I was looking for a handmade book-style case for the Nexus 7, but I'd rather not pay the high prices for a Portenzo or DODOcase alternative, but this is a pretty decent alternative.
The case itself is like those from Portenzo and DODOcase, a book-style hardback cover surrounding a wooden shell which holds the device. This particular case is built with a Birch Plywood shell unlike the other two which use materials such as Bamboo. As intended it bears an uncanny resemblance to a sketchbook. This case usually costs £30 with £3 first class shipping (Not recorded) though during the winter sale I bought this case for £25.50 total.
It uses an elastic strap to keep the case shut, and a small plastic clip can be attached to the strap to let the case stand up. It also has a magnet built into the case so it acts as a smartcover. Just above the magnet is a plate which has a unique number for the case, which adds to the unique feel the case has. It's available in three colours: Skye Blue, Welsh Slate Grey and Pillarbox Red. This case is hand-made in Manchester with traditional book-binding methods, and as you can maybe tell from the names of the colours, they're pretty proud of that
To keep the device secure in the case, instead of using foam pads or adhesive this case uses 'Tommy Clips' which work pretty well. Admittedly it looks tackier than it being held in by pads, but it gets the job done. There is no intrusion to the Micro-USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack, but the power and lock buttons are slightly hard to reach as with the Nexus 7 they are slightly offset to the back of the device. This can be a little problematic as you can sometimes find it difficult to tell if you're pressing the button or not.
There is a hollow area behind the tablet, but apart from that there is no way for sound to get from the speakers. This results in a somewhat muffled sound, not too much of a problem for me because I listen to music with headphones but it's still an issue that Portenzo and DODOcase address. I'm not sure what about the quality of the wooden shells with the other two companies, but with this the Birch does have some imperfections. It doesn't affect the functionality, and to me it just adds a more homely feel to the case. The back of the case has a cutout for the camera, but no black-ring around it so glare may be an issue (But I've yet to meet someone who uses a 5 megapixel snapper for serious photography).
To conclude, it's a nice case, you certainly get your bang for your buck. It's about half the price of a rival case, but it's still reasonably good. Of course if you have the money to spend you should probably buy a Portenzo/DODOcase, but I like having a case that was handcrafted about an hours journey down the road from me, even if it does have some significant drawbacks.
Related
Sweet Armor
Sweet Armor is a Korean company that produces premium metal cases for mobile phones. Currently, it has produces cases for three popular Android phones, the GS2, GS3 and the GNote.
Sweet Armor Galaxy S3 Titanium Rainbow
Packaging
The packing is not bad at all compare to SGP or other companies. As you can see in the pictures, the case protected by four soft foams inside the box, which I think is very thoughtful, as this is a very expensive case, no one would like it to be damaged during the shipping.
Inside the box, there are 8 Philips screws and a little small Philips screwdriver. The build quality of the screwdriver did surprise me a little while. The screwdriver is well built and it is magnet, which can certainly help your installation of the case, the screws are very small.
There is one thing that may be disappointed- there is no manual inside the box. You may say it is easy to figure out how to install the case but I think it would be nicer if there were a manual inside the box along with a USD72 dollars case.
Built Quality
The built quality of this case is 10 out of 10. The case is very solid and the colouring of the case is very well done. It is definitely one of the best cases in the world with no doubt. The edges are smooth and the cuttings are perfect.
On the case, there are two holes on the left side of the case, which allow you to put a string strap. Although I do not use a string strap, I think these two holes are very nice as some people may want to put a string strap onto a phone and most of the cases/ phones nowadays do not provide this.
Also, there are two button covers at the position of the power button and the volume rockers. These not only help to prevent dust getting into the gap between the phone and the case, but also help to make the buttons easier to access. I have no problem in using the power button and the volume rockers when I using this case. The buttons are sensitive and “clicky”.
This case does add some weight to the phone. However, the weight is very small. You can definitely feel the weight but the weight is acceptable. you would not feel the phone too heavy, in my personally opinion.
I have used a lot of cases in the past, from the cheap Ebay cases to SGP expensive cases but there is no cases that can give me the Sweet Armor case can give me. All the cases that I used in the past kept gave me a very “plastic feeling”. When I tried to hold the phone very tight, I felt like I was going to break the phone. But when I am using the Sweet Armor case, it gives me a totally different feeling of the phone. The case is very solid and when I try to hold the phone very tight, I do not feel any “plastic feeling”. The case gives an extra strength to the phone to against the force from the outside, and this makes me feel the phone more “solid” and steadier when I am holding it.
Although this is a metal bumper, it provides a little lift at the back of the phone, which prevents the back of the phone from scratching. So it does not have the common problem that most of the bumpers in the market have.
For your information, during the time I use this case, there is no reception/NFC problem for me.
However, there are some problems about the case, too. The headphone and the micro USB cut outs of the case are not big enough, so if you are using an expensive pair of earphone like the Westone 4R, TF10 pro, or other head phones, you may need to find a extend 3.5mm cable; if you are using a dock such as the Samsung OEM dock, or the Zen dock, you cannot use the docks when you are using the case unless you uninstall the case. Sweet Armor might needs to make a bigger cut out for these two ports in the next edition of the cases.
Talking about the installation of the case, it is very simple. The case only requires one screw at every corner of the phone (total: 4 screws). However, when you try the swap the SIM card or battery of the phone, you will find the case does not come handy. There is no way for you to do any of the things that I talked above if you forget to bring the screwdriver with you. Therefore, if you are a person who usually swaps your SIM card or change battery, this case may not suit you.
There is one more issue about the case, for the people with small hands, like me. The case will makes the phone wider and taller, so it will make it harder to use the phone with one hand.
Conclusion
Overall, considering the price of this case, I would not say the built quality surprises me, as this is what a $72 case has to have. The case is very solid, very beautiful and stylish, and very thin. It can certainly handle a few drops from a certain height but you cannot expect it can protect your phone from 2 meters height. For normal daily usage, I think this case does its job. And if you are looking for a luxury metal bumper, I think this is one of the cases in the market you should consider.
Wow it's a So beauty
Where to got?
pius kim said:
Where to got?
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U can get one from the official sweet armor website. http://www.thesweetarmor.com/en/15-galaxy-s3
The gold and titanium ones look more beautiful
Thank you for your Review
Thank you for your Review!!l.:victory:
We have all Sweet amor Bumper 20% off come to website
Will these fit with an extended battery? They look like there's enough room on the back bezel for the extended cover to fit.
Too expensive for a BUMPER, I can't stand bumpers who are twice as expensive as some of the higher end cases with half the protection.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Just wanted to do a review of some cases I bought and tried recently for my LGOG, hoping the info would be useful to other people. There are some other good and cheap options available online, but these are the ones I tried first-hand. I am really happy with all three of them, so here's the proof that sometimes you get more than you pay for...
First, a generic sleeve picked up at a local dollar store while I was waiting for my Amazon order to arrive. For just $2, it's pretty much as good as free. Simple, but ingenious: two pieces of synthetic leather (it's high quality, smooth, soft, and doesn't stink) stitched together, but with an added pullout ribbon that is surprisingly convenient, and works wonderfully to get the phone out. My wife was quite amused by the way it worked (as was I ). Sized perfectly for my phone, and looks pretty nice and elegant, too. Excellent basic protection sleeve, considering the price. Highly recommended, if you prefer your phone naked, but still want reasonable protection carrying it around. Five stars from me!
Next comes the Diztronic case, ordered from Amazon. It's a low-profile TPU wrap-around skin that looks and works much better than it costs. Very nice soft touch finish, clean design with precise cutouts, sharp looks and enough protection for daily use. The fit is perfect, feels like this phone was born in it. Some people on Amazon complain that it peels the screen protector at the edges due to a tight fit, but I don't use screen protectors, so I don't care. Adds very little bulk, but gives a nice protection around the bezel, so you can safely lay your phone face down. It also levels the protruding camera lens cover on the back, so it doesn't get scratched easily. One thing that seems weird at first is that the design around the volume and power buttons is very different. But then I realized how much it actually helps -- the power is recessed deeply in the cutout, making it much less prone to accidental presses, while still easily reachable with a fingertip. Very convenient. It would be nice to have a better grip on the sides (like a diamond pattern or something), but even as is, this case still makes the phone much less slippery than naked. And I didn't like the prominent logo on the back, as I prefer all my things with as little branding as possible (ideally, none, but that's just wishful thinking). Four stars (minus one for the grip and the logo).
The last one is a cheap dual-layer case pretending to be an OtterBox, also from Amazon. I saw this case there under different brands; mine was Aimo. I used OtterBox cases in the past, and to be honest, this one is quite impressive in comparison. Pretty much the same design features (except the port covers), build quality and the level of protection as Commuter series, but for just a small fraction of a price. And it has a handy folding stand on the back, which works in both portrait and landscape. If you are reeeally nitpicky, you might find the fit between the inner silicone layer and the outer hard shell a tiny bit loose along the top and bottom edges, but hey, it's not exactly an OtterBox, OK? Again, you really have to look hard and close to notice this. All the cutouts are precise, and the buttons are nice and light to the touch. Note that this case is quite bulky, and doesn't match the design style of the phone itself, so some people may not like it for its aesthetics. But as far as protection goes, this is probably the best option for this kind of money. This case is available in different colour combinations. Nothing beats black for me, but you can get yours in neon pink, if you want. Five stars, hands down!
Thanks for these suggestions and pics.
My first case for OG was Nilkins hard plastic case - at first it may look good, but actually is a piece of you know what. The rubber layer on the case started to peel off after 2 weeks first on the corners then the rest, due to this the phone looked ugly. After a while corners just broke off completely. All this happened with regular use without any extremes.
The next one I bought was a bit cheaper also from China - TPU X Type soft silicon I guess. I've been using it for many months now and it havent changed a bit. Good protection, looks nice and I guess it wont change forever unless you cut it with scissors
So yes, cheap can be good, but buyer beware as some cheap cases will be a headache.
I have this one:
aliexpress: /item/Genuine-Brand-New-IMAK-Crystal-series-PC-Ultra-thin-Hard-Skin-Case-Cover-Back-For-LG/1027800082.html
Phone looks nice in it. The plastic is sturdy, but it scratches easily. However it's a cheap one so no risk in trying it.
And the classic one gel case:
aliexpress: /item/Hot-Sale-8Colors-S-Curve-Line-Shape-High-Quality-Soft-TPU-Rubber-Wave-Gel-Soft-Skin/1310173671.html[/url]
This offers complete protection, but it's ugly.
PS: Just copy rest of URL after aliexpress.com to see it. I'm not allowed to post links.
First case I got was this: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/QuickSan...lePhoneAccessories&hash=item3f25597db6&_uhb=1
It still works great to this day, but peeled the screen protector off.
I have had many E975 cases, flip ones, rubber and hard ones.
Currently I am using the LgOg official bumper and it is a dream, sometimes the holes are tight but I simply file them and they work fine
The bumper: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/181246366449?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
After I bought that BUKcase and reviewed that I wanted something which let me access the volume keys easier, so I decided to go with Caseable. This will be my third purchase from them.
If you haven't heard of Caseable, they make custom cases with either images provided by the customer or a selection of artwork from their site. This particular case was made with some of my photography. This is the typical tablet case they offer, a folio style cover with elastic straps to hold the device in place and keep the case closed. It's reasonably functional too, on either side of the case there are thin rubber strips. These act as 'feet' to keep the tablet secure when it is propped up as a stand, and it works surprisingly well (Though when you initially open the package, the rubber 'tyre' smell is pretty potent)
This case costs £39.90, though caseable offer a 15% student discount which I used. Postage is free for orders above £30.
As I said, the images on the front and back can be customised. The quality of the printed images is very good. With my Caseable orders, I use high-resolution photos and the result is fantastic. The material on which it is printed on is also very nice, it's a kind of soft almost-neoprene like material. It has a certain 'sponginess' to it, I imagine to cushion it against falls. As well as the graphics on the front and back, there is a choice of inside colour, white or black. This case is handmade for you in either Berlin or Brooklyn, depending on where you live.
The elastic straps don't block any of the ports, but the upper-right one does cover the power button. It loses a little of its tactility but is still perfectly usable. The volume rocker is also perfectly accessible, which is a massive plus coming from the BUKcase. The speakers are also not blocked, so the sound is not muffled. However, there is no cutout for the camera at all, not much of a problem for me to be honest.
There is a small pocket inside the case for cards and documents, which isn't really all that useful for storing stuff, but it does have another use which I'll come onto later. The main gripe I have about this case, it doesn't have SmartCover functionality. This is strange because the Caseable iPad cases have this, but none of the others don't.
Conclusion, there's no way around it, this is a unique case, the rubber strips for the stand are a nice little touch. Although the main reason I bought this is to have a way to show off my photography, and for that purpose it's great. Although it's still a functional and protective case, it seems a bit basic (And maybe overpriced?) without Smartcover functionality.
Remember that pocket I mentioned? Not useful for storing documents or cards, but It can store a magnet pretty well. I butchered an old Kobo SleepCover I had lying around and extracted the two magnets. I slipped one in that little pocket, and voila, it's a Smartcover! The pocket is pretty tight so I can't imagine the magnet would slide around too much in there, but if it does I might put some light adhesive on it to keep it in place.
Hey there - posted this over on AC, but thought some might benefit from it here too!
So I picked up a new case of Amazon commensurate with the $500+ purchase that hit my bank account this week. Wanted something for around the office (mostly work out of the house), and will likely pick up a "more suited for travel" solution from poetic or one of the cheaper guys down the line. I've been told that I put too many words around my thoughts and words equal bad for reasons...
So I'll post some pics and just get right down to what's good and what's bad:
Likes:
It's very pretty, and despite being a non-leather "High End Eco Friendly Fiber" or whatever the hell that means, the build quality and construction of the case are as such that I barely notice the stand in for real leather.
All ports, camera's and other various assundry cut-outs appear to be in the right spot and sufficiently machined that I'm not catching my finger (nails or tips) when trying to get the Spen phallus out of it's tiny plastic ******, or turn the volume up or down.
The internal "bra," as it were (the piece that holds the tablet) is actually ridiculously rigid - and despite the light weight carry nature of a case like this - I think it could stop a bullet. It's made of some insane non-PET plastic (likely a high fiber terephathalatate or other poly carb blend..like found in large water bottles), that seriously I can't manage to bend even slightly by pulling up and down on both corners. Also, if you're into that sort of thing...wierdo, it's a "smokey" looking plastic that's only semi-transparent.
The interior is lined with some very high quality denim, which sounds odd - but the texture is lovely to the touch. I specifically ordered a brown case because I wanted the green inset - I think I might actually a red one (with cream colored inset) to have as a backup or when this one finally dies.
It's not leather, but the construction and handcrafts-manship is certainly apparent. There's hand stitches tying the exterior to the inset and it looks lovely! I've been using it for my daily case and despite it not being leather, there's no signs of wear around the fold lines near the spine of the case even though I routinely hold it like a magazine - pretty impressive.
Light weight - no real extra bulk.
What's not so great:
The price - I paid $29 for this through Prime on a one day special, but I've seen it going as high as $50. I'm not saying it's not worth it, there's certainly value and some bling factor at play here, but I would have had a harder time accepting the $50 price tag (or may if I decide to order the dark red version).
The play joint (that allows you to flip it into "stand mode" is like all other cases....if you don't routinely want to prop up your tablet - you have to live with it being lose while you work with it.
**I found a 10 cent solution in a pair of velcro micro dots (about the radius of my pinky finger) that I placed between the hard plastic bra and the denim case - and after some time - have no problems with the sticky "adherence." Now when I want to use my case as a stand...I have to pull a little harder and hear that satisfying velcro "skin peeling" sound before the whole thing comes apart!
The cover is a "smart cover" meaning it will turn on and off your screen, but with the case open (and the front folded over the back - the magnet it in the case will sometimes flip the screen off until it's moved ever so slightly. Not a huge deal - but it can be annoying.
So that's it - so far so good. Like I said, I don't know that I'd travel with it. To knock around the office or at home is one thing, but to put it under airline scrutiny and abuse would make me nervous (unless I was holding it and babying it through the process). Very happy with the case at the purchase price - but full price would be harder to swallow! Hope it helps!
Jack
I will say that I received this as a promotion from the manufacturer but the review is my unbiased opinion.
This is a good quality case that will offer outstanding protection
It's a handsome case that fits the phone very nicely. It has a nice size lip around the top and bottom to protect the screen. It's not as bulky as some of the other cases and still fits nicely in your pocket. I really like it and will use it for a while to get a better feel for it.
I have also found that although the metal plate for my Imagnet mount fits nicely inside, the case is too thick to let it work properly. It would be nice if a case manufacturer would embed a metal surround inside the plastic that would still allow wireless charging and work with magnetic mounts.
What I dislike is the little flapper door over the USB port. I know it serves a purpose but it bothers me. I'm also not a fan of the little molded in head bolts.
M_R_M said:
I will say that I received this as a promotion from the manufacturer but the review is my unbiased opinion.
This is a good quality case that will offer outstanding protection
It's a handsome case that fits the phone very nicely. It has a nice size lip around the top and bottom to protect the screen. It's not as bulky as some of the other cases and still fits nicely in your pocket. I really like it and will use it for a while to get a better feel for it.
I have also found that although the metal plate for my Imagnet mount fits nicely inside, the case is too thick to let it work properly. It would be nice if a case manufacturer would embed a metal surround inside the plastic that would still allow wireless charging and work with magnetic mounts.
What I dislike is the little flapper door over the USB port. I know it serves a purpose but it bothers me. I'm also not a fan of the little molded in head bolts.
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Got mine yesterday, I don't mind the charging cover at all. You can cut it off if it bothers you
Links？
It's on Amazon.
I also considered this against the Otterbox Defender (Pro), but went with the Otterbox just for the added protection and easy B&M return if it didn't work out. The Armadillo looks better than most for drop protection, though.
What most put me off are those fake hex screws. They scream low-quality in their bad faith attempt to fool you into thinking this is like some screw-down case.. Why did they even try that? They didn't even change the orientation of each screw (not that it would have fooled me much).
I have had mine for about a week and I'm not very happy with it the stand is loose and flops about and it falls open the buttons are lack luster they are very hard to actuate and not raised from the phone far enough to distinguish between the case and the normal side of the phone I'm let down
Acw124798 said:
I have had mine for about a week and I'm not very happy with it the stand is loose and flops about and it falls open the buttons are lack luster they are very hard to actuate and not raised from the phone far enough to distinguish between the case and the normal side of the phone I'm let down
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Odd about the kick stand. I always found it to be firmly locked in place once it was clicked in properly. I agree on the buttons. It does take some concentration to find them sometimes. But they always seemed to operate properly.