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submitted 5 months ago by ZeroCool@slrpnk.net to c/technology@lemmy.world

"I found a phone sitting on the side of the road that had apparently fallen 16,000 feet," Bates said in a video recorded for social media Sunday.

He said he was "a little skeptical" when he first found it, thinking perhaps it may have been tossed out of a passing vehicle. But the phone wasn't locked, so he opened it up, he said.

"It was in airplane mode with a travel confirmation and baggage claim for Alaska 1282," Bates said. "So, I had to go call the NTSB."

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[-] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 89 points 5 months ago

It’s kinda shitty that ABC ran a picture with the recipient’s name unobscured…

[-] merde@sh.itjust.works 59 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

the fact that "the phone wasn't locked" surprised me more than its surviving the fall 🙃 then i realized the discrepancy. i should stop reading posts in privacy communities 🙂

[-] n3m37h@lemmy.world 16 points 5 months ago

Some people are sane and use cases and glass screen protectors. Phones dont have a great enough terminal velocity to damage the internals. People get cases and throw band new iphones out of apartment buildings

[-] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 23 points 5 months ago

I don't feel the need to get a case that would allow my phone to survive an incident that I wouldn't survive.

[-] n3m37h@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago

I want evidence of my gruesome death to be posted online for internet clout

[-] idunnololz@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago
[-] derpgon@programming.dev 12 points 5 months ago

Also if it landed on grass or fell through thin tree branches, there is almost no chance of damage.

[-] WHYAREWEALLCAPS@kbin.social 2 points 5 months ago

My case has saved my phone screen so many times. Its raised edge keeps the screen from smashing into the ground.

[-] n3m37h@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

I always use a glass screen protector, my last phone (Galaxy A71) only had a case, dropped it 100's of times, one time there was a little pebble on the ground and that shattered my screen, for $10 you can get a 3 pack of glass screen protectors. Well worth it IMO

[-] tias@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 5 months ago

I have yet to understand the "discrepancy". Which brand doesn't default to locking the phone automatically after a short timeout? I've never had a smartphone that stays unlocked.

[-] psud@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago

Users can change that setting. One of my friends doesn't like having to unlock his phone, so he turned off locking

[-] restingboredface@sh.itjust.works 6 points 5 months ago

Just knowing there are people out there who do these things gives me anxiety on their behalf. WHY WOULD SOMEONE DO THAT

[-] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 3 points 5 months ago

they are proud of their butthole photos and want everyone to see

[-] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 2 points 5 months ago

You know you aren't forced to put a password on your phone...

[-] solidgrue@lemmy.world 57 points 5 months ago

I just wanna know what brand of phone case was on that phone.

[-] Cort@lemmy.world 59 points 5 months ago

Some phone case company is about to get some serious free advertising

[-] TheOSINTguy@sh.itjust.works 13 points 5 months ago

Typically whenever you hear about stuff like this, it brands like uag (urban armor gear) and otterbox.

[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 13 points 5 months ago

I have one called Beetle Defender and it's been even better than the OtterBox cases I've had. The Otterbox's silicone part would always get stretched out and become loose over time, with the flaps no longer closing or the corners coming off.

[-] TheOSINTguy@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago

I used to have a otterbox too, but I recently got a uag case and those are some of the most duarable cases ive ever used. The only problem is they are expensive.

[-] derin@lemmy.beru.co 3 points 5 months ago

+1 to otter box - love their rugged cases

[-] Rapidcreek@lemmy.world 50 points 5 months ago

It was still in Airplane mode.

[-] KazuyaDarklight@lemmy.world 76 points 5 months ago

That's why it survived the landing.

[-] clearedtoland@lemmy.world 29 points 5 months ago

God damn it. I envy the effortless wittiness of some of you.

[-] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago

Airplane mode engages the parachute

[-] dhork@lemmy.world 10 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Surely you can't be serious?

(Oh, wait, wrong Airplane....)

[-] LuckyBoy@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago

I am serious — and don’t call me Shirley.

[-] azertyfun@sh.itjust.works 4 points 5 months ago

Damn, this ARG stuff goes hard.

this post was submitted on 08 Jan 2024
216 points (97.0% liked)

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