If I only had a brain...
And speaking of shopping in response to stress...
(well, someone on my friends list was - oh wait, that was me.)
I've decided to buy a brain. And I need your And probably now before I start my job would be the best time, so I can fill it with knowledge and become familiar with how it works. The batteries went dead in my old one, and all my smartness leaked out.
I've already picked one out, despite houseboi trying to tempt me with a prettier one. I can get a perfectly lovely one that is a solid workhorse for $150, which is less than I spent for my last one many moons ago. My concern is what to carry it in so that it stays attached to me and doesn't go wandering. (...and my mind does tend to wander). Considering my good fortune in having an overabundance of computer geeks, queers, and docs on my friends list, I thought I'd ask for your input.
Of course, since I do my best to keep the O in OCD, I have several options, with references of course. They are of 3 basic types, with all but the last being the flip-type.:
E&B Slipper
Bellagio
Both are the full-face type, with leather around all sides. Both have sorta cheap looking metal logos on the front. Both seem to have a plain belt clip with one-button release (with concerns for accidental discharge). An advantage to the Slipper is that it closes with a magnetic bar, rather than a tab wrapping around to the back. All of the others have that and it's not my favorite. All in all, kind of boring, but the magnetic bar is a plus, and they might be more secure, not sure.
Convertec (terrible pic, see links below)
Proporta
Both of these are much cooler looking, with more rugged looking leather with contrasting stitching (can't really tell on Convertec's site, but check the other links below). Keeping with the fashion queen concerns, the Convertec has a u-shaped holder that leaves the top 2/3 of the unit exposed, yet reportedly secure. The Proporta goes one better and attaches the unit by one of its side rails, leaving the whole thing exposed. Would this mean I would get hospital cooties on the machine? Does it matter whether I'm getting cooties on the cover rather than the unit itself? What am I doing handling the thing with nasty hands anyway? But emergencies do happen in the ER on occasion. Other differences: Convertec has an interchangable belt clip system so that you can switch out for different sizes and types of clip. Proporta has a clip that is removable, but otherwise regular with a top button release. Proporta also has an integrated aluminum screen shield. I wrote to both companies to ask whether they thought these clips would be secure on scrubs (god forbid I put this ass in scrubs prior to any major plastic surgery). Proporta wrote back a nice note which didn't come close to answering my question (I think most of these companies are European, maybe English non-first language). Convertec has not yet answered, but it was just yesterday ferchrissakes.
Nutshell (not kidding)
This one is completely different, and more expensive. It is a holster-type, with a tab (not a flap - though you can get that custom) that comes over the top and fastens with velcro (not my favorite, but ok). It has a strong spring clip that the company expressly recommends on their website for attaching to scrubs. The leather is really high quality and built for strength, and takes a nice luster with age. Question is, am I likely to whip that sucker out with my sweaty litle mitts and proceed to pitch it over the head of a patient, whereupon it implodes into a million tiny bits?
Here's a couple of links showing more and better pics of these cases, though for the most part they're on other machines and have some differences from mine. Seems that although my unit has been out since last fall and is selling insanely well, most companies are still aiming their cooler cases toward the upscale models. These'll give you the general idea though.
multireview with pics 1
multireview with pics 2
nutshell review
covertec review
So I guess the things I need to take into consideration are 1) accessibility, 2) relative security, and 3) "form factor" (ooo.. shiny!), not necessarily in that order. But I gotta be able to get that thing out and ready to go without looking as panicked as a day-tripper at a dude ranch. I can do that on my own, thanks. ("thromba...thromba...Thrombolytics! There it is!")
docorion, I would most especially love your input, because I know you have one. And an opinion as well, no doubt.
If anyone else would take mercy on me and help out with an opinion, I would be evermost grateful and perhaps return myself to obsessing about my real estate offer. And counter-offer. And counter-counter offer. (This is like a sport for real estate agents, isn't it?) Ooo... docorion- software?
.
(well, someone on my friends list was - oh wait, that was me.)
I've decided to buy a brain. And I need your And probably now before I start my job would be the best time, so I can fill it with knowledge and become familiar with how it works. The batteries went dead in my old one, and all my smartness leaked out.
I've already picked one out, despite houseboi trying to tempt me with a prettier one. I can get a perfectly lovely one that is a solid workhorse for $150, which is less than I spent for my last one many moons ago. My concern is what to carry it in so that it stays attached to me and doesn't go wandering. (...and my mind does tend to wander). Considering my good fortune in having an overabundance of computer geeks, queers, and docs on my friends list, I thought I'd ask for your input.
Of course, since I do my best to keep the O in OCD, I have several options, with references of course. They are of 3 basic types, with all but the last being the flip-type.:
E&B Slipper
Bellagio
Both are the full-face type, with leather around all sides. Both have sorta cheap looking metal logos on the front. Both seem to have a plain belt clip with one-button release (with concerns for accidental discharge). An advantage to the Slipper is that it closes with a magnetic bar, rather than a tab wrapping around to the back. All of the others have that and it's not my favorite. All in all, kind of boring, but the magnetic bar is a plus, and they might be more secure, not sure.
Convertec (terrible pic, see links below)
Proporta
Both of these are much cooler looking, with more rugged looking leather with contrasting stitching (can't really tell on Convertec's site, but check the other links below). Keeping with the fashion queen concerns, the Convertec has a u-shaped holder that leaves the top 2/3 of the unit exposed, yet reportedly secure. The Proporta goes one better and attaches the unit by one of its side rails, leaving the whole thing exposed. Would this mean I would get hospital cooties on the machine? Does it matter whether I'm getting cooties on the cover rather than the unit itself? What am I doing handling the thing with nasty hands anyway? But emergencies do happen in the ER on occasion. Other differences: Convertec has an interchangable belt clip system so that you can switch out for different sizes and types of clip. Proporta has a clip that is removable, but otherwise regular with a top button release. Proporta also has an integrated aluminum screen shield. I wrote to both companies to ask whether they thought these clips would be secure on scrubs (god forbid I put this ass in scrubs prior to any major plastic surgery). Proporta wrote back a nice note which didn't come close to answering my question (I think most of these companies are European, maybe English non-first language). Convertec has not yet answered, but it was just yesterday ferchrissakes.
Nutshell (not kidding)
This one is completely different, and more expensive. It is a holster-type, with a tab (not a flap - though you can get that custom) that comes over the top and fastens with velcro (not my favorite, but ok). It has a strong spring clip that the company expressly recommends on their website for attaching to scrubs. The leather is really high quality and built for strength, and takes a nice luster with age. Question is, am I likely to whip that sucker out with my sweaty litle mitts and proceed to pitch it over the head of a patient, whereupon it implodes into a million tiny bits?
Here's a couple of links showing more and better pics of these cases, though for the most part they're on other machines and have some differences from mine. Seems that although my unit has been out since last fall and is selling insanely well, most companies are still aiming their cooler cases toward the upscale models. These'll give you the general idea though.
multireview with pics 1
multireview with pics 2
nutshell review
covertec review
So I guess the things I need to take into consideration are 1) accessibility, 2) relative security, and 3) "form factor" (ooo.. shiny!), not necessarily in that order. But I gotta be able to get that thing out and ready to go without looking as panicked as a day-tripper at a dude ranch. I can do that on my own, thanks. ("thromba...thromba...Thrombolytics! There it is!")
docorion, I would most especially love your input, because I know you have one. And an opinion as well, no doubt.
If anyone else would take mercy on me and help out with an opinion, I would be evermost grateful and perhaps return myself to obsessing about my real estate offer. And counter-offer. And counter-counter offer. (This is like a sport for real estate agents, isn't it?) Ooo... docorion- software?
.