Case-Mate Tough Case for Samsung Galaxy SIII Review

The Case-Mate Tough Case with its signature two piece hybrid design has been a staple amongst gadget-lovers everywhere for a while now, so it's only natural that Case-Mate bring the case to the Samsung Galaxy S3. So, the question is, is it actually good?

In the box you will receive just the case. No accessories. Considering the price of this, what many would call 'premium', case it would have been nice for the to drop in a screen protector or two.

The case it self is composed of a two pieces: a soft silicone interior layer and a hard rubberised polycarbonate layer that surrounds it. The silicone layer is soft and flexible, making it perfect to absorb shock should you drop your device. The silicone layer also handily covers up the power and volume buttons, adding another element of protection. The hardened polycarbonate layer is rigid and covered in a very 'grippy' texture. As this is the outer layer of the case, it is safe to say that with the case applied, it shouldn't be sliding around your hand much. Both parts of the case have cutouts for the earphone jack, micro-USB connector, microphone, camera and speaker. 

On it's own the case is great, but when it comes to putting it on to your phone it's a different story. The silicone layer is easy enough to slip on, but getting that hard plastic layer to surround it whilst still making sure that all connectors and ports are aligned properly is extremely difficult. Not only does it require an unholy amount of strength to physically pull the hard plastic over the silicone covers of the volume rocker and power button, but aligning them to make sure you have full access to said buttons is just downright tedious. Furthermore, whilst applying I found that my power button was continually being unintentionally pressed, causing a boot loop to occur every time I tried to put this case on. 

Once on, however, the case is brilliant. It hugs the phone nicely, but at the same time feels good to hold in the hand thanks to its curvature and grippy texture on the outside. Furthermore, once aligned, all ports are brilliantly protected and easy to access. The case's 'lip' extends protrudes fairly far out from the display meaning should you put the device face down at any point, there is a decent amount of space between your device's massive display and the surface you are resting it on. This in turn means a decrease in the likelihood of scratching, a big plus considering how beautiful the display on the S3 is. I also do like how the case creates a black frame around the perimeter of the device. It nicely encapsulates the phone and provides a nice bezel when watching videos on the device. The case adds bulk to the device, but not to the extent of making it feel unwieldy. In my opinion, it adds just the right amount to make it nice to hold. The case is also not too heavy, but still adds more of a premium feel to the case it self and the phone. 

Overall, a very solid case for any Galaxy S3 owner despite gripes about application and the lack of accessories. If you're not going to be taking this case off too often, then you can disregard the former caveat. 

You can check out a plethora of iPhone 5 accessories, as well as purchase this case over here. 

Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 5 Review

The Otterbox Commuter has been a staple amongst iDevice owners for years now, providing arguably the best hybrid protection (that's a hard plastic and silicone layer) for your shiny iDevices. So how does the latest iteration of this immensely popular case stack up against the older generations, and competing cases?

Inside the box you will receive the case it self along with a screen protector, microfibre and squeegee. The screen protector is of very high quality, as one has come to expect with Otterbox products, and can be applied without much hassle. It provides coverage for the screen in its entirety as well as most of the coloured section above and below the display of the device.

Upon first glance of the new Commuter, you will notice that its design hasn't changed all that much from previous generations. The case is still comprised of a hard polycarbonate plastic on the outside, as well as a silicone layer on the inside. I did notice that Otterbox have beefed up the rigidity of both the plastic and the silicone layer, meaning they're not as flexible as before, but they do remain as one case even better.

One of my biggest complaints with previous Commuters was always that they were a bother to apply. However, thanks to the new, stiffer quality of rubber and plastic used on the case, application is actually much easier. The silicone layer slips on easily, and the hard plastic layer wraps around that, leaving access to all ports and connectors in tact (all of which are protected by silicone flaps that prevent dust clogging up in them). There is also a large circular cutout for the Apple logo at the back of the device, as well as one for the camera and LED flash. Due to the size and shape of said cutout, camera images with flash come out as they should, and are not affected by the black shroud that sometimes appear on images when other cases are used on the devices.

Once applied, the most noticeable feature is the enlarged lip of the case. It protrudes outwards far more than before and may be a tad annoying to some, although it does serve a good purpose. The larger lips means that when the device is face down, there is even more distance between the surface of the display (protected by the screen protector) and the surface the phone is on. This means better protection against scratches.

Aesthetically the black version of the case naturally looks sleek, sophisticated and discrete. However, if you do fancy something slightly more flamboyant, you can also pickup the case in Night Sky as well as a plethora of other iPhone 5 covers.

The case adds a bit of bulk to the device, but still manages to feel comfortable in the hands. The materials are heavy, but not too heavy, thereby retaining the premium feel of the iPhone 5, as well as giving you solid protection. The silicone layer will absorb shock impact whilst the plastic layer will provide protection against superficial damage like scratches. Thanks to the fact that the plastic layer is on the outside rather than inside, sliding this case in an out of your jeans pocket is extremely easy. Unlike other cases, the button protectors still allow easy to access to all the buttons on the iPhone 5 without having to push down overly hard. 

All in all the Otterbox Commuter is a solid update the series of cases and perfect for anything looking for good all round protection for day-to-day usage, all encompassed in a nice design.

The Otterbox Commuter retails for an RRP of £29.95 GBP at MobileFun in multiple colours. You can also check out their extensive range of other iPhone 5 covers too.

SD TabletWear Advanced Case Review for iPad 2

SD TabletWear are a tablet-accessory manufacturer, and while you probably haven't heard of them before, you may be surprised at how great their cases are, just like how surprises I am! They have a range of cases for the iPad 2 in particular, including their luxury 'LuxFolio' case, their 'Stand and Type' case, as well as, of course, the 'Advanced' case, and you can check those out over here.

In the box, you will find just the Advanced case it self, with no accessories, which is justifiable considering it's fairly low price point.

The Advanced Case, by TabletWear, for the iPad 2, is a one piece, portfolio style case for the iPad 2. The case as a whole is extremely light, therefore it won't add much weight overall to your iPad, and despite this however, it still feels very high quality, and most importantly, very sturdy.

The exterior of the case is made out of faux leather, that has an ultra-realistic distressed look to it, which I personally really like, as it makes the case appear to be very premium, executive, and most of all, expensive. The leather it self is extremely nice to the touch, and thanks to the distressed texture, it's very easy to grip… meaning you won't be dropping your precious iPad anytime soon. It's extremely durable, and even after some fairly rough usage from myself, it has managed to remain scratch-free, a massive advantage faux leather has over real leather. Finally, the leather it self features some very natural looking creases in it, which is a typical feature of real leather, showing SD TabletWear have really done their research in making their faux leather look real as possible.

The interior lining of the case is an amazingly soft, micro-suede that will be sure to not cause any damage to your iPad's wonderful screen, bezel, or aluminium back, thanks to its amazingly soft finish. The left hand, inside side of the case also has six card slots that can accommodate things like credit cards, travel cards, ID cards etc. A very useful addition to the case, however, I personally would never see myself using it. I do know however, that some people really like this feature.

Installing the case is straightforward, and simply requires the user to lift up a velcro based flap thats connected to the leather bezel protector of the case. The user then has to slide their iPad in (and this is extremely smooth thanks to the soft finish of the micro-suede interior), making sure it is fully inserted. Finally, the user closes the velcro flap, making sure it is firmly stuck to the other bit of velcro, just below the iPad. The case provides a secure fit, that after some rough testing, managed to keep the iPad inside the case at all times. I was genuinely amazed at how strong this velcro flap truly proved to be. Furthermore the case it self adds fairly minimal bulk to the iPad, retaining its slim figure. The case, in my opinion, provides a sense of sturdiness that other cases out there simply do not provide, all in a sleek, slender package. The case stays closed thanks to to a magnetic clasp button that proved to be, again, surprisingly strong, during testing.

The look of the case overall is fabulous. Not only does it look sophisticated, elegant, and classy, but thanks to it's slim profile and use of leather, it looks ultra-conspicuous and understated, meaning it blends in nicely in a variety of setups. Again, the case also has a very premium, executive look to it, with most people who I showed the case to, thinking the case was around £30 - £40 GBP.

The case provides full accessibility to all ports, buttons, connectors, cameras and sensors on the iPad, however due to the larger styling of portfolio cases, don't expect to be able to dock the iPad into an iPad 2 dock, whilst the case is installed. Speaking of iPad 2 docks - a great selection of them, all at great prices, are available over at MobileFun. All of the buttons are easy to access, and thanks to the cut-outs all being relatively large, no matter how you've applied the case, they'll still, always be accessible. The only slight gripe I have is with the cut-out for the large speaker grill towards the bottom left of the case, which is comprised of three, minuscule holes, which blocked a small amount of the sound from coming out of the iPad's large speaker. This didn't prove to be a major flaw by any standard, but do keep this in mind if you use the iPad speaker extensively.

The first major feature, that in my opinion, truly makes this case stand out (being a portfolio style case) , is the integration of the sleep/wake technology that Apple integrated into their Smart Cover case. For those that are un-aware, this feature essentially means, that when the case is closed, the iPad automatically goes to sleep. When you open the case up again, the iPad wakes up. In my opinion this feature it self is awesome, and extremely useful, and the fact that a third party vendor could so quickly implement this feature into their case gets a big thumbs up from me. In actual usage, I found the feature to work flawlessly, with the iPad going into and out of sleep mode, blazingly fast, without any hassle.

The next major feature is something that has been featured on a number of iPad 2 cases on the market, however, in my opinion, is done best, on this case. It's the ability to adjust the iPad for viewing in multiple viewing angles. Whilst most other iPad 2 cases on the market out their offer a mere four to six different possible viewing angles, the SD TabletWear Advanced Case for the iPad 2 offers over TWENTY different viewing angles, offering a level of customization that is so far, not shown by other cases. This is simply done by lifting up a rather large flap the back of the case, and placing it in one of twenty plastic ridges on the front of the case. This feature is almost perfectly implemented, and is generally very nice to have, especially because of the wide variety of angles available that are perfecting for watching movies, typing, navigating the device etc.

Overall, as you can tell from what you've read so far, I really do like the case therefore I'm going to be giving it a 9.5/10. It's combination of well made materials, solid amount of protection, handy features (like the multiple viewing angles and sleep/wake function), and general fit and finish, make it one of the most formidable iPad 2 cases on the market. Furthermore it's amazing price-point of £19.95 GBP is truly providing you, as a consumer, value for money. The case it self also comes in a variety of colours, namely: Purple, White, Pink, Red and Black.

The case is available over at MobileFun, over here, for the afore mentioned price of £19.95 GBP. MobileFun also have a great range of iPad 2 docks at competitive prices.

A video review of this case will also be up shortly on my YouTube Channel.

Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 4 Case Review

Otterbox, in the past years at least, have been known to make cases that provide one thing, better than many other case vendors out there… protection. Thanks to the success of their Defender line, that provided some of the most rugged protection on the market, Otterbox have decided to make a case that offers slightly less rugged protection, in a better looking, sleeker form factor… and it's called, the Commuter.

In the box, you will find: the case it self, a screen protector, a squeegee to apply the screen protector, and a small, but high quality micro-fibre cleaning cloth.

The Commuter is a two piece case that is comprised of one layer of silicone, and one layer of polycarbonate hard plastic; the former of which is intended to be applied first. The silicone layer is quite thin, hence allowing a degree of malleability and flexibility, without feeling cheap by any standard. However, do to its black colouring, it shows, and attracts an amplitude of dust and lint that is extremely apparent at times. Furthermore, if you're a cleaning nut like myself, you'll probably find yourself cleaning it a lot. At the same time however, the inclusion of silicone means increased absorption of shock when the device falls. The polycarbonate hard plastic is likewise very thin, and flexible and features a rugged, slightly rough matte finish on it's exterior that I personally found adds to the ruggedness of the case. It also features a large, embossed, glossy, yet understated Otterbox logo on the bottom quarter.

Application is one of the case's weak points, being, in my opinion, fiddly, and at times, very frustrating. First, you are to slip on the silicone layer. Easy portion of the application, done. You are then to slide the hard plastic layer of the silicone layer, ensuring all port connectors are lined up. On many occasions, I found the silicone to not properly slot into place, which in it self isn't a huge problem, but as mentioned before, is just a bit annoying.

Once applied however, the case has a very nice fit that shows off Otterbox's true attention to detail. The amazing combination of silicone rubber and the roughly finished hard plastic make it feel great in the hand, and at no point did the case ever feel like it was going to fall out of my hand, something that is extremely important to people who love their shiny little iDevices as much as I do.

The look of the case is also very attractive, sporting smooth curves, and a deadly black colouring, that looks killer with the phone's incredible design. It's, sleek, understated, and most of all, one of the most sophisticated, and executive looking cases on the market. In my opinion, the design is elegant, classy, and a perfect companion for your device.  

All buttons, ports, connectors, and sensors are fully accessible with the Commuter. The sleep/wake button on the top of the device is nicely accessible by the silicone layer of the case that protrudes outwards enough to make it easy to access, but at the same time, well protected. It's feels tactile to the press, and not mushy, or hard to toggle, like with many of the Commuter's competitors. An integrated silicone flap, once open, reveals the 3.5mm headphones jack as well as a fairly large cut-out, suitable for most earphone connectors. However, an even smaller cutout on the silicone flap it self allows the in built microphone to always remain open - another demonstration of Otterbox's intrinsically detailed design process with this case.

A fairly large and open cut-out for the mute switch is also present, and thanks to the thin nature of the silicone layer, the cut-out is fairly shallow, making it is to toggle. As with the sleep/wake button, the volume rockers are also nicely protected. The bottom features detailed, and individual cut-outs for the speaker and primary microphone, with a large silicone flap (similar to the one used on the headphones jack)covering the 30 pin Apple dock connector. Once this flap is opened, a large amount of space is revealed, allowing for most of those bulky, third party connectors to fit nicely.

It's very nice to have all of these buttons and connectors covered, as it reduces the risk of water damage, internal dust collection, and just general grime.

The back of the case features a large, circular cut out that reveals the Apple logo. Note though, this cut-out is not protected and is simply open to the air… a caveat which some may find annoying. Having seen a similar implementation of a cut-out for the back facing Apple logo on their Defender case (that includes a layer of plastic protection), I was slightly disappointed. The case also features two individual cut-outs for both the camera, and the LED flash on the back of the device. These cut-outs are both very closely cut near the edges of the camera and LED flash, which provides a good amount of protection, but at the same time makes photos that use the LED flash very distorted around the edges (this is apparent in nearly all of my test photos taken with the LED flash, whilst the case was applied. Once again, I am disappointed at this, especially considering that pretty much all other case vendors out there have made their cut-outs extra large in order to rectify this recurring issue.

Finally, the case features a 'lip' that runs around the front facing perimeter of the device that protrudes out slightly, hence meaning that when the device is faced down, the screen is never directly in contact with the surface it is resting on.

The case retails for a price of £24.95 GBP (and around $34.95 USD in the US), over here, on MobileFun's website. This price is great in my opinion, and worth paying, for this awesome case. For those that don't know, MobileFun is an awesome place for all types of accessories for almost all phones out there - check 'em out over here.

Overall, the Otterbox Commuter delivers, what some would call, the best of both worlds. You're getting, in my opinion, a great looking and feeling case that doesn't add substantial amounts of bulk to your device (like it's brother the Defender does), but at the same time you're getting a really solid amount of protection that far exceeds that of many other cases on the market. These two factors combined, the inclusion of some accessories, along with the small caveats like LED flash issues and some fitting issues merits the case, from me at least, a score of 9.5/10. Only a handful of other cases do what the Commuter does, and does it that well, hence I think this case truly deserves that score. However, if you really drop your phone a lot (and I mean you're seriously clumsy), then check out Otterbox's other case designed specifically for maximum protection against drops and falls, called the Otterbox Impact Case.

A full video review of the case is also available at my YouTube channel.

iPad 2 Review

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of months, you probably know that the infamous Cupertino-based company named after a fruit have released the iPad 2. 

The second iteration to the iPad 2 contains a 1GHz CPU named the 'Apple A5' that boasts significantly better load times and performance on pretty much all applications. The Graphics, too have been upgraded to be about 9x faster and generally better than the last one. Finally the RAM has been beefed up to 256MB compared to the previous 256MB. Games and apps feel noticeably faster than the previous iPad, web browsing especially, which is also thanks to the update to Safari and the inclusion of the new 'Nitro' javascript engine. 

The design is 33% thinner and about 0.2 pounds lighter making it feel way better in the hand, than the previous iPad, and in general. 

The iPad 2 also has a new front facing VGA camera and an HD 720p back facing camera. Both, in my opinion feature subpar video quality, but do the job. 

Overall the iPad 2 is an outstanding device and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't have an iPad, and to those that had the first one. 

YouTube Channel