Clear Coat for iPad mini

Hello guys, up for review today is a Clear Coat wrap for the iPad mini.  Clear Coat has hit the market with urethane films for a wide variety of devices.  These films are marketed as crystal clear and scratch proof for those users who prefer to use their device "naked" or case-less.  Who would want to strap a bulky case on the already slim iPad mini? 

I've been using the full wrap on my iPad mini for a few weeks now and I can vouch for the scratch proof claim of the Clear Coat.  My major gripe comes down to the screen shield.  The smooth silky touch of the bare glass screen is totally lost with the Clear Coat installed.  It feels tacky (not sticky like zagg) yet hard to explain; it's sort of like dragging your finger on dry skin.  This screen shield is not something I would buy again.  In contrast to this, the film that covers the back feels surprisingly smoother and I didn't seem to experience the same issue. 

Moving on to the accuracy of the film cuts, I found that the back film is cut perfectly around

the cutouts and buttons around the perimeter of the iPad mini.  The screen shield is a bit odd as they've chosen to cut it pretty "short" of the perimeter of the screen perhaps to keep the edges from peeling and to provide room for cases that wrap around the screen.  Another thing that i'm not a fan of is the way that the screen has a pocket cut out from the home button that extends to the bottom of the device rather than using a circular cutout. 

Installation was tricky but not difficult if you take your time and have patience.  Installing the screen shield was not bad using the provided installation liquid and squeegee.  Installing the back film was pretty challenging.  Locating the film was a breeze as long as you use enough installation liquid.  Getting the edges to stick was a daunting task which involved a lot of hair dryer and elbow grease (i.e. holding each flap down for a long time).  I would say it took me over 30 minutes to install the back film alone.  Installing the front film took ~10 minutes. 

Lastly, I'd like to speak about the clarity of the Clear Coat.  The screen shield is not optically crystal clear like they are claiming.  It has a grainy look when the screen is on and has an orange peel look to it when the screen is off.  The same orange peel look applies to the back film but isn't as noticeable when installed. 

You can pick up a full body Clear Coat for $34.99 and a screen only option for $24.99.  Overall, I would rate this product as "It's Ok".

Spigen Linear EX Slim for iPhone 5

Today i'll be reviewing the Linear EX slim series case from none other than Spigen SGP.  The folks over at Spigen have recently released a bunch of products in their "slim" line.  I am a big fan of the linear EX case...will this one make the cut?  Read on for the full review below.

I had the linear EX case for my iPhone 4S and liked it a lot; a lot more than the OEM apple bumper.  The iPhone 4S version did have a little bit of bulk to it, not more than any other bumper, but it was surely noticeable.  When I saw that they were releasing a "slim" version of this case, I was really anxious to get my hands on one for review.  You definitely have to get one of these if you like a nice slim case that doesn't make your thin iPhone 5 a thick gaudy gadget.  

The linear series of cases from Spigen are a 2 piece design with 2 "L" shaped pieces that lock together to complete the frame.  Another thing I really like about them is that the volume buttons and sleep/awake button are totally covered but still provide perfect "click" when the buttons are depressed.  The cutout for the silent switch is a little on the smaller side but they don't have much room to enlarge this due to the thin form factor of the case.  Along the bottom side there are slits to ensure perfect speaker and microphone usage as well as a pretty small lightning port cutout and a moderately narrow headphone jack cutout.  

There is a small amount of lay on the table "lip" to the case but when using it with a Spigen GLAS.tR, like I am, the lip is non existent (it almost seems like the screen shield extends beyond the case lip).  I would have liked to see a little bit more especially since Spigen is the one that owns the design to the GLAS.tR and touts all of their cases to "work" with it.  

Along with the case itself, you will get a high quality Spigen crystal screen shield, clear back protector and a set of jelly home button stickers for the low price of $21.99.  I think this is one of the best deals that they're offering right now considering the Neo Hybrid EX case is selling for $31.99 and is essentially the "same" type of case.  

Spigen Slim Armor Case for the iPhone 5

Today i'm going to be telling you guys about a new offering from the folks over at Spigen SGP.  The case that I have for review is their Slim Armor case; read on to see what it's all about.

The Slim Armor case is a 2 piece style case with an inner TPU soft layer that wraps around the entire phone.  On top of this, there is a polycarbonate piece that fits onto the back within a set of grooves to complete a 2-tone back like the iPhone 5 has.  The fitment of the 2 layers is spot-on and it's almost like this is a product apple would ship with their phone.  The attention to detail is outstanding i.e. the edges around the case even have a chamfered edge to mimic the iPhone 5 design.  

Along the top of the case, the TPU covers the sleep/wake button, along the left side, TPU covers the volume buttons with a smaller cutout for the vibrate switch; you have to dig your finger in to access this though.  Around the bottom there are nice slots for the speaker and mic along with separate cutouts for the headphone jack and lightning port.  

One thing worth mentioning is that i'm using this case with a Spigen SGP GLAS.tR screen shield which protrudes beyond the case.  What this means is that if I flip my phone over, it's resting on the screen shield and not the edges of the case.  For being an armor case, I would think it should have some lay on the table lip to it while using this screen shield.

The Slim Armor case does not come with anything other than the case itself and 3 jelly home button stickers.  For the price of $17.99 (Satin Silver, Metal Slate & Gunmetal), I surely wouldn't expect a set of front and back shields.  Overall, I am really liking this case and would like it even more if it had more of a lip around the screen.  

Speck Candyshell Satin for iPhone 5 Review

Today we're going to look at a very popular product from Speck; the Candyshell, for iPhone 5.  I had a chance to see one of their newer release satin finish cases, which have a soft touch matte finish versus their typical glossy finish.

The Speck candyshell is sort of a flagship product for them and I am a big fan of it.  The case is comprised of a hard outer shell and lined with a softer rubbery coating to cradle your iPhone and protect it from scuffing/scratching and shock.  

The volume buttons and sleep/awake button are covered with the same soft rubbery material and provide nice feedback.  

There is a nice subtle lip that provides good lay-on-the-table and good screen protection in the event you drop your phone and it falls screen side down.  All 4 corners of the case have a strip of this rubbery coating to help aide in shock protection.  Here lies one of my complaints - the lip and the 4 strips on the corners tend to "flake" and peel.  In the same respect as this, the back of the case (along the edges) almost looks like the soft touch material has peeled away also during normal usage (about 4 weeks). 

The form factor of the iPhone 5 Candyshell is slimmer than its iPhone 4 counterpart, not adding a ton of bulk while still providing nice drop protection and great style.  The cutouts for the speaker, lightning connector, headphone jack and vibrate switch are cutout nicely, no complaints there. 

The satin version of the Candyshell definitely hides a lot of scuffing and fingerprints which plague the glossy versions.  I would recommend going with a satin Candyshell versus a glossy Candyshell.  This version comes in 3 colors (glossy comes in 18 colors) for $34.95. 

Spigen SGP Neo Hybrid EX Slim Metal for iPhone 5

Today i'll be taking a closer look at another case from Spigen SGP; the Neo Hybrid EX Slim Metal case.  Just how slim is this case compared to their standard Neo Hybrid EX that I previously reviewed? Make sure you read on to find out!

Spigen SGP has recently released a line of "slim" cases and I think it is a great idea that they've come up with.  This particular case is just as protective as the standard edition but with a nice slim form factor - I love it!  The 2 part concept is exactly the same, but the pieces don't add quite so much thickness to the iPhone when installed; as a user of both, I can feel a difference in the thickness in hand.  Due to the slimmer form factor, the silicone fits a little bit tighter and the polycarbonate frame also fits tighter - fitment is almost as close to perfect as you could get.  For those of you who are using tempered glass screen shields, this case works just fine and will sit about flush with the top of the screen shield (not yielding any lay-on-the-table lip on the front).

Like mentioned above, the design is the same as the standard Neo Hybrid EX - same silicone covered volume buttons and sleep/awake button that give excellent user "click" feedback when used.  I certainly do not have any complaints with this case; Spigen SGP has nailed another amazing product.  Pricing of the slim case is $31.99 which includes a Spigen SGP crystal screen shield, crystal back protective film and a set of jelly home button stickers.  If I had to choose between the standard and slim Neo Hybrid EX, it's a no brainer - go for the slim series.  

Ballistic Case Shell Gel (SG) for iPhone 5 Review

Hey guys, tonight i'm going to be reviewing a product by Ballistic Case called the Shell Gel (SG).  I've reviewed some of their products in the past and they've never disappointed.  Will this case pass the test?  Read on for the full review below.  

The Shell Gel (SG) is a newer product for Ballistic and I was very excited to take a closer look at it.  From my initial glance at it, it looked like a competitor for the Otterbox Commuter case and it indeed is the same style of case.  This particular case is built with a 3 layer design.  Layer 1 is ballistic shock absorbent polymer, layer 2 is a tough impact resistant polycarbonate shell and layer 3 is the innermost soft silicone with shock absorbing corners.  Installation is a breeze; the silicone is very pliable and slips right on the iPhone.  The polycarbonate portion fits perfectly into the grooves on the silicone and pops on with ease.  The installed product looks a lot better than an Otterbox in my honest opinion.  

The ports and controls are all easily accessible with the Shell Gel case installed.  Starting at the top, the sleep/awake button is covered by the silicone but provides a nice click when pressed (not so stiff like the Otterbox Commuter).  The bottom of the phone has one large cutout across the width so everything is easily accessed.  The left side of the case covers the volume buttons, providing the same nice click just like the sleep/awake button.  Lastly, there is an ample cutout for the silent switch, no issues accessing that whatsoever.  The rear of the case has a nice dimpled pattern providing a little extra grip on your iPhone.  The cutout for the camera and flash is ample and has a black ring to eliminate camera flashback.  Moving around to the front of the case, it provides a hefty amount of lay-on-the-table lip to ensure lots of protection for your screen.  I only have one complaint and that is the amount of lint and pocket dust that sticks to the soft silicone. 

All in all, Ballistic has built another winner product and is available for only $34.99 (in 7 colors) but is available even cheaper on Amazon here. 

Spigen SGP Neo Hybrid EX Metal For iPhone 5 Review

Hello guys, today i'm going to be taking a look at the Neo Hybrid EX case for the iPhone 5 from the great people over at Spigen SGP.  

It's no secret that Spigen SGP creates amazing products.  The Neo Hybrid EX case is a 2 part hybrid bumper case just like the name suggests.  For users, like myself, who love to show off their iPhone, a bumper case like this is exactly what you need to provide drop protection and still retain aesthetic appeal.  The inner layer is a soft silicone rubber that provides shock absorption in the event you drop your iPhone.  The top layer is a hard polycarbonate frame that installs on top of the silicone to keep the silicone wrapped snug against the frame.  Spigen SGP has designed their case like this so you can interchange different color silicone and frames for a total customized look.  

Moving on to the ports and controls of the device, the case has a rubberized covering over both the sleep/awake button and also the volume buttons which provide nice user feedback when pressed.  There is a nice sized cutout for the vibrate switch so users can easily flip it without having to dig in there with their fingernail.  The opposite side of the case contains the Spigen logo, subtly embossed into the polycarbonate frame.  Along the bottom, there are "metal grate" looking slots so the speaker and microphone performance is not hampered.  The cutouts for the lightning port and headphone jack are rather slim and i'm not confident aftermarket lightning connectors would fit nor would headphone jacks larger than the stock headphones.  A lot of headphones have plugs which are similar in size to the iPhone earpods, so no worries, unless you have fullsize cans which commonly use a huge plug.   

Along with the 2 piece Neo Hybrid EX case, Spigen SGP provides a Steinheil Ultra Crystal screen shield, Steinheil back protection film, a microfiber cloth and 3 home button stickers (black/white/orange).  You can all of this Spigen SGP good-ness for only $31.99 available here.  As of now, this case is offered in Gunmetal, Metal Blue, Metal Slate, Metal Pink and Satin Silver.