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Need an iPhone-like phone without a camera for when at work!
- Thread starter AML225
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I was just going to suggest this company. If I were the OP I would buy a cheap, used iPhone 3G and have the camera removed and use that as my "at work" device. No sense in ruining an iPhone 4 just for the sake of work!
I might just do that. Funny thing is I gave away my old 3g a few months ago to a friend, not anticipating this. Oh well.
I work at a government (US Navy) facility. We recently had our camera phone rules amended. Now we are allowed to have them but the rules are worded exactly like yours. I had a 3Gs and I drilled through the clear portion of the case in front of the camera. I then filled the hole with black epoxy. I also hid the camera icon using the "restrictions" option.
I swap sim cards to a iPhone 4 using an adapter as another suggested. This is the best option for someone in your situation. It allows them to always have their smartphone that they pay so much for monthly on them at all times. I personally didn't like the idea of paying all the extra money for unlimited data and such while not having access the phone 8-12 hours of the day.
I swap sim cards to a iPhone 4 using an adapter as another suggested. This is the best option for someone in your situation. It allows them to always have their smartphone that they pay so much for monthly on them at all times. I personally didn't like the idea of paying all the extra money for unlimited data and such while not having access the phone 8-12 hours of the day.
You don't need to buy a SIM card adaptor either. I cut one out of an old credit card in 3 minutes. Works like a charm.
I believe that, with any exchange between friends, there is a 6 month take-back clause.
Not sure if this is good enough but you can completely disable the camera from restrictions. Just have the security guy make the password.
Living and working in the DC area there are many companies that require no cameras... so much so I remember a Palm phone option without a camera....
Stupid rule given that most id not all cellphones now have cameras....
Kinda surprised that Apple has not yet offered a camera-less iPhone after all these years - given that they want to enter the enterprise area....
You could also get last years iPod touch (the one without the camera) and load up skype. When you go to work, set your iPhone to forward your calls to you skype number then keep your iPod connected to wifi with skype running in the background.
I wouldn't call it stupid.
A lot of companies simply don't want pictures taken inside their facilities.
For very good reasons too.
Any company concerned enough to have a no camera policy will almost certainly have a policy forbidding personal devices from connecting to the wireless network as well. Having to rely on open Wifi from outside won't make the Skype very reliable.
It was only a couple of years ago that the place I work amended their policy to allow employees to have camera phones as long as they don't take pictures while onsite (there are A LOT of iPhones where I work due to this change). Visitors still can't carry camera phones in. Prior to the change the policy was almost identical to the OPs.
Why do you need a cell phone at work? If for personal use I recommend you leave it in a secure area when working and not risk breaching security. The suggestions given by other posters may be satisfactory but you should contact the security officer or department for your location and follow their recommendations. They will be the ones who will walk you off the property or make sure you never work another job requiring secrecy if they feel you violated the policy.
Or cut your own out of an old credit card for free...
Edit: thank God for Google because thanks to Gizmodo's new design I would have NEVER found this page:
http://gizmodo.com/#!5539485/how-to-make-a-diy-micro-sim-to-sim-adapter
I remember some of the BlackBerry phones purposely not having cameras on them, but that was years ago and they weren't touchscreen.
You really won't find any current top smartphone without one. That iPod touch (3rd gen or prior) w/ Skype is a nice suggestion. If you need to make calls without needing WiFi, then I suggest filtering through PhoneScoop.com. You may need to get an old phone from 5-6 years ago (pre-2007 era). An iPhone-like phone sans a camera is rare to find if they even exist at all.
You really won't find any current top smartphone without one. That iPod touch (3rd gen or prior) w/ Skype is a nice suggestion. If you need to make calls without needing WiFi, then I suggest filtering through PhoneScoop.com. You may need to get an old phone from 5-6 years ago (pre-2007 era). An iPhone-like phone sans a camera is rare to find if they even exist at all.
I'm not sure if I missed anything but why not get a case...glue a piece of thin acrylic over the camera hole...no more camera.
90% of phones today have cameras, the fact that they do not allow you to have a phone with a camera is pretty ridiculous. Maybe you can leave it in the car if my first option doesn't work.
Both of the above are very simple options...not sure what this swapping sim business is all about.
What company is this? My company doesn't allow camera phones in certain areas and the plant but all you do is put it in your pocket...problem solved. I'd ask your co-workers or your HR personnel and see what phones they are using.
90% of phones today have cameras, the fact that they do not allow you to have a phone with a camera is pretty ridiculous. Maybe you can leave it in the car if my first option doesn't work.
Both of the above are very simple options...not sure what this swapping sim business is all about.
What company is this? My company doesn't allow camera phones in certain areas and the plant but all you do is put it in your pocket...problem solved. I'd ask your co-workers or your HR personnel and see what phones they are using.
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The reason it's stupid is that people who work there have all the time in the world to either memorize things or copy them down on little pieces of paper every day. Restricting their cell phones does nothing...either you trust them or you don't.
Now, restricting visitor's phones...that makes sense. But an employee? Taking away their camera really does nothing for security.
Not necessarily. We can even use Apple as an example: what would you find more credible, if I jotted down a note that said "the next MacBook Pro will be made of carbon fiber" or if I showed you a picture of a prototype in a lab?
I agree that the security rules aren't perfect and there's always going to be a way around them, but that doesn't stop a company from trying. (If nothing else, it has to at least convince its clientele that it's trying to be security conscious).
My bad.. meant that Apple and others don't see the need for camera-less cellphones...
You might need to step at security every day and have a label/sticker affixed by security on a daily basis on both cameras, like they will do for the visitors.
My iPhone is my 'work' camera, without it I will have to beg for a camera on a daily basis, I even use it as a scanner.
I cannot work there.
Get a better job: iPhone friendly.
My iPhone is my 'work' camera, without it I will have to beg for a camera on a daily basis, I even use it as a scanner.
I cannot work there.
Get a better job: iPhone friendly.
An interesting example of why, ironically, Apple may need tighter camera security than government agencies do.
In your example, yes, a photo means a lot. But if you're a foreign government paying a spy in the US to get you information, you'll take it in any form you can get it.
Very true, but some wont want to risk doing the cutting wrong and the adapters are SUPER cheap. Like another user said, 10 for $10. I think mine was a little over $2. They actually sell a "cutter" on amazon too that cuts the sim card and includes micro-sim adapters in the package. I think it was under $10 for those who don't want to get a new micro-sim.
I know this is not good enough where I work. The NAVSEA instructions are very specific and do not allow software disabling. It must be PHYSICALLY disabled via drilling, removal or some form of epoxy.
IDK. They trust me with all the information and I have access to tons of paperwork that I'm legally allowed to bring home. If they can give me a security clearance and allow me to have access to said information/paperwork I'd say they can trust me to not take a picture if they tell me it's forbidden. :dunno:
Yup. And many won't have a WiFi network because of the security concerns. I know we don't.
My cousins husband also works for a company and they frown on camera phones. The way he was able to get around it with his iPhone 4 was to physically unplug both cameras and show them. I believe he also placed a tape from the inside of the phone. This may be your quickest and easiest method as you still can re-enable them once you leave.