[fullofideazmo]

Every cell phone i've ever put my hand on has been slippery, therefore prone to sliding off of things it is set upon at the least provocation, slipping out of pockets, purses and even your hands. What i'd really like is for the manufacturers to add even just the slightest bit of unslippery factor to the outer surface. Barring that, I'd like somebody to invent a skin or spray-on that will cure the problem. My cell phone is an important tool that i use frequently and i want to be able to hold it securely without undue effort, and have it reasonably safe from sliding and slipping to a fall that breaks it.

Reward: supplied for life with the product and a plaque or trophy congratulating me on my wonderful, generous contribution to improved quality of life for cell users everywhere.

[Steve]

Not quite sure what you're shooting for with this one. In my mind cell phones are slippery due to size and shape constraints, but maybe I'm simply unable to think out of the box on this occasion. The first "mobile" phones were bulky and therefore unslippery, but I doubt you'd want to carry one with you. Or are you simply shooting for a sticky surface?

[fullofideazmo]

Yep. Sticky surface. Something that isn't going to slip away from me when I reach for it and skitter across a counter or desktop before smashing to the floor. Not so sticky that I'm going to have to pry paper or other stuff off of it or break out a sweat trying to get it loose. Just something to make it a little easier to get and keep hold of it and help it stay put when placed on a smooth surface.

[rippedztockings]

The cell phones might just need a layer of rubbery coating to be both slip resistant and a little more durable and less rigid.

[fullofideazmo]

That would do it! (they would have to avoid latex because so many people are sensitive to it)

This sets me to thinking: I wonder how feasible, inexpensive it might be to use that liquid dip for coating the handles and grip areas of tools? Besides not sealing up any needed ports (speaker, microphone, battery access, headphone jack, charging interface -- did I miss anything?) what kinds of hazards would you need to avoid if you wanted to try this at home?

I suppose you might need to leave the antenna alone too?

Ah! One would also have to avoid anything that would keep it from fitting in the charging base, holder, case or whatever, and it might be a bear to get out of a case with that stuff on it.

I've never actually worked with that stuff. Is there anything else anybody knows that I should know before attempting such an experiment?

Thanks again for the input.

[rippedztockings]

I don't really know of any other precautions than what you mentioned. What I was thinking was sort of like that less slick, only slightly rubbery plastic that is sometimes found on T.V. remotes, umbrella handles, and sometimes those coffee thermoses that are made to fit in car cupholders. It's only a very thin coating, but I have no idea how they do it.

[fullofideazmo]

I don't really know of any other precautions than what you mentioned. What I was thinking was sort of like that less slick, only slightly rubbery plastic that is sometimes found on T.V. remotes, umbrella handles, and sometimes those coffee thermoses that are made to fit in car cupholders. It's only a very thin coating, but I have no idea how they do it.

Yeah, thanks.
That sounds like the kind of thing I'm looking for. I have no clue where to get hold of any.

My best local technical advisor said that the stuff you dip tool handles in contains solvents that would damage the plastics used for cel phone bodies, etc. and fooey! I guess I need to do some more research.

[mekarls]

You can already get non-slip covers, I saw them in a $2 shop once.
They are made from clear silcon and fit tightly around the phone but I think there main purpose is to protect the phone from hard knocks. Please correct me if I've misunderstood you invention.

[fullofideazmo]

That actually might do the trick, if you can use the phone while it is inside the case. If you have to take it out, then there are still a couple of issues, like it still being slippery to hold, and being at risk until it is put back in the case. It occurs to me that the same slippery phone problem also applies to the handsets for wireless home phones which I use even more frequently than I do my cel.