On ski days I carry my moto g smartphone in the top left pocket of either of two jackets I wear. I use the smartphone to make cellphone texts or calls, to sometimes run the Ski Tracks app, and to take pictures with the phone's 14mp camera. Other lift riders watching what I am doing taking pictures, sometimes ask about the way I am securing the smartphone. Of course in this era, our smartphones may have considerable personal value none of us wants to lose. Thus the following explanation below for forum users on what I have done.
The basic issue of concern is anything one removes from pockets and holds while riding lifts, potentially might be dropped thus lost. Especially if one takes pictures frequently as I tend to do. Additionally while skiing on slopes and stopping to take pictures, one might drop a smartphone into the snow that while unlikely to be lost, might get water inside the housing and eventually the delicate electronics causing a failure. So I created this solution that I would expect can be duplicated by anyone with minor time, effort, and simple cheap materials. Attached 3 images show what was done.
This first images above shows a back side view of my moto g smartphone with the top end at frame right. Like other smartphones, the back side has a cover that helps protect inner elements including the SIMM socket that in this design is below the blue plastic cover at upper right in the image. It is the only area on this design below the plastic back cover that is not flush with metal beneath. That is because to insert a SIMM into a socket from a cellphone side edge there must be a small area in the casing that is lower than the rest of the housing that is air space. It is into that tiny air space location that with the back side cover removed, I drilled 2 small holes into the cover just a bit behind where an inserted SIMM memory resides. Such small diameter drills to do so ought be available at hardware or craft stores.
Into the holes, I inserted a short length of 20 pound monofilament fishing line down one hole and back up through the other on which I tied a knot with a resulting small loop of adequate size for attaching a small lanyard clip. I used Gorilla Glue to make sure the knot would never come lose.
This next image above shows the backside metal housing of the moto g with the plastic cover at frame left removed to show its inner side. Note the edge of the red hued SIMM that is inserted in its socket. Also on this model is a black hued external micro SD card below it. The small space behind those memory devices is where there is air space in order to be able to push the memory devices into their smartphone sockets. And that is where I correspondingly drilled the 2 tiny holes in the plastic cover to create an attachment feature.
This third image shows the corresponding securing modification to my Salomon parka top left pocket into which I put the smartphone. The pocket has a zipper with a zipper pull. Thus tied a small diameter climbing shop utility cord to the zipper pull with the other end tied to small lanyard clips that I could attach around the monofilament line loop. Each knot was also secured with Gorilla Glue. The service length of the cord was long enough that after removing the smartphone, I can raise the phone up to my eye height. For my design, I chose to use 2 clips for added security. This could be implemented in similar ways with other like materials.
Using this system I can rapidly remove my smartphone, take a picture, and return it back into my pocket. On the moto g running the Android OS, the Power button once the smartphone has booted up, also functions as a display on/off/on momentary toggle button that I use to conserve battery power when not otherwise in use. If it is in camera shooting mode when actuated, the LCD display goes off and inhibits any screen touch controls. Thus to take a picture, I remove the smartphone from my pocket, actuate the power button bringing the LCD screen back on, and it comes up just where I left it ready to take a photo by simply touching anywhere on the LCD screen. Completed I actuate the Power button to shut off the display, drop the smartphone back into the pocket, grab the zipper pull, and slide the zipper shut.
The basic issue of concern is anything one removes from pockets and holds while riding lifts, potentially might be dropped thus lost. Especially if one takes pictures frequently as I tend to do. Additionally while skiing on slopes and stopping to take pictures, one might drop a smartphone into the snow that while unlikely to be lost, might get water inside the housing and eventually the delicate electronics causing a failure. So I created this solution that I would expect can be duplicated by anyone with minor time, effort, and simple cheap materials. Attached 3 images show what was done.
This first images above shows a back side view of my moto g smartphone with the top end at frame right. Like other smartphones, the back side has a cover that helps protect inner elements including the SIMM socket that in this design is below the blue plastic cover at upper right in the image. It is the only area on this design below the plastic back cover that is not flush with metal beneath. That is because to insert a SIMM into a socket from a cellphone side edge there must be a small area in the casing that is lower than the rest of the housing that is air space. It is into that tiny air space location that with the back side cover removed, I drilled 2 small holes into the cover just a bit behind where an inserted SIMM memory resides. Such small diameter drills to do so ought be available at hardware or craft stores.
Into the holes, I inserted a short length of 20 pound monofilament fishing line down one hole and back up through the other on which I tied a knot with a resulting small loop of adequate size for attaching a small lanyard clip. I used Gorilla Glue to make sure the knot would never come lose.
This next image above shows the backside metal housing of the moto g with the plastic cover at frame left removed to show its inner side. Note the edge of the red hued SIMM that is inserted in its socket. Also on this model is a black hued external micro SD card below it. The small space behind those memory devices is where there is air space in order to be able to push the memory devices into their smartphone sockets. And that is where I correspondingly drilled the 2 tiny holes in the plastic cover to create an attachment feature.
This third image shows the corresponding securing modification to my Salomon parka top left pocket into which I put the smartphone. The pocket has a zipper with a zipper pull. Thus tied a small diameter climbing shop utility cord to the zipper pull with the other end tied to small lanyard clips that I could attach around the monofilament line loop. Each knot was also secured with Gorilla Glue. The service length of the cord was long enough that after removing the smartphone, I can raise the phone up to my eye height. For my design, I chose to use 2 clips for added security. This could be implemented in similar ways with other like materials.
Using this system I can rapidly remove my smartphone, take a picture, and return it back into my pocket. On the moto g running the Android OS, the Power button once the smartphone has booted up, also functions as a display on/off/on momentary toggle button that I use to conserve battery power when not otherwise in use. If it is in camera shooting mode when actuated, the LCD display goes off and inhibits any screen touch controls. Thus to take a picture, I remove the smartphone from my pocket, actuate the power button bringing the LCD screen back on, and it comes up just where I left it ready to take a photo by simply touching anywhere on the LCD screen. Completed I actuate the Power button to shut off the display, drop the smartphone back into the pocket, grab the zipper pull, and slide the zipper shut.
