After five months of use, I still find PopSocket looking odd. But this thing turned out to be so convenient that you can safely close your eyes to its wonderful appearance. Now this is a must-have accessory for me, since it has become more convenient to hold the phone in my hand and take it from the table. But the main thing is that the iPhone has stopped falling out of hands. Absolutely.
👉 PopSocket Grip: official site
PopSocket history
PopSocket was invented by American philosophy professor David Barnett in 2012. Once he decided to attach a large button to his iPhone 4 so that he could wind headphones around it.
Students and acquaintances made fun of the ridiculous appearance of the professor’s phone, so he decided to finalize the design. So, in 2014, the first variants of PopSocket appeared. And already four years later, in 2018, PopSocket sales exceeded 100 million units.
How does it work
You pinch the PopSocket between your middle and forefinger, thereby freeing your thumb for tapping. The probability of dropping the phone tends to zero. When the PopSocket is not needed, it folds like an accordion and does not interfere.
PopSocket is a game changer on public transport or when watching videos in bed. If earlier, after an hour of serials, the phone could easily fly into the face, then with a button it is impossible.
Also PopSocket works as a phone stand. And, in some cases, it helps to fix the phone in unusual places. For example, this is how I draft this article and use the navigator in my rented car:
PopSocket will appeal to fans of fidgeting. This is when you twirl some objects in your hands, click a handle. With a button, you can twist the phone itself in an unusual way. But most of all the pleasure comes from the very process of following and unfolding the PopSocket.
Design
PopSocket Consists of two parts: base (Base) and top (Top).
The design was made collapsible for several reasons. Firstly, so as not to constantly re-glue the base when changing covers. Secondly, so that you can change the “buttons” to suit your mood. Thirdly, wireless charging does not work with the PopSocket installed, so you have to remove it.
The base is attached to the phone or case with Velcro. The glue is very tenacious, spontaneous peeling off the phone itself is excluded. But how things are with cases, I don’t know, since I carry my iPhone 11 in the bumper. But most of the PopSocket I have seen from other people were glued to the cases.
🛡 How I protect my iPhone: RhinoShield CrashGuard NX case review
I drop my phone so often that I approach the choice of a cover with special responsibility. The RhinoShield brand has been responsible for the security of my iPhone for the past three years. I’ll tell you why.
The base can be removed if necessary. The easiest way to do this is to “cut” it with a plastic card or something thin. I shot my first PopSocket more than five times, trying to find the perfect position, and the Velcro didn’t get any less sticky. If it gets dirty, you can rinse it with warm water and the “stickiness” will be restored. In any case, it is written in the instructions.
For the first time, I want to glue PopSocket exactly in the middle. This is exactly what I did. But this position turned out to be uncomfortable, since when held, my thumb does not reach either the bottom or the top of the screen.
PopSocket varieties
The classic “button” is called the PopSocket Grip. The site has many categories, but to simplify, the buttons can be divided into three types.
Conventional: plastic button with print. This category has the largest selection of designs, with the most affordable price – $ 10. During sales, you can buy them for $ 5-7.
Premium: buttons have a more complex design made of metal, plastic or fabric. There are three-dimensional pictures, finger-spinners, reflective coatings, etc. Prices range from $ 15 to $ 20. But there are also rare stone specimens for $ 80.
Mirrors: a folding button, inside of which are hidden two mirrors with different magnification power. My friend has such a PopSocket and she is very happy with it.
I first bought the regular plastic version and walked with it for about three months. The lilac spring got dirty and lost its appearance in about a couple of weeks. After that, I prefer the black versions.
Metal buttons look much more impressive. I have two versions from the Enamel series, as well as a spinner finger button. The latter spins unexpectedly cheerfully thanks to the bearing inside. But it has a specific “sandy” sound when rotating. And when the phone vibrates, the button can rattle. Therefore, I can recommend this series only for those who like to twist something. I really love to spin everything, so most often I go with finger spinners.
With the metal premium button, I had a problem – the upper part was peeling off the elastic. But it was immediately changed to a new one for me, not without unnecessary questions. Didn’t even have to pay for shipping. Moreover, in addition to the metal one, they sent me another finger-spinner as a bonus.
Impressions
With PopSocket, the phone is firmly fixed in the hand. With it, I am sure that the iPhone will not slip out of hand somewhere in a crowd or on public transport, when shooting videos and photos on the go.
I always hold my phone in my hand while riding the Onewheel XR and occasionally shoot something for Instagram. And during all this time, the phone has never dropped out.
The only caveat to PopSocket is its incompatibility with conventional wireless chargers and car holders. In all these cases, the button will have to be removed.
Fortunately, the company has its own line of PopSocket compatible accessories. I don’t use wireless charging, but the car holder is tempered.
👉 PopSocket compatible accessories
Where and how to buy
The most reliable one is on the official website. So you will definitely not run into a fake (there are a lot of them) and there will be no problems with the warranty. Although, they do not send to Russia, Syria, Sudan, Iraq and other countries with questionable mail. In this case, you will have to use postal forwarders or look for a button in local stores.
👉 PopSocket Grip: official site
🍀 Remember
- Better take a PopSocket with a black base and leg. So it will keep its presentation longer;
- The position of the button greatly affects the comfort. It is better to glue it just below the center. But it all depends on the size of your hand and your phone. Experiment;
- The finger spinner button rattles a little and frankly irritates others. But who cares? 🙂
- If you use your phone as a navigator in your car, then you will dream of buying a proprietary PopSocket phone holder. Ordinary ones do not work well with a button;
- There are sales on the official website almost every month. I bought the first button at full price, and the rest at a discount;
- PopSocket has to be removed every time you use the mongrel charger. If you use it a lot, consider buying a compatible accessory;
- There are many fakes on sale. I myself once got to this. So buy PopSocket from trusted locations.
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