On The Edge! - Ramblings of an Inqusitive Indian!

I have never been a case-less person with my iPhone like ever. Since my first iPhone 4, i.e. mostly since Aug 2010, I remember having some or the other case on my iPhone. It never occurred to me that I should go caseless primarily because I was an outdoor person and I cycled a lot. Since I could afford only one phone and that was an expensive iPhone (imagine paying a months salary for a phone) when this all started. I have always had a case unknowingly. Now that I think of it, it is ironic that I always had a case but never had a screen guard, somehow I trusted the gorilla glass.

Coming back to cases, It started with cheap silicone cases and then over time as I started earning more slowly migrated towards the apple cases. Until the previous iPhone X, I became a leather case person. Only when the iPhone X screen started opening up from the shell and I upgraded to 11 Pro Max last November did I get to the apple silicone case back because leather ones weren’t available.

So why the case-less idea now, you may ask. It is very similar to my using cases in the first place, its the nature of the surroundings that are pushing me towards going case-less. I am running more than usual these days due to the pandemic, and I carry my phone a lot on the waist pouch in my running shorts and therein lies the problem. The extra padding that the case adds is slightly annoying now with putting the phone in and out. While I am happy that the 11 Pro Max fits the pouch at all, playing fiddle with the zip enclosures before and after the run is just an annoyance that I have recently avoided by going case-less. This definitely isn’t about status or fanboyism.

I have been so much happy that I’ve considered going case-less on and off. I think I can wing for the most part but my only concern is if and when I would crash on a bike ride and if that would damage the phone. That crash might run me a few 100k just for the phone besides damages to the broken bones, bike and other things. That’s where I feel the case might help me a lot.

That said, I have enjoyed the look and feel of the iPhone in my hands without a case and it feels just brilliant. I have started wondering how I have missed admiring the beauty of this by keeping it in the silicone case, despite the extra 50 grams of weight that it adds. If you haven’t tried using your phones, especially your iPhone without a case, do try it. Feel it. I am sure there definitely is a tiny bit appreciation for the amount of the attention and thought Apple has put into the phone to make it feel the way it is. To me, it feels solid, seamless yet well balanced and I enjoy it more when I hold it without the case. It does feel a bit slippery, but I don’t if the finish without a smooth finish will look pleasing or feel great.

So here on I think I will keep the iPhone in a pouch when I need some protection, a pouch that will let me put the phone and pull out and offer some protection on rides and will use it without any cases for the most part. Let’s see how long I can last with this case-less resolution. Regardless I plan to keep the phone for at least 2+ years which means, ideally until November 2021 worst case.

Are you suffering from your either or both of your Powerbeats pro not having charge you pull it out of its case? I think I have a workaround just for you.

Problem:

I have been having this issue of the right Powerbeats pro not having enough charge just when I go out for a ride or a run. It has been annoying me like crazy, especially given the price I paid for these and I chose to buy them over the AirPods Pro just to make sure they are really good for workouts and I didn’t need the noise cancellation on my runs/rides due to safety reasons. I have been having these issues inconsistently since October.

Only my left Powerbeats pro would be charged 100% consistently while the right would have drained completely or was at a useless charge percentage most times I would like to use them. This was so inconsistent that I would just bail and go out with the left one or with both with weird charge states etc. There was no predictable behaviour on how /when the right one would be charged completely etc.

It got so frustrating that I wanted to get to the bottom of it. I first thought it was a firmware problem (some forum threads suggested it was) and then there were a few firmware updates that seemed like they fixed it, but apparently the issue came back again in Jan or Feb.

More forum research got me thinking it was some hardware issue as well and yes there were recommendations to clean the contact points on the case and the pros with a baby wipe or alcohol. I did that but that didn’t fix the issue completely.

Solution:

Here is what worked for me, So after making sure the contacts were cleaned, now I make sure to place them consistently by looking out for the lights on the case. Regardless of the order, I place them in the case after my run/ride, I watch for the lights on the case. I make sure the case blinks (doesn’t matter red/white) right after I place the pods. So one blink for each pod for a total of two blinks. I close the case with as little movement as possible.

If for some reason the light doesn’t blink when I place my right Powerbeats pro, I remove it and place it again. I keep repeating this until it blinks once. The light blinking is an acknowledgement from the case that the pods are in place and charging.

I have been doing this for almost a month now and so far, no issues whatsoever. Both the Powerbeats pro have been consistently charged or at 100% every single time. Agreed that it is outright annoying to do this every time you place the pods back and its Apple’s fault for making them this way, but hey I am stuck with them because I bought them in the US and I can’t ship them back for replacement or exchange etc.

Sometimes I randomly check the battery widget on the iPhone or the iPad with the case nearby to see if both the pods are in fact charging. But this is just an unnecessary habit now, one that I picked up from reading the forums in Jan.

If you have been having similar issues, do try this lights workaround. Hopefully, they will help!