Amzer Shatterproof Review - Galaxy S III Accessories

Well ladies and gents, just got my Amzer Shatterproof screen protector today, here are my initial thoughts: (refer to update for final thoughts)
40 dollars shipping is ridiculous (to Australia). It arrived in a large padded envelope which I think is rather poor for that price. I made some noise and had it discounted to 20 dollars but even that seems to dear for a padded envelope.
Not quite sure what to make out of packaging, photo's for you to judge to yourself...
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/1.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/2.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/3.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/4.jpg
Now for installation, followed instructions perfectly (supplied on packet) it was a dry install so I did it next to a running hot water tap. It all went smoothly until I tried pushing air bubbles out with their supplied card. For some reason there are hideous marks left by air bubbles as they travel towards the edge. It looks bloody terrible and I don't know whether or not to take it off, planning on leaving it on overnight and hope its a bit like zagg, disappearing as time goes on.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/5.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/6.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/7.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/8.jpg
Excuse the quality of the last 4 photos, taken from a very old camera.
There is also a noticeable scratch on the underside of the screen protector or something that's caused a line of discoloured pixels in the last picture.
Also, in my attempt of trying to push residual air out of these blemishes, I used my fingernail to apply pressure in hope that the blemishes would go away with proper contact to the screen (the card they provided wasn't doing anything at all). Turns out that fingernails scratch this screen protector, would have thought it was a little more resistant than that since my cheapo ones don't scratch from my fingernail... So blemishes didn't go away and the protector is scratched too...
Pros:
-Full screen coverage, no gaps on the side.
-No orange peel effect and while it isn't like my naked phone, its rather smooth.
Cons:
-Shipping was ridiculous to Australia, might be better to other places
-Getting rid of air bubbles seems to leave residual marks. Seems like you have to be a master and apply with no air bubbles for it to look good.
-Scratches rather easily and noticeably
-Not "self-healing"
Overall Verdict
Given that I had paid 50 dollars for this, (would have been 70 if I didn't complain), very dis-satisfied with this screen protector. A premium priced product shouldn't have these issues, my 1 dollar screen protectors didn't look like crap when I pushed air bubbles out, and its unacceptable that these have this problem. This is my first and probably will be my last purchase from Amzer.
Would love to hear if anyone else has had the same issues and me.
and...
Feel free to ask questions! if it doesn't clear up in the next few days I'll take it off, try find something else to put it on and do a drop test or scratch test to see if its really "shatterproof"
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Edit
Just to clarify: Protector itself cost 30 dollars, shipping was what sent it to the exuberant prices listed in my post.
Update: Also, there seems to be 0 improvement after: waiting/playing with phone/some more hopefully pressing. This thing looks so ugly I might have to take it off tomorrow to avoid showing it in public
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Update : 24/10/12 (the day after)
Ok so I woke up this morning and the marks from last night were still there. Hating the idea of wasting my money spent on this I decided to run an experiment: Turn something that was meant to be a dry install and make it a wet install.
The packaging describes a dry install, and I wasn't given any solution for a wet one... so I found some left over stuff from my Zagg Invisibleshield and went to work. After a bit of fiddling around and lots of spray (make sure phone is off when you're trying this), here are the results
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/9.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/10.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/11.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/32846000/12.jpg
Sorry I didn't think of taking a photo this morning when it was looking crappy, you guys will have to trust me that it was terrible still... but the improvement after my experiment is remarkable. It isn't perfect, my camera can't capture some of the small blemishes under the protector but they are pretty much small enough to ignore, as is the dust that I can't quite get off the edge. Also you guys can see from picture 11 the scratches from my nail I was talking about. The screen protector also doesn't seem to be self healing,a few of the points where I had to force air bubbles out with my dry install still have "dents" so that could annoy some of you here.
Final thoughts? Given my crappy experience yesterday I would still probably not recommend this, especially if it stays a dry install. However in future if they change it to a wet install, that or you have a bottle of Zagg solution lying around and have already ordered this, it could be a good thing. I'm kind of happy with it now, I've now got a full screen coverage that I could use for a few weeks unless it gets terribly scratched and it is quite smooth to touch. Amzer need to work on their product pricing to make it much more reasonable... that and to increase scratch resistance of a product that is supposed to withstand bricks, hammers and the like.
Disclaimer: If you already have this and are trying a wet install, I by no means will take responsibility if you damage your device or if it doesn't work for you. This was my last hope and it managed to work (maybe by luck). If you do perform a wet install, do so at your own risk.
Update 27/10/12
Amzer have finally responded to my emails and after checking that I did follow all their installation instructions, have kindly offered to issue a replacement since they assure me it should not have this issue. Will let you know how my replacement goes

Good review!
Thanks for the input.

Thank you for this review, i was actually considering this since i've seen those crash videos (hammer, brick, etc). Not that i'm putting much faith in those but i figured this would always be better than having nothing or at least better than el cheapo $1 stuff from ebay.
I'm now very against buying this. No point in having a screen protector if the end result is that awfull (since it's application is such an hassle), i know i'd never be over that look and it would annoy me everytime i'd look at the screen. I'm actually thinking it may even affect the anti-shatter effect if it's not well applied (if such effect actually exists as they claim).
And that price range is far beyond ridiculous, a total deal breaker. I'd never buy a screen protector that would cost me about 1/4 of what i paid for my phone.
Again thank you for this review and putting up with all the hassle.

kaynpayn said:
Thank you for this review, i was actually considering this since i've seen those crash videos (hammer, brick, etc). Not that i'm putting much faith in those but i figured this would always be better than having nothing or at least better than el cheapo $1 stuff from ebay.
I'm now very against buying this. No point in having a screen protector if the end result is that awfull (since it's application is such an hassle), i know i'd never be over that look and it would annoy me everytime i'd look at the screen. I'm actually thinking it may even affect the anti-shatter effect if it's not well applied (if such effect actually exists as they claim).
And that price range is far beyond ridiculous, a total deal breaker. I'd never buy a screen protector that would cost me about 1/4 of what i paid for my phone.
Again thank you for this review and putting up with all the hassle.
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I was very much like that too, didn't think that it would stop a brick or hammer but on the off chance that anything did hit it, it might save my phone a lot of damage.
I pride myself in applying screen protectors well, nearly every single one I've done is bubble and blemish free but this was just beyond me, even a few hours after installation I don't think it's going to go away like the Zagg one.
To clarify, it's priced at 30 dollars which, while expensive, isn't too bad if it does protect the phone the way it is advertised. Just the shipping really blew it out of the water but I thought I'd take a gamble anyway

tqgia2 said:
I was very much like that too, didn't think that it would stop a brick or hammer but on the off chance that anything did hit it, it might save my phone a lot of damage.
I pride myself in applying screen protectors well, nearly every single one I've done is bubble and blemish free but this was just beyond me, even a few hours after installation I don't think it's going to go away like the Zagg one.
To clarify, it's priced at 30 dollars which, while expensive, isn't too bad if it does protect the phone the way it is advertised. Just the shipping really blew it out of the water but I thought I'd take a gamble anyway
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I am guilty of thinking that the most expensive product must be the best product. Great review.

Thanks for the review..was considering going with this but because of the price and your review I'll consider something else. Tried the DBA just like glass one too, didn't like that one either, only cover the actual screen display and have rainbow streaks..

A finger nail scratched it? Wow seems like you found its weakness.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda app-developers app

nice review, thanks!

Helpful review... But what the hell were you thinking paying over 30$ for a screen protector?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

Crisisx1 said:
Helpful review... But what the hell were you thinking paying over 30$ for a screen protector?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
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I'm not quite sure what came across me at the time... was hoping it would live up to expectations and never have to buy a screen protector again. At any rate the protector was 30, but it was just shipping that was stupid...
I'm well aware of my idiocy lol but oh well, live and learn

Related

[Q] XtremeGuard on XPLAY

So around more than a month ago I ordered one piece of XtremeGuard screen protector off eBay from the official retailer. I just really wanted to give it a try even knowing that the Xperia Play already comes with a shatter-proof film fitted on it. My order didn't arrive within the 20-day period so I requested a refund. They refunded my $4 and to my surprise, the item came this afternoon after more than a month since it was ordered.
Now I'm really thinking twice...
So here are my questions:
1. when installing the XtremeGuard screen protector, do I have to remove first the shatter-proof sheet already fitted on the Play's screen?
2. anyone got a video for the installation of XtremeGuard? I very well understand and speak English but then their instruction material is kinda vague. And knowing that the installation involves water and soap, I think this procedure should be taken seriously since it may damage internal circuitries of the phone. So a video of the installation should really help!
Thanks everyone! Will be waiting for your replies!
Screenguards are generally of varying quality. I haven't heard of that particular brand. However, most screen guards are applied in one of two methods:
1) Sticky/Sticker application. The screenguard has a side with a glue applied. You carefully apply it and hope for the best.
2) AdhesionCling with soap/water/alcohol. Basically you strip off the old guards if you have one, clean the screen, then apply a _very thin_ layer of this soap/water/isopropyl-alcohol solution to the screen. You then apply their clingwrap style of screen guard starting from the top and slowly slide it into place, trying to avoid as many bubbles as possible. You then use a credit card or a supplied squeegee tool to try and squeeze out the bubbles while the liquid is still there. If you are lucky and get them all out, let it dry for 4~12 hours. Then it should be stuck there pretty good until something randomly peels the corner.
With all screenguards there are pros and cons.
Pros:
Less likely to scratch screen. Slight bit more impact resistance against breaking your screen. Some provide anti-glare or even tilt-angle shading for privacy (prevents shoulder surfing, but lowers visible angles).
Cons: Slight to moderate less responsiveness and accuracy from the digitizer (thing that recognizes your fingers). Depending on the material and formulation, you may also have a negative tactile response (gummy or sticky, compared to the bare glass). Buildup of gunk around edges of screenguard (this is particularly prevalent on the whole-device type covers, or ones that aren't touching all the way to the bezels).
I can't prescribe an exact way of doing it, but look for some of the YouTube videos on how to apply the ZAGG screen protectors. They apply with the soap/water/alcohol solutions, so it may be close enough to your type to be similar visual instruction.
whoa thanks for that buddy!
now I'm thinking twice again.. I can live with lesser angled views but with LESS RESPONSIVE DIGITIZER? No way!
narflynn619 said:
whoa thanks for that buddy!
now I'm thinking twice again.. I can live with lesser angled views but with LESS RESPONSIVE DIGITIZER? No way!
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Any screen protector will do that. Some do it worse than others. Some do it so slightly that you don't notice it (or you just become adjusted to it over time).
By far my favorite screen protectors are the anti-glares. They don't have that sticky feeling that the BodyGuardz or Zagg ones do, and the viewing angle is butchered. After this anit-glare wears off I will finally also remove the stock one that comes on it. My touch response is very wonky sometimes.
Same deal here I tried the same buyer I'm sure and I had the same problem. Dont use ebay!
Cubsfan3493 said:
Same deal here I tried the same buyer I'm sure and I had the same problem. Dont use ebay!
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why what happened?

TPU diztronic case review

Hello guys,
I ve been in the market for cases for my new galaxy nexus and got my hands on a couple diztronic ones and I posted the reviews on the correct forum however I couldn't leave my lovely s2 without one so I got one as well and reviewed it specially because I've seen people talking about it due its misalignment with some of the necessary hardware part. I made this video so you guys can check it and make your own decision ..
Pd.- I am in no way associated with Diztronic or any of its affiliates .Im just a phone junkie that started reviewing cases so people get a look before spending their money. Mods if I am breaking any rules please let me know
Enjoy and hope this helps
http://youtu.be/qYK9X7R0HKU
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Thanks for your review. This just makes me wish that mine would ship here faster.... It looks sleek as hell.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App
Thanks for the review I ordered mine 9 business days ago and it hasn't arrived yet.. even hongkong shipped items only take 7 usually
SGS2X said:
Thanks for the review I ordered mine 9 business days ago and it hasn't arrived yet.. even hongkong shipped items only take 7 usually
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Had mine shipped from Amazon with free Prime, but it somehow managed to take 5 days. The case itself is great, I see the misalignment issue with the mic hole, but I haven't really had any problems with that so far. It definitely fits better than the primitive T989 case on eBay that was extremely popular.
good review dude. Does it not bother you that you have particles stuck under your screen protector? Man that would eat away at me until I fixed it.
thank you for the kind words guys
im going to be honest on the shipping..I got mine in like three days..Im in the US so that might be why it was faster.
it indeed feels sleek as well..not adding volume nor size is a plus for me.
Yes , i had that case from ebay...which is now resting inside my drawer lol
i HATE the particles..it doenst matter if im in a surgeon table or with everything closed ...I always manage to get particles in..and not on the side but in the middle of the screen haha! but gladly i have a lot of them so right after the video I replaced it with another one
glad im able to help you guys...the more cases I get the more reviews I will be doing
rault18 said:
thank you for the kind words guys
im going to be honest on the shipping..I got mine in like three days..Im in the US so that might be why it was faster.
it indeed feels sleek as well..not adding volume nor size is a plus for me.
Yes , i had that case from ebay...which is now resting inside my drawer lol
i HATE the particles..it doenst matter if im in a surgeon table or with everything closed ...I always manage to get particles in..and not on the side but in the middle of the screen haha! but gladly i have a lot of them so right after the video I replaced it with another one
glad im able to help you guys...the more cases I get the more reviews I will be doing
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have you tried the hot shower method? it really does work wonders, but it sure is uncomfortable in there.
Actually I haven't. Good idea. Will try that!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Ditto. Applying screen protectors must be the most annoying thing in the world...
the larger the screen protector, and the smaller the cutouts that you have to align, that worse it gets. Getting this crappy matte screen protector on my GS2 was a pain, now I don't even want it because it ruins the beauty of the screen.
I tried the hot shower method for the first time on my GS2 and it definitely made life easier as far as keeping dust suppressed goes, but any dust that gets stuck on the sticky side of the screen protector is still going to cause trouble.
Running it for ~10 minutes got the bathroom nice and steamy when I did it, don't humidify it to the point where it gets uncomfortable, but you do have to keep it running during the process =\
that was probably incoherent as hell and more of a rant than anything, but I've never been good at sorting my thoughts
henrycheng said:
the larger the screen protector, and the smaller the cutouts that you have to align, that worse it gets. Getting this crappy matte screen protector on my GS2 was a pain, now I don't even want it because it ruins the beauty of the screen.
I tried the hot shower method for the first time on my GS2 and it definitely made life easier as far as keeping dust suppressed goes, but any dust that gets stuck on the sticky side of the screen protector is still going to cause trouble.
Running it for ~10 minutes got the bathroom nice and steamy when I did it, don't humidify it to the point where it gets uncomfortable, but you do have to keep it running during the process =\
that was probably incoherent as hell and more of a rant than anything, but I've never been good at sorting my thoughts
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I understand your frustration no worries there. So from what I have gathered from reading a lot of blogs and stuff:
1) Soak the screen protector (if it's a silicone adhesive that is water-resistant) in half water half isopropanol to clean the sticky side of the sp.
2) Apply screen protector in a steamy room.
So much work.. Especially since a lot of people have no trouble at all applying screen protectors regularly. Maybe I'm just fail
If you're careful, you don't have to soak the screen protector in anything, I didn't and it went on perfectly, that is...until my cheap eBay case started pushing the top right corner up. Just run a hot shower, and do EVERYTHING in there, even opening the screen protector. I live in a REALLY dusty apartment (no idea why) and I had very little trouble except for lining up the holes.
i have the same case, same issues at the bottom with the mic but it doesnt effect my calls. even with the minor imperfections, i would still recommend the case to others.
Never heard of the hot shower method before
I've applied many screen protectors ranging from Nintendo DSi to iPad2/Samsung Galaxy Tab and anything in between over the years, and never had any problems with bubbles or particles. The key is to have a brief bursts of canned air right before applying the screen protector and having a piece of Scotch tape in one hand in case any dust particles get in between. If that happens, I lift the screen protector little bit, touch the dust with the Scotch tape briefly, and continue the process. Scotch tape doesn't leave any residues behind (either on the screen or the screen protector depending on where the dust particle is) and it is readily available. Oh, and I always use powder-free latex exam gloves
badaphooko01 said:
good review dude. Does it not bother you that you have particles stuck under your screen protector? Man that would eat away at me until I fixed it.
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Damn what if he never paid attention to it until you brought it up...now he has to go back and fix it
I finally received the case in the mail. Damn international shipping.
The case looks sleek. It fits perfectly. Haven't noticed any problems with the sound quality. I am satisfied. Will probably last very long until I decide to upgrade to like a seidio/otterbox/incipio ccase.
I font like cases that make the phone bigger ..love the protection they offer but hate the bulkiness
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
They just came out with a revision that fixes the mic being covered. I think I may buy it now.
Yea I saw the revision update on amazon a couple days ago. But I have some ebay bucks to use so I want to get it on ebay but there doesn't seem to be a revised one up yet.
ArcticWolf91 said:
They just came out with a revision that fixes the mic being covered. I think I may buy it now.
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Damm I already got mine LOL... I still like it though.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App

[Q] Getting rid of screen scratches?

I've got these minute scratches on the WFS screen, 5-6 of them. Each a bit smaller than a millimetre and quite faint. Yes, I know, should have got myself a screen protector and the cause is most likely my pocket.
So I was wondering if anyone had any good experiences getting rid of scratches on a touch-screen? Of the ones I've come across, Displex seem to have mixed reviews about it. And there are some who swear by removing scratches using toothpaste. So before I do anything crazy, was just looking forward to get a second opinion.
PS. I've also come across articles about using cerium oxide and Brasso but I doubt they're safe to use on a touch-screen.
You could just replace the digitizer.
Thrawed said:
You could just replace the digitizer.
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Well, 30-odd quid and a lot of hard work doesn't seem right considering how minute the scuffs are. I can just as well live with it but yeah, getting rid of them or maybe making them less noticeable would be just great!
stitizz son,
What would happen if you place a screenprotector over the scratches?
I don't believe in polishing with tooth paste i used it before on a Nokia and i wasn't happy whith the result. But don't know if it was a glass screen.
I never use a phone, not for a day, whitout screenprotector i learned my lesson.
Joop
I wasn't too keen on the toothpaste thing either. But any product which may as well do the least bit something! It's sad, come to think about it, that there are so many such products in the market, and nobody's satisfied with their experience of it. I might well stick to applying a screen protector on top of the scuffs. Well, it'd atleast do a good job keeping future scuffs at bay if anything! Thanks though guys, appreciated.

*Updated* Hav'nt had a Screen Protector or Case on my Note 7 since the recall ...

Welp ... Fast forward 5 days, and I caught it in direct sunlight and this phone is just riddled with light scratches, you have to hold the phone just right and have the perfect lighting to see. But they're definitely there. Especially the curved edges for the phone goes from flat to curved, almost as if right before the glass curves down the glass is right up just a fraction of a mm ...
I apologize to anyone I doubted!
I coddle this phone like an egg ... and still scratches .... The places I have scratches are the bottom back center (looks like a popular place if you search Note 7 scratches) and the bottom left corner of the front down by the capacitive button.
Both "patches" of scratches looks like they were rubbed off something rough, the scratches aren't deep, but you can still feel them with your nail ever so slightly and in the light the patches look dull compared to the rest of the phone. I'd bet they'd probably buff out, but I'm not gonna bother trying at least with this phone.
Never dropped, always in my pocket by itself, never slide it across the table or my desk or anything. I usually set it on something on my desk like a piece of paper and then slide the piece of paper around instead of the phone, so the back doesnt rub off anything, the paper eats the friction and not the phone.
Sad ... for sure, But luckily I have a replacement that just came in this morning sitting at home that i haven't opened yet, I think before I even set it up or anything I will protect it front and back ... damn shame, I had so much faith in this phones durability and didn't want to believe it was so scratch prone, but I was wrong.
Looks like Cases and Protectors from here on out!
I advise everyone who cares about their phone to do the same.
I'll slap some pictures up of my scratches as soon as I can get some taken.
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ORIGINAL POST:
So ...
Since the day or so after the initial recall I decided for once in my life I'll throw caution to the wind and take the plunge of no case or screen protector on my phone, It made me a little sick to my stomach to peel off the screen protector and case and take off for a busy day of work and school with nothing protecting my phone from damage. I figured I'd see a plethora of scratches by the end of the day, and I was able to try this test out because of the recall and Samsung promising to take the phone back regardless of the condition. To my surprise, nothing, not a single scratch, day 2, same and so on.
Fast forward a few weeks, recall phone is traded - STILL IN PERFECT CONDITION, not a screen protector or case has touched it in weeks. Granted I still coddled it, but no different than I would any phone I've had, and I treated the phone like it had a Screen Protector and case on it. Threw it in my pocket, laid it on my desk at work, sat it in my center console in my truck etc. Not a single scratch or dent.
Trade the phone in on Sept 21st and got my new "Safe" Note7, decided that I finally felt comfortable with going "Naked" on my phone after the recall device and have since, so about another week with my "Safe" device and still not a single mark or scratch to be found. I'm actually in the process of getting a replacement for my replacement through Samsung, nothing major, just a lack of quality control on Samsung's part that I have an issue with with this replacement device and Samsung is giving me no hassle about it. I assume my phone suffered from the rush of trying to fix the recall ... but who knows.
Anyways, I will continue going "naked" on this phone, I have no reason not to. And a screen protector just destroys the feeling of this beautiful phones feel and functionality, and really so does a case. i own the LED Wallet case which I love and plan to use here and there, and I probably own around 20 other various cases that I'm sure I will use for fun here and there, But for the most part I've felt the "Naked" feeling and there's no going back lol.
Point of this thread is, I'm not sure how people that are complaining about this phone being "easily scratched" are treating their phones, or if they maybe got defective glass or something. I haven't had a single problem, and when i say I'm anal about my phones it's an understatement, and I feel 100% confident in using this phone protection-free on a daily basis. Obviously you still have to take care of this phone and be extremely careful .... it's made of glass after all. And I cant endorse its drop capabilities lol, That i have no idea of, and hope i never do. But for anyone wondering how this phone holds up with no protection and a pretty active daily use ... so far with my Note7 ... perfectly fine, still looks like the day I opened it.
What issues did you have with your replacement that has caused them to replace the replacement?
This is an interesting test to run - i still have my original one, and the replacement, because Samsung decided the closest drop-off location for me is about 3.5-4 hours away without traffic... I'll be waiting until they call and give me another method to return it. Think I might carry it around and see how it holds up... would be an interesting test, as I'm pretty hard on my devices.
really good to hear your note 7 not scratching easily, I think most ef the people posting geting scratches out of the blue, were careless, honestly not remembering what could have probably scratched their phone, it just takes 2 or 3 people reporting the same thing to drive many others real paranoid, I got my note7 on 29th Aug, and not a single scratch, I treat my phone as any other one, if you spend a sizeable ammount of money, the best way to do is use common sense, and normal level of care
I've never used a screen protector on my original and now replacement Note and all is fine. Now I definitely use a case cause i find this phone too slippery without one... I do take caution, always put it down/away if distracted with something else and never place it in my pocket with anything else like your supposed to.
Sent from my SM-N930P using Tapatalk
asaqwert said:
What issues did you have with your replacement that has caused them to replace the replacement?
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The metal bezel on the left hand side of the phone is sharp, like almost razor-blade sharp. You cant see if from looking at it, but you can scrap your hand off it and it feels sharp and uncomfortable to hold. and the corners of the phone where the back glass meet the metal is also sharp on all 4 corners, the right side of the phone is smooth as silk though. very weird, but almost seems like it was clued together fast and off centered and shipped out to meet demand. $900 for a phone i HAS to be as perfect as possible, but this one wasn't forgivable.
winol said:
really good to hear your note 7 not scratching easily, I think most ef the people posting geting scratches out of the blue, were careless, honestly not remembering what could have probably scratched their phone, it just takes 2 or 3 people reporting the same thing to drive many others real paranoid, I got my note7 on 29th Aug, and not a single scratch, I treat my phone as any other one, if you spend a sizeable ammount of money, the best way to do is use common sense, and normal level of care
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Yep, just be careful, life happens and that's not up to you, but if you're careful and conscious of your phone on you you should be alright, my wife is horrible about that, I drive a beefed up semi-lifted truck and EVERY time she goes anywhere with me, she places her phone on her lap and then hops out of my truck forgetting the phone was sitting on her lap. Drives me nuts. Her Note 4 has seen some shxt in its day, but still looks good and functions perfect, she wants to upgrade to a Note 7 which i hope she does, but shes gonna have to start paying more attention, because one of those falls out of my truck is going to destroy a Note 7 lol. Clumsiness for the most part can be prevented, just being aware, my phone is the most expensive thing I carry on me, so I always make sure its protected, and to be honest I've seen people smash phones wrapped in tempered glass screen protectors and otter-boxes, stuff happens, but I do my best to avoid it.
Itchiee said:
I've never used a screen protector on my original and now replacement Note and all is fine. Now I definitely use a case cause i find this phone too slippery without one... I do take caution, always put it down/away if distracted with something else and never place it in my pocket with anything else like your supposed to.
Sent from my SM-N930P using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Oh this phone naked is like holding a wet bar of soap, its horribly slippery, But I guess that's the price you pay for a beautiful glass device lol I enjoy the way the glass looks and feels, but I do fear the slipperiness of it, so for me again anytime I pull mine out of my pocket I always ensure my grip is on point, anytime I feel the need to "whip" my phone out really fast I take a breath and realize that i don't actually need to lol, and when I hold the phone, i comfortably hold it with my pinkie finger under it so the phone rests on my finger. Bottom line ... take care of your stuff and be mindful and you should be alright, people treat phones like crap then complain that it cant take a beating ... drives me nuts ... its glass. Treat it like a $900 piece of glass lol.
Welp ... Fast forward 5 days, and I caught it in direct sunlight and this phone is just riddled with light scratches, you have to hold the phone just right and have the perfect lighting to see. But they're definitely there. Especially the curved edges for the phone goes from flat to curved, almost as if right before the glass curves down the glass is right up just a fraction of a mm ...
I apologize to anyone I doubted!
I coddle this phone like an egg ... and still scratches .... The places I have scratches are the bottom back center (looks like a popular place if you search Note 7 scratches) and the bottom left corner of the front down by the capacitive button.
Both "patches" of scratches looks like they were rubbed off something rough, the scratches aren't deep, but you can still feel them with your nail ever so slightly and in the light the patches look dull compared to the rest of the phone. I'd bet they'd probably buff out, but I'm not gonna bother trying at least with this phone.
Never dropped, always in my pocket by itself, never slide it across the table or my desk or anything. I usually set it on something on my desk like a piece of paper and then slide the piece of paper around instead of the phone, so the back doesnt rub off anything, the paper eats the friction and not the phone.
Sad ... for sure, But luckily I have a replacement that just came in this morning sitting at home that i haven't opened yet, I think before I even set it up or anything I will protect it front and back ... damn shame, I had so much faith in this phones durability and didn't want to believe it was so scratch prone, but I was wrong.
Looks like Cases and Protectors from here on out!
I advise everyone who cares about their phone to do the same.
I'll slap some pictures up of my scratches as soon as I can get some taken.
Dmac1984 said:
Welp ... Fast forward 5 days, and I caught it in direct sunlight and this phone is just riddled with light scratches, you have to hold the phone just right and have the perfect lighting to see. But they're definitely there. Especially the curved edges for the phone goes from flat to curved, almost as if right before the glass curves down the glass is right up just a fraction of a mm ...
I apologize to anyone I doubted!
I coddle this phone like an egg ... and still scratches .... The places I have scratches are the bottom back center (looks like a popular place if you search Note 7 scratches) and the bottom left corner of the front down by the capacitive button.
Both "patches" of scratches looks like they were rubbed off something rough, the scratches aren't deep, but you can still feel them with your nail ever so slightly and in the light the patches look dull compared to the rest of the phone. I'd bet they'd probably buff out, but I'm not gonna bother trying at least with this phone.
Never dropped, always in my pocket by itself, never slide it across the table or my desk or anything. I usually set it on something on my desk like a piece of paper and then slide the piece of paper around instead of the phone, so the back doesnt rub off anything, the paper eats the friction and not the phone.
Sad ... for sure, But luckily I have a replacement that just came in this morning sitting at home that i haven't opened yet, I think before I even set it up or anything I will protect it front and back ... damn shame, I had so much faith in this phones durability and didn't want to believe it was so scratch prone, but I was wrong.
Looks like Cases and Protectors from here on out!
I advise everyone who cares about their phone to do the same.
I'll slap some pictures up of my scratches as soon as I can get some taken.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At least you have a replacement! I put a clear skin on the front and back of mine before I ever powered it on. I'm OCD and any scratches would annoy me and plus I want to keep it in mint condition so if I ever go to sell it on swappa it will be in like new condition. Even with the skin on it, I'm still babying it. What's crazy is my mother had an S4 and she is not easy on phones and after almost 2 years of use on that phone the sides and screen had not a scratch, not even a slight one (I know because I just sold it on swappa and inspected it very close). The screen and edges were still in like new mint condition. Only the removable plastic back had signs of wear. That's kind of sad when you think that a 3+ year old device made by the same company as the note 7 has a more durable screen. I replaced my V10 with the Note 7 and after months of use on my V10 with no protection it still looks new. I stopped using screen protectors and cases 3 years ago because I just hate the added bulk but unfortunately I'm not taking the chance with the Note 7. The clear skin doesn't really bother me though. And I'm thinking about also getting a calicase.
Anyway, thanks for the update. I'm glad I read all the post and not just the first one lol. I think you should edit post 1 so others who are lazy and only read post one don't go and take off their protection and then end up with scratched phones
P.S. I almost forgot. I'm actually on my second note 7 because the first one never made it out the store without getting scratched up. I had them put a screen protector on it for me and they took my phone in the back of the store for like 20 minutes and then come out with a poorly attached protector and then I inspected the phone and they had scratched the back up bad. So I made them replace it.
imucarmen said:
At least you have a replacement! I put a clear skin on the front and back of mine before I ever powered it on. I'm OCD and any scratches would annoy me and plus I want to keep it in mint condition so if I ever go to sell it on swappa it will be in like new condition. Even with the skin on it, I'm still babying it. What's crazy is my mother had an S4 and she is not easy on phones and after almost 2 years of use on that phone the sides and screen had not a scratch, not even a slight one (I know because I just sold it on swappa and inspected it very close). The screen and edges were still in like new mint condition. Only the removable plastic back had signs of wear. That's kind of sad when you think that a 3+ year old device made by the same company as the note 7 has a more durable screen. I replaced my V10 with the Note 7 and after months of use on my V10 with no protection it still looks new. I stopped using screen protectors and cases 3 years ago because I just hate the added bulk but unfortunately I'm not taking the chance with the Note 7. The clear skin doesn't really bother me though. And I'm thinking about also getting a calicase.
Anyway, thanks for the update. I'm glad I read all the post and not just the first one lol. I think you should edit post 1 so others who are lazy and only read post one don't go and take off their protection and then end up with scratched phones
P.S. I almost forgot. I'm actually on my second note 7 because the first one never made it out the store without getting scratched up. I had them put a screen protector on it for me and they took my phone in the back of the store for like 20 minutes and then come out with a poorly attached protector and then I inspected the phone and they had scratched the back up bad. So I made them replace it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol good point, I updated the first post. And yeah I'm ridiculously anal with my devices, But i'm wondering if I need to start loosening up lol. I keep these phones pristine for a year then trade them in (AT&T) my last phone the S6 Edge + (Miss that phone) was M-I-N-T when I turned it in, protector on the front and back, which looking back at it now I realized that i suffered not having the full feel of the phone so that AT&T can sell it top dollar and the next person gets a great deal on a mint phone, who for all I know will; not care and destroy it. Now I'm not saying I'm gonna start being rough with my phone, gonna use my LED case more, and I just ordered a Skinomi Full body protector (we'll see how that goes, I don't have much faith in it) and if it feels like shxt, it's coming off and I'm gonna enjoy the phone as I have been, and get my moneys worth, and AT&T can figure out to do with it when I upgrade.
The Note 7 was designed to be naked, no doubt about it ... but the execution was botched and going naked comes with a price, which sucks, but again the fact is, this isn't my phone in the end, and as much as I love it, I know i wont pay it off once the Note 8 rears its head next year lol so screw it, I'll give the Skinomi Protector a shot, if it's crap, them I'm not gonna sweat the phone getting light scratches ... I'm having a bit of an anxiety attack just typing that, But i'll just have to work at it and get through it lol
Dmac1984 said:
Lol good point, I updated the first post. And yeah I'm ridiculously anal with my devices, But i'm wondering if I need to start loosening up lol. I keep these phones pristine for a year then trade them in (AT&T) my last phone the S6 Edge + (Miss that phone) was M-I-N-T when I turned it in, protector on the front and back, which looking back at it now I realized that i suffered not having the full feel of the phone so that AT&T can sell it top dollar and the next person gets a great deal on a mint phone, who for all I know will; not care and destroy it. Now I'm not saying I'm gonna start being rough with my phone, gonna use my LED case more, and I just ordered a Skinomi Full body protector (we'll see how that goes, I don't have much faith in it) and if it feels like shxt, it's coming off and I'm gonna enjoy the phone as I have been, and get my moneys worth, and AT&T can figure out to do with it when I upgrade.
The Note 7 was designed to be naked, no doubt about it ... but the execution was botched and going naked comes with a price, which sucks, but again the fact is, this isn't my phone in the end, and as much as I love it, I know i wont pay it off once the Note 8 rears its head next year lol so screw it, I'll give the Skinomi Protector a shot, if it's crap, them I'm not gonna sweat the phone getting light scratches ... I'm having a bit of an anxiety attack just typing that, But i'll just have to work at it and get through it lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the Skinomi clear skin and its been great so far. After you attach it give it a day to settle onto the phone because at first it doesn't look good but after a few hours I noticed it looked a lot better and the next day it looked perfect. The only problem I had was getting the sides to stick. I even used a blow dryer and I just couldn't get them to stay down but I ended up using the top burners on my stove to heat the edges up and then they stuck and they haven't come up since. The s-pen still slides smooth as well with the white inserts. It does have a bit of a texture which I could see would annoy some people but it doesn't really bother me.
What material are your pockets made out of, sandpaper? My original Note 7 (recall replacement arrives today) has never seen a case or screen protector and is completely unscathed. I have not even been as gentle as you described. So weird.
Dmac1984 said:
Welp ... Fast forward 5 days, and I caught it in direct sunlight and this phone is just riddled with light scratches, you have to hold the phone just right and have the perfect lighting to see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I certainly believe your report of your observations and recollections, but your experience differs sharply from my own. I've been using unprotected Note 7s heavily (pre- and post-recall) for about a month, and I've acquired no scratches whatsoever.
When I check for scratches, I always use direct sunlight or a comparably bright source, and I rotate the phone through a range of angles in order to see any subtle defects. It sounds like that's not something you've been doing routinely, but rather something that just recently happened by chance. If that's the case, you may not really know when your scratches arose (or even whether your previous devices might have had similar scratches), which may complicate the diagnosis of how they occurred.
I trust we agree that the careful treatment you described could not have scratched even ordinary glass, let alone Gorilla Glass 5. So there are several possibilities. Perhaps the phone scraped against something sharp (even while it was in your pocket) without your noticing. Perhaps the process of applying or removing the case or screen protector scratched it somehow. Perhaps it came with subtle, hard-to-notice scratches already on it. Or could it even be that the phone isn't scratched, but rather has some sort of residue that rubbed off on it? (Have you tried washing it off with a wet paper towel and substantial pressure?)
Again, I trust your observations, but I'm curious as to how your scratches arose, and how your experience diverged from my own. I appreciate your taking the time to update everyone on your situation. And regardless of how the scratches happened, I'm glad you're getting a replacement.
Like i said, being so anal i looked at the phone everyday after naked use, never noticed any scratches, but last night I caught direct light at a side angle and saw the back bottom scratched, from 2 feet away from your eyes looking straight at the phone, looks perfect, up close and examining it with angled light it's def scratched.
When i say im careful, I'm careful... I got the cold sweats when i saw the scratches lol I've coddled thus phone with mittens since i got it, like i said I lay it on tbings and then move that whenever I set my phobe on my desk for no otger reason but to avoid sliding my phone on any surfaces ... pocket always empty and clean, I don't play in the dirt or go to the beach, pockets feel like normal clean pockets lol. I mean people can make excuses for tge glass, he'll i did too when i saw the initial scratch posts, even started a thread praising the scratch resistance ... I seriously don't know how much more careful you can be with a phone as i have been with this one and it still scuffed. I'll grab some pictures with the wife's phone and post them.
It almost seems like theres a raised lips right before the glass dipps down.
Attached is a pic illustrating the damage on my phone almost exactly (until i can grab a few pics) ... and also attached is why I think its happening.
Dmac1984 said:
Attached is a pic illustrating the damage on my phone almost exactly (until i can grab a few pics) ... and also attached is why I think its happening.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just wanted to use the fancy s-pen features and that drawing was your excuse. ;P
And I don't blame you :laugh:
Dmac1984 said:
Like i said, being so anal i looked at the phone everyday after naked use, never noticed any scratches, but last night I caught direct light at a side angle and saw the back bottom scratched, from 2 feet away from your eyes looking straight at the phone, looks perfect, up close and examining it with angled light it's def scratched.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, that was my point. Until last night, your inspections didn't include checking the surfaces through a wide range of different illumination angles. As a result, subtle scratches went unnoticed and you don't know when they happened (or even if the phone came with them).
When i say im careful, I'm careful...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe you. But something nevertheless scratched your phone--any idea what it could have been? You and I are both careful with our phones, yet only one of us acquired any scratches. There has to be some explanation for that difference. Figuring out what it is might help us, and others, to avoid scratches in the future.
It almost seems like theres a raised lips right before the glass dipps down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm, I don't see that on mine. May I ask what kind of screen protector(s) you had been using? If liquid, could it have left a residue? If solid, could the protector itself have scratched the glass that it was in contact with?
Or another possibility: if you used a case initially, could a few sand or grit particles have gotten lodged between the case and the phone? It looks as though the scratches may have been in areas that a case would have contact with. That's one of several reasons that I'd be reluctant to use a case with an all-glass phone.
Gary02468 said:
Right, that was my point. Until last night, your inspections didn't include checking the surfaces through a wide range of different illumination angles. As a result, subtle scratches went unnoticed and you don't know when they happened (or even if the phone came with them).
I believe you. But something nevertheless scratched your phone--any idea what it could have been? You and I are both careful with our phones, yet only one of us acquired any scratches. There has to be some explanation for that difference. Figuring out what it is might help us, and others, to avoid scratches in the future.
Hm, I don't see that on mine. May I ask what kind of screen protector(s) you had been using? If liquid, could it have left a residue? If solid, could the protector itself have scratched the glass that it was in contact with?
Or another possibility: if you used a case initially, could a few sand or grit particles have gotten lodged between the case and the phone? It looks as though the scratches may have been in areas that a case would have contact with. That's one of several reasons that I'd be reluctant to use a case with an all-glass phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No case or screen protectors since I got this phone last Sunday (Oct 25th) I didn't recall any scratches on my recalled unit so I didn't bother with protecting the replacement. But regardless, I don't recalled a single incident in which would result in these scratches, so they must have happened during light use of the phone, how they happened? I don't know ... but they did .... The glass just seems soft and easily scratch-able. It shouldn't be, but unfortunately it is. And agreed, I've seen scratches come up from case use on my phones before so that is always a concern, but I didn't use a case on this phone, and I never sat the phone down on a hard surface, and never in a pocket with anything else, and the weird isolated scratched areas don't show signs of "pocket damage" ... they came from somewhere I get that, but wherever they came from, they happened with no effort or force.
Inspected my new phone that came in yesterday. Not a single scratch to be found in any light ... Screen protector should be in today so it'll get wrapped before I even use it and we'll try again ... I recommend to anyone who has a Note 7, wrap it up and keep it clean, this issue just may not be avoidable with everyday use.
Is GG5 on the back as well as the front? My rear is scratched only after 2 weeks replacement and general it wears a case. NOT impressed.
Dmac1984 said:
But regardless, I don't recalled a single incident in which would result in these scratches, so they must have happened during light use of the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the phone wasn't scratched by the skin of your hand, the cloth of your pocket, or the piece of paper you rested it on, so there must have been some other contact that you're unaware of. (I'll occasionally notice a small cut or bruise on my arm without recalling what contact was responsible. It happens.)
Regardless, thanks again for the update you posted, and good luck with your new Note 7. If my Note 7 ever suffers the slightest scratch, I will follow your example and post an update here too. So far, a month of heavy, unprotected use has not resulted in any visible imperfection.
I don't get why people are nitpicking this. I get this tone of "maybe you were careful but not careful enough". It sounds like we are discussing handling an egg.
The physics of it are simple and irrefutable, this thing will scratch, there is no way around it. And just because one hasn't scratched yet, or appears that way, doesn't mean it won't.
At this point, regardless of what anyone says or who wants to debate, it's safe to say yhe phone WILL scratch with normal, even careful use. I was one who thought "well the people with scratches must be abusing their phones" but as i type this on a scuffed, yet coddled Note7 I stand corrected. It doesn't affect my love for the phone but it should be noted that it WILL scratch easily regardless of how you treat it, i wish it didn't ... but it does. And I don't think it's batched based, pretty sure maybe even if you dont see any scratches there are probably some on your phone as I found by badically doing a microscopic forensic look at my phone the other day, the shinyness of thr glass seems to hide a lot of imperfections.

Question If you're noticing loosening of the screen protector internal screen...

Get that screen protector replaced in an authorized repair center whether or not you have an active warranty.
Don't do any of the following:
don't attempt to replace it yourself no matter how simple it might seem to you
(The repair centers have a rig to assist them in doing this. And if you screw up, you could end up with a more serious problem.)
don't ignore it because it seems trivial or small
don't wait for the problem to "ripen" before acting
if your warranty has expired: don't decide that this doesn't warrant action
Why?
Over the past week or so, the protector started slowly separating down the crease area of the screen. So I brought it in to a local Samsung-authorized UbreakitIFixit by Asurion. The technician said he's seen a flow of these cases. I went a step further and said that I'm hearing that there are a number of people reporting cracked screens. He nodded and said that-- once the protector starts separating like mine was doing-- this starts to create a degree of pressure on the folding area of the screen. Basically he was telling me that what seems like a trivial cosmetic problem could turn into something far more serious. And expensive.
In my case, I bought my Z Fold 3 shortly before it was replaced by the Z Fold 4-- and I am still covered by the warranty. If you are in the same position, Samsung has what I would call a "silent recall" where they will cover a one-time screen protector replacement. Go to the Samsung service area on their website and avail yourself of this!
And if you are past the warranty, I'd urge you to take the precaution and pay to have the protector replaced-- you sure don't want to face a complete screen replacement-- you might not even consider the cost justifiable.
Apparently this is true; if cracked it will eventually take out the display. I was reading a review and that Australian reviewer didn't have kind things to say about this. He gives the protector a 4-6 month lifespan, if you make a year you're lucky.
He further said this has been a persistent issue; don't expect the next generation to be more durable.
Hmm, I have to replace my wife's every 4 months or so using the Orzero. It is a bit of a learning exercise, but not that hard(key it to do long side first and get the fold crease right at the start). YMMV.
xnappo said:
Hmm, I have to replace my wife's every 4 months or so using the Orzero. It is a bit of a learning exercise, but not that hard(key it to do long side first and get the fold crease right at the start). YMMV.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for letting us know that you feel confident doing this yourself. I also see a YouTube demonstration video from the company. I'm not sure that I'd do a neat job but it's good to know that it's possible.
You also opened my eyes to the frequency of replacement that made sense to both of you,
The Whitestone protector comes with a rig so that you place it perfectly right. Only thing you need to worry about is dust getting under it as you're putting it on (some people do it in the bathroom after steaming it up with a hot shower).
My OEM protector lasted over a year. It did separate along the crease at the top and it kept getting longer and longer, so I finally replaced it after months of the separated area. The replacement brought back the anti-fingerprint feature which had worn off the original one, so I was happy about that for sure. Doing it once now, I'll probably replace it next once that anti-fingerprint feature has worn off again since it wasn't as bad/hard as I thought it would be. No need to be intimidated by it after all!
ButterflyFlutterflyMyOhMy said:
The Whitestone protector comes with a rig so that you place it perfectly right. Only thing you need to worry about is dust getting under it as you're putting it on (some people do it in the bathroom after steaming it up with a hot shower).
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ButterflyFlutterflyMyOhMy said:
No need to be intimidated by it after all!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have learned so much on xda-developers.com over the years. The two previous posts are really helpful. I found the Whitestone installation YouTube video and now I see how the jig works. I hope I won't have to replace the screen protector but now I realize a couple things:
It's wise to replace the inner screen protector once separation starts appearing
It's entirely possible to do the job myself if / when the warranty no longer applies.

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