kellybelly.net

Product Review: iPhone Carabiner Clip

reviews

Jan 262012

I recently purchased the iPhone Carabiner Clip for my iPhone. Most reviews that I’ve seen have treated this item like a joke. Just search “iPhone carabiner clip review” and you’ll see what I mean.

So … why did I buy it?

Since I upgraded to the 4s I have been using an Hipstamatic case. While the case looks cool (especially once I customized it a bit), it does add bulk to the phone. Plus, the “lens” leaves the phone unbalanced when set flat… so if I press the home button, or anything on the screen on the bottom of the phone, it rocks on the table. Not ideal, and frankly kind of annoying. But I put up with it because I LOVE the wrist strap. It gave me a bit of extra security if I’m carrying my phone, and it made it easy to grab it out of the depths of my purse.

Well, my wonderful hubs recently surprised me with an olloclip for my phone. It’s really nifty… but it only fits on a “naked” iPhone. I could still keep my iPhone in a case, but any time I wanted to use the olloclip I would have to remove the phone from the case and then attach the lens. Kind of annoying, and if I wanted to carry my phone around with the olloclip attached (say, if I’m taking photos at a party), I’d have to carry it around without the case.

So I decided to ditch the case. Now, I’m not too worried about scratches, but I AM worried about dropping the phone. I tend to drop my iPhones a lot, once even shattering the glass on my 3G and having to pay mucho dinero to have it replaced.

I remembered about the carabiner clip and went ahead and ordered one (along with a glif stand, will be another post). I really didn’t see many other options for a minimal case with a strap, that I maybe can modify to work with the olloclip.

I like that the carabiner strap is secure. You attach it to the bottom of the iPhone using two screws (the screws & screwdriver are provided). It’s just as simple to remove, so you can change your phone back to “stock” in a few seconds. Since it’s actually screwed onto your phone, it is infinitely more secure than merely plugging into the dock connector. So if the iPhone leaves your hands at a high rate of speed , you don’t have to worry about the strap popping off.

Additionally, the carabiner strap leaves the dock connector open so you can plug in your phone to charge or sync, without removing the strap. However, you cannot use the iPhone dock… which I never have, so this point is moot.

It’s been only a day, but so far so good. I haven’t clipped it onto my belt loop, or my backpack, but I’ve been going “naked” for a few days, and it already makes me feel more confident that I have a bit of extra protection (ie: a handle) if my iPhone ever slips from my grasp. If it does fall, of course I don’t have a case to help cushion the drop, but I guess that’s a chance I have to take. Now all I need is a cool camera strap…

So if you have an iPhone, what is your favorite accessory or case?

kellybelly: cave girl

blog posts

Jan 092012

I first read The Clan of the Cave Bear in high school; I don’t remember if it was 9th or 10th grade. Ever since, the series has been my favorite. They are my go-to books when I want to read but nothing else in the house is holding my interest.

I’ve always been fascinated with the Ice Age… cavemen, Neanderthals, saber-tooth tigers, mammoths… and how people must have lived back then. I think that is why I love the series so much … many readers complain about the author’s excessive descriptions about the world and the caveman life, but those are my favorite parts.

So when I first read about the paleo “diet,” I was intrigued. I did a lot of reading, and it just plain makes sense to me. So I tried it.

Happy New Year!

blog posts

Jan 012012

As an old year ends and a new year begins, this list of “30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself” is a fitting read.

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

I myself am not making any New Year resolutions this year, but the list above will be an inspiration for some things I would like to work on in the coming twelve months.

So… here’s to wishing you all a happy and healthy 2012!

Foodie Friday: Sweet Potato Bake

Foodie Friday

Dec 302011

I kind of made this recipe up, after I had a bunch of sweet potatoes left over after Thanksgiving. You can make this with any ingredients you want; I had ham and onions in the fridge, so that’s what I put in there.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten
1 C sweet potato, shredded
1/3 C ham, chopped
1/4 onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a small oven-safe casserole dish.
Grate the sweet potato, and using your hands squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can.
Sauté the onion until soft.
Add the ham to the onion and sauté until cooked.
Add the ham/onion mixture to the sweet potato, and pour the eggs over the top. Mix well.
Place the mixture in the casserole dish, and top with a dollop of butter.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until set in the middle and browned on top. Serve immediately.

Foodie Friday: Crispy Bacon Maque Choux

Foodie Friday

Dec 232011

While searching for side dishes to prepare for our Thanksgiving dinner, J came across this one and asked me to make it. I saw that it had bacon in it, so I was immediately on board.

What the hell is maque choux, you ask? I wondered the same thing! According to the Wikipedia:

It contains corn, green bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, and sometimes garlic and celery. The ingredients are braised in a pot. Historically bacon grease was used for the braising stage, although various combinations of oil, butter, or cream may be substituted. The vegetables are then left to simmer until they reach a tender consistency [...]

I modified the recipe a bit because someone doesn’t like tomatoes. Also, I doubled it (we were feeding ten people) and pretty much ignored the stated bacon amount and put in a whole package.

Ingredients:

3 cups frozen corn kernels (or 6 ears fresh corn)
4 ounces bacon
1 cup chopped green onion (white and green parts)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

If using fresh corn, cut the corn from the cobs.
Cook the bacon in a large saucepan until crisp.

(not yet crisp)
Remove bacon, drain, crumble and set aside.
Add the corn and the remaining ingredients to the bacon drippings and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.
Remove from heat, sprinkle with the reserved bacon and serve.

And there you have it!

Foodie Friday: Parmesan Chicken Breasts

Foodie Friday

Dec 162011

This is a super easy way to cook chicken. It comes out looking (and tasting) pretty fancy, and there’s really only a handful of ingredients so it can be whipped up quickly.

This basic process will work, I’m assuming, with any cheese. Use a pepper jack for a Southwestern flavor, or some fancy smelly cheese to class it up a bit more.

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (as many as you want to make)
Parmesan cheese (the good stuff, none of that powdered crap in the green can)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Dried oregano, parsley, basil or the like
Cast iron skillet (or any skillet that can go from stovetop to oven)

Instructions:

Preheat oven/broiler on High.
Season both sides of your chicken breasts.
Melt your oil of choice in the skillet (I used bacon grease).
Pan-fry the chicken breasts until browned and cooked through.
Keeping the chicken in the skillet, cover the tops of the chicken with a decent amount of the cheese.
Put the chicken under the broiler, and broil until the cheese is melted and toasty.
Remove, and serve! Here the chicken is paired with Maple Glazed Carrots.