iPhone 6 - where do you keep it?
May 14, 2015 10:06 AM Subscribe
I have an iPhone 6 with the Incipio NGP case, and for the life of me I can't figure out where to put it so it doesn't drive me crazy. Also, I can barely feel it vibrate.
I usually wear jeans. The iPhone 6 baaaarely fits in the front pockets. I really have to work to get it in there, and work to get it back out, and it's a pain to do every time I get a call/text.
If I'm wearing a skirt or dress, I don't even know where to put it at all. Skirt/dress-wearing folks of Metafilter, where on earth do you put it so you can hear it or feel the vibration? It's too big for my bra.
If I'm wearing a heavy jacket (as I was during the winter), with my phone in my jacket pocket where it was accessible, I couldn't feel it vibrate.
I use a backpack rather than a purse, and even if I put it in the pocket closest to my head (if I'm wearing the backpack), I can't feel it vibrate.
And even when I have it in my front jeans pocket, sometimes I can't feel it vibrate either, especially if I'm walking.
Most confoundingly, if I put the phone on the table during work hours, I can't feel it vibrate. Literally it'll be sitting a foot away from me and I'll look over and there'll be a missed call and several texts that I didn't notice. Sometimes I'll be looking right at it and happen to notice that I'm getting a call, and the vibration is barely noticeable. (I don't want to turn on sound notifications as that seems obnoxious to others in my office.) Could it be the Incipio case? Is this a known issue with the phone itself?
Where do people put their big phones? I don't understand. The iPhone 6 isn't even that big - the 6 Plus is truly giant, and there's plenty of people who use phablets and tablets. How? Do you just put them in your purse and manually check them every 5 minutes without waiting for a notification?
I miss when I had a regular dumbphone. It fit into all of my jeans pockets and my bra if I was wearing a skirt/dress, I could feel it when it vibrated, and that was that.
I usually wear jeans. The iPhone 6 baaaarely fits in the front pockets. I really have to work to get it in there, and work to get it back out, and it's a pain to do every time I get a call/text.
If I'm wearing a skirt or dress, I don't even know where to put it at all. Skirt/dress-wearing folks of Metafilter, where on earth do you put it so you can hear it or feel the vibration? It's too big for my bra.
If I'm wearing a heavy jacket (as I was during the winter), with my phone in my jacket pocket where it was accessible, I couldn't feel it vibrate.
I use a backpack rather than a purse, and even if I put it in the pocket closest to my head (if I'm wearing the backpack), I can't feel it vibrate.
And even when I have it in my front jeans pocket, sometimes I can't feel it vibrate either, especially if I'm walking.
Most confoundingly, if I put the phone on the table during work hours, I can't feel it vibrate. Literally it'll be sitting a foot away from me and I'll look over and there'll be a missed call and several texts that I didn't notice. Sometimes I'll be looking right at it and happen to notice that I'm getting a call, and the vibration is barely noticeable. (I don't want to turn on sound notifications as that seems obnoxious to others in my office.) Could it be the Incipio case? Is this a known issue with the phone itself?
Where do people put their big phones? I don't understand. The iPhone 6 isn't even that big - the 6 Plus is truly giant, and there's plenty of people who use phablets and tablets. How? Do you just put them in your purse and manually check them every 5 minutes without waiting for a notification?
I miss when I had a regular dumbphone. It fit into all of my jeans pockets and my bra if I was wearing a skirt/dress, I could feel it when it vibrated, and that was that.
I carry it in my hand/put it on my desk/next to me where I'm working. And I buy jackets with big pockets so I can just drop it in there. If I need to stop holding it, I drop it in my purse until I'm done with whatever.
posted by easter queen at 10:34 AM on May 14, 2015
posted by easter queen at 10:34 AM on May 14, 2015
I had trouble noticing the vibration as well so I created a longer, stronger, custom vibration. I didn't realize this was a feature until I had the phone for a few weeks. Settings > Sounds. Then at the top of each entry (Ring Tone, Text Tone, etc) there is an option for vibration and in that menu is a method to make a custom vibration. All of the default vibration patterns are too short for me to realize anything is happening.
posted by sacrifix at 10:39 AM on May 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by sacrifix at 10:39 AM on May 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
Don't use a case. Now it fits in your pocket and you can feel the vibration.
posted by w0mbat at 10:56 AM on May 14, 2015
posted by w0mbat at 10:56 AM on May 14, 2015
Case could be contributing. I have a 6 plus and a thin silicone case and it normally lives in my coat pocket, purse or the desk. I notice the vibrations fine and miss few calls/messages. But I also don't mind responding after an hour or three and have trained people to expect that so I've never paid all that much attention.
posted by koahiatamadl at 11:06 AM on May 14, 2015
posted by koahiatamadl at 11:06 AM on May 14, 2015
Response by poster: Already made a custom vibration, and it helps, but only to a point. Notably, sometimes I'll be waiting for someone to text me while I'm walking with the phone in my front jeans pocket, and I still won't hear the (very extended) custom vibration.
I've definitely trained people to not expect immediate responses from me. But sometimes I'm waiting for a work-related incoming call/text and don't notice it when it happens.
posted by Questolicious at 11:25 AM on May 14, 2015
I've definitely trained people to not expect immediate responses from me. But sometimes I'm waiting for a work-related incoming call/text and don't notice it when it happens.
posted by Questolicious at 11:25 AM on May 14, 2015
RE: where to keep it. http://www.target.com/p/chevron-cell-phone-wallet-with-removable-wristlet-strap-black-white/-/A-15377173 this is a small wallet/clutch that has suction cups for phones. Something like this protects the phone but also has ancillary use. I feel like most people that wear dresses carry something like this with them, same as the wallet. When you buy something, do you have to get your wallet from your backpack? I can't really imagine what it would look like to carry a big backpack casually, but sometimes there are holders in the backpack straps that you could fit a phone.
RE: not feeling/hearing it. I have this problem too. I found a quiet, concise, peaceful ringtone that I use for every notification (call/text/voicemail, turned the rest off)and keep my volume on. So many people with smartphones are used to keeping the sound off all of the time, but I've found I can't hear my phone from the next office over with the ringer on. Just get used to flipping the volume switch if you do enter a movie theater/private meeting. Another problem with the vibration is the phantom vibration you get with any phone, which is a neurological response to the vibration feeling.
Lastly, there is a do-not-disturb function on the phone, and I believe you can set it to let through calls with a certain number, or something like that. I used do-not-disturb at work for a while.
posted by bbqturtle at 11:47 AM on May 14, 2015
RE: not feeling/hearing it. I have this problem too. I found a quiet, concise, peaceful ringtone that I use for every notification (call/text/voicemail, turned the rest off)and keep my volume on. So many people with smartphones are used to keeping the sound off all of the time, but I've found I can't hear my phone from the next office over with the ringer on. Just get used to flipping the volume switch if you do enter a movie theater/private meeting. Another problem with the vibration is the phantom vibration you get with any phone, which is a neurological response to the vibration feeling.
Lastly, there is a do-not-disturb function on the phone, and I believe you can set it to let through calls with a certain number, or something like that. I used do-not-disturb at work for a while.
posted by bbqturtle at 11:47 AM on May 14, 2015
One of my biggest complaints about the iphone 6/6+ is the wimpy vibrator. I've had both, and my 6+ is actually worse than my 6 was... which was bad, and i had all these same problems.
I eventually just made a custom text tone(look up making a custom ringtone with itunes, load it on, then you can select it as a text tone!) and just leave the sound on all the time unless the phone is face up on a table or i'm somewhere i absolutely can't make noise.
It annoys me, but i've just given up on noticing the vibration. I use a VERY thin case too(this, which is totally awesome). That helped, but not a ton.
posted by emptythought at 2:46 PM on May 14, 2015
I eventually just made a custom text tone(look up making a custom ringtone with itunes, load it on, then you can select it as a text tone!) and just leave the sound on all the time unless the phone is face up on a table or i'm somewhere i absolutely can't make noise.
It annoys me, but i've just given up on noticing the vibration. I use a VERY thin case too(this, which is totally awesome). That helped, but not a ton.
posted by emptythought at 2:46 PM on May 14, 2015
I'm tellin' ya, if it's still under warranty (which I think all iPhone 6s are), it's worth at least trying another one, to see if it's any better. It may be a widespread problem, but the difference between my original and replacement is night and day. You have nothing to lose by trying.
posted by primethyme at 4:27 PM on May 14, 2015
posted by primethyme at 4:27 PM on May 14, 2015
Belt holster/case. My dad have no problem with his 6+ this way.
posted by kschang at 2:29 AM on May 15, 2015
posted by kschang at 2:29 AM on May 15, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'm a dude, so my needs are a little different, but I usually carry it in my back pocket. I also find it frustratingly big, but that's the only place I can tolerate it. I use the Apple leather case, which was just about the slimmest case I could find, so it doesn't add too much bulk. (I actually hate having a case on my phone. I have never had a case before the iPhone 6. But it's so thin and slippery that I found I needed something extra to help me grip it without dropping it.)
posted by primethyme at 10:11 AM on May 14, 2015