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CES: American-Made, Industrial-Strength Smartphone and Tablet Cases (Video)
Even the most loving fathers tend to get upset when their kids destroy "...VCRs, DVD players, a Nintendo Wii, a Sony PS3, [and] numerous mobile phones." With smart phones costing lots more than older stupid phones, and most tablets costing even more, Greg Pilling decided to make aluminum and plexiglass smartphone and tablet cases strong enough to be, if not childproof, at least child-resistant. Since he owned an auto parts manufacturing company in Tucson, AZ, it was no big deal for him. So now he has SASCASE as a second business, and can make you a case for almost any kind of mobile device you might own. His cases look plenty tough, and they aren't cheap. But if you want to save money and make your own, Greg says plans for all cases he makes are open source (even though they aren't on his website yet). Also on the open source front, he is working on an open source "ruggedized" tablet he hopes to bring to market "in the $300-$400 range" to compete with the Panasonic 7” Toughpad that runs more like $1100.
If you want to learn nothing about the Toughpad, but have fun while doing so, I suggest the following article: http://lookrobot.co.uk/2013/01/14/the-panasonic-toughpad-press-conference/
You're not looking very hard at what employees in China are making manufacturing these goods then.
But fine, go with the environmental standards, safety standards, other working conditions. While not perfect, manufacturing laws in the US, Australia, Canada, western Europe, etc, are significantly better than in developing countries.
Keep on knockin'
https://robbiecrash.me
Among other things, it indicates the manufacturer isn't obsessed with cutting every possible corner to save themselves money. It's not that Chinese manufacturers aren't perfectly capable of high quality work --- crappy Wal-Mart Quality goods are the result of *American* investor-leeches demanding products with the absolute cheapest materials and manufacturing quality (resulting in items with only the outward appearance of actually functional goods). A manufacturer willing to spend a couple more percent of the price of a product on US-waged labor also probably won't be skimming pennies by making internal parts out of terrible low-grade materials that fall apart after a month of use.
Making a ruggedized product has more to do with component selection and layout than it does with a tougher case. Failures happen when components become dislodged from the mobo's, not when the case cracks. In fact, the case cracking could be helping the computer/device because it's going to use energy that otherwise might go towards prying components off their pads.
A ruggedized computer is not simply the same as a non-rugged version crammed into a heavier case. A waterproof and dustproof version is, though.
by Mike Buddha -- Someday the mountain might get him, but the law never will.
"American Made" also means, "my money goes to my own community, and supports manufacturing wages instead of Wal-Mart greeter/do-you-want-fries-with-that wages."
If more people in my neighborhood earn wages that allow them to raise a family, and be self-sufficient, then it means I don't have to pay as much to provide that family with social-programs that allow them to feed their families. There's less crime, less violence, fewer social problems. Happier people. Call me crazy, but I don't want to be a rich person in a poor neighborhood. I would like my neighbors to do very well.
Having said that, I also want the people working for slave wages in third world hell-holes to do well, but I can't do anything to help them if workers in my country have to compete with those slave wages. Better their wages rise to compete with ours than having our wages fall to compete with theirs. When it comes to labor, "free market" doesn't apply because companies hiring are necessarily monosopies.
As I've said before, I'll pay 50-100% more for a locally-made product, and I'll pay 100-200% more for a locally-made product manufactured by union workers.
You are welcome on my lawn.