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STM's "Cape" for the Note 8

This is an excellent looking case.
http://www.stmbags.com/catalog/samsung-case/cape-samsung-galaxy-note-8/
I have so far had nothing but spectacular results from STM's products, and I am super happy to see them supporting Samsung devices more and more.

robyr said:
This is an excellent looking case.
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That is really interesting. Thanks for sharing!
A couple of thoughts, observations and questions:
The fabric looks like a potentially nice alternative to the PU Leather that many cases use, and I would think/hope that it might hold up better. Do you or others have any experience with cases of this material (from this maker)?
I like that the fabric provides some water resistance. PU Leather probably does too, but I would guess water would more quickly damage PU Leather.
I wonder if the fabric will attract lint or dirt/dust easily and/or how easy it is to keep clean?
The "loop" enclosure is intriguing. Does anyone have any experience with this approach,and if so, I'd be interested in how well it performs regarding: a) Ease of use for opening and closing, and b) Effectiveness for the "viewing modes" (ie, stand positions)?
I'd love to see some pictures of the "viewing modes" / stand positions, if anyone comes across any.
It does not mention wake/sleep functionality, which is a deal breaker for many (probably myself included). Does anyone know if this maker tends to support wake/sleep?
I just did a quick search on the STM site and I saw that an iPad case supported wake/sleep, and there's also some pics of the "viewing modes" which are probably similar to how the Cape will work: http://www.stmbags.com/catalog/laptop-accessories/skinny-ipadmini/. However, since the Cape does not mention wake/sleep that doesn't bode well (unless it is just an oversight that they don't mention it).

pluginalong said:
That is really interesting. Thanks for sharing!
A couple of thoughts, observations and questions:
The fabric looks like a potentially nice alternative to the PU Leather that many cases use, and I would think/hope that it might hold up better. Do you or others have any experience with cases of this material (from this maker)?
I like that the fabric provides some water resistance. PU Leather probably does too, but I would guess water would more quickly damage PU Leather.
I wonder if the fabric will attract lint or dirt/dust easily and/or how easy it is to keep clean?
The "loop" enclosure is intriguing. Does anyone have any experience with this approach,and if so, I'd be interested in how well it performs regarding: a) Ease of use for opening and closing, and b) Effectiveness for the "viewing modes" (ie, stand positions)?
I'd love to see some pictures of the "viewing modes" / stand positions, if anyone comes across any.
It does not mention wake/sleep functionality, which is a deal breaker for many (probably myself included). Does anyone know if this maker tends to support wake/sleep?
I just did a quick search on the STM site and I saw that an iPad case supported wake/sleep, and there's also some pics of the "viewing modes" which are probably similar to how the Cape will work: http://www.stmbags.com/catalog/laptop-accessories/skinny-ipadmini/. However, since the Cape does not mention wake/sleep that doesn't bode well (unless it is just an oversight that they don't mention it).
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It's too early to tell on the sleep/wake functions, but I am guessing it likely will. I've sent an email to STM asking about it.
As for the fabric, the fabric is insanely good. I have a laptop bag made of the same material, and water just rolls off it. It also stays very clean. It's basically ripstop-nylon.

robyr said:
It's too early to tell on the sleep/wake functions, but I am guessing it likely will. I've sent an email to STM asking about it.
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Great--I look forward to hearing what you learn! And thanks for doing that!
robyr said:
As for the fabric, the fabric is insanely good. I have a laptop bag made of the same material, and water just rolls off it. It also stays very clean. It's basically ripstop-nylon.
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I really like the sound of that!
I'm still not sure what I think of the "loop" enclosure method. I just watched a video of the iPad case (that I previously linked to) and I think I (and others) might have a different definition of "quick and easy access" (as I watched the presenter take several seconds to pull the loop out and open the case). Having said that though, if one is primarily using the loop for when closing the case for travel and/or for the viewing modes that feels a bit different (and it is probably more secure than a lot of other cases). But the thought of messing with that loop every time I opened/closed the case doesn't feel very appealing.
Well, I do hope the case supports wake/sleep because if it does it will definitely make my list of contenders.

I'd sure like to see what the hold-down mechanism looks like.
Last night I finally got two cases I'd ordered, a 5 buck case from Exact Deals and a 15 buck case from iBlason.
Both are annoying to work with given the capacitive buttons (and the blason case also interferes with the front camera.)
The e-d case is one of the ones where you drop the device into a sleeve inside a book cover. It doesn't do sleep/wake and there's a bit of a gap along the closing spine - not a great fit.
The blason case uses a total of 6 leather wrapped metal "fingers" to hold the device into the back. 6, because the two closest to the spine are detached if you want to use the ribs on the inside front cover as supports in landscape easel mode.
I took sidecutters and cut two of the fingers off, since one was interfering with the back button and one was interfering with the camera. That said, you can easily easel the device spine up rather than on the inside cover and I like the case better overall, at least until the Poetic slimline's available.
exact deal:
http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-BaseBo...Y4BM/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A29LLD0WGS56WE
iBlason:
http://www.amazon.com/i-Blason-Sams...DEMS/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A209HAH4Z0MGU9
But be aware - Exact Deal has a very similar or identical case (which I didn't see until just now) for 5 bucks. Ah, well.
The Poetic Slimline's not available til mid-May and I'd already done my own drop test twice (4 feet, onto a wood floor, minor scratch on the camera lens, oops) - I'm just glad to have a case at all, even if it's not a good one. I can try 5 more before I've spent as much as Samsung wanted to charge.
IMO, Samsung should be charging much less for this device. And they will, too - the galaxy player 5 started retailing at 269, and apparently now lists at 219.00.
Or if they want to charge 400, they should throw in some kind of case and the device should be available in 32 gig and 64 gig configurations - no reason for a tablet to have a 16 gig base at this time, especially when it's coming from one of the largest memory manufacturers in the world.

roustabout said:
Last night I finally got two cases I'd ordered, a 5 buck case from Exact Deals and a 15 buck case from iBlason.
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Thanks for sharing your experiences with those two! I'd looked at them both previously but wasn't sure what I thought (though the i-Blason has definitely appealed more to me than the e-d).
roustabout said:
I'd sure like to see what the hold-down mechanism looks like.
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If you mean for the Cape then I suggest that you have a look at the following (which is for iPad, and which I mentioned above, but seems to be of a similar design):
http://www.stmbags.com/catalog/laptop-accessories/skinny-ipadmini/
There's also a short video on that page that I found helpful in getting a feel for how the Cape might function.

I just saw that STM has added a bunch more pictures of their Cape:
http://www.stmbags.com/catalog/samsung-case/cape-samsung-galaxy-note-8/
No mention of Wake/Sleep functionality though. I'll be really disappointed and confused if they chose to omit wake/sleep as that would seem like such a big oversight in my opinion.

I don't know if you contacted Poetic but I was wondering when the slimline I ordered late April would ship. They offered me a refund since they didn't make the original May 1st date or to just hang in until it ships. The latest the informed me it should ship is May 20th.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using XDA Premium HD app

I had emailed STM last week to ask some questions about some of their bags and so I also asked about the Cape case for the Note 8 regarding whether it supports wake/sleep or not. I just heard back from them and the Cape does not support wake/sleep. I'm very bummed as this otherwise seems like a really good case.

Preordered a Cape from RadTech.. Date Expected in stock: 05/08/13

seattleweb said:
Preordered a Cape from RadTech.. Date Expected in stock: 05/08/13
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Cool--Thanks for sharing! Let us all know your impressions once you get it!

The STM Cape is now available from Amazon for those that are interested.

seattleweb said:
Preordered a Cape from RadTech.. Date Expected in stock: 05/08/13
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Have you received your Cape yet? Whenever you do, a few things I'd love to hear about are:
How well does the front cover fold flat against the back? Apparently there's been some issues with some of the iPad cases not folding flat against the back, but the STM Skinny for Note 10.1 seems to work better (eg, http://static.stmbags.com/media/productExtra/DSC_3262_admin_large.jpg). If you can post a pick of your opened with the cover folded flat against the back that'd be greatly appreciated!
Does the front cover seem to have any padding inside it and regardless, how well do you think the front cover will protect the screen from impacts?
What are your impressions of the outer fabric material?
Does the outer material seem like it should hold up well to resisting dirt, dust, pet hair, etc.?
What color did you get? (no need to answer this if you post pics)
Anything else you want to share about your feelings about the case?
Thanks!!

The reason why it doesn't support it is because the magnets damage the digitizer over time. I just read in another thread about the Slimline and switched back to my KayCase. I think I'll pick this one up since it doesn't use a magnet.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using XDA Premium HD app

Bonisaur said:
The reason why it doesn't support it is because the magnets damage the digitizer over time. I just read in another thread about the Slimline and switched back to my KayCase. I think I'll pick this one up since it doesn't use a magnet.
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I was beginning to suspect that was reason too.

pluginalong said:
Have you received your Cape yet? Whenever you do, a few things I'd love to hear about are:
How well does the front cover fold flat against the back? Apparently there's been some issues with some of the iPad cases not folding flat against the back, but the STM Skinny for Note 10.1 seems to work better (eg, http://static.stmbags.com/media/productExtra/DSC_3262_admin_large.jpg). If you can post a pick of your opened with the cover folded flat against the back that'd be greatly appreciated!
Does the front cover seem to have any padding inside it and regardless, how well do you think the front cover will protect the screen from impacts?
What are your impressions of the outer fabric material?
Does the outer material seem like it should hold up well to resisting dirt, dust, pet hair, etc.?
What color did you get? (no need to answer this if you post pics)
Anything else you want to share about your feelings about the case?
Thanks!!
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I emailed Radtech with some of my questions about the Cape case and thought I'd share what I learned.
1) The cover does fold flat against the back, and Radtech even sent me a picture (see below).
2) Ratech reply:
The cover's of the Cape and Skinny cases have a rigid sheet of 20mil PET laminated between the outer and inner layers - this forms a hard layer that provides very good impact protection for the screen of the installed tablet.
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3) & 4) I haven't received my Cape case yet, but the following is what Radtech shared about the material:
The fabric, Velocity Poly, possesses a pleasing texture with a visible depth. Does not attract hair more than other polyester synthetics, and has a good degree of liquid resistance and is easy to clean. Polyester is tough to stain, so performs well in that regard.
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Additionally, I had asked Radtech about any differences between the Ripstop and Velocity materials. The newer bags and cases by STM use the Velocity Poly material. The following are Radtech's replies:
Water resistance: Both perform well here - Ripstop better at shedding water droplets due to it's flat, smooth surface (no texture like Velocity).
Dirt resistance (including dust, lint, hair, etc.): Comparable resistance to soiling, both easily cleanable. Hair cling would be less likely with Ripstop, but Velocity by no means a hair magnet.
Durability: Comparable
Any other differences: Ripstop is more more abrasion resistant (visually) - both score roughly equal in a rub-through test, Ripstop will just look unaffected longer.
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Based on all that and the good things I've heard about Radtech and STM I've gone ahead and ordered a Cape case (I decided to go with gray). I also ordered a STM Linear for iPad bag (black) from Radtech as well (for carrying my new Note 8 around in).

I just wanted to give a quick update: I received my STM Cape (color gray) today and my initial impressions are very positive. I'm impressed with how well constructed and solid it feels, without adding any noticeable bulk and barely noticeable weight. Everything that RadTech shared with me (posted earlier in this thread) seems spot on regarding the quality and nature of the materials.
So my initial review is two thumbs up :good: :good: both for the STM Cape (an excellent product) and for RadTech (whom has exhibited great costumer service in the several email interactions I've had with them).

pluginalong said:
I just wanted to give a quick update: I received my STM Cape (color gray) today and my initial impressions are very positive. I'm impressed with how well constructed and solid it feels, without adding any noticeable bulk and barely noticeable weight. Everything that RadTech shared with me (posted earlier in this thread) seems spot on regarding the quality and nature of the materials.
So my initial review is two thumbs up :good: :good: both for the STM Cape (an excellent product) and for RadTech (whom has exhibited great costumer service in the several email interactions I've had with them).
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Received mine yesterday, it's great. The only tiny little minor dislike I have is the 'tongue' flap, which imo could be bit more elastic, but I think it'll soften and adjust with time.
Sent from my GT-N5100 using xda premium

I received mine last Thursday. Here's a quick review:
Loved:
++Texture of the material is top notch. It is pretty water, stain and dirt resistant.
++Build quality is excellent. Doesn't feel cheap at all. Plastic is sturdy. ++The innards where the case meets the back of the device is soft to the touch.
++The back of the case is thick enough so the back camera doesn't ever contact the surface if ever laid flat.
++No magnets.
Liked:
+There is access to all the hardware keys and any ports.
+Clasp tongue is secure closure.
Indifferent:
>The clasp is a bit stiff.
>View mode is a little shakey. It might fall over if in view mode and interfacing with touch.
Dislike:
-Some sides of the device are stop exposed.
-Hardware home button can accidentally pressed. This is very annoying sometimes.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using XDA Premium HD app

Thought I'd share another cool thing I discovered about this case. You can fold the front cover in such a way that the outside of the cover is always what is exposed instead of the inside being exposed to the tabletop or to your hands. This is great because it avoids the problem of you setting the Note down (while open) on a surface and not realizing there is dust/debris and then that sticking to the soft inside cover and then being transmitted to the screen. Using the method in the below pics the soft inside cover is never exposed to anything other than itself and the Note screen, thus providing optimal protection.
This also has the additional benefit of not covering the camera which means you can more easily take pictures with the cover open.
You'll see in the attached pics that folding the cover this way makes it stick out a little to the left, but I actually find that pretty comfortable as it gives more to hold on to. This method actually feels more stable and comfortable to me than the more traditional method of folding the cover completely flat against the back (without my extra fold). I don't know if this design feature happened by accident, but I think they (STM/Radtech) should totally emphasize this way of holding the device as I find it to work really well.
I am really so pleased with this case overall. The only thing I would improve/change is to give a bit more coverage on some of the sides, but that would of course add a little more weight. The case does a good job of covering the 3 corners (the 4th corner holds the S-Pen), which are probably most important, but I would have taken a little more side and bottom coverage if they had provided it.
Overall a great case! And it comes with a lifetime warranty too!

Galaxy S4 Carbon Fiber Back Cover

I bought this battery cover replacement from Amazon.
I've seen talk about metal back cover replacements, but this one will work with NFC and won't degrade signal. It has a carbon fiber weave that is soft to the touch while still having significant texture. The texture makes it easier to hold the phone in one hand, holding it in your fingers instead of your palm. It adds a sliver of thickness, but nothing noticeable.
The ring around the carbon fiber is glossy plastic and feels cheaper than the rest of the cover. If this could also be carbon fiber, or something similar to the faux chrome bumper around the device (which I actually like), the cover would be ideal.
All in all, this is a great solution for someone who dislikes the feel of the back of the phone but doesn't want to add any bulk with a case. I also ordered a Spigen Neo Hybrid case, which is great, but I prefer using the phone without a case, as I did with my Galaxy Nexus the whole time I had it.

It looks pretty sick! Do you mind sharing how much you got it for?

Nvm...
Me Gusta!

g4Nk said:
It looks pretty sick! Do you mind sharing how much you got it for?
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i think it's one of these for $8.89
http://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Mater...0549707&sr=8-2&keywords=carbon+fiber+s4+cover

MMakoto said:
i think it's one of these for $8.89
...
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This is correct. I couldn't link to it because the above was my first XDA post.

Good Cover
MMakoto said:
i think it's one of these for $8.89...
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That's the one I bought. I'm pretty sure it's just textured soft plastic, not carbon fiber, but it actually works out very well. It's pretty resilient to small scratches, and it's highly resistant to fingerprints. It's not slick, and also not rubbery, but a good midpoint in between. I had a Griffin case for an old iPhone made out of identical material and it held up very well over time.
I value thin, so I always carried my OneX without a case and I wanted to do the same with the S4. But the back is slippery, a fingerprint magnet, and, IMO, just not attractive. This fixes those problems.

Thanks for the link and the extra info! I'll most likely be ordering one for myself soon :good:

Holy crap 17-28 days for delivery I ordered one but wow
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Real carbon fiber will degrade signal as well. But if it's not real, it looks pretty close.

Found this one a little more expensive and ships from the u.s so shipping would be faster http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=290924457309
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

neastws said:
I've seen talk about metal back cover replacements...........
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.....but not the 10 other threads discussing the SAME battery cover? Is this necessary?
This isn't even REAL carbon fiber, but yet all the threads are posting the same thing on here making me click on it to see if this one is any different than the rest of cheap, Chinese leatherette covers! Seriously, search before creating a new thread about your amazing find that has been around since before the phone launched....
v3rn said:
Real carbon fiber will degrade signal as well. But if it's not real, it looks pretty close.
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Real carbon fiber will NOT degrade signal, who told you that? it isn't conductive, therefore it won't degrade signal.... it's been used thousands of times in other applications, namely with the iThing community, and aside from Antennagate, there has never been one report of signal loss due to real carbon fiber covers being installed!

KryptosXLayer2 said:
Real carbon fiber will NOT degrade signal, who told you that? it isn't conductive, therefore it won't degrade signal.... it's been used thousands of times in other applications, namely with the iThing community, and aside from Antennagate, there has never been one report of signal loss due to real carbon fiber covers being installed!
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I owned the Sector 5 case by ElementCase for my iPhone 5, and it included a CF panel for the back. It destroyed signal and they offered refunds and had to redesign them. It was just a single layer of real CF and it stopped signal.

v3rn said:
I owned the Sector 5 case by ElementCase for my iPhone 5, and it included a CF panel for the back. It destroyed signal and they offered refunds and had to redesign them. It was just a single layer of real CF and it stopped signal.
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From ElementCase's website:
Comprised of four individual CNC machined aluminum links, the perimeter frame is slim, lightweight, and very strong.
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So....... the aluminum on the frame where the antenna runs had nothing to do with it? The same metal that caused ASUS's Transformer Pad Infinity to have a worthless GPS chip inside it because the signal couldn't penetrate it?

KryptosXLayer2 said:
From ElementCase's website:
So....... the aluminum on the frame where the antenna runs had nothing to do with it? The same metal that caused ASUS's Transformer Pad Infinity to have a worthless GPS chip inside it because the signal couldn't penetrate it?
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Nope. Because without the CF backplate, the aluminum case did not effect signal. Once you applied the CF sticker, you lost 2 bars. The case wasn't redesigned, they had to just redesign the back sticker so that less CF was used. The plastic corners in the Sector 5 allowed it to not make a complete circuit and it did not effect signal. It was only the CF sticker that did, which is why it was no longer included with the case and the first owners (including myself) were refunded $20 for the faulty backplate.
---------- Post added at 10:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 PM ----------
You can see from this posts comments, that EC knew about the CF problem, and then rereleased that back plate that you linked to.
http://blog.elementcase.com/2012/10...p-5-iphone-5-case-frequently-asked-questions/

v3rn said:
Nope. Because without the CF backplate, the aluminum case did not effect signal. Once you applied the CF sticker, you lost 2 bars. The case wasn't redesigned, they had to just redesign the back sticker so that less CF was used. The plastic corners in the Sector 5 allowed it to not make a complete circuit and it did not effect signal. It was only the CF sticker that did, which is why it was no longer included with the case and the first owners (including myself) were refunded $20 for the faulty backplate.
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It would be the first and only report of any real carbon fiber phone cover causing any issues, and to that extent, it may have had to do with the resin or adhesives used as opposed to the actual carbon fiber.... I've used it in dozens of situations with custom vehicles where it could have affected signal transmission, both wired and wireless, with many different types of electronic equipment including cell phones, and it hasn't affected a single thing to date! Then again, "saving face" by blaming carbon fiber and simply crediting paying customers would be easier than saying they used a junk resin or adhesive that caused the issue, I don't know what the situation was, very strange....

v3rn said:
Nope. Because without the CF backplate, the aluminum case did not effect signal. Once you applied the CF sticker, you lost 2 bars. The case wasn't redesigned, they had to just redesign the back sticker so that less CF was used. The plastic corners in the Sector 5 allowed it to not make a complete circuit and it did not effect signal. It was only the CF sticker that did, which is why it was no longer included with the case and the first owners (including myself) were refunded $20 for the faulty backplate.
---------- Post added at 10:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 PM ----------
You can see from this posts comments, that EC knew about the CF problem, and then rereleased that back plate that you linked to.
http://blog.elementcase.com/2012/10...p-5-iphone-5-case-frequently-asked-questions/
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Man they make laptops out of carbon fiber, and they have no issues with wireless connectivity losing signal.

iairecon any
I can't post links yet, but Protech Composites, a carbon fiber manufacturer, has a page called "About Carbon Fiber" that's easily Googleable.
Near the bottom of the page it says:
"Electrical conductivity – carbon fiber composites are an excellent conductor of electricity"
R/C forums are full of advice regarding antenna placement to avoid known signal problems with carbon fiber.
I have no idea if a real carbon fiber back would affect the S4 specifically, but it's absolutely a legitimate area of concern.
driftmania: companies also make laptops that appear to be made entirely out of aluminum. Those companies have done things like placing antennas in bezels or behind plastic cutouts (think iPad) to mitigate the problem.

Carbon fiber laminate replacement for rear glass

Hello everyone,
I just wanted to share a recent modification done to my Nexus 4. Like many people my rear glass basically spontaneously cracked in a spiderweb pattern across the entire surface of the rear glass. Frustrated I looked and looked for a replacement back possibly made of plastic or some other material...anything but glass!
Unfortunately I could not find what I was after, so I ordered a Nexus 4 rear housing with glass. Once it arrived and installed everything was great except I was constantly worried about the glass shattering again. Now that I had the original back off I could experiment a bit. It took me quite a while to chip all the glass shards away. Using a heat gun softened the adhesive and made it a lot easier. Also the wireless charging coil gave extra frustration to the glass removal, as its flexible and quite fragile.
Eventually all the glass was removed. At first I was thinking of going with wood, but after working with a veneer of Brazilian rosewood I realized that the wood was so thin that it was going to be a real pain to work with to get a precision form.
I really like the look of carbon fiber so I searched and found a piece of carbon fiber laminate 1/32" thick (.030" when measured). It came 3" wide and 12" long. I rough cut the basic shape with a band saw and then sanded the edge down to a 2.445" width. I then used a fine hand file to create the arched corners and ends. Eventually I got the perfect shape and then used a carbide end mill to create the holes for camera, flash and speaker holes. I also used a bit larger end-mill to make an inset on the rear side of the camera hole to drop in a new lens protector so that it would end up flush and not interfere with the camera once I installed it.
Finally I used some really nice double sided 3M 468 MP adhesive to bond the new back to the housing.
I was curious about heat dispersion, so I ran the phone through a few stress tests with both the glass and the laminate and the laminate actually came back with a slightly cooler result. So basically without strict data collecting I'd say my concern about heat is null.
I was really pleased with the results and wanted to share. Photo's don't quite do it justice like seeing in person. As you shift the phone in light there is a very dynamic weaved pattern reflecting similar but more intensely that the original glass. It's not as scratch resistant as the original glass but that was not exactly impervious to scratches either. I'm happy knowing there is basically zero chance of shattering. believe me I tried on a scrap piece.

That looks really nice! Be aware that carbon fiber will block/attenuate some signals like WiFi.

gdekatt said:
That looks really nice! Be aware that carbon fiber will block/attenuate some signals like WiFi.
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Thanks!
Hmm, I'll do a comparison next to my coworkers Nexus and find out if there's a difference.
Edit: I was not able to notice any discernable difference in signal strength on WiFi or the cell radio in comparison. Basically identical to the non-modded Nexus in signal strength and speed tests. Bluetooth works as it should. I have not tested NFC yet but I will when I get the opportunity.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

Really like what you've done with your nexus 4. Only thing is, when it broke in the first place, why didn't you just put a dbrand vinyl on the back? They look amazing, fit perfectly and it's not too expensive.

22sl22 said:
Really like what you've done with your nexus 4. Only thing is, when it broke in the first place, why didn't you just put a dbrand vinyl on the back? They look amazing, fit perfectly and it's not too expensive.
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Thanks. I did put something similar over it but unfortunately there was a crack in the glass right above the camera lens and light would refract through causing photos to come out terrible. Having kids and a new baby just arriving, I can't live without those spontaneous photos when needed on the spot. Otherwise I would have left it with the skin.
Oh and the carbon fiber laminate was only $10.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

Very cool!!! I like it a lot It would be even better to write "nexus" on the rear in the carbon, but i think it could cost a lot.

Where did you get the carbon fiber laminate?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

JoshP84 said:
Where did you get the carbon fiber laminate?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
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http://www.mcmaster.com/#8194k52/=oaipze
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

perfoliate said:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#8194k52/=oaipze
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
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If you plan to keep the phone a while, or resell it, keep the carbon fiber out of the sunlight. Unless they put some sort of UV protection on it? It will fade otherwise.
Looks great though. I have always been a fan of CF. I def give you a +10 for the project.

Covart said:
If you plan to keep the phone a while, or resell it, keep the carbon fiber out of the sunlight. Unless they put some sort of UV protection on it? It will fade otherwise.
Looks great though. I have always been a fan of CF. I def give you a +10 for the project.
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Thanks. It won't be spending much time in direct sunlight, but I think I'll do a test with a scrap piece and leave it outside and see how it holds up.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

I think you should make more and sell just the carbon fiber part.
SENT FROM MY RAGING NEXUS⁴ ?

rebj2007 said:
I think you should make more and sell just the carbon fiber part.
SENT FROM MY RAGING NEXUS⁴ ?
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If I had access to a water jet cutter I would definitely do that. Doing it manually by hand takes a lot of time and would drive the cost up more than I think people would be willing to spend.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

perfoliate said:
If I had access to a water jet cutter I would definitely do that. Doing it manually by hand takes a lot of time and would drive the cost up more than I think people would be willing to spend.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get a hard on every time I see carbon fiber Is there a glossy coat over it or is it just the CF so that you can feel the texture? I am quite curious to see the radio reception test results. If they turn out to be minor, please let me know how much you would charge to make one for me. If only I had such skills
22sl22 said:
Really like what you've done with your nexus 4. Only thing is, when it broke in the first place, why didn't you just put a dbrand vinyl on the back? They look amazing, fit perfectly and it's not too expensive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, just no! Real CF shall not be replaced with vinyls. NEVER!!!

anirudh412 said:
I get a hard on every time I see carbon fiber Is there a glossy coat over it or is it just the CF so that you can feel the texture? I am quite curious to see the radio reception test results. If they turn out to be minor, please let me know how much you would charge to make one for me. If only I had such skills
No, just no! Real CF shall not be replaced with vinyls. NEVER!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, I just said vinyl because it would be cheaper and less time consuming than doing the whole replacement thing, but the real CF does look really nice

anirudh412 said:
Is there a glossy coat over it or is it just the CF so that you can feel the texture? I am quite curious to see the radio reception test results.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally in a carbon fiber laminate the weave is sandwiched between layers of epoxy to hold its form. This provides a smooth semi-glossy surface which also adds to the optical effect of the light bending as your viewing angle changes. There is a very, very subtle texture to it but its mostly smooth in characteristic.
So far I have not noticed a difference in radio reception, I will continue testing. If I had a second nexus with me it would be easy. There are so many environmental factors that make it nearly impossible to compare any current results with the previous glass back.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

perfoliate said:
Generally in a carbon fiber laminate the weave is sandwiched between layers of epoxy to hold its form. This provides a smooth semi-glossy surface which also adds to the optical effect of the light bending as your viewing angle changes. There is a very, very subtle texture to it but its mostly smooth in characteristic.
So far I have not noticed a difference in radio reception, I will continue testing. If I had a second nexus with me it would be easy. There are so many environmental factors that make it nearly impossible to compare any current results with the previous glass back.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I know about the epoxy. I have had car parts molded out of CF. However, some case manufacturers provide an extra glossy layer over the finished product (which I am not a big fan of). But it seems its not the case here.
I am wondering what would happen if the laminate were to be glued to the glass directly. Any ideas?

anirudh412 said:
Yeah I know about the epoxy. I have had car parts molded out of CF. However, some case manufacturers provide an extra glossy layer over the finished product (which I am not a big fan of). But it seems its not the case here.
I am wondering what would happen if the laminate were to be glued to the glass directly. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely possible. It would just thicken the phone by about 1/32" which would probably make it a little less than even with the official bumper edge. I would bevel the outer edge in that case so it smooths out with the edge of the phone. I used a rubber based back like this at first with a nice grip to it. It worked great. The only issue i had was was a crack over my camera lens so the glass ultimately needed to be removed.
They make a special epoxy glue specifically for this but the double sided adhesive I used works great. Its more of a gummy adhesive than a tape so it conforms a bit and has great yield strength.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

I'm impressed, looks very clean. Makes more sense than spending money on another glass back.

DevilCase - Xperia Z1c Aluminum Bumper Review [Updated after 4 months and drops]

Hey Everyone!
So, I just bought one of this bumpers, there was not much info online on the fit, which had me on the fence, I pretty much narrowed down to Kewers Aluminium Case (Nicely detailed here ) and the Devilcase Aluminium bumper (Reviewed here but missing shots of the inside and fit of the case ). In the end I veered to the Devilcase, buying from Amazon, as the design seemed more clean to me.
I wanted to find pictures of a black Z1c with a black Devilcase bumper, nowhere to be found! Here is to fixing that.
First, I paid on a Tuesday, and the package came trough to my address at CA Friday the same week, despite USPS saying it would make it the next Wednesday, extra kudos on the shipping speed, with a hat tip to USPS.
Packaging was quite nice, no flimsy cardboard, first quality packaging and good presentation, see here:
​The back of the packaging has a reference to "Z1 Compact Series is specifically designed for HTC Butterfly with high quality aluminium alloy.", so we know what file was duplicated to work on the packaging for this
Nagging asides, moving on to the actual case, I wont go trough the contents of the box, you can that see here: http://vimeo.com/92916925
One bright thing is that the box actually includes 2 replacement screws, I hope I dont need them never, but its nice to have 2 chances.
​
This is why the existing reviews didnt quite cut it for me, the "inside" of the bumper. The buttons are held with some plastic tape and while it looks somewhat shaky, taking into account its only supposed to hold the buttons while you install the bumper. Plus the metal buttons do not hit the buttons on the phone!
The inner side has small soft pieces of foam or some similar material, in several places, mainly where there is a beginning or end of section or a corner, this is one of the things I was looking for on online reviews! I dont want the bumper denting or damaging the phone just because.
Details on the fit of the inside, zoom in! pretty nice design and machining.
(No, I havent used the screen / back protectors that came with the bumper, yes I failed miserably installing that one, nope it doesn't bother me) ​
Details on the fitting:
Labeling, fair enough, not tacky as "Designed by spSOMEigen in California"
I Really liked the way the Devilcase bumper has a small indent to ease pulling the tabs on the flaps! plus this intent is perfectly centered to them, big kudos to the Industrial Design team.
The speaker looks even better with the case, plus it doesnt get muffled if you rest it on you while watching a video in bed or in a comfy couch, Kewers folks where worried about this and their design shows, the Devilcase gets it done somehow, looking much better IMO.
Plenty of room around the magnetic charger connector, I dont have a dock, so cant tell for the included plate, but seems the bumper has great clearance for allocating the connector.
Lots of space around the headphones connector, so huge plugs shouldnt be a problem, extremely flat connectors also cut it.​
A great case, at $57 USD Shipped its definitively on the premium side, but I feel its worth it, you get 2 sets of screen / back protectors, 2 acohol cleaning pads and 2 stickers to peel off any gunk from your screen, 2 sets of back decals (faux carbon fiber and even fauxer leather), spare screws and a microfiber pad.
Heck you even get confirmation from them on their Plus page when your package ships and quick feedback.
Now... should I get the red one too? Looks amazing!
Update:
4 months in, and some drops later, the case is holding up greatly, as expected the material absorbed much / all of the damage, in some cases not even loosing its finish.

nice review bro :good:

thank you for the review, but i still find it a little expensive...can someone find it for a cheaper price?

amedeonofal said:
thank you for the review, but i still find it a little expensive...can someone find it for a cheaper price?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless you bought directly in Taiwan (Or have friends there), it will be cheaper.

Hey, the power button is easy to push it to wake up ?

xander59 said:
Hey, the power button is easy to push it to wake up ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another concern I had, surprisingly the button became easier to push than without it!

Have you had signal loss with this? Aluminum bumpers are infamous for causing signal degradation.

Of course they're not available now...

babydo said:
Have you had signal loss with this? Aluminum bumpers are infamous for causing signal degradation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I read from their website the cutout on top of the phone (Beside the Headphone Jack) on 2nd last picture, "Compared to the Z1 devilcase had better signal reception because of the cutout. However all aluminium case will cause signal degradation and difference only how large is the degradation.
So far I've only seen one aluminium case from (Kickstarter) claimed their case with 0% (or close to 0%) signal loss.

thermalboyz said:
From what I read from their website the cutout on top of the phone (Beside the Headphone Jack) on 2nd last picture, "Compared to the Z1 devilcase had better signal reception because of the cutout. However all aluminium case will cause signal degradation and difference only how large is the degradation.
So far I've only seen one aluminium case from (Kickstarter) claimed their case with 0% (or close to 0%) signal loss.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you provide a link to the alu case on kickstarter ? thank you

paulle said:
can you provide a link to the alu case on kickstarter ? thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, should tell you that case only for Iphone. (LINK)

thermalboyz said:
Sorry, should tell you that case only for Iphone. (LINK)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok saw it, seems all the bumpers there are only for iphone.

Hi
Somebody knows how and where can i buy this bumper? On the Amazon is ot of stock .
Brekii

babydo said:
Have you had signal loss with this? Aluminum bumpers are infamous for causing signal degradation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I havent ran any scientific tests, but I do feel a slight degradation on wifi, cant tell on 3G/4G, there things have been normal.
As for the degradation, a part of my house that is particularly spotty for wifi became more unreliable, but to be fair it was already flaky to begin with.

Breki said:
Hi
Somebody knows how and where can i buy this bumper? On the Amazon is ot of stock .
Brekii
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would suggest pinging them directly at their plus page (Referenced in OP), they might have a back order or something.

Since it's a metal case, do you think it would help in chock protection if you drop the phone? I kind of like slim plastic/ruberized cases that will absorb some shock if it lands on a corner for instance.

tronjojo said:
Since it's a metal case, do you think it would help in chock protection if you drop the phone? I kind of like slim plastic/ruberized cases that will absorb some shock if it lands on a corner for instance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the case will just dent, plus there are some soft pads inside of the case, that might take some of the energy, not much as other hybrid cases with metal/plastic thou.
For what it is, the metal should do fine, I rather replace the 50 bucks bumper than having the metal frame dented in my phone

I had this bumper on my phone for a few weeks but took it off due to increased battery drain from the loss of signal. I never did any clear tests but as soon as I took the case off my battery life was normal again and my reception was better. I really wanted to like this case but I already have horrible signal here and this made phone unusable in my garage.

The DevilCase Z1c bumper is restock now.
Breki said:
Hi
Somebody knows how and where can i buy this bumper? On the Amazon is ot of stock .
Brekii
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw this message from Twitter of DevilCase. Only three colors available now.
https://twitter.com/DevilCase_USA/status/499586334994882560

Breki said:
Hi
Somebody knows how and where can i buy this bumper? On the Amazon is ot of stock .
Brekii
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i bought it directly from devilcase, there is a link SHOPPING GUIDE FOR FOREIGNERS on the productpage with screenshots, it works perfectly and they delivered fast to Germany.
http://www.twdevilcase.com/index.php?menu=page&target=sendway

[VIDEO REVIEW] Ebony Wood Skin from Toastmade for Nexus 6p

This thing is AMAZING! The adhesive on the edges will get lint stuck in your pocket if you don't let it fully dry before messing with it. The 3M adhesive is the best part about the skin, but it's also the worst if you're not careful aligning it. I ripped the corners because it got stuck to the edge & I removed it too slow; this was only stuck for like 10 seconds, if that! Overall awesome skin like the previous ones!

I had thier skin on my HTC one M8 and loved it!
Top notch quality, great customer service and a very nice feel in the heand.
Mind you that when i wanted to take it off it was a B****! Had to keep heating it with a hairdryer and it left a significt amount of adhisive resedue on the phone which i had to use rubbing alchohol to remove.
All in all, worth the money, descent protection and a great look and feel. Just be prepared to when the time comes to remove it...

huja said:
I had thier skin on my HTC one M8 and loved it!
Top notch quality, great customer service and a very nice feel in the heand.
Mind you that when i wanted to take it off it was a B****! Had to keep heating it with a hairdryer and it left a significt amount of adhisive resedue on the phone which i had to use rubbing alchohol to remove.
All in all, worth the money, descent protection and a great look and feel. Just be prepared to when the time comes to remove it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never had issues with residue from the adhesive, I've had these on 4 or 5 devices; maybe more. But I do agree removing it is a PITA!

WinDroidGuy said:
I've never had issues with residue from the adhesive, I've had these on 4 or 5 devices; maybe more. But I do agree removing it is a PITA!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you had them on aluminium (such the the M8) devices? Maybe the the glue sticks harder to certain materials more then others.
It was a visible yellowish glue residue that had to be phisically rubd off. Again, keeping in mind all the benefits to this skin i would definetly use it again, despite the inconvenience of removing it.

huja said:
Have you had them on aluminium (such the the M8) devices? Maybe the the glue sticks harder to certain materials more then others.
It was a visible yellowish glue residue that had to be phisically rubd off. Again, keeping in mind all the benefits to this skin i would definetly use it again, despite the inconvenience of removing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had it for the M7, M8, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, Nexus 6p, Moto X 2013 & 2014, LG G4 & I'm sure some others I'm forgetting lol

WinDroidGuy said:
I had it for the M7, M8, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, Nexus 6p, Moto X 2013 & 2014, LG G4 & I'm sure some others I'm forgetting lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For devices that require a stronger adhesive (most aluminum devices do), we found a way to make removal much easier. You can see it at about 1:20 into this iPad install vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW1psEiAeeY
Regardless of the adhesive, if there's any left behind, you should be able to just rub it off using your fingertip. It just rolls up into a ball, and the device looks just as it did prior to Toasting. With the new backing, you shouldn't have any residue left behind whatsoever.
---------- Post added at 10:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:46 PM ----------
Just wanted to add that we have a "butterfingers" replacement policy; just send us a pic and we'll send another cover. OP's is on the way!
Also, if the cover sticks down to the device and you wish to realign it, just hit that area with the hair dryer and it'll release the adhesive.

Wanted to get Toasted, but I have to use a metal plate between my case and the phone due to having a magnetic phone mount in my car and when I spoke to the fine folks at Toastmade, they couldn't tell me for sure if their product would do well with the plate (mind you this plate is hair-thin and light). Fair enough answer, so decided to just go with a Spigen for now. Too bad because I loved the walnut and ebony combo depicted on their website. Good video, OP, so thanks for posting it.