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I work selling phones.. So I get asked for the otterbox all the time.. despite never having any..
However, I am wondering if anyone else out there feels the otterbox is over rated... I mean sure it may protect your phone from a nuclear holocaust.. However, if your buying a phone that is a half an inch thick.. it probably adds two and a half inches to it.. (exaggerated I know but, you get the point).
While while I know everyone wants their phone to be protected..It seems sort of ironic that you find a phone that you like... (I personally love the style of the nexus one from what I've seen.. I'll judge it more in real life when/if I get one)... However meandering back on topic.. If you like the style of your phone.. why get a huge bulky case for it? I mean I see it every day.. people want the iphone and love the way it "looks".. (iphone is best example I can think of atm).. And then they turn around and want an otterbox to protect it..
I know accidents happen and we are willing to do what it takes to make sure our investments stay pretty.... However, Lately I've come to wonder if thins like otterbox are really the answer....
*edit* I also laugh because people keep telling me it is waterproof.. and with a name like OTTER box you would think it is... but, the majority of them warn "not protective against water"
You're assuming people buy fancy phones because of how they look and not functionality. I bought a Nexus One because of it's power. It's looks are a nice plus since it's so sleek, but really i just want a great phone that can do the things i want it to do.
When people go buy an iphone or any other smart phone sure they think it looks cool and its a factor in their decision to buy said phone but at the end of the day does it matter how it looks? Or is it more important to make sure your $200-$500 investment stays protected?
I have the otterbox commuter series for my N1 and although it makes it slightly larger i love it and am glad i got it. Helps me put my head at ease since i'm afraid of dropping it and whatnot
Don't mistake me I'm not putting anyone down for buying an otterbox..
However, I've noticed the ones for the iphone multiply the size alot..
And for what you pay for an otter box it does do its job I don't think there is any denying that..
However, while you do buy smartphones for functionality, I think it is safe to say we expect them to look nice as well...
My main concern when dropping more or less any phone is scratching it not it breaking altogether.. However, there in lies the irony.. Huge bulky case which adds considerable size to the phone..
Or worrying about having it scratched or possibly break.. with that said any sane person would go for some form of protection.. However, I suppose I just see an irony if the phone is comfortable before the case and less so after.. when comfort of use is something I imagen most of us would demand from a phone.
For us N1 owners, remember that we bought it sight unseen (going solely by pictures). So I think a large majority got this phone because it was (and still is) the badass world changer... Sleakness and style were just a bonus.
Particularly for me, I have big hands (i wear size xl gloves), so having this ultra thin phone in my hand just doesn't feel comfy.
I had the body glove first and liked out alot, but when I saw the pics for the Otterbox Commuter, I had to have it!
The little bit of extra thickness is actually welcome and fits beautifully in my hand now. It's also one of the few (maybe only) cases that plugs the power and headset ports.
Anyway, your point about the irony of people buying a phone because of its sexy sleekness, to only put some case on it is valid... Just no so much so for us N1 folks that bought it for what it can do, not so much how it looks!
Using the iPhone as an example I think people get cases because you can't get decent insurance for the phone from AT&T (may change with iPhone 4, who knows). If you break your iPhone you are out a sizable lump sum which some people can't afford. A case is inexpensive protection against some of this risk.
Since you can get a $6/mo full replacement insurance on the Nexus One this risk is less of a problem, but even with lower risk dealing with insurance claims are inconvenient. A case then boils down to how abusive you are to devices. I have friends that drop their phone *all the time* so a strong protective case is mandatory or their phone wouldn't last a month.
It's all a trade-off. I usually don't use a case on my phone but if I'm doing something higher risk having a case around to pop-on is a nice option.
That is a very good point. Things can appear very differently once you see them in real life from the glamour shots on google.
With that said, I suppose it is because I do find the nexus one aesthetically pleasing that I am so easily able to ask. It was a logically fallacy to think that others had the same views on aesthetics I did.
And if in the next week or two I pull the trigger, I will be pulling it for what I want the phone to do.. not for how it looks.. Although if a phone looked "unacceptable" in terms of aethetics.. It better be a marvel of modern science.
I am not obsessed with looks by any means but, I suppose I expect things to have some sense of style.
I have the Otterbox commuter case. There not to bulky mostly use it when im at work other than that I don't use a case for my Nexus.
I couldn't justify anything bigger than an invisible protector for daily use....but that's because anything else would interfere with the car dock
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My N1 lives in the neoprene sleeve it came with as I'm paranoid about it getting damaged. I hadn't heard of Otterbox until now, after having a look I think I may have to get one
Namuna said:
For us N1 owners, remember that we bought it sight unseen (going solely by pictures). So I think a large majority got this phone because it was (and still is) the badass world changer... Sleakness and style were just a bonus.
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Click to collapse
So true!
Just like when I bought my G1.
It was rectangular. Had this silly chin thing on it. And it was thick!!!
But I didn't care about how thick it was, or how it looked, or how it was perceived by anyone. I KNEW, that with support from Google, it would be the best device I ever owned.
AND THENNNN, came the announcement of the Nexus One
My heart just about stopped!
Both phones were and are ahead of their time (in my opinion).
Both my G1 and N1, only have a screen protector.
I've never been afraid of dropping my phone, because I never have.
It's never in my top shirt pocket. Never in a belt holster. It's always safe in my pocket, safe in my palm, or safe sitting on my desk.
As for bulky protectors?
That's why I don't dare buy one.
I've yet to read a 10 star review for a protective thing case.
Until then, I'll continue to baby my N1
Namuna said:
Anyway, your point about the irony of people buying a phone because of its sexy sleekness, to only put some case on it is valid... Just no so much so for us N1 folks that bought it for what it can do, not so much how it looks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My buddy heard about the Quadrant benchmark app, and wanted to compare the results of his EVO to my Nexus.
He was shocked that my 6 month old device kicked his ash, hahaha.
Full disclosure: The guys over at Cruzerlite helped out Carbon when no one had heard of use by donating a few free cases so we could run some giveaways on our social networks. We went to them because we liked their product and the way that they interacted with the Android community. They were so excited about their new skin product that they arranged to ship a MotoX and one of their skins to me so that I might review it and give them, and you, my honest feedback. The device and skins have been since sent back to them. I was not paid or otherwise compensated for this review. Mostly I just wanted to check out a new product, have an excuse to play with a Moto X, and play with the lightbox I built last week.
I hate cases. To me, they've always been a necessary evil. I generally go with the thinnest TPU case I can find so I know my phone will be protected, and try and find one that actually looks cool. Which is why I've always liked the Cruzerlite cases. Very android friendly, and there were always lots of looks to choose from - android themes, art, etc. My favorite was the Tardis case. I was always very careful with my device. But scratches and things happen, and like many of you I never plan to stay with one device for more than a year or so. That means you gotta keep it looking like new so you can sell it later.
To me, that's the niche that the Cruzerlite skins occupy. If you drop your phone all the time this product isn't going to keep you from denting it or smashing the glass. It's vinyl, not TPU. If you're a purist who insist on rocking a totally naked phone, this product also isn't for you. If you're one of the many who hate cases but want to protect the phone in some way, or are confident in your ability to not drop your phone but want a custom look, then this product is where it's at. It'll protect your device from light damage, give you any look you want, and preserve the size and feel of your device.
The product comes in the form of thick vinyl stickers. As it's a brand new product they don't yet have a set of instructions on the site. They tell me they have that in the works and we should see them soon. With that in mind, I'll overshare my installation process and what I learned for you folks. Cruzerlite clearly wanted to make sure that you'd be happy with the installation of this product, so they've given you a single sticker for the back, two sets of stickers for the sides, and three sets for the front. You can screw this up and try again without ordering a new set. Note that I say stickers, but this is actually vinyl of a nice thickness, not some elmo sticker you'd get from the doctor after a checkup.
So having checked out both the vinyl and the Moto X I setup my lightbox and got down to business. I applied the back vinyl, taking great care to align the camera and microphone. It worked, after a fashion - it looked like a sticker slapped on a phone. A phone with a lot of curves. So far... meh. I stuck the sides on as well. It looked... like a bunch of stickers slapped on a phone. They didn't conform to the curves of the phone at all. So I called up Joel at Cruzerlite and told him that while I thought he had a nice idea, this was probable something that would only work on a phone with simple surfaces like an iphone. I showed him how it looked and he asked me when I was planning to finish the installation. Finish the installation? What? Heat. You apply heat after installation. Ohhhhhh. For a guy who was just told that his half-installed product wasn't very good, he was pretty cool about it. Thanks Joel.
Ok, so with that in mind, I dug out the hair dryer and got to heating. It looked a lot better. With a bit of heat and some pressure with my fingers, the vinyl conformed to the curves of the device and started to look like they belonged there. That said, because I installed them like they were stickers, there were gaps. Teal gaps. It didn't look great - but that was on me.
You might want to color match better than I did. Teal and
wood grain aren't known for being a classic combination.
So the first install didn't look so great. The vinyl was curved to match the phone, but I had ugly gaps that ruined the look. When I put the sides on, I aligned things like I would with regular stickers - not heat shrinking vinyl. But Cruzerlite clearly anticipated that, so I had more! Off came the vinyl on the sides and and back to square one. This time, I made sure there was some overlap so that when heat was applied, it would properly fit. Here's what it looked like:
You can already tell it's going to come out better this time. Out comes the hair dryer!
Now we're talking. No gaps, all the buttons are nicely cut out... it looks great. Again, the color combination shows why I'm not ever going to be a graphic designer, but it certainly highlights just how well the product fits the device. There's a slight edge where the vinyl on the sides and the back overlap. It's not unpleasant, but I'd like to play with this product some more to see if I could even avoid that. I've asked Cruzerlite to send me a few more and another phone, and hope to have a follow up on this in the future.
Yes, it has front stickers. The great thing about this product is it's up to you what you apply - if you don't want the front stickers, don't put them on. You could even mix and match them if you wanted. Get different colors and make the phone version of this:
Yes, that's a real thing. It's a Harlequin Golf and comes
that way from the factory. Please don't do this to your phone.
So after installing and playing with this, I like it. The vinyl is thick enough to feel like a high quality and durable product and on the whole I found it to be easier to apply than a screen protector. Sure, it's a bit tricky to align, but you don't have to worry about dust and the use of heat makes this a relatively forgiving product. I'm certain that I didn't do a perfect job with this, but I don't hate it the way you'd hate a screen protector with a bit of dust under it. I did manage to tweak the back a bit when applying it, and you can see the bulge from it. Again, this is something that I'd be able to differently now that I know how the product works so I'm not particularly concerned about it.
Cruzerlite has a whole range of vinyl to choose from too - 57 at the time of this review. There's wood grain, antibacterial colors, metallic, and leather skins. We're spoiled for choice and if you can't find something you like you might want to ask yourself why you're so picky.
I'd say this is a buy. They look great, feel great, and will do a fantastic job of protecting your phone from light damage. They're easy to apply, and at just under ten dollars you can't beat the price. For those of you who picked up a Moto X before Motomaker was a thing, this is a great way to change your phone's look without buying a new one, or get the look of wood without paying an extra hundred bucks for a single woodgrain option. (bamboo? seriously?) At the time of this review, the skins are available for the Moto X, Nexus 5, Note 3, Galaxy S4, and iPhone 5/5s.
I'll update this thread in the future if I can get my hands on another device and more vinyl. If possible I'll try something other than wood grain, too.
You can check out the rest of their skins at http://www.cruzerlite.com/skins
ZeroLemon, the name brand we all know and love for the batteries we put into our phones, has done it again, ladies and gentlemen. I go through cases for my phone like water. I’m EXTREMELY particular about how it fits on the phone, how it changes the usability of the phone, and how it changes the feel of the phone in my hand. I easily go through about 20 different cases for my phone in a short time trying to find the right one.
A little over a month ago, ZeroLemon posted asking for people to test out their case for the S5. Many people had already replied to the thread by the time I got to it, but decided “hey, they can’t deny me if I don’t ask, right?” Several weeks later I got my case in the mail and have loved it. Here is my review of the ZeroLemon Razor Armor case.
First impressions weren't ideal, unfortunately, and they lost points (we’ll hit the high notes right after this). When I first opened it up and put it on my phone, it felt big in my hands. One of the reasons I’ve stuck with the Samsung Galaxy series is because it was thin, lightweight, and easy to manipulate when taking it in and out of your pocket. I have yet to drop a phone from my pocket, and plan to keep it that way. Feeling the phone in my hand with this case on, it seemed a little too big, and with the corners not being rounded, I thought for sure I was going to catch the phone on my pocket edges.
Ever been so wrong you had to type out a paragraph and then admit guilt in a public forum?
I have yet to catch the phone on anything with this case on it. The hardshell lets it slip relatively easy in an out of my pocket, while the softer part of the shell allows me to hold it without any worries it might slip. The bulk goes away almost instantly. Once you begin using the case, you get used to it as the phone itself, like when you buy a new, larger phone, and after a week it feels natural in your hand. This case just feels great. Esspecially when needing to access the hardware buttons. Where most cases of this bulk tend to have stiff buttons you really have to work to activate, these resond smoothly and easily. Sometimes even too easily. I'm just used to otterbox cases, I suppose. Who could blame me?
The unexpected positive I found as well was when I record things. I do a LOT of videography and photography with my phone (part of why I have an S5 in the first place), and the one feature I’ve missed over the last few smartphones was being able to set the phone on its side and let it record without touching it, knowing it isn’t going to fall over. I had the iPhone 4 the day it came out years ago, and used it for a year. That is the one and only feature I’ve missed from having an iPhone, and this case gave me back my dream
On to the more technical stuff:
This case is incredibly safe. It follows the same hardshell/softshell set up that many cases do without costing you an arm and a leg, but protects seemingly better. I had one drop mishap with it and no damage to the phone was done. Had I been using the case I had on it before I began using the ZeroLemon Razor Armor, it would have been a cracked screen for sure. The only downside I’ve found to this is the raised edges on the sides of the screen. I know they are there for keeping the screen from landing flat on a surface when the phone falls, but it also is a bit encumbering when trying to touch areas on the sides of the screen.
At the end of the day, this case is a good case. It protect, gives you back some freedome to position the phone how you want, and doesn’t cause any real problems when trying to maneuver the phone in-hand. The only issue in total that I can’t deal with, was that the case itself didn’t fit the phone precisely. Edges of the phone showed under ledges of the case and in some cases allowed for materials to get in under the lip and between the case and phone, meaning that, theorhetically, the case could be levered off unintentionally in a pocket with a key or something. This issue alone is why I’m not using the case at the moment, but otherwise, I give the case a solid 7/10 rating.
...Why don't they make them? Okay, so I'm not the guy who wants the super-skinny barely-there case. Oh, no give me full-on protection, 360 please! I have small children, a full-time job, am a heavy Ingress player, and often juggle many items within my arms/hands as I walk down the street. I NEED protection. That being said, I've looked at cases til I'm blue in the face. I cannot find what I seek...which is a case with a lid! Not a holster clip, not a folio flippie thing, an honest-to-goodness LID that I can slide or clip on when I'm precariously bumbling down the street with my hands full of stuff. I'd settle for a holster cover type case if I could remove the clip part (and if it didn't cost an arm & a leg.)
My Note 8 and my kids' Tab 3s all have covers with lids. Why can't my Note 4 have one, too?
I'm coming from a Note II and have used flip style, first horizontal, then vertical (which I hate). In fact I'm still USING my Note II because I'm paranoid about activating my Note 4 til I have a proper case and feel comfortable taking it out of the house.
With all the screen territory it just seems so....vulnerable. Dropping a piece of buttered toast will ALWAYS render for me butter side down, and I fear the same will be true for screen-down drops. It's just my rotten luck.
Has anyone ever had the same idea? A case with a lid? Any suggestions to throw my "paranoid" way? :laugh:
I'm looking for exactly the same thing as you. I work in construction and I want something heavy duty. (I don't like otter boxes)
This is the sort of thing I'm looking for:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Circle-Flip-...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item4adad7ce80
Window or no window, I don't care. I saw this case in my local Chinese mall and they said check back in a few weeks and they should have it for the Note 4. However, I emailed this guy on ebay and he said he wouldn't be getting one.
For now I'm using a neoprene sleeve, which I've been using for years, but I yearn again for a clip-able case like this, which I used on my old palm phones for years.
Wow that's killer! That's what I'm talking about, too.....basically. Agreed, don't need the window, necessarily. Looks a little cheaply made, too (as far as not a lot of cushioning) but yeah, definitely on the right track! Closest I've seen to the concept.
Even better would be this.. if only they made it for the note 4. I emailed the company and posted on facebook about it. No reply
http://www.spigen.com/galaxy-note-3-case-slim-armor-view.html
That looks pretty good!
Okay, the closest I can find is the Seidio cases, which have a removable clip holster. I think that will get me the closest to my "lid" though I'd rather have a Verus Thor or UAG. Unfortunately, they don't come with holsters/"lids". I'm looking specifically at the CAPSA because it has a built-in screen cover, like an Otterbox. Unfortunately, it is unavailable yet as per their website. Boooooo.
I have similar needs. The idea case for me would be a combination of a case that provides edge and back protection with the samsung folio "case". Full 360 degree protection.
Spigen replied to me. They said they are working on one like I posted for the note 3
Sweet! Please keep us updated.
Here's something rather interesting:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Armor-Luxury...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item1c48e910b9
A bit on the ugly side. I can deal with that, but I'd be really worried about it ruining signal strength.
Same looking one, but apparently in steel from Hong Kong
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Iron-man-Sta...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item58b827a5e1
Wow that's some case! I like it! It's very, very different. I'm wondering if it's cushioned inside, for impact shock absorption.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This post will likely end up long and meandering so here are some pictures to help you decide if you are interested in reading on.
Gallery: https://postimg.cc/gallery/3jjlabcpm/
Those that have come across my waffle in this forum or elsewhere before will know that I was (and am) a total convert to ruggedized handsets. I work as a forester, as well as being a keen mountain biker, motorbike rider, kayaker and alcoholic.
To those ends, the S7 Active was the best device I've ever owned by a huge margin. The things that it survived with zero added protection beyond a glass screen protector were out of this world. It is still in daily use in my family. The battery has seen better days but overall the physical condition and functionality of the phone are near perfect.
Why on earth would I trade that device for one constructed almost entirely from glass? Well, I'm not sure. I still have massive reservations about the decision but at the end of the day: no mainstream manufacturer is currently producing a top-tier ruggedized device, and I wanted an unlocked bootloader and glorious custom roms back in my life which ruled out a couple of slightly older options.
I almost went with the AGM X3 but the lack of OIS in the camera, and the unknown quality of manufacture made the now obscene price tag just a little bit too much of a gamble.
Anyway: once the Note 9 arrived I realised just how fragile this thing was. I was filled with regret to the point that I actually considered just putting it on ebay; so sure was I that it would be smashed to pieces in a matter of days.
After installing Dr Ketan's rom, I changed my tune. I committed myself to finding a functional protection solution that would work for me without interrupting wireless charging and without turning it into a brick (it is heavy enough as it comes!).
My office is presently littered with poor purchase decisions; cases that promised the world and delivered a ham sandwich.
I also struggled because there was only 1 case that would match up with the relatively expensive handlebar mounts I already have on all my gear, but that case did not quite meet my requirements on a few fronts.
I tried to find the largest genuine leather wallet case that I could find, with initial plans to simply swap cases to my quadlock case when I wanted to go out for a ride. Unfortunately, I found that the quad lock case was so god damn well-constructed that the mere act of inserting and removing the phone felt like I was eventually going to do some damage. This is not your everyday sleeve case! it is constructed from some sort of hybrid, rubberised material with a massive amount of retained stiffness. It is absolutely tough as nails and has very little flex once the phone is inserted....it is an absolute nightmare to remove once it is on there, which is fantastic to give you a bit of peace of mind once you hit 200km/h!
It also has a little bit of screen protection due to the large protrusions top and bottom which mean that the screen does not contact the surface you lay it on face down. Still, no face protection.
I have no wish to join the legion of people walking around with a cracked screen, and the curved screens that samsung insist on using are well prone to easy breakage...I needed more coverage!
I ordered a hand made 2-part, magnetic, genuine leather BEMFEY wallet case from Turkey. It was not cheap, but the workmanship on the wallet portion is top notch. It also fits cash without having to fold notes, holds 4 cards and will absolutely outlast the device it was built for.
Unfortunately, the leather sleeve portion was an absolute piece of junk: brown epoxy gack everywhere, screen sat flush with absolutely zero protection, thin, no button cutouts: just overall a terrible idea if you had any plans of protecting your investment. Probably ok for desk workers.
Long story short: I did what any good forester would do and started thinking outside the box. Attached a thin iron plate to the rear of my quad lock case with epoxy, and am now using this as an insert into the BEMFEY wallet case. Results so far are impressive.
The magnets in the bemfey case are strong as hell, and though I will probably add another tiny iron plate on the top side I have never once come close to the phone coming away from the case accidentally. Even if it did, the Quad lock case is tough as hell and I have a bit of faith in it on it's own.
Together though, I doubt anyone else has got this level of functionality or protection on their Note 9. I've dropped it numerous times already: in the bush, on a plane, onto a tiled floor. Zero problem.
When it's time to ride, I peel the phone out of the wallet, securely lock it to my bars and pop the wallet it my pocket. Winning on all fronts.
It cost me a pretty penny to get there but I think I'm keeping this setup! In the grand scheme of things, it is worth investing 10% of your phone cost to make sure that it doesn't die an early death. If anyone wants to replicate, you can find quadlock on google and BEMFEY can be tracked down on their Etsy store. They will custom make to order including laser engraving if that is your thing.
Hey how good are the Quad Lock cases? Why I’m asking I’m fairly active, and i don’t want my Note 9 falling off my arm! I’m interested the arm band i been waiting for Supcase as they had a awesome Armband case for the S8+!
On that the band would feed behind the case it had a slit cut out so no matter what one would do jump run mountain biking etc. no way is the S8+ falling out! The supcase come in 2 parts soft tpu rubber and hard plastic the plastic as a lip, so when you put in the phone the tpu rubber would wrap around the hard plastic so it locks the phone in
i have been looking at other armbands, but they got a lock system and they kind of suck! i was planning on gluing the lock into the armband this is a supcase one Ive seen , but now i just saw your post and just found out about Quad lock! Could you please let me know, how reliable the lock is or would I need to glue it locked??? Thanks
As stated above, their build quality is epic.
I can't guarantee anything on the armband as I don't use one but it appears to have the exact same mounting hardware as the motorbike mount including the release switch. I can tell you right now, there is no way in hell it will come off if the hardware is the same.
I have crashed my motorbike offroad at speed, bruising myself up fairly impressively and this thing didn't go anywhere.
My gf is getting into running again and I plan to get her one of the quadlock armbands soon. You pay a bit, but you can keep the mount parts for your next phone. Even if you buy something exotic, you can just grab the universal mount or pry it off your old one and epoxy it on to a case.