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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Moto G + Case: Budget Survival Smartphone






Smartphones are powerful technological tools for the modern world but they aren’t exactly cheap.
For roughly 200 USd, (+a bit more for the 4G LTE version) you can get a solid unlocked smartphone that comes very close to the performance to be expected from phones costing three times more.  The display is 4.5 HD scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass. The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 A7 1.2GHz quad-core processor with built-in 4G LTE,  2070 mAh battery and it runs Android 4.4 (KitKat). Front and back camera and LED flash (which can work as a flashlight) Built-in FM radio and GPS (with GLONASS support).
The 4G LTE model not only has the faster connection, it also has a slot for expanding memory up to 32GB with a micro SD card.
The phone also has a water repelling internal coating, so a bit of rain or a quick dunk wont kill your phone.






Combining the Moto G with a 6.99 USD case makes for a surprisingly nice setup.
 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J3BKH3W?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00J3BKH3W&linkCode=xm2&tag=surviinargen-20

Urban Survival Application

Comms alone make a phone a must have, but smartphones are more like small personal computers these days.
Staying updated on current local and world events so as to stay ahead of the crowd, checking the price of precious metals and other currencies, using the GPS and maps to navigate around the city. Using the phone, texting, emailing or otherwise scrounging WIFI to communicate with people or using the built-in FM radio to listen to the news if everything else fails. Storing important data, booking last minute flights, online banking and making transfers, checking the weather, using the LED light or using the camera to record events and evidence if ever needed for insurance or other legal purposes. These are just some of the many possible uses for a smart phone, and the Moto G also happens to be pretty water resistant as well. Adding a case makes it impact resistance, making it even more resilient during emergencies. 


FerFAL

4 comments:

Don Williams said...

1) There is something to be said for the cheap phones that just let you do phone calls and send/receive texts. The ones that let you add minutes as needed instead of a fixed monthly charge. They seem to last a lot long on a charge, for one thing.
They also allow some secrecy and you can throw them away and get another if you get harassing calls.
2) In either case, an excellent feature of cell phones in the USA --and I assume in some other countries as well --is that you can register with local emergency authorities to receive automatic text alerts of emergencies. In the USA, those are often winter blizzards, violent storms, kidnapped children etc but they are also set up to transmit any national security EAS msgs.

Plus if you also sign up for alerts in the nonlocal "canary in the coal mine" locations -- New York City, Washington DC, etc
-- you will get an early notice of terrorist strikes like 911 as fast as the news agencies. Maybe enough time to sell those stocks or Get Out of Dodge ahead of the Horde.

Anonymous said...

I've been looking for a manufacturer of backpacks that use YKK #10 Flat Zippers. In my experience they are usually stronger than the material they are attached to. Any ideas?

Anonymous said...

Some phones like the NEC Terrain are fully Waterproof, Dustproof, and Shockproof: http://necterrain.com/

You can also look into the Samsung Galaxy Pro specifically built for the outdoors: http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SGH-I547ZKAATT

Anonymous said...

or you can keep your iPhone or Galaxy and buy a shock and waterproof case: http://www.otterbox.com/preserver-series/preserver-series,default,pg.html