The Mac Space Blog

Otterbox is a great friend of The Mac Space. I have many of Otterbox’s happenin’ storage and protective devices. They protect everything from my iPods and iPhones to my cigars.

Defender case for original iPhone

If you are an owner of the original Apple iPhone (consider yourself lucky) you may want to protect that investment so you don’t have to upgrade to the problem laden 3G iPhones. A great way to protect your original iPhone is the Otterbox Defender case.

Components

The Defender is a four piece case. Two of the pieces (front & back) provide a sort of exoskeleton for major protection from drops and impacts. The exoskeleton is made of a high impact polycarbonate plastic. The outside and 2nd piece is a silicone skin. The silicone provides a good grip on the phone, which can be slippery without a case. The skin also provides shock and bump absorption. The final piece is a protective film for the iPhone’s screen.

The case’s openings provide easy access to all the buttons, ports and camera without having to remove the phone.

Unlike many other Otterbox cases, this one is not waterproof. Don’t be taking your iPhone to 100 feet below sea level like you can with other Otterboxes!

Holster

Along with the case, the Defender package includes a holster which the case snugly fits into. The holster is great for mounting on your belt or other places and provides a snapping angle so you can get your iPhone aligned where you want it.

Conclusion

The original iPhone came with a super high price. Protecting that investment is essential, but you don’t want that protection to be inconvenient. The Otterbox Defender provides maximum protection yet is convenient, functional and easy to install and remove. If only other protective devices could do the same… ahem.

FTP stands for “file transfer protocol.” FTP is best to use when transferring large or multiple files to and from servers.

Fetch, by Fetch Softworks, has been one of the best FTP programs for the Apple Macintosh since long before OSX was even a glimmer in Apple’s eye. I’ve been using Fetch since the OS8 era but it dates back to “System 7.” That would be close to the automobile’s Model-T era.
Fetch’s Core Features

Using Fetch is super easy to use. You first establish an FTP or SFTP connection by opening a connection window (pictured right) and typing in your FTP login information, or by using a saved connection. A window opens (picture #2) to the location you have connected to which then shows the existing files and folders in an OSX finder style layout. From there you can perform many functions such as downloading files, uploading files, deleting, editing files, creating folders and editing permissions.

Uploading & Downloading

Fetch uses simple drag and drop, or icon/menu based controls to upload and download files. To easily upload a file, find the file in a finder window and drag it to the Fetch window. If you drag a folder there, Fetch is smart enough to create the same folder and upload the files and subfolders within. A preference setting for automatically replacing files with the same name makes updating your server or remote files easy. If you aren’t sure if you should be replacing files, that feature can be turned off and Fetch will ask for a confirmation before replacing files.

One great feature Fetch has had for a long time which other FTP clients seem to have missed, is having multiple location or Fetch windows open at the same time and being able to transfer files back and forth between them. To transfer files from one remote location to another with other apps requires a download to your local machine, then opening a new connection and uploading from your local machine to the new remote. To do this with Fetch, you simply have your two remote location windows open and drag files back and forth. This is especially useful when moving from one web server to another or copying multiple files from one server to another. This feature has saved me dozens of hours of hassle when backing up or moving web sites.

Mirror Mirror

I could spend hours typing up all the awesome features Fetch has, so I need to hold back a bit. But the mirror function deserves some airtime. “Mirroring” is where you have two locations and you want the files to be the same in both.

Mirroring is very useful if you are editing or working with files locally but want your remote server to contain the exact same files and versions. Mirroring could also be used if you have a master location and a backup location for safety.

Editing Remotely

The “old” days of of web programming and/or FTPing files were tedious. To edit a text or web file (html, xml, php etc) you first had to download the file to your computer. Then you’d have to use another application (a text or html editor) to edit and save the file. After the file revision and save, you’d then have to FTP the file back up to the remote location.

Thanks to the Fetch, this three step process has been greatly reduced. Now all you need to do is connect to your remote location and double click the file. The file is then automatically edited with the application you select. Saving within the selected application saves the file right back to the server. Three steps are now essentially one.

Widget

MacOS 10.4 and later features mini applications which are called Widgets.

The Fetch widget is a quick and easy way to upload files. Once you have a connection selected in the widget, all you do is drop files on it. Easy.

So many more features…

There are so many more Fetch features. It’s possible to automate tasks and perform automatic tasks by scheduling them within Apple’s iCal. Webview is great for previewing files in your browser which you are editing or transferring with Fetch.

Conclusion

Fetch has been around for a long time. As a result, Fetch features a huge array of useful and time saving functions. Fetch’s maturity also means the application has gone through tons of fine tuning and debugging to insure high performance and minimal problems.

Fetch’s very easy to use interface and intuitive functions make it my first choice for FTPing, editing and moving files between my many servers. I turn to Fetch for all of my FTP functions for The Mac Space, wether it is backing the site up or uploading new or edited server files.

I’ve now reviewed a few Otterbox products and I love them all. Otterbox makes the coolest and toughest cases out there for everything from iPhones, iPods, cell phones, and laptops to cigars.

Otterbox 9000

Another great Otterbox product is the “9000.” I think it is named the 9000 because that is how many pounds per square inch the thing could handle before it is damaged? Perhaps it is intact at 9000 feet below sea level? Or maybe it is 9000 for the $9000 you’ll save when protecting your super high end equipment inside the unit in wet or dusty conditions.

Uses

The 9000 is a protective, padded storage case with a water tight seal. The case is vertically oriented, good for longer items you wish to protect like sunglasses, camera lenses, microphones etc. I loaned my 9000 to a pal who is a professional photographer and he used it to store some camera/video gear at a couple of gigs outside. The 9000 kept his gear free of dust and moisture and he was able to mount the 9000 on his belt for easy access when he needed what was inside. I had a hard time getting my 9000 back from him!

Specs

The 9000 is waterproof up to 100 feet. It is crushproof and airtight. The unit is available in blue, yellow, black and clear.

The case has several ways it can be carried. There’s a belt clip for mounting on your belt. The belt clip can be removed. You can hold or hang the unit via a strong rope attached, or you can hook it via the holes on the case. The holes on the case can also be used to put a small lock on the lid to prevent someone from opening it without authorization.

Exterior Dimensions:
3.354″ x 4.542″ x 7.663″

Interior Dimensions:
1.824″ x 2.709″ x 6.930″

Conclusion

If you have some valuables or professional equipment you need to protect from the elements or from being run over by someone who has commandeered a tank and is rampaging through town, the OtterBox 9000 would be a superb option.

OtterBox is a very hip company which makes waterproof cases for iPhones, Blackberries, iPods, PDA’s, GPA’s, ammo, cigars and more. They also make generic cases for general use or storage of miscellaneous items. Today I’m covering the OtterBox 3500 waterproof case, which is in the general category.

3500 Overview

The OtterBox 3500 case is roughly 9×5x4 inches. It is made of super strong plastic which will protect the contents from being crushed, smashed, compromised etc. There are two heavy duty latches which close the case securely. The case is sealed with a rubber gasket and is air tight, providing protection from water, dust, dirt, insects, nuclear blasts etc. OK I threw in the nuclear blast comment as a joke but I wouldn’t be surprised if that was actually the case.

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