 |
Belkin Grip Vue for Apple iPhone 4
by himrule
When the Iphone 4 first came out many users were experiencing call drop outs and loss of signal when holding the phone due to the Wifi and mobile 'aerials' being the silver metal part around the phone and holding it a certain way joined the two and meant you lost signal. So to combat this Apple offer free cases.
This was the one I ... chose.
It is simply a see through plastic cover that goes around the back and sides. And it does seem to do work in stopping signal being lost. It has holes in it so you can access the volume buttons and connect the charger without having to remove the case. That being said the case can be easily removed for cleaning. Being see through bits of dust and fluff will show up against the background of the black phone meaning frequent cleaning it need.
Its other benefit it its very hard wearing. I've lost count of the number of times I've dropped my phone and the case has come to the rescue. Although the case its self is now chipped in a number of places the phone has survived unscathed
Looks wise it doesn't do a lot for the phone, in fact it takes away the stylishness of the iphone 4 and makes it look more clunky. But I don't think it's designed to be the most aesthetically pleasing case, it's
meant to be functional rather than make the phone look good.
The case can be picked up for under £5 on amazon and eBay so if you want a case that provides more protection for your iPhone I highly recommend this case
Read the complete review |
 |
Apple iPad 2 Smart Cover
by azana
When you buy any gadget you are going to use frequently, you soon realise, especially with an item like the ipad which is all about the screen, that a cover or case is a must. Apple have anticipated this need with the Smart Cover, which is compatible with both the ipad 2 and it's slightly thicker brother the ipad 3 and attaches onto the ... ipad to protect the screen and also, cleverly, act as a stand. It's available with both a leather and polyurethane finish. When I was bought an ipad 3 a few months ago now I shelled out £35 on the cover, and chose a practical if somewhat unexciting grey in polyurethans; a range of other colours are available.
Design wise the cover has a lot of plus points. Firstly, fixing the cover onto the ipad is so simple a child could do it. The hinge has strong magnets on it which fix into place, making the cover stay in place. In everyday use the cover is unlikely to come off I've found and it's great that when you close the cover over the ipad screen it immediately powers the screen off and puts the device into sleep mode. As soon as you open the cover the ipad automatically switches on, a nice touch. It's nicely finished on the outside with its bumpy tactile finish and my particular case is wipe clean - after a few months of daily use it looks as good as it did the day I first used it when on the ipad, although I fear the edges may fray slightly over time, so far so good.
The primary function of the cover, however, is undoubtedly to protect the screen. This it does well, thanks to having an inner microfibre part that goes against the screen and being thick enough to cushion the screen without detracting from the ipad's good looks. Apple claim that the inner part "gently buffs off" fingerprints and the like - this is a little over-egging it in my opinion, maybe as my ipad gets a fair bit of use I do find that it needs cleaning fairly regularly, cover or not. Also the cover doesn't protect the metal back of the ipad - you can buy a compatible back cover but I tend to end up lying my ipad face down with the cover on, so reluctant am I to scratch any part of it. I certainly wouldn't use just the cover and carry my ipad in a bag, so you could argue that it's only half a cover in some ways.
The cover does come into its own when used as a stand. It folds back cleverly on itself (pictures on the apple website) to make a little triangular stand which leaves the ipad at exactly the right angle for viewing video. I use it as a stand to stream video (you could also use it for facetime) and, in use, the volume button on the edge of the ipad is left unhampered, again good design. The cover seems sturdy when used as a stand, it doesn't seem like the ipad is going to go anywhere, and it feels and looks like part of the device. You can also lie the ipad down and use the stand as a prop to turn it into a keyboard - this I do less often but again the idea is clever.
So overall I'm glad I bought a smart cover with my ipad, however it's not all good. When using the ipad to browse the web or to play games I find the cover a bit "flappy" when folded back behind the ipad - you can't forget that it is there in the same way as, say, my kindle cover. Also, I can't help but feel that the cover, nice design or not, is massively overpriced. Quality wise it's ok but there's no feeling that it's worth the price tag - you are paying for the apple name I feel. When all is said and done the smart cover could be a little more robustly made and cheaper, but ultimately I wouldn't want to be without it, and so on that basis I recommend it. Just.
Read the complete review |
 |
OtterBox Defender Series for Apple iPhone 4, 4S
by ComputerTrophy
I recently purchased the Otterbox Defender Series Military Camo case. The quality of it is supreme. There are so many aspects, including warranty and design, that I actually need to divide the sections up:
-------------------------------------------
Bulkiness, Dimensions and ... Weight
-------------------------------------------
To be fair, many people have went up to me and say that my case is bulky. They are correct, since the case is thick enough to hide the sleek, aesthetically-pleasing design of my iPhone 4S in white, with the thickness being roughly 1.7cm for me with Amazon.co.uk confirming that. However, this seems weightless, at only 50 grams for the case itself! This is a premium case, as far as I can tell. You will get used to the bulkiness, as I made the conversion from a thin, unprotective plastic Air Jacket plastic case to the Otterbox Defender case quite easily. It is not ugly at all, despite what some people may think after viewing an online image of it.
---------
Design
---------
Amazingly, underneath the silicone and the design, there is a Polycarbonate "case", which is essentially a wireframe. You place your iPhone inside and you have three 'clips' where you press together until you hear a click, signalling that your iPhone is safe inside your case. Once the Otterbox case is snapped to your iPhone with the included screen protector glued to the polycarbonate part, you fit the silicone part in. Two layer protection. Very efficient.
The buttons are very easy to press, which I wasn't sure about until I got it, due to my experiences with the also-protective Tech21 iMesh case.
------------
Features
------------
I have to say, the features are unique and surely the patents Otterbox have reinforce my statement. There are port covers for the 30-pin port, headphone jack and the mute button. The volume buttons and the power button, including virtually everything else not mentioned are covered without option by the silicone.
Here's the important part: The Defender Series for the iPhone comes with a screen protector glued to it - This means that it will be kept clean! Also, the Apple logo has a transparent plastic layer (also attached to the case) covering it, ensuring that the iPhone itself is dirt free.
------------------------
Extra Components
------------------------
Here's a neat feature as well - You get a hip holster for your Defender as well, which explain why you have an intentional hollow part in the side clips of the iPhone. It essentially allows you to clip the Defender case with the iPhone inside onto the hip holster. The removal is easy.
----------------------------------------------------
Otterbox Warranty and Customer Service
----------------------------------------------------
Unfortunately, some people have defects in their cases. However, even if you throw your case away after it breaks, you can phone up Otterbox by the number provided on their website (Use Skype to call since it is a freephone US number) and their excellent customer service will ship you a replacement via FedEx without any hassle.
Important Notice: Remember to keep your receipt as it is REQUIRED by the support agents in order to help you!
---------------
Final Verdict
---------------
This case, without bias, is the best one I have used in my history of using iDevice cases. This is definitely worth the price and not to mention, the protection is very efficient. Unfortunately, it isn't waterproof, so be aware before you dunk it in your bath tub while reviewing the case for a YouTube video. The installation and removal of the case is quite easy but can get a bit tedious as well.
Congratulations to Otterbox for this amazing case.
Side-note: As of writing, Otterbox are releasing the Armour series for the iPhone. Stay alert for notifications from Otterbox!
Read the complete review |
