Cases and Covers – Page 10

Speck Presidio magnetic mount case and Scosche MagicMount Pro Charge review

Wireless charging is one of the reasons I upgraded to the iPhone X, but I could not sacrifice my magnetic car mount just to charge my phone. Speck must have known of my dilemma because their new Presidio mount case for the iPhone X is made for magnetic mounts like the Scosche MagicMount Pro Charge, which I was also able to try out.

What is it?

The Speck Presidio is a protective case for the iPhone X that allows for use with magnetic mounts and wireless charging. The Scosche MagicMount Pro Charge is a magnetic car mount that allows for wireless charging.

What’s in the box?

Inside of the Scosche box, you’ll find:

The MagicMount Charge mount
Optional low-profile adhesive dash mount
Large single plate with template guide for mounting to device
Two small metal plates with template guide for mounting to case
12v car power adapter
Micro-USB charging cable
Two wire clips
Cleaning wipe
Instruction manual

Design and features

Like most Speck cases, the Presidio is built to be protective by using two layers of protection to cushion the impact of a drop. There is also a nice lip on the front to keep the screen protected. This lip worked well, since I proceeded to pull my phone out of my pocket and practically toss it face down, where it skidded five feet in front of me. My glass screen protector was safe! The case has a few scratches but it fared very well overall. Another time, I dropped it straight on the corner and it bounced slightly and the phone was just fine. For protection, it is great.

Each button is covered but easy to use, while the bottom of the case has a cutout wide enough for all of my charging cables. The vibrate switch was easy to access, and the overall design and quality is what you’d expect from a Speck case.

While the case is smooth, I never felt as though I was going to drop it. The times that I did drop it was due to user error, not due to the case. It did not add much bulk at all to the phone.

The biggest difference between a regular case and this one is the ability to use a magnetic mount and wirelessly charge. I already had a Scosche MagicMount vent mount that I used daily, and it worked fine with the case. Since the case has two smaller metal plates versus one big one, you cannot reliably mount the phone in landscape mode on the square vent mount. It worked fine in landscape and portrait mode with the MagicMount Charge since that one is rectangular and both metal plates in the case can attach firmly to it.

The Scosche MagicMount Charge mounts to either a window or dash and can be positioned to whatever angle you desire. I chose to mount mine to the dash and it was very easy to do. First I cleaned the dash with a wipe of my sleeve and placed the sticky side of the mount down. It stayed firmly in place the entire time, and I changed the positioning three times over the few weeks I have used it.

One thing I noticed was that over time, the joint that holds the head of the MagicMount Charge would come loose enough that it would start to turn downwards. It was easy to re-adjust it, but it was something noticeable.

I chose not to use the wire clips since my vent mount kept the cord perfectly off to the side. The power adapter worked well and is of a good enough quality to allow for quick charging of the iPhone. Over the span of 45 minutes, while using the GPS, I went from 47-73% charge using the mount and Speck case. I also like that the charge mount will not continue to charge after the phone is full, and instead go into standby.

There is a light on the top that signals when the phone is being charged or if the device is on standby, but I could not see it since my phone was always in the way.

What I like:

Case: Easy to just throw on the mount and drive off.
Case: Very good protection.
Case: Can wirelessly charge and use a magnetic mount.
Mount: Stays firmly in place.
Mount: Adjustable to the perfect angle.
Mount: Easy to use once installed.

What needs to be improved:

Case: Some bright color options would be nice!
Case: Cannot attach to some mounts in landscape mode.
Mount: Head joint comes loose every week or so.

Final thoughts:

I absolutely loved the combination of the Speck Presidio case and the Scosche MagicMount Charge dash/window mount. Since using these, my phone has yet to die at the end of the day, since I am charging it each time I drive the car, which is multiple times a day. The protection of the case is great, and the ease of use of the mount is awesome. Overall, I would highly recommend the Speck Presidio case if you want to use a magnetic mount yet also want to wirelessly charge your phone, and the Scosche MagicMount Charge is an excellent companion to the case.

Price: Case – $44.95, Mount – $59.99
Where to buy: Speck Presidio, Scosche MagicMount Pro Charge, and Amazon.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Speck and Scosche.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Cases and Covers, Device mount

Speck Presidio magnetic mount case and Scosche MagicMount Pro Charge review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 15, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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totallee thin Pixel 2 XL case review

When it comes to using a case on my smartphone, I normally only use them for one reason and that’s to add some extra grip to an otherwise slippery phone. I don’t use a case to protect it from scratches because I really don’t care THAT much if my phone shows a bit of wear and tear. That said, I don’t want to drop it on a hard surface and bust the display. So I usually seek out a thin case that doesn’t add bulk but does add grip. My current everyday phone is the Pixel 2 XL and the latest case that I’m testing on it is the totallee thin Pixel 2 XL clear case. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

The totallee thin clear case for the Pixel 2 XL is a soft clear case that’s only 0.02-inches thick and only ads 0.1 oz to the overall weight of the phone. Not bad!

Design and features

The case is made of a glossy clear soft flexible material that feels like silicone but isn’t sticky like some silicone cases and doesn’t attract lint.

It has cutouts for the camera and flash as well as the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone.

There’s a circular cutout on the top for the microphone.

And on the bottom, you’ll find a cutout for the USB-C port.

There aren’t cutouts for the power button and volume button though. The buttons are molded into the case. I’m not a fan of this as I feel like it ruins that tactility of the buttons. I’m not saying that it makes the buttons impossible to press, but it does take slightly more effort. In the end, I wish there were cutouts…

Because the case is soft and flexible, you don’t have to worry about breaking a fingernail or your phone when you try to put the case on or remove it. One word about that: Yay!

Once it’s on, you really don’t really notice it because it doesn’t add much bulk. But it does add a nice level of grip that is missing with a naked Pixel 2 XL.

Note that this case is not going to protect your phone from drops to a hard surface. It’s only going to help protect it from everyday wear and tear and scratches.

What I like

Easy to put on and remove
Adds grip without unnecessary bulk

What needs to be improved

Molded buttons for power and volume make interacting with the phone slightly more difficult
Expensive

Final thoughts

There really isn’t a lot more to say about the totallee thin Pixel 2 XL case. It does what it’s been designed to do which is to add a minimum level of protection and grip without adding bulk. The only complaint that I have is that it’s kind of expensive at $25 although you can get it for a few cents short of $20 on Amazon. Even at that price, it feels too pricey when you can find other thin cases for the Pixel 2 XL for significantly less. I don’t hate the totallee, but I’m sticking with my current favorite (check my favorite gear page to see what that is)… unfortunately, it’s even more expensive than the totallee, but I like the look and feel better so…

Price: $25
Where to buy: totallee and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by totallee.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Cases and Covers, Pixel

totallee thin Pixel 2 XL case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 14, 2018 at 1:00 pm.

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Make your MacBook stand out in a crowd

Toast is usually known for their beautiful wood cases and covers for laptops, phones, and tablets, but they are offering something different this time. They have produced beautiful leather covers for 13″ MacBook Air, 13″ MacBook Pro (with or without the touch bar), and the 15″ MacBook Pro (with or without the touch bar).

They start with a beautiful piece of genuine leather, laser-cut it to precisely fit your laptop, then hand-finish the leather to enhance the texture and the color. They even laser-cut a pattern of tiny perforations on the back side of the cover to prevent trapping air bubbles underneath during application. You can request they cut out the Apple logo on the top cover, or you can have the cover customized with your artwork or text. The covers apply with a long-lasting adhesive that removes easily without leaving behind a residue.

Choose from 10 saturated colors, including two metallic colors. Each top cover is $99.00; add a bottom cover for $60.00 and a trackpad surround for $30.00. Customize and order your MacBook cover from Toast.

The post Make your MacBook stand out in a crowd appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Cases and Covers, Macbook accessory

Make your MacBook stand out in a crowd originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 27, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Sena Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather iPad Pro 12.9 case review

The iPad Pro 12.9″ is a great device. It has a beautiful screen, works beautifully with the Pencil, and could serve as a laptop replacement for many. But it’s bigger and heavier than other iPads, as you would expect, which means you’re likely to want a stand for it sometimes. Sena, known for their leather accessories, of course offers a beautiful leather case / stand for the iPad Pro. They actually offer the Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather case for the new iPad, the iPad Pro 10.5″, and both the original and the 2017 versions of the iPad Pro 12.9″. I was lucky enough to be selected to give it a try. I requested and received the Vettra for the new version of the iPad Pro 12.9″ in black.

Hardware specs

Dimensions: 12.25″ x 9″ x 0.75″
Weight: 1 lb, 5.2 ounces
Leather book-style design
Microfiber lining

Design and features

For some reason, the 12.9″ iPad Pros seem to be marketed as a business device, and most accessories for it seem to always be in somber colors. Sena follows this trend by offering the Vettra for the new 12.9″ Pro only in black or tan. I don’t use my Pro for business, but even if I did, I’d prefer a nice blue or a red case for it, because I love color. The black case is very suited for business, and of course, it’s great for every day use, as well.

The inside of the front cover is lined with a microfiber material to protect the screen. The other side has a slightly flexible, snap-in case for the iPad. The snap-in case is also lined with microfiber to protect the back of the iPad, and the outside edges are covered with the same leather used on the rest of the case.

The grooves on the inside of the front cover are “stops” where the iPad rests when the case is folded into a stand.

The front of the Vettra is plain, with no product branding. The leather spine of the case is very soft and flexible, so you can fold the front cover completely to the back. The vertical line on the front of the case is a fold line for the stand function.

The front cover has magnets that operate the iPad’s sleep/wake function. They didn’t hold the front cover closed on my iPad Pro, though, perhaps because the front cover with its leather and stiffening was just too heavy for the magnets to hold closed.

The back of the case is branded with the Sena name at the bottom right. You can also see an elastic loop that holds your Apple Pencil. The vertical line on the back of the Vettra is another fold line for the stand function.

The bottom has a cutout for the Lightning connector. I had no trouble plugging in the Apple Lightning cable and charging the iPad while it was in the Vettra case.

What you can’t see in this photo, or even very well in person, are the sets of small holes on each side of the Lightning connector that open up the case over the bottom speakers.

The top of the case also has the small speaker holes, again not visible in this photo. The sound from my iPad wasn’t muffled by the Vettra case.

You’ll also see cutouts for the headphone jack and a hole at the mid-point for the top microphone. At the far right is a metal button that covers the iPad’s power/standby button. You need to be sure to press in the center of this button to easily operate the iPad’s power button.

As you can tell from the name of the case, the iPad can rotate from landscape to portrait orientation in this case. A couple of details you can see in this close up of the portrait orientation is that the back camera and its flash are left uncovered; the case doesn’t interfere with the camera’s operation. You’ll need to turn the case into the portrait orientation to be able to use the back camera at all, though. And this case is big and a bit cumbersome to hold while you take photos with the back camera unless you stand it on a stable surface.

The center of the back has another microphone opening. And you’ll see two metal button covers on the left side of the image that covers the volume buttons. Adjusting the volume was easily accomplished with these buttons.

The last thing you need to notice in this image is how the case is cut away on the side opposite the volume buttons. This leaves the iPad Pro’s Smart Connector exposed, making the Vettra usable with the Smart Keyboard, if you use one.

Here’s the iPad Pro standing in the landscape orientation. The stand was very stable, and it worked well for watching videos on the iPad. You can use the grooves on the front cover to adjust the viewing angle.

Here’s the iPad Pro in the portrait orientation. I personally never use my iPad in this orientation, but it seemed that I couldn’t quite get the iPad as nearly vertical as I’d like. It seems that you would always see a slanted view of the screen in portrait orientation.

I don’t know what type of material was used as the stiffening inside the front and back of the case, but you can see it started to bow after I’d been using the case for a few weeks. That’s the back of the case you see here. The front of the case also bowed a bit, but it’s not visible when the case is laying on its front, as it is here.

Performance

The Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather case for the new iPad Pro 12.9 is sturdy and very protective. I didn’t worry about the screen at all when I put the iPad in this case inside my bigger gear bag. I liked the stand function very much, especially the landscape orientation that I primarily use.

The Vettra for the big iPad Pro is heavy, at 1.33 pounds, but that’s because of the quality and the sturdiness of the materials used for it. However, it does make the iPad Pro 12.9 even heavier, bringing it to about 2.9 pounds.

What I like

Sturdy and protective
Well made
Works well as a stand for watching videos or reading
Magnets in front cover operate the iPad’s sleep/wake function

What needs to be improved

It’s a bit cumbersome to hold in your hands while using the back camera
It makes the already heavy iPad Pro 12.9 even heavier

Final thoughts

The Sena Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather case for iPad Pro 12.9″ (2017 model) is a sturdy, protective case that also serves as a stable landscape or portrait stand for this big, heavy tablet. Because of its style and quality, you’ll find it will fit into the business environment beautifully, and it works just as well for more casual environments.

Price: $89.95
Where to buy: Sena Cases and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Sena Cases

The post Sena Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather iPad Pro 12.9 case review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Cases and Covers, iPad Pro

Sena Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather iPad Pro 12.9 case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 23, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Snow Lizard XTREME 8+ iPhone case review

As Apple releases new products, case manufactures rush to add protection and fashion. Some add charging. I was recently sent a case that not only allows plugging into a charger but also has solar cells to charge your phone! It’s called the SLXtreme 8+ (because it’s from a company called Snow Lizard and is for the iPhone 8 Plus). I was sent a unit in Black to try with my new 8 Plus. It also comes in a Mossy Oak camo pattern.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The Xtreme 8+ is a case, screen protector, and charger all in one. The case requires a totally naked phone but fits like a glove. You clamp the bottom on, which contains a Lightning connector and a link to the solar PV cells on the back of the case. There are clear covers for the full screen and a thinner cover over the home button which also allows the phone to read TouchID. There is also a large sealed clear aperture on the back which protects the rear camera and flash unit.

Hardware specs

Solar powered: Features a built-in trickle charger to keep your battery replenished. The solar indicator helps you position the case for best solar power Collection.
Integrated battery: built-in 5000 mAh battery boosts your phone’s power up to 185%, adding 16 hours of Talk time or 12 hours of app activity.
Waterproof: fully submergible to 6.6ft (2Ml for L hour). IP-68 Ingress protection rating. Water, mud, dust, snow, ice and sweat proof.
Rugged: handles drops up to 6.6ft (2Ml military Spec 810G certified). Newly rubberized grips provide protection against drops, bumps, spills or hammer misses. Screen protector prevents scratches.
Packaging reusable as an IP67 watertight, crushproof and dustproof dry box.
Compatibility: this SLXtreme case can be used to protect your iPhone 7Plus or iPhone 8Plus.

What’s in the box?

The packaging itself in a reusable, IP67 waterproof box. Inside it are the XTREME SL 8+, a USB A to microUSB cable, a 17” (doubled) lanyard loop with a detachable leash, an extra “O”-ring for the seal, and an instructional card.

Design and features

The Snow Lizard Xtreme is a 7.5” x 3.75” x 0.875” sealed case of hard PVC plastic. There are ridges down both long edges for gripping. On the face is a full-view clear touch-through screen cover that allows full view and control of the iPhone screen. There is a thinner membrane over the home button that allows TouchID to function (at least when it’s not underwater, according to the literature.) The bottom has a stopper-sealed USB port and a membrane-covered speaker/mic opening. There are passthrough controllers for every function except the ringer mute. The phone fits in snugly since the screen needs to touch the front for the touch-through to work. No skin or screen protector can be on it when in this case.

On the back, there is a solar panel about the same size as the iPhone 8 Plus’ screen fit flush. At the bottom, there is a rubberized on-off switch for the charger, and 4 blue LED battery capacity indicators. The microUSB connector (which has a waterproof plug) will first charge the phone through the case, then charge the battery.

When it came, I put the iPhone 8 Plus in straight-away, and was really blown away that the TouchID worked without any hesitation. It actually didn’t register with me at first, because I just turned on the phone in the usual way. (And isn’t that just the best way for tech to be implemented? It just does what you expect, NBD.)

Sound through the speakerphone or playing from Spotify is not quite as loud as the naked device or what it would be in the leather Apple case I usually use, but it was plenty loud. I noticed no delays or problems using Bluetooth devices through it.

There is a loop in the plastic on the lower right side for the lanyard to connect with. Be aware that this is a 16.25-ounce package, and that thin ribbon may be tough on your neck, but it’s pretty durable. There is a split-ring loop at the end that you could use for your company ID. It would allow you to unclip your phone and leave your lanyard/ID in place, should you need to set the phone down or connect it to a charging source.

What I Like

Smooth, precise fittings
Solar charger and battery work together with USB for full charging options
Mic, Speaker, and TouchID pass-throughs work very well.

What needs to be improved

Can’t think of a thing.

Final thoughts

There are few folks, in my opinion, who really need a full protective case like this, but there are loads of folks who use one anyway. My younger daughter is one – she’s rarely on a bike, kayaking, or doing anything more dangerous for her phone than walking to work in the rain. Yet she has a full-tilt Defender case, “just in case.” This one, however, with the solar and battery option, may be better than her current case.

If you need a “weekend” case for your hiking, biking, kayaking or just picnicking by the river, this would be one to strongly consider. If you’re in construction and away from power outlets, the solar charging is going to keep you charged up all day without having to worry that your phone is sitting on the hood of your truck while you’re 30 feet down a hill taking survey measurements when that sudden shower soaks everything.

Price: $129.99 on company store, slightly less on Amazon
Where to buy: Company website or their Amazon store
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Snow Lizard.

The post Snow Lizard XTREME 8+ iPhone case review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Cases and Covers, iPhone Case

Snow Lizard XTREME 8+ iPhone case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 16, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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