I received this case from Roocase for evaluation and wanted to share here. As you'll see, the review is not entirely positive. I asked the Roocase people if I could post in a public forum and they said "yes" without even seeing the review. To me this is a good sign of a company that cares what its customers think, and isn't afraid of negative feedback. I haven't changed the review, and while I still think that this case is probably a "don't buy" I will certainly consider Roocase the next time I'm in the market for a tablet case.
I tried to give as critical a review as possible. To me, when a product is titled “executive” it receives an additional layer of scrutiny, especially for an image-conscious businessperson whom might be a target consumer. Thus this review considers of particular importance the looks and usefulness as a business tool.
Here is an Amazon link to the case: http://amzn.to/1Vy5AGv
I received the portfolio in a nondescript cardboard box that was adequately sized to protect the case. The packaging was simple, which is a positive in my mind. I’m not a fan of big unrecyclable plastic boxes. That said, a product called “executive” should probably have a slightly more premium-looking packaging. I suggest reviewing the images, fonts, and content of the current packaging to something matching other, more modern designs.
The exterior leather is adequately solid and the stitching is tight enough to give a premium feel. The only error in the stitching is where the binding strip overlaps itself on the bottom corner at the fold. The error here is small and will probably not be a point of failure, so I’m not overly concerned. The interior stitching left something to be desired. On the inside left, the card slots and pockets have a little too much give, leaving a “pouch” look. Probably useful if one plans to keep a lot of papers in there, but it doesn’t look great when empty. The stitching around the inner tablet was not perfect, but that’s just being nitpicky.
The zipper is tight but the zipper handles are annoyingly large and there is absolutely no reason to use a double-ended zipper since they both need to be completely retracted to open the case. The handles have a small point on both sides of the base that causes the zipper to catch; every second or third time I used them they got momentarily stuck. That said, they feel solid; I’m not concerned that they will break any time soon. Another annoyance is that the zippers hang out even when completely retracted; holding the case against your stomach you end up with the zipper sticking into you (this would be solved by using a single-ended zipper, BTW). Finally, when completely closed the zippers sort of clatter together, not a big deal, but annoying. Besides these points, the zipper looks and feels good and did not have any problem closing the case, even when filled with materials.
The Roocase logo is attractive and nicely embossed in a good place on the cover. I appreciate that you understated the logo and hope you (and everyone else!) will continue to do so. I would not have had a problem with a second logo in the same place on the back, or an embossed logo on the interior.
The pockets on the inside left are adequate, though I personally do not think I’d use them much. They are too small to fit a standard sheet of paper (though this is the size of the tablet, not the case). The credit card/business card holders are of an appropriate depth and held tight to even a single card. The windowed pocket is similarly good, though I don’t see myself using it for anything. It might make sense to have more specific pockets, such as for a particular size of notebook. For me, I’d probably forgo the pockets altogether, or make a single pocket in which a (smaller) notepad could be hung horizontally.
The sides and spine are a perfect combination of rigid and thick and work well for both protecting the device and preventing objects held in the case from impacting on the screen. The overall feel in the hand is satisfying, though, considering the weight of the tablet is so low, it might be nicer to have a little less weight in the case.
The interior tablet holder is, unfortunately, where this case fails. There are several problems. First, the enclosure looks and feels cheap, both with and without the tablet. I personally hate tablet cases that cover the bezel; on the tab s 10.5, one of the more important gestures (swipe in from the right) is actually hindered by the case, which is unacceptable. The interior case should have used the hard plastic/metal corner compression style. As it is, the interior case looks and feels like strapping a bit of cardboard with some loose plastic on the front to an expensive tablet. The Velcro slipped under the bottom of the tablet causes a slight lift, bulging the bottom end of the tablet out. This means that when placed flat on a surface the bottom middle pushed up just enough that the whole thing wobbles when touched, even when using the small integrated lifting mechanism.
The faux leather hangs loosely around the screen no matter how tightly I pushed the Velcro attachment. The exterior case may be leather, but the inner case is clearly not. Pressing buttons on the tablet on the top and side is hindered, though this is a relatively minor nuisance. The port for the charger cable is accessible, but the 3.5mm headset jack is close; my best headphones have a square-ish connector that can’t be turned while the case is on. Both front and back cameras are fine, as is the light sensor. The fingerprint sensor, home button, and two capacitive buttons are fine, but the bezel-covering looks the worst here, sticking up from the screen. The case I received is slightly different than the one pictured on Amazon; they've (smartly) removed the strip of leather above the home/capacitive buttons.
The hand strap is tight and nicely recessed; the material touching the back of my hand was OK but should have been better; if I’m going to hold this thing with a hand strap for any amount of time the material should be a bit less abrasive. The small lifting mechanism on the back is also a nice touch, it worked well and gave the tablet a small lift when placed flat on a table. That said, I’d never use this case alone, and the rest of the case is intended to prop the tablet up already, so I don’t see when I’d be using this. The small lift also is placed just behind the button attachment (discussed below) so that it cannot be comfortably extended or replaced while buttoned in the case. This might actually have been a useful mode for the case; I briefly used it like this and found that it held the top of the case open fine, and provided some top-down privacy on the screen. I think certain business users might have actually liked such a feature.
Beside the bezel-covering faux leather, the single worst feature of this case is the button clasp that attaches the inner case to the outer. When the inner case is placed flat on a surface, the button always touches first, though not excessively. When attaching to the outer case, the button must be pressed very hard; this required placing pressure on the middle of the screen. I did not enjoy doing this. I assume the tablet can handle it, but I won’t be doing it again for fear of damaging the screen or the electronics.
When attached in the full case, the case works well in both landscape and portrait. While more options for angles are always nice, I think the angle you get is pretty good. I found it odd that, when used, the logo is on the table; I don’t like logos, but I’d think Roocase might!
The pen/stylus was a nice though unnecessary addition. It works about as well as most styli, and feels acceptable in the hand, if a little small. The tip feels very cheap. I did notice that it has both black and blue ink pens, but unfortunately you can’t tell which until you start writing. A perfectly good free add-on; nobody is buying this case for the pen/stylus.
The outer case is solid and I’d be confident that my tablet would survive a significant fall so long as the zippers were closed. However, if the zippers were open or if only using the inner case I’m sure that even a small fall would result in disaster. The bezel-covering inner case doesn’t even cover the lower corners of the tablet, which hangs out just enough to be the first thing that would impact in a fall. It becomes difficult, with this description, to even call the inner case a “case.”
In summary, the case looks nice from the outside, though the zippers are a bit annoying. The outer case is sturdy, tough, and would provide exceptional protection from both falls and pressure applied to the exterior. The interior pockets are fine, but I don’t see them being particularly useful given the application and size. Using the tablet propped up was stable in both tablet and portrait orientation, and the angle of the screen was good. The inner case feels cheap, particularly the loosely-fitting bezel-covering faux leather, which made an expensive tablet look cheap and negatively affected both my ability to use swipe gestures on the screen and the 3.5mm audio connector, and caused the tablet to wobble when placed without the outer case on a flat surface. The button clasp is also unacceptable, as connecting it required putting pressure in the middle of the screen. Both of these things would need to be corrected for me to be able to recommend this case to anyone. As it is, I am unlikely to use this case, which is a shame, considering that from the outside it is very nice looking and clearly would provide a lot of protection.
Nice Review, I too got the same Case and haven't done a review yet, as I wanted to get to know it a little and use it as much as possible. I have to say I like the product a lil more than you describe. Somethings I totally agree on. Such as the inner case covering the bezel. A little less would be adequate, But I do notice its soo tight on the tablet, it pulls it one direction causing the left side of the screen to become covered up. I remove it from the outer shell a lot to utilize the hand grip while I'm at work, which I use it to pull up blueprints and what not, so I love that feature.
Gotta say you put more detail in a review than most people. Good job.
Related
Ran across this today searching for cases for the Epic. Anyone using one? Its interesting in that it locks the slider during normal use and hinges open if you want to use the keyboard.
http://www.pdair.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=10100000_10000000_11001061&products_id=31414
Now this looks like quite a nice case for functionality.
Now if they just took off the whole part in the back for the clip and form fit the corners a bit more and offered it in more colors that'd be nice.
This may be the best thing I can do for now, I have been scouring for a jelly case to slip over the epic, since I never use the keyboard
Now, if somebody has the ability to cleanly cut aluminum and wants to sell a matched set consisting of this case with a hole cut in the back for the hump on the extended battery the other guy is selling to poke through... (strokes credit card and sighs)
It's hard to tell from the pics... does the case snap onto the lower half, or does the phone just rest inside?
How firmly does it secure the phone when the case is closed? Does the power button still cause the two halves to separate a little, or are both held firmly in place from both sides?
bitbang3r said:
Now, if somebody has the ability to cleanly cut aluminum and wants to sell a matched set consisting of this case with a hole cut in the back for the hump on the extended battery the other guy is selling to poke through... (strokes credit card and sighs)
It's hard to tell from the pics... does the case snap onto the lower half, or does the phone just rest inside?
How firmly does it secure the phone when the case is closed? Does the power button still cause the two halves to separate a little, or are both held firmly in place from both sides?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are videos on you tube. The bottom looks like a very snug press fit. Top must be looser to allow for the hinge to work.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
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I had a similar case for my old HTC Titan. I LOVED it. Being a pretty serious phone abuser, that case kept my phone together!
-Rob
I used to have a similar case for my Treo and they are extremely well made. I irregularly dropped my phone from about 5 feet in the air onto hard linoleum and it never suffered any indignities. These come in both black and silver so if you want a different color you would want the silver so you could send it out to be powder coated.
I just ordered one.
Mine came last night.
The good: locks the slider firmly closed. No wobble or "play" at all when pressing the power button. Phone easy to remove (for GameGripper purposes).
The bad: Feels terrifyingly slippery compared to the Seidio ActiveX. Obstructs "slide down" gesture for notifications.
The seemingly fatal (a big one): my "back" fake hardkey keeps randomly going berserk... but ONLY that specific one. The foam in the top half seems to be confusing the capacitive sensor.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Update: I've had the 'search' fake hardkey freak out a few times on me, too.
Another problem: it's definitely affecting reception. 4G and GPS barely work with the case in place.
Sigh. So close. So agonizingly close. It's awesome to not have the phone shear and jiggle apart every time I hit the power button, and the fact that it allows the phone to be easily removed for the Game Gripper without really compromising the slide-out keyboard's usability is very cool.
I'm really convinced that this case went straight from plastic prototype to mass production before anyone actually tried to use it in an area with 4G service, high humidity (presumably what's screwing up the foam and touchscreen), and who didn't just assume that the GPS was dysfunctional because Samsung sucks.
Sigh. Too expensive to throw away, and really nice in ways that ultimately don't matter because the touchscreen-button problem makes it totally unusable
The plot thickens: more touchscreen observations:
* Oddly, there's NO FOAM around the lower part of the screen where the phantom-pressed fake hardkeys are.
* Last night, it went completely berserk with phantom button presses on cue when I rubbed the latch a certain way.
This suggests that the problem's root cause might extend to the electrical conductivity of the case itself. It's strange, because I wasn't able to find reports of the same problem for users of Monaco cases for other phones (like the Droid). Lots of complaints about signal attenuation, but no reports of touchscreen problems.
I'm seriously tempted to buy some liquid electrical tape and coat the inside of the lid to see whether it helps. The problem DOES seem to go away when the lid is no longer in contact with the screen. However, if it's happening because the sensor is acting kind of like a Hall Effect sensor and the case is acting like a Faraday cage, nothing short of making the case (or at least the top lid) out of plastic is likely to fix the problem. Still, it's worth a try since I really like the case itself, and my alternative is to basically chuck it.
Update: as an experiment, I wrapped black electrical tape around the bottom lip of the top part. It helped a lot. I think I might have also found a contributing cause: cat fur. I think wisps of cat fur might be bridging the metal case & screen and carrying static electricity to the sensor. Oddly, though, some of its *worst* back-arrow spasams have occurred with the phone laying on the desk, untouched, 3 feet away.
I'm still trying to think of a good way to plastic-coat the case without making it look bad & get a nice, even black rubbery coating on it.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
How thin is it compared to the other plastic cases?
Very interested in getting the Monaco Aluminum Case, which is very similar to this one. My last concern, how thin is it compared to Seidio Innocase Surface?
I'll start off by saying that I was given this case solely for the purpose of writing an unbiased review. Here it goes!
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE: Poetic has now revised the case where the formerly intrusive "P" logo is now moved above the fingerprint sensor. The "Affinity" branding that used to be on the right edge of the case is now completely removed. All other dimensions, accents, materials, cutouts, etc. have not been changed. The updated version can be purchased from Amazon (where I acquired mine) from the link below. Two additional pictures have also been added; one that compares the cases side-by-side and one with the phone in the revised case
<MODERATOR EDITED - SPAM REFERRAL LINKS DELETED>
My phone: Nexus 6P 64 GB Aluminum. Slickwraps skin applied; white carbon fiber back with white carbon fiber frame with matte black visor. Intelliarmor TGSP version 2.
Overall quality: There are two types of materials here; Black TPU and the clear stuff. I don't know what the clear material is, but I'd describe it as a malleable plastic. There are no rough edges
Overall Appearance: This one's subjective, but I like most of the design. I never wanted a case that was opaque. I always liked customizing my phone with skins and whatnot, so a transparent case is to my preference. However, I ultimately prefer having no back cover. Yup, I like true backless bumpers. Down the road, I might introduce a hobby knife to the back cover and remove the center clear plastic section for two reasons:
1. I like the phone to feel thin in the center
2. I don't like the possibility of trapping dirt/dust/sand/lint between the case and the phone (although the vinyl would protect my phone anyways)
Fit: The fit is pretty snug. When trying to get the phone into the case, it was slightly tight. I would probably credit that to the fact that I have frame vinyls applied. That being said, I don't think it's tight enough to warp the phone in anyway. "Snug" is the perfect descriptor here. Referring to the picture that shows the screen of the phone right at the edge, you can see that the entire screen glass is exposed. That means a full edge-to-edge glass screen protector should work here. I emphasize the word "should" because I don't have an edge-to-edge TGSP. I also think the frame vinyls might push the case outwards a slight bit, but it doesn't seem like that makes any considerable difference if you want to use a full coverage TGSP.
Buttons: Before I used the case, I only had the frame vinyls applied. The frame vinyls made it a bit more difficult to find and click the buttons. The case actually adds the "clicky" feeling back to the buttons. This is because the inner surface of the case that comes in contact with the buttons has protrusions that make direct contact with their perspective buttons. The vinyl no longer dampens the feedback of the buttons while using the case. The buttons are not considerably any more or less sensitive than a naked phone.
Cutouts: Please refer to pictures for cutout measurements.
Regarding the USB-C port, the cutout is sufficient. If you look closely at the picture where the phone is plugged in and laying with the screen up, you may notice that that case is slightly bulged outwards when plugged in. The stock USB-C cable makes slight contact with the case and causes the said bulging. This did not cause any difficulties when trying to plug the phone in. In fact, most probably would never even notice this at all. I'm just weird like that.
Referring to the headphone port, the cutout is enough for my headphones (which has a pretty civilian sized plug). However, I know some people like to use studio quality headphones that have huge plug heads. Those who use headphones with larger plugs may need to enlarge the cutout, but I'd venture to say that the included cutout dimension would suffice for the majority.
Referring to the camera cutout, only the area around the vital hardware are exposed. The rest of the visor is covered. Seeing that some people are afraid of shattering this glass, this may be a relief. Looking closely at the rectangle of black TPU around the camera, you'll notice the top and bottom bars are resting on the aluminum body as opposed to the glass visor (mostly). I would think this helps in the event of a dropped phone, as the impact would hopefully spread onto the aluminum body instead of the glass. I'm just guessing that would be how it works out. I'm not testing that for you guys!
Referring to the Nexus Imprint cutout, it's well bevelled. It's not rough on the fingers, but Imprint was more comfortable to use without any case (well duh). It's not difficult to put my finger onto the sensor, but it just felt like an extra edge to feel while trying to unlock the phone.
Feel in the hand: The case is actually pretty minimal. It doesn't add significant bulk to the phone, and allows the phone to still feel pretty thin. The side edges have have some ridges that add to the grippiness of the case. Aside from the vinyls, I've been running the phone without a case. The extra grip is actually much appreciated. The edges also raise the screen slightly off a flat surface when placed screen down. Huge plus because I like to leave the phone out at the dining table, but face down because I don't want the phone to interrupt my meal. The four corners of the case are also bulged ever so slightly. I assume this is good for shock dampening in the event of a corner impact drop.
rice923 said:
I'll start off by saying that I was given this case solely for the purpose of writing an unbiased review. Here it goes!
My phone: Nexus 6P 64 GB Aluminum. Slickwraps skin applied; white carbon fiber back with white carbon fiber frame with matte black visor. Intelliarmor TGSP version 2.
Price: It's $10 on amazon. Not expensive, not cheap. Pretty normal pricing.
Overall quality: There are two types of materials here; Black TPU and the clear stuff. I don't know what the clear material is, but I'd describe it as a malleable plastic. There are no rough edges
Overall Appearance: This one's subjective, but I like most of the design. I never wanted a case that was opaque. I always liked customizing my phone with skins and whatnot, so a transparent case is to my preference. However, I ultimately prefer having no back cover. Yup, I like true backless bumpers. Down the road, I might introduce a hobby knife to the back cover and remove the center clear plastic section for three reasons:
1. I like the phone to feel thin in the center
2. I don't like the possibility of trapping dirt/dust/sand/lint between the case and the phone (although the vinyl would protect my phone anyways)
3. I'm not a fan of the logo smack in the center of the back, especially when the original Nexus logo is obstructed. Considering there are three total logos/labels on the case, this one should've been omitted.
Fit: The fit is pretty snug. When trying to get the phone into the case, it was slightly tight. I would probably credit that to the fact that I have frame vinyls applied. That being said, I don't think it's tight enough to warp the phone in anyway. "Snug" is the perfect descriptor here. Referring to the picture that shows the screen of the phone right at the edge, you can see that the entire screen glass is exposed. That means a full edge-to-edge glass screen protector should work here. I emphasize the word "should" because I don't have an edge-to-edge TGSP. I also think the frame vinyls might push the case outwards a slight bit, but it doesn't seem like that makes any considerable difference if you want to use a full coverage TGSP.
Buttons: Before I used the case, I only had the frame vinyls applied. The frame vinyls made it a bit more difficult to find and click the buttons. The case actually adds the "clicky" feeling back to the buttons. This is because the inner surface of the case that comes in contact with the buttons has protrusions that make direct contact with their perspective buttons. The vinyl no longer dampens the feedback of the buttons while using the case. The buttons are not considerably any more or less sensitive than a naked phone.
Cutouts: Please refer to pictures for cutout measurements.
Regarding the USB-C port, the cutout is sufficient. If you look closely at the picture where the phone is plugged in and laying with the screen up, you may notice that that case is slightly bulged outwards when plugged in. The stock USB-C cable makes slight contact with the case and causes the said bulging. This did not cause any difficulties when trying to plug the phone in. In fact, most probably would never even notice this at all. I'm just weird like that.
Referring to the headphone port, the cutout is enough for my headphones (which has a pretty civilian sized plug). However, I know some people like to use studio quality headphones that have huge plug heads. Those who use headphones with larger plugs may need to enlarge the cutout, but I'd venture to say that the included cutout dimension would suffice for the majority.
Referring to the camera cutout, only the area around the vital hardware are exposed. The rest of the visor is covered. Seeing that some people are afraid of shattering this glass, this may be a relief. Looking closely at the rectangle of black TPU around the camera, you'll notice the top and bottom bars are resting on the aluminum body as opposed to the glass visor (mostly). I would think this helps in the event of a dropped phone, as the impact would hopefully spread onto the aluminum body instead of the glass. I'm just guessing that would be how it works out. I'm not testing that for you guys!
Referring to the Nexus Imprint cutout, it's well bevelled. It's not rough on the fingers, but Imprint was more comfortable to use without any case (well duh). It's not difficult to put my finger onto the sensor, but it just felt like an extra edge to feel while trying to unlock the phone.
Feel in the hand: The case is actually pretty minimal. It doesn't add significant bulk to the phone, and allows the phone to still feel pretty thin. The side edges have have some ridges that add to the grippiness of the case. Aside from the vinyls, I've been running the phone without a case. The extra grip is actually much appreciated. The edges also raise the screen slightly off a flat surface when placed screen down. Huge plus because I like to leave the phone out at the dining table, but face down because I don't want the phone to interrupt my meal. The four corners of the case are also bulged ever so slightly. I assume this is good for shock dampening in the event of a corner impact drop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good review, thank you
The frosted P kills it for me, which is too bad because I like every other design aspect of it.
Elnrik said:
Good review, thank you
The frosted P kills it for me, which is too bad because I like every other design aspect of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After I get my "x only" Dbrand skins, it should look more acceptable. I'm probably still gonna end up making a true bumper out of this down the road[emoji1]
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE: Poetic has now revised the case where the formerly intrusive "P" logo is now moved above the fingerprint sensor. The "Affinity" branding that used to be on the right edge of the case is now completely removed. All other dimensions, accents, materials, cutouts, etc. have not been changed. The updated version can be purchased from Amazon (where I acquired mine). Two additional pictures have also been added; one that compares the cases side-by-side and one with the phone in the revised case
I also received this case for review purposes, so if you don't mind, I'll just tack some of my thoughts to your review rather than creating another one? If you don't want this, just let me know!
I've been using this case for the past few days. I received the "updated" version that has the P above the fingerprint reader.
I enjoy the overall feel of the case. I like the ridges on the sides, it really allows you to get some grip on the phone, I feel less likely to drop it.
The buttons feel nice and click nicely, but because of the ridges I have a harder time finding them (and determining power from volume keys) when I'm not looking at the phone. I'm sure this will get easier over time.
I like the clear plastic on the back, I'm running mine stock without any skins, but it's still nice to see the faint nexus logo from the graphite version. As you mentioned that it felt like a snug fit, mine actually feels a little loose in some places, like the top and bottom.
The opening for the finger print reader is larger than the scanner, and I actually prefer this to one the same size as the reader. I feel like it's easier to find and unlock, and recognizes a little easier
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
heleos said:
I also received this case for review purposes, so if you don't mind, I'll just tack some of my thoughts to your review rather than creating another one? If you don't want this, just let me know!
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely fine by me! It's a review thread and you have some thoughts about the same product. All good
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
I bought this case. Overall a good case,but my phone keeps turning on in my pocket (I've butt-dialed and accidentally texted gibberish several times since getting this case)
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
diomark said:
I bought this case. Overall a good case,but my phone keeps turning on in my pocket (I've butt-dialed and accidentally texted gibberish several times since getting this case)
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Something sounds fishy about that. Never had that problem even once. Also, it takes a fair amount of effort and coincidence to butt dial on a 6p. Gotta press the power button, followed with a way to unlock the device, then precisely press the dialer icon, and choose someone to call. You may want to look into it a bit deeper. I've never butt dialed a single person since owning any smartphone in any configuration in the past 5 years.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
I have smart lock paired with my watch, so all it takes is a swipe (which I guess it can register in my pocket) after it wakes up (which it does from power button being easy to press)
Add that opening to a hangout notification and I've had it send my location to one person and call another - plus I'm frequently finding it having typed random characters (but not necessarily sent) while in my pocket.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
diomark said:
I have smart lock paired with my watch, so all it takes is a swipe (which I guess it can register in my pocket) after it wakes up (which it does from power button being easy to press)
Add that opening to a hangout notification and I've had it send my location to one person and call another - plus I'm frequently finding it having typed random characters (but not necessarily sent) while in my pocket.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Sounds like all the planets aligned. If you decide you still want to use the case, I would recommend actually shaving down the inside of the button (the side that physically touches the power button of the phone). That should cut back on the sensitivity, but it's effort that I don't know if you'd like to invest.
Design of the Poetic Affinity has changed
They have now removed the AFFINITY branding and brought the P to be above the fingerprint scanner.
Bhalraam32 said:
They have now removed the AFFINITY branding and brought the P to be above the fingerprint scanner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep its nice. I still need to return my old ones.
good combo on the frost :good: my main concern is protection as im pretty prone to dropping my phones lol, so could u plz update on how it has held on till now, and how good is it at actually protecting the phone.
Lord. Tech said:
good combo on the frost :good: my main concern is protection as im pretty prone to dropping my phones lol, so could u plz update on how it has held on till now, and how good is it at actually protecting the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It actually has good protection for as thin as it is due to the way its built. Very sturdy case.
I was sent a case from Poetic to review. After one full day of usage, here are my thoughts.
The case overall is very good as it serves its main purpose well, i.e. it protects the phone without adding bulk to it or prohibiting operation. It's made mostly of hard plastic material, which is rather glossy (but not slippery), with reinforced perimeter for better protection. There's especially extra protection in the corners, which is very nice as these are the most likely first points of impact in case of a drop, so reinforcing them makes sense. The implementation of this reinforcement is very nice as well as it doesn't look ugly or bulky.
My phone is the silver/aluminum one, and I have applied a tempered glass screen protector that covers almost the entire glass area in the front. This case covers the remaining of the bezel almost perfectly, and the front of the phone with it on looks completely black, except a tiny line of aluminium, barely visible in the photo (on top of the phone on right hand side, close to the corner).
The cutouts are all perfectly done, without messing with the operation in any way.
The sides of the phone have big textured diagonal lines that help with grip.
The buttons are very well aligned and they click very easily, just as well as without a case. They have separated the volume button into two separate ones for volume up/down, and I think it performs very well. What I would change is adding some texture on the power button, in much the same way as the original button is, so it's easier to identify without looking at it. This is especially important given that with the separation of the volume buttons, there are three almost equally sized buttons on the right hand side, amidst a whole side of textured plastic, so it's not easy to tell immediately what you are pressing with your finger without looking (or touching up and down a lot to make sure where exactly you are).
Regarding the back of the case: The whole area is quite busy, with a plethora of lines trying to impose a design element over the original one. There's an element of additional functionality as the lines stick out about 1mm or so, which means that most of the case and the phone itself avoids touching the area it sits on, which can be helpful at times (I can imagine that if a table is slightly wet, this separation is good). I would still prefer it more subtle.
Even if there's some excuse for the lines, there's no excuse for the total of three logos in the back, one of which is right on top of the Nexus logo. I personally value more function over looks, and even for looks, the back of the phone is less important than the front, so I'm not that bothered, but I can see why some people may be put off by this.
Overall the case is solid, does what it says on the tin, and I would recommend it. It would be even better if in a future iteration they make the back more discrete by simplifying the design and getting rid of most of the logos in the back. As said above, I am personally not that bothered by it so I would still give it five stars as I care more about its functional aspects.
Disclosure: This review is provided in exchange for a free case.
Imgur album: http://imgur.com/a/v77CJ
Let’s get this out of the way up front. This case is a beast. It’s big, thick and makes your phone feel like a tank. It’s not what I’m looking for in a daily driver, BUT it has a permanent place in my inventory for special occasions. As the pics show, it’s a two piece affair with an integrated screen protector. It’s a clear, thick plastic cover that completely encases the phone. More on this feature later.
The most noteworthy thing about the case, at least from my perspective, is the lanyard clip. I’ve never owned a phone or case with this kind of fitting and it opens up lots of possibilities for securing the phone. My family and I go camping a lot in the summer and I think that’s when this case will really shine. It’s tough enough to make me not worry about taking it into the mountains for a weekend. The loop can be used to conveniently suspend the phone from a back pack or perhaps hang it up in a tent away from moisture and stray bears.
The button feel is pretty good, but I think I’d like them better if they protruded a bit more. The cutout for the fingerprint sensor is accurately sized but makes it feel like you’re sticking your finger in a deep hole. I never had any problems getting the phone unlocked, but it did take a little adjustment to just how cavernous the hole is. The openings for headphones and USB have tight fitting rubber doors to help keep out moisture. It’s clear that this case does not fully waterproof the phone, so don’t go thinking you can take it under water or in the shower. It should, however, provide a greater degree of protection from the occasional splash or sudden rain shower.
As the pics show, it has an integrated kick stand that works well in both portrait and landscape mode. My only complaint is that when using it in landscape, you don’t have access to the power/volume controls unless you orient it with the lanyard clip on the bottom. If the clip were on the upper right instead of upper left, you could easily manipulate the controls.
Now, about that built-in screen protector. It’s very thick plastic and you won’t confuse it for high-quality glass. I experienced a little trouble with getting the screen to respond to my touches. I had to press down so hard that it felt like I was using a pressure sensitive screen and not a capacitive one. However, I do need to point out that I have a tempered glass screen protector on the phone and didn’t want to remove it for purposes of this review. It’s very possible that the added thickness of the TGSP contributed to this problem. Regardless, given that I won’t be using this case unless I’m roughing it in the mountains, having to press down a little is no big deal for me. But if you need this kind of protection on a daily basis, this is something to consider.
All in all, I think this is a decent case for the money. It’s not perfect, but if you live in a war zone or work in a rough environment, it should greatly improve you phone’s chance of survival.
Ordering: Expensive. For something so expensive, the procedure was an incredible PITA. On the PC, my logo wouldn't go through because of copyright violation. I looked at forums, rotate the image, changed formats, you name it. I even called store support, but it was a no go. I somehow managed to slide an order through using a phone browser, but I was unable to do it again because, you guessed it, it violated copyrights. A little google search showed me that this issue wasn't just me
Shipping: this took about 5 days to get to Miami.
Review: This case comes in the nicest box I ever had for a case. I had phones that came in a less impressive box. The case came in exactly as I ordered it. It looks super impressive from all sides. The feel is of premium plastic and it feels elastic enough to survive a fall without cracking.
After applying it on the phone, the cuts are, as you'd expect from a Google case, perfect. The headphone jack and USB are partially covered and it gives enough space to insert all sorta eBay irregular shaped ugly accessories. Power, volume and fingerprint are easily accessible and the front edges are a hair over the screen, so the screen is safe on a flat surface. It adds almost no bulk at all.
The case added feature, the extra button at the back, is a big disappointment. You have to apply some serious pressure in order to make it work. Like really holding the sides and pressing. There are forums with some DIY solutions, but I don't feel that a $40 case should need any DIY.
Overall, this is a super slim, unique looking case. I'm not sure how well this will survive a fall, nor am I happy with its added functionality that feels rushed out. Recommended for unique slim case. Not recommended for any other reason