Put to the Test: Lifeproof Phone Case

By April Scott-Clarke

Rating: ***

Recently, technology has undergone huge leaps in innovation and is progressing with staggering speed - it can now be found in almost every aspect of our lives.

This article talks about the use of technology in places that we may never have considered before - in particular, the outdoors. The article discusses the practicality of durable Lifeproof cases for phones in the outdoors. These cases are intended to keep one’s phone operational even in extreme conditions - the cases are waterproof, shockproof, dirtproof and even potentially snowproof. The article also compares techniques the cases use to protect the phone and their drawbacks. For example, a case that ensures protection from water by fitting tightly may be difficult to put on and remove. Finally, the article also discusses how the different cases performed under various conditions, proclaiming that after the cased phones were ‘dropped on pavement, dipped in a river, and soaked in the rain… [they] have delivered on the marketing claims’. 

Considering this magazine and article is about the outdoors, I was surprised to learn that common technology (in this case smartphones) was actually used out there - previously I believed the outdoors and smartphones were about as far apart one could get from the other. This article caused me to think of the potential applications of other everyday technology in outdoor activities. It also made me realize just how much technology has permeated our everyday lives, and in places that we may never have considered before. The article inspired me to be more open to having technology that I utilize every day to be used outside of what I may consider ‘environmental safe-zones’ - places that are reliably safe for using technology. It also changed my attitude towards the uses of smartphone cases as mere accessories - this article proves that rugged cases that promise protection from the elements can actually work, a fact that I was previously hesitant about. 

In conclusion, while the article did not completely change my perspective on the use of technology outdoors, it shows that two worlds (the outdoors and everyday technology), ostensibly unrelated, can indeed interconnect. 

Scott-Clarke, April. “Put to the Test: Lifeproof Phone Case.” Ontario Out of Doors. Nov. 2013: 21. Print.