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Category Archives: Reviews: Accessories
Herbert Richter swivel plate vent mount and Universal holder combo review
For years now I have attached my PDAs and smartphones to windscreens when using them for GPS and it has worked quite well. I always have it positioned to the right of the steering well to offer as much visibility as possible and still chuckle when I see other drivers with their GPS devices stuck right in the middle of the windscreen. What possesses people to do this and limit their visibility at all times?
Anyway, I recently bought a new car and the windscreen is slanted at such an angle that attaching my iPhone to the windscreen means I have to have it higher which causes the problem described above. I had to find a different solution and a vent mount sprang to mind. The problem is that they are all rubbish; they are impossible to attach and if you do manage to attach them they fall off. When they fall off the latches snap and if one manages to stay on they rattle to the point of ultimate distraction. Then I remembered holdersandmounts and spotted the Herbert Richter swivel plate vent mount and Universal holder combo (catchy name huh?). It retails for £14.99 which seems quite high for such a mount, but when you consider that the cheaper ones all break it seemed to be worth a try.
So, I ordered one and the next day I received my Herbert Richter swivel plate vent mount and Universal holder combo. Maybe I should just call it the Richter for the rest of this review, but that may cause confusion so I will stick with Herbert Richter swivel plate vent mount and Universal holder combo. I was pleased to see that the Herbert Richter swivel plate vent mount and Universal holder combo is just one unit; the vent clips are attached to a swivel mechanism which lets you adjust your phone to any angle you like. This is crucial in a vent mount because you will otherwise find yourself straining to see the screen. Attaching it to the vent in my car was slightly fiddly, but the reassuring snap when it went into place made all of the difference. There is an angled piece at the bottom which helps keep things steady and I was amazed that it all worked perfectly first time; no rattles, no falling off and a solution that works perfectly for me.
There is an argument that attaching a phone or GPS to a vent means that you have to avert your eyes from the road for longer, but I have not found this to be the case. If you have any experience of using a GPS system you will automatically just glance at the screen when you need to and a vent mount offers no less safety than a windscreen mount. It does, however, offer a more convenient solution because you won’t be removing it and re-attaching it all of the time. It looks like a mobile phone mount so nasty people are less likely to think that you still have anything of value in the car and it is a much nicer looking solution than a hunk of plastic attached to your windscreen.
For me the Herbert Richter swivel plate vent mount and Universal holder combo has proved to be excellent value, highly versatile and extremely well made. The Herbert Richter swivel plate vent mount and Universal holder combo just works and proved that vent mounts can do what you need them to do. I just wish it had a slightly shorter name because Herbert Richter swivel plate vent mount and Universal holder combo is far too long!
Available from holdersandmounts for £14.99.
Piel Frama Brown Crocodile iPad Cinema Case Review
Price: From 120 Euros
Available from: www.pielframa.com
Pros: Easy to use, great design and stunning looks
Cons: None other than the cost.
The iPad has proved to be a huge success. That in turn has created a huge market for third party cases. Due to the iPad’s various uses from watching movies to on screen typing the case design is very important. Also due to the cost of the iPad ranging from anything from £430 to nearly £700 it is worth investing in a case that provides great protection.
For this review we will be looking at 2 different finishes of cases from Piel Frama – the Brown & Fuchsia Crocodile iPad Cinema case. And to provide a female perspective my wife Ellie will review the Fuchsia Crocodile finish and I will provide my comments on the Brown Crocodile version. Below is photo of both cases in cinema mode. In cinema mode the case is held in position by resting on to raised ridges inside the case.
For those who haven’t heard of Piel Frama, Piel Frama manufactures very high quality leather cases for mobiles devices, PDA’s and phones. They are based in Spain and pride themselves in producing hand made beautiful leather cases. They use high quality cow hide and offer a variety of colours and finishes.
Piel Frama Brown Crocodile iPad Cinema Case
The Brown Crocodile finish is one of several different finishes available. You can select plain leather as well as ostrich. For the plain finish you can also select from a number of colours black, red, tan, fuchsia, green, blue and orange. The ostrich is only available in tan. The crocodile finish is available at present in black, brown, fuchsia, red and orange. As you can see from the photos the special finish applies to the outside of the case, while the inside has a plain leather finish. The underneath of the case has a fold line as shown above to allow the case to move in to the various opening positions.
For my review I will be looking at the Brown Crocodile finish. This costs 30 euros more than the standard finish, retailing for 150 euros. The case is packaged in a smart box to ensure your case arrives in perfect condition. There is also a few tags to confirm he quality of the leather. Taking the case out of the box and unwrapping the paper around the case, reveals a stunning looking case. It simply oozes style and quality. Piel Frama have enabled the case to be operated in several positions in landscape; near upright, cinema mode and typing slope.
See photos for illustration. The cinema position holds in position by resting into raised areas of the case. The typing mode simply works by the case folding back on itself. The near upright position simply works using the weight of the case to hold it in position. There are cut outs for everything including the sensor on the front, volume, power, speaker vents and headphone socket. See photos.
For me the brown crocodile finish is a statement of art. I was toying between the black or brown crocodile finish. I believe the brown finish just adds a little more panache. When closed there is a magnet that helps keep the case closed and protect the screen of the iPad.
Piel Frama Fuchsia iPad Cinema Case
Hi, I’m Ellie. I originally had a cheap leather case but the Piel Frama is simply a universe and more better. The experience of opening it from its packaging was lovely but the real winner for me is the quality of finish, and of course the colour. Its pink and a girl must have pink. The Piel Frama describe the colour as fuchsia; a grown up pink. I find the different modes of operation great for web browsing, replying to emails and playing my favourite games.
Unlike someone I know who likes changing cases often, I wanted a case that would last a very long time, provide decent protection for my iPad and look fabulous. The Piel Frama case does exactly that.
Summary
2 high quality designed cases by Piel Frama. Recommended highly.
Review by Gavin & Ellie Fabiani-Laymond
Photojojo Fisheye, Macro, and Wide Angle Camera Phone Lenses review
There are many accessories you can buy for your smartphone and cases, docks, chargers, screen protectors are but a few. Occasionally, however, something unique comes along and proves that true innovation can bring benefits to your smartphone usage in the simplest of ways. Smartphone cameras have long been little more than features the manufacturers felt they had to include and the quality was far from important, but in recent times that has changed and the iPhone 4, Nokias and even the later HTC and BlackBerry’s now pack cameras that are good enough to let you leave your compact camera at home. They still have limitations though-
Ever tried to zoom out on a smartphone camera?
How often have you snapped a picture and felt like you haven’t caught got everything you are seeing?
These simple annoyances still get in the way of smartphone photography and thus the camera you always have with you is hindered despite its good quality lens and high megapixel count. Photojojo (say that after a few beers) has come up with some lenses that are designed to help you capture more without having to splash out on a new phone with a much more sophisticated camera, and arguably brought with them some features that are not available on ‘any’ smartphone available today. For $40 you get a lens bundle capable of wide angle, macro and fisheye functionality which sounds like quite good value, but that would be merely scraping the surface.
I am going to start by explaining what you get in the package and how you attach each lens to your phone; often the simplest ideas are the best. In fact I am going to start in the most boring of places, the invoice.
How many invoices do you receive with a free Dinosaur and a line that says “1 Rawwwwwr! $.00 each.”? It offers an indication of what the company is like and instead of $40.00 the total comes to “$40.00 dollaroos!” It is either brilliant branding or every employee is smoking serious amounts of something they should not be smoking. I suspect it is the former. If you take a trip to http://photojojo.com you will see what I mean about the tone of the presentation- it’s like surfer dude city, but with photography and some of the products are at the very least intriguing. To be honest, they had me as soon as my 6 year-old daughter asked if she could call the Dinosaur ‘Dino’ and then proceeded to cuddle him all night, despite his diminutive size.
Anyway, in each lens packet you get the lens, a lens cover, 2 magnetic rings and a lanyard with a magnetic attachment and these come together to produce my favourite part of the entire product; the way they all fit to make attaching a lens to your camera as easy as you could wish for. The care and attention given to how the purchaser will use the product suggests that they are not pot smoking surfer dudes after all, but clever people capable of producing clever products. I tested these lenses on my iPhone 4, but do note the disclaimer that is currently on the site- “iPhone 4 Disclaimer: our sticky lens rings don’t play well with your sleek, well designed glass backing. Dern you Steve Jobs!” Mine worked perfectly because I have a ZAGG protector on the back and maybe Photojojo could do something similar and bundle a small circular backing for the magnetic attachment to stick to- would make sense for a phone with one of the very best mobile cameras squeezed into it.
The simplicity of sticking a magnetic ring around a lens and then pushing a magnetic lens onto the ring is brilliant. It is an age old problem and one that has been solved in a variety of ways, but this is the best I have seen so far. Once the ring is in place you just drop the lens on and away you go. Add to this the fact that the rings will fit almost every phone in the world and this makes it a universal purchase for everyone, and every phone you own. I have tried the lenses on my son’s Sony Ericsson and my wife’s Nokia and they fit perfectly.
So, they fit phones OK, but what happens when you are not using them. You are unlikely to want to keep the lenses on permanently (imagine that?) so you need somewhere to store them. This is the other considerate part of the design that works so well. The lanyards attach to a keyring, or whatever else you want to put them on, and they hold a small circular magnet; simply attach a lens to the lanyard and put the lens cover on and you are done. It all works extremely well, but one word of caution. The magnets are extremely magnety (?) and will interfere with a bundle of keys. I found myself constantly untangling my keys from them and would prefer them top have less magnetism on the edges.
Now the important bit. How well do the lenses work? I would love to go into a detailed explanation about depth of field, lighting and whatever else photographers talk about, but I have no clue at all. Instead, here are some examples of how my photos came out using these lenses-
Standard iPhone photo-
Wide Angle lens attached-
Standard iPhone photo-
With Fisheye lens attached-
It would be fair to say that the examples above are not ideal to demonstrate the effect the lenses have on captured images. They should have been taken in a rolling field with lambs gambling along to accentuate the extra detail you can capture, but as I said I am no photographer and forgot the artistic bit.
However, they work and they work very well indeed. These are accessories for a mobile phone, but they add features that are not available in any smartphone. They help you take better photos and that is impressive by any measure. There are few accessories that I cannot fault, but in this case I am mightily impressed by the quality, thoughtfulness of design and price point. My struggle with magnetic keys continues, but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that Photojojo has come up with innovative smartphone accessories that are more than luxury purchases; they give you something new and extend the value of your smartphone more than the likes of Apple, HTC and the rest can do through hardware alone. Superb!
Available from Photojojo for $40 Dollaroos!
Headphones, Comply Foam Buds & Headphone Amps – Get the Best Sound from your iDevices and MP3 devices
Just to set the scene, since owning both an iPad and iPhone 4 I realised that compared to any other smartphones’, the sound output of these gadgets was excellent. I had 2 pairs of headphones. A over the head pair of Sennheiser HD-415 and ear canal Sony MDR-EX91. For years these headphones had been sufficient. The Sony EX91’s were unusual for an ear canal as they offered the sound quality of an open design. The Sennheiser HD-415 are open back, offered a lot of extra bass and were comfortable to wear for long periods. On contrast the Sony’s became uncomfortable and hurt my ears after a few hours.
Back to my iDevices. Both my headphones produced the best quality sound I had ever heard from them. That got me thinking and I started to explore the options. I bought Sennheiser CX-400ii, Sony MDR-XB700 and a pair of Denon AH-C751. The specification is critical with portable devices. Let me explain. The ohm’s. 16 ohms are better than 32 ohms. The lower the level the easier the phone will be able to drive the headphones. But too low with blow the circuitry. 16 ohms is recommended as the lowest level. There are many headphones over 32 ohms. Avoid these. Then there is the sound pressure level. Don’t buy anything under 104db as again the lower the number the harder your phone will find driving your headphones. Anything over 110db is going to sound special, as the music will sound more musical, possess more energy and come to life. The last spec to note is the frequency response. Typically 20-20,000hz. The first number is how low (bass) and the last number is how high up the frequency. More on this later. Now lets look at each of the headphones.
Sennheiser CX-400ii
Available from – Various websites.
Price – Orginally £55, now as low as £20.
Product Features
High-end dynamic speaker systems with Neodymium magnets tuned for a natural sound reproduction
Superior fit in the ear canals offering highest attenuation of ambient noise (extended ear adapter set included)
Integrated volume control
Various accessories included: cable clip cable winder and carrying pouch
Optimised for MP3 iPod iPhone CD players and portable gaming systems
Noise isolating ear-canal phones with integrated volume control
Optimised for MP3 iPod iPhone CD players and portable gaming systems
Superior fit in the ear canals offering highest attenuation of ambient noise (extended ear adapter set included)
Various accessories included: cable clip cable winder and carrying pouch
2-year warranty
Technical Details
Frequency response-17-22,000 Hz Impedance-16 Ohm Sound pressure level-114dB (1 kHz/1 Vrms) Connector-3.5mm gold plug-angled Cable length-1.2m symmetrical
If you look at the specification, you will notice a high figure for Sound pressure level, only 16 ohms and a reasonable response range.
The first thing I noticed about these headphones is how light they are. Great comfort and producing a good all round sound. They did sound coarse at first but after 20 hours burn in (left music playing through them for 20 hours) the sound warmed up. Also the headphones come with a very large number of buds and a custom fitting option and pouch too. A good budget option and a great upgrade from the included headphones. Next up.
Denon AH-C751
Available from – various
Price – Reduced from £150 to £90 at some stores.
Product Features
Highly rigid machined aluminium housing
Equal cable lengths are used for left and right channels to maximize sound quality.
Canal-type inner ear headphones reduce ambient noise
Tangle-resistant cable
Gold-plated stereo mini jack.
High-end in-ear canal earphone
Acoustic Optimiser sound pressure adjustment
Noise Isolating design
Tangle free cord
Aluminium body
Technical Details
Cord: 1.3m total (0.5m length plus 0.8m extension) Driver Unit: 11mm Neodymium Magnet Frequency Response: 12Hz-24KHz Impedance: 16 ohms Manufacturer Warranty: 2 Year Max Input Level: 250mW Sensitivity: 104dB/mW Weight: 6.6g
If you examine the specs on these headphones, you will note that the frequency range is wider than the Sennheisers. The bass drops down to a staggering 12 Hz. These are real bad boys ear canals for bass. For some it might be too much, but I found it wonderful to hear the full spectrum range. At first play these really sound rubbish. But after burning in for 2 days, they suddenly changed into the most amazing set of headphones. Really dynamic and great at every type of music. I did find the weight uncomfortable again and the cord being in two sections somewhat annoying. However, later on I found a cure for the comfort using Comply T-400 Foam buds. More later. The build quality is top notch. A massive improvement over anything I have ever heard or used. Very precise with a deep soundstage.
Step 2 – Change the rubber buds to Comply Foam Buds
Available – Various places
Price - £13 approx for 3 pairs.
Product Features
Soft “Memory” Foam shapes to your ear canal for a personalized fit – Thirty times softer than other types of foam tips
Wipeable for better hygiene and longer useful product life
Passive noise reduction filters out unwanted background noise
Soft comfort-Unique breathable memory foam is activated by body heat and becomes ultra soft, reducing irritation and fatigue
Stay-in-ear fit-expands to fill the ear canal completely, dramatically increasing retention and providing a secure in-ear fit for today’s active lifestyles
Enhanced audio performance-comply foam creates an optimal seal, funneling pure sound into the ear canal, enhancing the listening experience
Noise isolation-by sealing the ear canal, music can be enjoyed without raising the volume level to compensate for external noise
Technical Details
Compatible with: Apple Premium in-ear headphones, Altec Lansing Backbeat Series (Classic, Plus, Pro), Audio-Technica ATH Series (ANC3, CK1,, CK7, CK32, CK52, CKM50), Auvio 33-236, 33-237, 33-268, 33-271, 33-286, 33-289, Creative EP-630, EP-830, Denon AH Series (C252, c351, C452, C551, C700, C710, NC600), Grado GR8, Jaybired Endorphin Rush, Tiger Eyes, Kicker EB 71/71M, EB 101/101M, EB 141, Koss KEB24/KEB79, Memorex EB200A/EB300A, Monster Turbine/Turbine Pro, Panasonic RP-HJE300/RP-HC30, Philips SHE Series (8500, 9500, 9501, 9600, 9700, 9800) SHES8000, Plantronics Voyager 855, Radius Atomic Bass, Sennheiser CX95, CX300, CX400, CX500, IE6, IE7, IE8, MM50, Skullcandy Titan, Full Metal Jacket, INK’D, Smokin Buds, Riot, Holua, Asym, Striker, Sony MDR Series (AS40EX, EX32, EX51LP, EX55LP, EX71SLA, EX75, EX81LP, EX85LP, EX90LP, NC11, NC22) TDK EB900, Ultimate Ears Metro.Fi Series (100, 150. 170, 200), Super.Fi Series (4/4vi, 5/5vi), V-Moda Vibe, Vibe II, Vibe-duo, Bass freq, sport series, 2XL Bunny, Nuevo Sonido, Snake Eyes, Wrecking Ball (for complete listing:complyfoam.com)
Changing the rubber buds to foam made a large difference to comfort. Now I suffered no discomfort even for long periods. Bass was tighter too. When using for the first time they do feel a little odd. Also bear in mind you will not hear a damm thing once fitted. Only your music. So be careful if crossing roads !.
I tried these on the Sennheiser CX-400 and my old Sony EX-91. The sound and noise isolation was improved with them all. One other factor is that they do not last as long as rubber. Also with these fitted, I was able to halve the volume on the iPhone as all noise was isolated, thus protecting my ears from damage.
Sony MDR-XB700
Product Features
XXXL 50mm XB driver unit
Ultra thick pressure-relieving king-size urethane earpad cushions
360kJ/m3 high power neodymium magnet delivers powerful clear mid-range sounds
Tightly sealed acoustic design
Durable and lightweight 1.2m flat cord
Technical Details
Dynamic Type Closed Type Capacity (W) 3 Driver unit (mm) 50 Diaphragm PET Frequency (Hz) 3 – 28,000 Sensitivity (dB/mW) 106 Magnet Neodymium (360kJ/m³) Impedance (Ohm) 24
Warning. Look at the specification carefully. Not 32 ohm but 24 ohm so easier to drive, but not as easy as a 16 ohm headphone, but still excellent for a full size headphone. Sensitivity is good too at 106db. But the frequency range is monstrous. Bass drops to a numbing 3hz and the top end reaches up to 28,000. These produce bass at levels I have never heard. They are massive too. Huge pads that are very comfortable. The cord is short at 1.2m so only meant for portable devices, but it is a flat cord that doesn’t tangle. Neat. You also get a large black bag to store away from dust. In use they produce a sound as dramatic and wonderful for every type of music. Jazz, R&B, rock, classical all come alive. The build quality is excellent. Comparing these to the Denon’s, the Sony have much deeper bass but the Denon are tighter and more precise.
Improving the Sound Quality Step 3 – Use a LOD + Headphone Amp
Now you if you have an iPod, iPad or iPhone you can dramatically improve the sound quality with the use of a LOD (line out dock) and a Headphone amp. If you have an iPad you can do something even more spectacular. More on that in step 3. If you look at the bottom of your iDevice you will see the dock connector. This emits a higher quality sound line out than the headphone socket. There are many LODs and Headphone Amps that cost hundreds of pounds. However, bearing in mind the cost of the headphones, I believe there has to be some balance in cost. One company I have found that makes great affordable LODs and Amps is Fiio.
Fiio LOD L1 and Fiio Headphone Amp E5 – Total cost £20 approx
The Fiio E5 headphone amp is the size of the old iPod shuffle. It has a clip system in the rear to attach to your clothing. It includes a slide on/off bass boost button, on/off, volume up and down, headphone output and input and a mini usb charge connector. It come with 2 lengths of headphone connection cables. Plug one end from the headphone socket of your iDevice and the other end into the input connector of the E5. Then plug your headphones in and turn on. With all 3 headphones reviewed there was a remarkable difference, but most noticeable with the Sennheiser CX400ii. It was if I had a different set of cans. However, using the output of the iDevice is not the best solution. With the L1 cable shown above, this connects into the iDevice connector and then into the E5. The volume is now controlled from the E5. Your iDevice volume keys will not function. Once again there is a leap in sound. Run time is 20 hours. Sadly with the iPhone 4 there was electromagnetic feedback occasionally if the 2 gadgets were too close. In Airplane mode this was not a problem. I found that the Sony MDR XB-700 showed the least benefit of this headphone amp. Just think for a total outlay of £20 you can transform the sound that you listen too. And have the world’s smallest headphone amp.
However, there is a much better option.
Fiio LOD L3 and Fiio E7 Headphone Amp – Total cost £66 approx
The Fiio LOD L3 is made from PCOCC-A. This is a High Quality Signal Cable HPC – 22W supplied by OYAIDE. The cable is a newly-produced HPC-22W cable which has the ultrafine PCOCC-A conductors (80μ for a unit) for its high transmission property and usability. Rather than twisting whole wires, twenty of 0.08mm wires are unified in a unit and the three units are grouped as a conductor which is geometrically-stable. Herewith, it insures uniformity of wire structure, infilling of internal space and preventing deformation among the wires. Furthermore, its diameter is 0.3sq (AWG22) which is three times bigger than a regular cable. It provides you sharp attack and hi-speed response of the sound. For the insulator of HPC-22W, 0.18mm thick PFA (Teflon) is employed for its outstanding electric characteristic and lossless transmitting capability. PCOCC copper is a material that includes very few impurities and insures very low levels of signal disturbance. Because of its low incidence of grain boundaries, the signal passes without impediment or distortion. Heating and cooling the PCOCC wire under controlled circumstances yields a densely re-crystallized, highly pure structure called a μ conductor. The resulting product with a mirror finish applied is called PCOCC-A copper. This highly advanced product is made possible by the combined application of high technology and traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
FiiO E7 portable headphone amplifier with USB audio decoder (DAC). This product is designed to replace PC onboard soundcard that do not have enough output power for higher-end headphone. With USB audio decoding, amplification and audio output, the FiiO E7 can serve as both a professional headphone amplifier as well as an external USB soundcard.
Main Features
●USB audio decoding and output for PC, functioning as a high quality external USB soundcard*;
●Texas Instruments’ PCM2706 serves as USB receiver. For better sound quality, a Wolfson WM8740 serves as digital-to-analog convertor (DAC), pairing with a high performance operational amplifier from ADI for the DAC circuit;
●Build-in headphone amplifier utilizing AD8692 and Texas Instruments’ TPA6130A as pre- and power-amp for high performance, good resolution, low distortion, and powerful output;
●Standard 3.5mm stereo line-in jack for portable amplification with conventional audio source;
●Dual 3.5mm headphone output jack. Convenient design makes it easy to share music between two listeners;
●World’s first portable headphone amplifier with dual colors OLED display;
●Easy to use digital volume control function with great precision and channel balance;
●Build-in EQ for 3 levels of Bass Boost;
●Build-in rechargeable 1050 mAH Li-ion battery for 80 hours of continuous operation
●Quality anodized aluminum satin finish case design, small and compact, ideal to be wrapped together with digital audio player;
●User selectable USB charging function to help prolong battery lifespan and lower distortion from power supply circuit;
●User definable startup volume memory and maximum volume limiter to protect user from hearing damage due to loud volume;
●Automatic keylock feature;
●User definable sleep timer function and total runtime display
Specs
●Output Power:
150mW (16Ω); 16mW (300Ω)
●Headphone Impedance Range:
16 Ω ~ 300 Ω
●Signal to Noise Ratio:
≥95dB (A weighted) on line-in;
≥100dB (A weighted) on USB-in
●Distortion:
<0.009% (10mW)on line-in;
<0.008% (10mW) on USB-in
●Frequency Range:
10Hz ~ 1000KHz
●Power Supply:
Internal 1050mAH rechargeable Li-ion battery
●Recharging:
USB 5V DC 400mA
●Size:
96mm x 55mm x 15.5mm
●Weight:
100g
So what does all the specs actually mean. Well this amp can drive headphones that are over 32 ohms, actually 300 ohm headphones. It has 2 headphone sockets so you can have a friend listen at the same time. It has volume control stepped in 60 steps. 3 levels of bass boost. It can also plug into the usb port of your pc, and sound will play out into this amp. And with the L3 LOD cable the quality of sound is simply superb. Vocals, rock, opera anything just sound brilliant. The quality is so good, bass boost if off for all 3 headphones. My music is ripped now at 320 kbps too gain the full benefit of this setup. The other advantage of the E7 over the E5 is an 80 hour runtime, much better quality and use via the USB to PC option, 2 headphone sockets and no electromagnetic interference. I have been listening to everything from opera, jazz, pop , rock, classical, instrumental. I even plugged it into my laptop and the sound was massively better than using the laptops own headphone socket.
The E7 comes with a host of accessories. A velvet pouch. A silicone case. A usb lead to charge it and connect to a pc. A Fiio band to link iphone and E7 together. And a headphone lead.
And remember, a headphone amp connected via a Line Out Dock, disconnects the iPod/iPhone/iPad volume keys. You must use the amps own volume keys.
To give you some idea of size of the E7 and E5, see photo below.
Now some magic – if you have an iPad – Step 4
So far using the LOD and Amps simply bypass the iDevices headphone amp circuits. But with the iPad using the E7 amp it is possible to bypass the iPads headphone amp and DAC electronics (Digital to Analogue). How, the the SD card reader and a usb lead that is supplied with the E7. Connect as shown below and be prepared to be blown away. Soundstaging is on a new level. I am now able to hear stuff in the music now never heard before. Everything is just so much better. My iPad is now my reference audio machine with all my music on it too provides me with hours of listening pleasure.
Summary
On budget, get the Sennheiser CX-400ii with the Fiio L1 and E5 setup. Then upgrade. The Fiio E7 is worth every penny. For comfort use Comply buds.
By Gavin Fabiani-Laymond
Herbert Richter Compact Windscreen Suction Mount review
A windscreen holder for a modern day smartphone can be classed as a necessity rather than a luxury these days and choosing the right one is more important than you may think. There are many types of windscreen holder available that cater for every phone on the market and the universal ones may seem like the best option because they of course suit more than one phone. The problem with this option is that they bring with them a weak point in the setup and when you need the mount to be strong, it just may fail. Universal mounts tend to hold phones by a ratchet mechanism and foam sides to clasp the phone, but this will never match a bespoke setup for strength and if possible I try to get holders that are designed for the phone I am using.
Herbert Richter is a very well known name in this field and one that immediately inspires confidence. At £25.99 it is near the lower end in terms of price, but comes with huge amounts of practicality within. It can work with the phone positioned in landscape or portrait, it can be folded flat for when you need to tuck it in the glove box and has easy to access adjusters to ensure that you can easily set it to the position you need. In short, it appears to be designed with the user in mind which is not always the case.
There isn’t much I can say about a windscreen mount unless I really try to string out the review, but it falls into four basic categories for me-
How easy it is to attach and remove?
This particular mount is very easy to attach; you push up the small lever near the suction cup while it is held onto the windscreen and it will be forced in place by the resultant air pressure. I tried hard to remove it without pulling back the lever and could not do so. There is a wheel by the suction mount that you scroll to set the positioning and another behind the main cradle which is used to do the same for the actual position of the phone. These two mechanisms ensure that you can choose almost any position you like and they worked perfectly for me. The ball behind the phone section also allows you to easily change the position of the phone without scrolling a wheel which offers landscape and portrait positioning, yet it still stays in the place you set it at. Clever stuff.
How portable it is when not attached to the windscreen?
I like the fact that you can fold in the suction section to make the overall size much flatter when you are not using it. This is important because you should never leave a phone holder attached to a windscreen when you are not in the car (thieves and all that) and you will want to keep it in a small space such as a glove box or the side door pocket. The main section also folds in to create a much smaller footprint than most other holders. Top marks here.
How secure the phone is when in situ?
It is pretty solid and and I can foresee no issues going forward. Every part of the construction has been built to allow easy movement alongside secure grip and this is the really clever part. At no point did I feel that the phone would become displaced and so far it has not, despite the crazy number of speed bumps near where I live. Top marks again.
Does it vibrate unnecessarily when driving?
Not one bit. This is a perennial problem for many windscreen holders, but this one does not suffer at all in this area. Balancing a secure fit and eliminating vibration is incredibly difficult, but again Herbert Richter has done it well. Are there any faults with this holder at all?
Conclusion
To be honest I am struggling to find fault here and must say that it is the best windscreen mount I have used to date. It is portable, strong and offers as much flexibility as you could possibly need. I would argue that even the price is about right, but that maybe a sub £20 price point would help it shift more units. Having said that, you get what you pay for and I am more than happy with the value offered by this particular mount. Highly recommended.
Available from holdersandmounts who offer a wide range of holders for most of the most popular smartphones.
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PDair iPhone 4 Luxury Silicone Case and Soft Gel Plastic Case reviews
The iPhone 4 is a device that warrants the use of a case more than any other smartphone. Despite the excellent build quality, the front and back feel fragile and cry out for protection. It is a beautiful looking phone and the last thing you want to do to your £500+ investment is scratch it and ruin the looks that add to the overall experience. The other problem is that protecting it with a case can disguise the looks completely so what to do?
PDair has two solutions which caught my eye and so I decided to give each one a try to see which I preferred. First up is the Soft Gel Plastic Case which I got in the clear variety (grey, red, orange, green and yellow also available). At only $9 it is one of the cheaper iPhone 4 cases on the market, but the material is far from cheap. It feels like a silicone case, but it much harder and thus offers more protection than most. I am not sure how it is made, but it manages to offer a flexible form which clings to the iPhone like no other case. It is made to measure to the nearest millimetre and actually takes a bit of persuasion to get in place. Once attached, however, it is on for as long as you want it to be. The material offers a grippy feel which also feels as though it is attached to the iPhone on every corner.
If you want a case that shows off the fact you own an iPhone 4 and which will offer superior protection this is the one to get. At only $9 it also represents excellent value for money and, in my opinion, is better than the hard plastic crystal cases which can tend to scratch too easily.
Next up is the Luxury Silicone Case which comes in at $18. There are many, many silicone cases on the market at this time and the vast majority have a smooth finish which does not set them apart from the competition. The Luxury model has a completely different patterned finish which is subtle, yet enough to show that it is not merely another silicone case. All of the buttons are easily accessible and the Apple logo is allowed to shine through at the back courtesy of a circular opening. It does cover up the back of the phone, but like the soft gel case it offers a grip that should ensure you don’t drop your phone.
Most silicone cases also attract dust quite easily, but so far I have not seen one spec on my case and this is an advantage in itself. The less dust you get on a case, the less you will get on your phone. At $18 I would consider it value for money due to the quality materials used, but some extras are included. First up is a stand which attaches to the back of the case and lets you stand up your iPhone when it is not in use. Obviously it is difficult to charge the phone in this position, but if you want to leave it on your desk or read an eBook without holding the phone it is a nice extra to have. There is also a lanyard attachment which looks slightly strange at first. I wouldn’t carry a lanyard on a phone personally, but there is a screen cleaner built into it which works brilliantly. This attachment is now carried with me to work each day and helps to reduce dust and dirt which can lead to scratches on the screen, no matter how well built Apple says it is.
I actually prefer this case of the two which surprised me because I tend to like clear cases more. Both are very good value, but for me the Luxury Silicone solution offers good protection with some extra style which is what an iPhone 4 case should do.
My iPhone 4 cost me £570 which is equivalent to $888. The Soft Gel Case is equivalent to paying an extra 1% to add protection and the Luxury Silicone Case equates to an extra 2% on the overall cost. The iPhone 4 requires a case more than most mobile phones and so you may as well get one that is value for money and which adds some style to the experience. Either of these will do that.
Links-
Disclaimer: PDair advertises on PDA-247, but be assured that we only rate products as we find them. Being overly positive would just damage our reputation and lessen trust in what we write in the future.
InvisibleSHIELD Review
If you have a smartphone and want to protect it from scratches, but have no need for a physical case the invisibleSHIELD is without doubt the best (and only?) option available to you. It is not cheap, but when compared to traditional screen protectors it is certainly worth a second look.
I bought one for my iPhone 4 to do this review and also because I expected it to be much easier to apply onto a phone that is flat on every side. I previously tried one on an iPhone 3G and the experience was horrendous, to the point that I swore I would never try one again. However, I decided to be brave and have another go and here is what happened-
In the package you get a rubber smoothie, cleaning cloth, instructions, cleaning spray and a set of plastic protectors which come together to bring back memories of Airfix kits from days long gone. I, for the first time in my life, sat down and composed myself and then started to read the instructions. There are a few steps required to understand the best way to install these protectors and I would advise making the time to read the documentation first.
So, I washed my hands and wetted my fingertips with the cleaning spray. I cleaned the screen and gingerly removed the front protector. It took me quite a while to get it positioned correctly, but after a few minutes of messing about it looked OK. I then followed the same process for the back protector; spray the protector and lay it on the cleaned surface. You are able to move the protector around quite a lot and the spray helps to remove air bubbles which helps so I would advise taking your time and not being concerned that it will ‘stick’ to the phone. As an example I was not happy with the front so pulled it off a day later, sprayed it again and did a much better job the second time. It would appear that this protector can be removed and re-attached multiple times so you need not worry if things go wrong the first time.
Once I had the front and back covers on I them moved to the other sections- all 9 of them! I am being serious here because you get smaller protectors included to cover the sides, but to leave open the charging port, volume buttons etc. These went on much easier and I ended up with an iPhone 4 that was almost completely covered with invisibleSHIELD. It leaves a strangely sticky feel to the entire unit which is off-putting at first, but I soon grew to like the feel of it because it offers a lot more grip. This particular set does not fully cover the phone because the edges are left open, but it does go some way to resolving the antenna problem.
It would be harsh of me to criticise the invisibleSHIELD for not protecting the phone from drops because it is not designed to do so. It is designed to stop scratches and the wear and tear that is associated with using any smartphone every day. It will likely increase the resell value of your phone and in some cases improve the look. When you own an iPhone 4 there comes with it an unnatural urge to let people know you are using an iPhone 4 and this is one way to do it. I would say that it is better suited to phones that work best with no case such as the BlackBerry’s and some Nokias, but ironically these will be much more difficult to apply the protectors to because of their shape. All in all, this is an excellent product which serves a purpose, but it does require patience to make the most out of it.
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Brando iPhone 4 Case and Screen Protector Reviews
Brando iPhone 4 Case and Screen Protector Reviews
Available from this page. Price: Various
I promised myself I would have my HTC HD2 for 2 years. Well I managed 9 months, a record for myself I believe. Anyway, as most of you are aware, I bought an iPhone 4 and Brando Shopping very kindly sent me a small selection of their iPhone 4 cases, ultra clear protector for the front and/or back, and micro sim adapter. Brando Shopping has a number of other accessories for the iPhone 4 as well as other phones.
The Ultra Clear Screen Protector for the Front and Back is brilliant to be honest. All the photos of the phone have the ultra clear protector fitted. Can you tell? It’s perfectly clear. I had initially some Griffin Protectors that were matt but they ruined the retina display and the screen got muffled. Other protectors leave an orange peel effect.
Below is the iPhone 4 Royal Patterned case and Parallelogram Rubber Case with Perforated Bottom.
The above cases are available in several colours and have all the necessary cutouts. I like the fact that these and all of the cases sent to me allow me to connect all my accessories to the sync charge port. The Royal case has a lovely white button which actually makes pressing the home button easier. This case is made of rubber and provides good protection for the phone. The Rubber case to the right has a slightly different shape and design. The bottom is perforated for effect.
Next up is Brando’s Bumper and standard silicone case.
The Bumper is available is several colours. Not much to say other than its made of a firmer plastic/rubber mixture for rigidity. It includes all the required cutouts. The rubber silicone case is neutral is finish. No special effects but very professional.
Next up are my 2 favourites cases. The Perforated Back Cover and Radial Soft Plastic case.
The Radial Soft Plastic is great. It really makes the iPhone 4 look posh. It has all the cutouts and allows the antenna to be visible through the case. The Perforated Back cover is another slick and smart solution. It looks like metal but is made of plastic. Easy to take on and off too.
Summary
Just to remind you, the Ultra Clear screen protector is fitted in all the photos. Truly a great protector and easy to fit. Also Brando Shopping has a much wider range of cases and loads of colours including a “Smarties Back case” and other iPhone 4 accessories. Also, all these cases prevented the Death Grip or Antennagate
So which case wins as the best all round solution; the Brando Soft Plastic Radial case and only just, althouth I keep shifting between the Radial and Perforated Back cover.
Once again thanks to Brando Shopping.
Review by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond
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Gear4 IceBox Edge iPhone 4 Case mini-review
As I said in my review of the iPhone 4, it is begging to be protected from the moment you first pick it up. This means that many users will want to find a case very quickly to ensure that early scratches do not occur. I am not a huge fan of silicone cases because they take away all of the style of any phone, particularly the iPhone 4, and so after a quick look around my local mobile phone shops I picked up the Gear4 IceBox Edge case which looked like a good compromise between size, protection and style.
You get the rubber side protection that will enable you to not touch the antenna and thus be able to make phone calls (slight exaggeration) and this is attached to a clear plastic backing which shows off the fact you have the latest iPhone. The quality of the attachment between the plastic and the rubber is superb and I can see it lasting the distance, but the back does get scratched very easily. After only a few days the back on mine has multiple scratches which are starting to be more than noticeable. The construction is the case is of a high quality, but the backing which should be more durable than any other part is too prone to scratches to make it a long term bet.
The depth of the rubber surround and overall dimensions make the Gear4 case one of the best in terms of how it is formed and it represents good value compared to a lot of the silicone cases that are neither practical nor suited to the iPhone design. However, the backing is a problem and simply too prone to scratches to let me recommend it. And I didn’t buy the pink one…
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Tuff Luv Multiview iPad case review
Tuff Luv Multiview iPad case review
Available here. Price – various depending on finish
A few weeks ago, I got sent the Tuff Luv Multiview ipad case. Unlike most cases it offers a unique locking system which offers variable angles of opening.
As can be seen in the photo, the locking system using fasteners locks neatly into place, and feels secure and solid in use. To stop the iPad sliding out, the case also has a fastener at the bottom which is visible in my screenshot. Remember, the angle is variable!
The case comes in various leather finishes and colours. The red is bright and cheerful, probably more a ladies colour.
What is neat about this case that when closed all the opening mechanisms neatly fold away.
The case also provides access to all the ports, volume, and other buttons. Tuff Luv inform me they have a bi-axis case which offers a locking open portrait position too. Also, there are some new vintage leather finishes which look great. The other side of the case holds the flap that secures the case when locked open.
All in all, this is one of the best iPad cases I have used, versatile and of good quality. Highly recommended.
Review by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond.
DAGi Transparent Capacitive Touch Panel Stylus Review
Capacitive styluses come in many shapes and sizes and most are not good at all. The majority are rubber tipped which causes them to drag on the screen and this makes selection and writing very difficult. The Pogo is better because it has a foam style tip which works very smoothly, if a little imprecisely. It shouldn’t work at all, but it does and the main downside is that is a little fragile after prolonged use- two have broken for me.
Gavin sent me a DAGi Transparent Stylus from Brando which he hated and I had to agree with him when I first picked it up. It looks like a dental instrument and is as far away from a stylus as you can get in terms of design. However, after ten minutes use on my iPad I was scribbling away like a pro and even managed to write small enough to make a page worth of notes worth taking, something never before possible for me on any mobile device.
It is made of clear plastic and does not feel particular well made, but I have had no problems with build quality so far. The flat circular tip has a small red dot in the centre which you use to focus your aim when writing and it feels surprisingly natural. In no time at all it felt perfectly natural to write with the DAGi and despite the strange looks in meetings I now have a series of meeting notes stored safely on my iPad. Perhaps I can now stop buying Moleskine notebooks every few months?
I have testing it on an iPhone and also an HTC HD2 and it works really well on each. Obviously the small screens make long periods of note taking impossible, but no other stylus has come close to this one for me and I will be using it for a long time to come. For those of you, like me, who saw the Microsoft Courier demo and wanted more this is one solutions that brings the potential experience one step closer. Once developers get to work and create notebooks that you can search by writing search strings and allowing the insertion of photos, maps and the like an accessory like the DAGi will be a must have item for many people.
One of the best accessories I have tried in a long, long time.
Available from Brando for $20.
On the subject of scribbling on a tablet or smartphone, this article from Viet Tran sums up the thoughts of many. I have a copy of Notes + on the iPad which I will review shortly, but it does look like the nearest solution yet to recreating pen and paper digitally.
“Leave alone the price, I will discuss in this post why a $.99 ballpoint pen and a paper notepad is still better than a $500.00+ iPad.
The beautiful enormous multi-touch iPad screen shouts out for handwriting applications. That is why there are at least a dozen iPad apps today aiming for handwriting notes (smartNotes, Penultimate, TakeNotes, WritePad, uWrite, Scribble Notes, PaperPad, WriteNow – I just searched the App Store for “handwriting”). I recently added one more into the collection – Notes +. Many of these apps focus more on the cool factor (the hype) than on being practical. And they are not even close comparing to pen and paper.”
iPad Cases and Screen Protection from Brando & Proporta: Review
Available from – http://www.proporta.com/F02/PPF02P05.php?t_id=4949&t_mode=des
And
http://shop.brando.com/ipad-3g-16gb-32gb-64gb-_c1193d046
Price – Various
The second most important task after buying your lovely iPad is getting a case and covering the screen with a good screen protector. Proporta and Brando were kind enough to send me a selection of their cases and screen protectors.
Screen Protectors –
Brando Shopping send me 2 different types – their ultra clear and anti reflective. Both are excellent, but I preferred the ultra clear as it keeps the original colours. And I got both on with no bubbles.
Proporta – they sent me their Advanced Screen Protector which acts as a good anti reflective material and solid protection.
Both Brando Shopping and Proporta’s screen protectors are washable, although I haven’t tried that myself.
Brando Shopping Silicone & Proporta Mizu Shell Cases
The top photo shows a selection of hard rubber cases from both companies. All are superb, but Brando offer a wider selection of finishes – some have different backs, one as shown above has a whole cut in the back to allow the Apple logo to show clearly.
Proporta Maya Case
The Maya case is a well designed artist case. The edge of the iPad marginally shows bottom left and top right, but for a simple solution this is a good choice.
Brando Book Leather Case with Magnets
This is my personal favourite. Lovely quality leather and a slim fit. The magnets stop the case opening by accident, although these may affect the compass.
Brando Artificial Leather case plus stand
Another great option, which includes a stand to prop case up. Flip style a shown below.
Brando also has some decent carrying options. Their carrying case and neoprene case as shown below. The carrying case is tough and has space for additional storage. I will certainly use this for long journeys.
Brando Silicone and Hard Back Options
Brando also have a variety of silicone from thin silicone to tougher soft silicone. They also have florescent silicone. The bright green is so bright my camera got confused. See photo.
The tough edge silicone is slightly thicker and my personal favourite silicone finish.
Finally the hard back cover is for those who want minimal protection jut to stop the iPad backside getting scratched.
So recapping –
Screen Protectors – All excellent, but the Brando Ultra Clear is my personal preference.
Cases and Covers – My preferences are Brando Book Leather, Brando Florescent Silicone, Brando Tough Silicone and Brando Hard Cover. The Proporta Maya is my favourite pouch option.
Review by Gavin Fabiani-Laymond
iTiki Case for iPhone Review: It will eat your phone!
The iTiki Pacific and iTiki Koa iPhone cases are without doubt unique and you, like I, may wonder what all the fuss is about. To kick off your understanding, take a look at the video below-
Yes, it looks like it is eating your iPhone. It has little feet, a butt and small arms just below the home button and it protects you from evil. Sounds crazy right? Well yes it is, but it somehow works. The whole idea behind the cases has been described as follows- “Colored the cool blue of the Pacific Ocean, Pacific is more than just an iPhone case. He’s the silicone incarnation of the same spirit who created the first woman and a whole mess of cool bars. Now the iTiki wants to protect your iPhone, all while shimmering like the cresting waves of an exotic Honolulu beach.”
At first look the iTiki Case doesn’t look quite right and I must admit to struggling with the concept, but it somehow grew on me and I started to appreciate it for what it is. My children love it and so does my wife, and when I took it to work (expecting derision) most people were positive about the design. The colours will suit everyone from surfer dudes to those who simply want something a little different than everyone else. In a world that is starting to overflow with iPhones, adding some personality to the device is a cracking idea and one which could catch on.
The iPhone has sort of lost its cool because it is so prevalent, but adding a simple case can go some way to bringing the cool back and letting the world know that you are different. Everyone wants to be different don’t they? If there is one guarantee I can offer about the iTike case, it is definitely different.
Let’s look at the case from a technical point of view- cases are designed to offer protection and I have no qualms in the area. The silicone (presume it’s silicone?) is thick and robust and will offer more than enough protection for any iPhone. You could probably drop your iPhone from some distance and not damage it at all with this case on it. The outer layer offers good grip and it just feels right in the hand. The striped backing helps grip and strangely so does the butt on the back…
The cut outs are perfectly placed and the camera lens, mute button and headphone jack are easily accessible. Unusually, the home button, volume keys and off/off button are covered, but I had no problems using them at all. It makes sense to cover the home button to stop dust and not enough manufacturers do this in my opinion.
So, technically it is great and when you throw in the charm of owning a case that looks like it is eating your iPhone it is hard not to like it. There are little feet at the bottom alongside two arms and a nose at the top. What’s not to like? After five minutes I did not think I would like the iTiki at all. In fact I thought it was daft initially, but it has proved me wrong.
I am 39 years old, I wear a suit to work, I have a wife and two children. I am the man I never wanted to be when I was 18 years old, but I love my iTiki!
Available from www.tikicase.com for $29.97.
Expert Shield BlackBerry Bold 9700 Screen Protector review
Screen protectors are an accessory that used to be a required item on PDAs and smartphones that were stylus driven, but it would be a mistake to think that there is not a place for them on modern smartphones such as the iPhone or the non-touch BlackBerry’s.
There uses are many-fold and when you consider the price of a modern smartphone, a few extra pounds is not a lot to spend for the added protection. The one I am reviewing today is specifically designed for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 which may seem like a curious device to use a screen protector on. However, the screen is one of the major parts of any smartphone and in some cases the most susceptible to scratches. Even a phone like the 9700 which has a tough screen benefits from a screen protector because I have seen a couple of work with noticeable scratches on already. When you pay £400 for a smartphone, £5.95 extra to protect the vulnerable part is a no brainer.
The Expert Shield model comes with everything you need to start protecting your screen and is one of the easier ones I have applied in recent times. It uses the two sided method; you peel off one side, attach the protector to the screen and then peel off the second side. I had a moment after I applied it where I honestly thought that it was not there, but it was and with no air bubbles in sight. It is advisable to use a straight object such as a credit card to ease the process, but all on all it worked well for me.
Besides adding protection, a screen protector can stop glare which is particularly useful when driving using GPS. The model I tested here, however, is so clear that you really will not notice that it has been applied. For under £6 this is a very cheap way to protect your smartphone and one which ensures that the resale value will be higher when you come to upgrade- it is highly likely that you will add much more than the asking price on any future sale of your phone.
To sum up, the Expert Shield protector is simple, easy to apply and well priced. I have no hesitation in recommending it and even though I dread writing screen protector reviews, I have been more than pleased with the product.
Available from Expert Shield who also make protectors for the iPhone, HTC HD2, Nokia 5530 and many other devices
iPhone 3G/3GS Piel Frama Case with Magnetic Closure review
Finding the right case for your smartphone is as difficult as choosing which phone to buy in the first place, and the perceived wisdom is that you often pay for what you get. There are many, many iPhone cases available and the styles range from simple slip cases to silicone covers to full leather wallet style cases which do more than just protect your phone. This case from Piel Frama protects your iPhone and also enables you to carry a couple of credit cards and some money at the same time. It is designed in the traditional style that almost all PDA cases were a couple of years ago, but that takes away none of the practicality and quality. When you consider how much you probably use your iPhone, it makes sense to invest in adequate protection which extends the style and life of it.
First impressions
As always with Piel Frama you are presented with a first impression of completeness, attention to detail and quality throughout every part of the contents. In the box there is a belt clip, a tool to undo the belt clip holder, three plastic inserts for the belt clip hole should you wish to not carry it on your belt, instruction booklet and a few paper inserts detailing other products available from Piel Frama and the construction process. I have a bit of a soft spot for Piel Frama because I still use one of its mouse mats after about 4 years and it is still in perfect condition despite continued daily use.
The case is the most important aspect here though and everything about it screams good quality. From the smell of the leather to the perfect stitching through the care that has been taken to make the iPhone usable when in situ, it has a consistency about it which is not often matched elsewhere. The embedded writing inside the case rather sums up the initial user experience- “The product you have just acquired has been hand-made by Piel Frama leather craftsmen, each piece is unique.”
In use
Piel Frama includes a neat little solution to the age old problem of carrying credit cards together by way of a small leather insert which has a soft material in the centre flanked by two plastic panels. This enables you to carry credit cards without fear of scratching or damaging them, and in practice it works well. The fact that it suits the overall case look is an advantage.
There are holes for the camera, headphone jack, volume control, sync/charge port and home button and these are all perfectly cut and placed precisely. The elastic inserts for the credit cards ensure that the cards are separated and that they are easy to insert and remove, and the magnetic closure still worked well for me even after I have stuffed the case to the brim.
Around the edges things get a little stiffer and this affords more protection should you drop the phone onto a hard surface. I was so certain that it would work that I dropped my iPhone onto a concrete patio just to test it. It worked and the case suffered little damage as well. The closure stayed in place and this gives confidence for using it in the future.
The front cover flips all the way over which is useful when making calls and despite looking like it will not work for calls, it soon became second nature to keep my iPhone in the case all of the time. I am struggling to find a downside with this case, I really am.
Conclusion
You may baulk at the asking price of 70 Euros, but when you consider how much you use your iPhone and how much pleasure it gives you the cost is not substantial in comparison to the cost of the phone and the protection this accessory will afford it.
Sometimes in life you pay just a little more to have the best and a case like this is a good example of attention to detail and an end user experience which more than justifies the price. I have no hesitation in recommending this case and I may get one for my BlackBerry as well. The reassurance of having excellent protection every day and a little bit of luxury to keep my case in has made the whole experience one I will return to again and again.
Available from Piel Frama for 70 Euros.
All photos taken by Thomas McGill (age 9)
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