Created a BlackBerry skydive video. First BlackBerry jump? (for contest)

[mdrejhon 8]

This is the first time I edited a video, for a "whuffo" contest that I entered. As a long-time BlackBerry user, I decided to enter a video contest related to BlackBerries, since it has a MacBook as a first prize, so why not have a little fun by submitting a skydiving-related video...

The BlackBerry contest is at:
http://crackberry.com/iluvmybb-contest-wild-card-vote-10th-finalist

I'm Video #77, and this is my skydive with a BlackBerry in freefall:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cOaoHq1Xes

It's a little amateurish because there was only one chance to do this, but hopefully it portrays skydiving in a postive light to a non-skydiver population. My description that I submitted for the video is as follows:

Quote

Background: I started skydiving as a hobby in 2005 when I heard about the Deaf Skydivers at http://www.deafskydivers.org ... I got inspired as it had been something I always wanted to do. I called two local dropzones listed at the Dropzone Locator http://www.dropzone.com to find out if they would let me film this, renting a professional freefall videographer to film me in freefall. (Steve Verner is the freefall videographer). GO Skydive of Ottawa Canada had their new Navajo plane, so I took the opportunity to jump a model of a plane I had never jumped before! They mainly use these videographers for the tandem tourists who want to try their first jump, so that was convenient. It may have been the first time a BlackBerry was used while skydiving. Also, because of the risks of dropping a BlackBerry, I had it duct taped (cleverly) to one of my skydiving gloves, so I am not holding it with two hands. Notice I intentionally have it in the hand opposite the hand I use to pull! Although I was struggling to press keys to do a few operations with gloved fingers as it was slightly below freezing at altitude where I jumped Ottawa, Canada. However, I managed a few. The blackberry jump was my 515th jump, and I used my own gear. Inevitably, many questions and comments of "crazy" might occur, however, I should stress, while a risky hobby, it is no more dangerous than, for example scuba diving, motorcycling, or even ski-jumping. Several layers of safety features exist. I had two altimeters, including one on my wrist, to monitor my altitude and the maximum working time was approximately 60 seconds. The second altimeter is an alarm inside my helmet, with a small deaf-friendly flashing light attach in my visor (can be seen if you look carefully). I pulled before this alarm went off. In the unlikely event I ever become unconscious or incredibly stupid, there is an automatic activation device in one of my two parachutes in my rig, which will open automatically if I go too low without pulling. There are also other little details, such as training, but this is basically the nutshell! It is a very rewarding hobby.

Before people ask, I should mention this was approved by the dropzone & safety aspects were covered, including what I would do in an emergency.

The video also shows my hometown's new Navajo plane, too! (It's a 10-person low-wing twin-prop jump plane that many skydivers have never jumped from before before)

[skinnay 0]

Quote

Before people ask, I should mention this was approved by the dropzone & safety aspects were covered, including what I would do in an emergency.

Was there a genuine concern you wouldn't drop your blackberry under a spinning mal?

[mdrejhon 8]

It was my old backup BlackBerry as I use my Bold, so low-value to me personally (Curve originals are becoming old BlackBerry models now). In addition, I could rip the BlackBerry off the duct tape and jam into my right-leg jumpsuit pocket OR down my neck. Or worst-case scenario, jettison, if keeping it was going to kill me. And in event BlackBerry stayed stuck on my glove, pull off the glove, and jam both down my neck if time/safe to do so (glove with BlackBerry still attached). There was enough force on the duct tape to hold it to my glove if I loosened my grip, but not too much that I was unable to pull it off in a ground check.

I also fly 150 and 170 canopies (I used Sabre 170 for this jump), so spinning linetwist aren't as dangerous as under a pocket rocket...

[quade 4]

Quote

This is the first time I edited a video, for a "whuffo" contest that I entered. As a long-time BlackBerry user, I decided to enter a video contest related to BlackBerries, since it has a MacBook as a first prize . . .

That's what we call irony.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[mdrejhon 8]

The 2nd prizes is also a BlackBerry 9700 too as well.

Actually, like iPhones work well with PC's, BlackBerries work well with Mac's too. Tradeoffs abound. iPhone's excel at some things and BlackBerry at others.

I'm a multilplatform developer with specialization in programming multiple brands of mobile devices. But that's a separate topic for a separate forum.

So -- to make sure my reply gets back on topic -- I believe other cellphones were skydived before in the past. I believe that Nokia (or some other company) had a speed-texting contest in freefall that was submitted to Guiness Book of Wold Records, there was a thread somewhere about this. But never heard of someone jumping a BlackBerry in freefall in their hands. Should I continue to claim I'm the first ever to jump a BlackBerry? (it's on video, so it did happen!)

[lost_n_confuzd 0]