reasons that the rim 850 is STILL the narrowband pcs device of choice for alot of public safety organizations.

Hell, i'd rather my medics carry the rim 850 over the motorola PF1500's they carry now (due to the keyboard)

I'm seriously thinking about getting a blackberry instead of my current nextel for data useage at work. I'd have to get a seriously rugged case to match the rest of the equipment i carry, but i know the BB could take it.

Posted by: dorkface

once, when quite angry at a customer calling, i threw my 7230 at a wall (normal dry wall), which was about 6ft away. it hit the wall, bounced onto laminate tile... seemed to work fine after that. a few days later the blackberry kept resetting upon me pressing a key on the keyboard, and would only occasionally come back online. the throw, may or may not have been the culprit.