Thanks to the success of the original Fusion case for the Nexus 4, Rearth has brought its see-through case back once again, though this time for the Samsung Galaxy S4. For those not familiar, the Fusion case is a hybrid design that attaches a TPU bumper to a clear plastic back plate, so that if your device has something interesting to show off on its backside, it can. With the Galaxy S4, it’s not quite the same as with the Crystal Reflection back of the Nexus 4, but say you have a 3rd party battery cover with some color that you’d like to show off, this is a great option for doing so. 

The case itself runs $13.99, and again, is a black TPU bumper with white volume rocker and power switch, along with an anti-scratch clear PC backside. It should offer just the right amount of protection without adding much weight or thickness. It’s definitely thicker than the Ultra Thin Air cases from the folks at Spigen and the Ringke Slim from Rearth, but not by much. It also slides up far enough onto the front that you should find comfort in placing your phone face down.

Not a bad case at all if clear plastic backsides are your thing.

Amazon Link ($13.99)

Overview

Click here to view the embedded video.

Gallery

Quick Look: Rearth Fusion Case for the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a post from: Droid Life

As you all know, we’ve been on the tempered glass screen protector bandwagon for some time now. We have done our best to bring you all of the best in tempered glass for all of the top devices over the last year, to help you decide if spending this kind of money on screen protection is worth it. One of our long-standing favorites has been the GLASt from Spigen because not only does it provide great protection, but Spigen tends to toss in extra goodies like screen wipes, back protectors, squeegees, button covers, etc. So when we heard about their new GLASt.R, a thinner, lighter, and rounded tempered glass protector, we had no choice but to take a look. 

Like with other tempered glass protectors for mobile devices, the new GLASt.R sports an 8-9H hardness for protection along with an oleophobic coating to help reduce smudges and fingerprints. Where it differs, is in the new rounded edges that should help reduce chipping, but also provide an incredibly smooth feel while using. Spigen is claiming that this new GLASt.R is 28% slimmer and lighter than its predecessor as well.

I can tell you that after using it for the last couple of hours that I’m incredibly impressed by it. Tempered glass screen protectors have been pretty hit or miss in the past, but this one seems to be nothing but a hit. The rounded edges feel incredible. There seems to be almost no gap between the protector and the display, making it feel as if it’s one and the same, while protectors in the past left you with a disconnect. The sensitivity you would see with your device’s actual display is there, plus all of the gestures and Air View technology still works. There is no dotted grid or pattern on the protector either, which is another issue we have seen with similar products in the past.

The only downside I can see so far, comes during installation. If you get anything on the sticky side of the GLASt.R, it’ll essentially ruin it. Attempting to clean the backside after it has been tainted is almost impossible. So be sure you are in a completely dust-free and sterile environment before you get to applying. Should you get it on there cleanly the first time, keep it there.

At $35, it’s not cheap, but that price matches up to others in this arena. Keep in mind that the regular GLASt is $28, so there is a cheaper option. I’d recommend this one, though, as it feels that good.

To see it in action, check out the clip below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Links:  Spigen Shop | Amazon

Quick Look: Spigen GLASt.R Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Galaxy S4 is a post from: Droid Life

The folks at XGEAR released their new tempered glass screen protector for the Nexus 4 last week called the Fantom 4. It’s their newest tempered glass protector in a long line that includes the Note 2, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Nexus, and Nexus 7. All signs point to this version being in high demand, as they have apparently sold through their initial stock in a short few days. They were kind enough to send me a review sample to share with DL, but are not expecting to see replenished stock until closer to the end of the month. Until that happens, let’s talk about this protector. 

The first thing that came to mind when applying this was, “How is it going to work with the cascading edge display of the Nexus 4?” The answer is simple, it doesn’t cascade over the sides. Unless XGEAR can figure out a way to magically curve their tempered glass, it’s just not going to happen. But after applying the Fantom 4, I can’t necessarily find it at fault for this. With the protector on, it feels as soft as the normal Nexus 4 display, you’ll just find a bit of an edge should your finger start from off the display and then slide across it. Definitely not a deal breaker for me, but something to keep in mind. For the most part, I’d say this protector fits better than some of the others I’ve had in the past.

There are cutouts for the front camera, front speaker, top sensors, and notification light. As with any of XGEAR’s protectors, the Fantom 4 is just 0.4mm thick at an 8H hardness, so it adds little thickness. They apply a special coating to help keep off oils and fingerprints and use real glass to ensure an “OEM experience.”

If there is one issue it would have to do with a tiny oily or wet-looking spot in the middle of the device that we have seen in the past with tempered glass screen protectors. It’s not pronounced on the Nexus 4 like I have seen it before, but it’s there. In order to see it, I have to get up close and personal with the device at a 130-degree angle or so. So at normal viewing angles, you may not even notice it.

Overall, it’s another solid option (maybe even the only option) for those who want glass protection on the display of their Nexus 4. It has its minor flaws, but almost every tempered glass protector I’ve seen over the last few years does.

The Fantom 4 retails for $34.99.

Gallery

Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Order today from the XGEAR site.

Quick Look: Fantom 4 Tempered Glass Screen Protector for the Nexus 4 is a post from: Droid Life

On one of my last trips back from New York, possibly from the Galaxy S4 event, I found myself thumbing through in-flight magazines in attempt to kill off some of the 6-hour flight time I would have to endure. As I typically do on flights because I find the items hilarious, I grabbed for Skymall. For the most part, I’m looking to see how insanely expensive fake Harry Potter wands have become or if the giant stone Bigfoot has come down in price, so that I could potentially convince my better half that we need it for our yard. But on this last trip, I turned to a full-page ad that included Nest, the “Learning Thermostat.” As I had heard of the product previously and found it interesting, I snapped a picture of it, so that I would remember to look up additional info whenever I made it home. This turned out to be a brilliant move on my part because the Nest is now my favorite Android accessory, possibly of all time. 

What is Nest?

For those not familiar, Nest is a thermostat that you can install by yourself, in your home, in place of your current thermostat. It claims to save you all sorts of money by performing more efficiently than your current thermostat because it learns your patterns and adjusts temperatures based upon them, automatically. It has apps on both Android and iOS along with a web interface, so for the most part, you can control Nest from anywhere. It sports a beautifully modern design, is incredibly easy to setup and adjust, and can be used in conjunction with multiple Nest thermostats throughout your house.

So why do I love it? For so many reasons.

First of all, it looks amazing. It’s a simple metal cylinder with a multi-color display that rotates and can be pressed to navigate. Even if this didn’t save you any money, you should buy it because it will instantly give your house some eye-candy. But outside of looks, I love the Nest mostly because I can control it from anywhere. While I work at home, I still run in and out of my house quite frequently. Rather than having to remember to adjust my thermostat every time I leave or return, I can take advantage of Nest’s Auto Away feature which senses that I haven’t been around for a while, so it automatically shuts itself down to a preset temperature in order to save energy. As I return and walk by the Nest, it comes back to life. And even if Nest hasn’t turned to Auto Away, I can fire up the app on my phone and manually turn the system to away with a couple of taps.

In all honesty, it’s pretty cool to think that lying in bed on a cold Saturday morning and deciding you want the heat on earlier than normal is no longer met with a groan. You simply reach for your phone, set the temperature, snuggle back in, and enjoy your day off in warmth.

Nest has a pretty robust settings menu as well, so that you can completely customize the way it functions for your house. Nest will take the first few days with you to try and learn your schedule, but I lacked patience and went ahead and manually set one up myself. If you don’t feel like spending the time to do that, then let Nest do what it does best – learn. It’ll also let you lock the thermostat down, tell it to start heating before your preset times, set a bottom line temperature, and manage multiple thermostats.

Beyond the technical stuff, Nest is simply fun to use. As you approach the unit on your wall, Nest senses that you are near and powers on to give you a chance to check the temperature and then adjust as needed. The device itself spins either direction in a circle for adjusting. It also presses in as if it were one giant button. A single press brings up the menu for Nest, at which point you can spin it to highlight features or then press again to select them. It’s as fluid as can be and feels as high-end as you would hope from a product like this.

If your Nest is in the act of saving you money, you’ll see a green leaf on the screen and in your app. If Nest feels as if you had a productive and energy efficient day, it’ll reward you with a green leaf next to the entire day as you look at your Engery tab (see below). Assuming you manage to have energy efficient days on the regular, Nest should be saving you quite a bit of money. In fact, the Nest team claims that their thermostat can save you up to 20% off your heating and cooling bills because it performs that much more efficiently than your typical thermostat. I’m still in my early stages of life with Nest, so I’ll have to report back on savings later.

Installation is about as simple as can be. By no means do I consider myself to be handy around the house, but even I was able to install Nest in a matter of minutes. The support site for Nest has both a compatibility checker (that’s mostly foolproof) and installation videos to help you along the way.

The Nest isn’t necessarily the cheapest home accessory you’ll find, but for the reasons I listed above, it has been completely worth it thus far. And this isn’t your typical “accessory” if you will – this is a product that becomes a part of your home and should almost be considered an investment. Now, I’m just waiting to see what my heating bill looks like, so that I can justify the purchase even further. Yes, I bought this bad boy. This is not a review unit. How long before it pays for itself?

Important links

Nest website | Compatibility Check and Installation | 2nd-gen Nest ($249) | 1st-gen Nest ($179)

App Screenshots

Gallery

Review: Nest Thermostat is My Favorite Android Accessory is a post from: Droid Life

Earlier in the week, we took a look at the new Durable Wallet for the Galaxy S3 and Nexus 4 from DODOcase (Nexus 7 too, but it’s not new), two sleeve options from the San Francisco based case maker. Today, we’re looking at more traditional bookcase style cases for the Nexus 7 from DODOcase, both of which are similar to hand-made cases by Portenzo and Treegloo that we have already reviewed. This is the Hardcover, Classic and Solid. 

Hardcover

The DODOcase Hardcover is somewhat of a hybrid bookcase. Rather than having a tray that your Nexus 7 sits firmly inside, it uses an adhesive so your device almost floats freely. The adhesive (which look like strips of stickers) is said to be reusable, industrial grade, and leave your device residue free. The Hardcover still protects your device with a hand-made bookcase style exterior that is held closed by an elastic band. There is a magnet embedded inside to activate sleep/wake upon opening or shutting. Also, since it has no tray, the Hardcover is able to sit with a much lower profile than a traditional bookcase.

Overall, I like the slim fit of the Hardcover, thanks to the lack of a tray. I will say that over time, I would hate to see that adhesive wear out. While it’s “industrial grade” and all, there is nothing like the piece of mind that the protection a traditional tray can bring.

It runs $34.95 and comes in a variety of two-tone color schemes.

Classic and Solid

The Classic and Solid DODOcases are definitely what I would consider to be traditional bookcase style cases. Both are hand-made using traditional bookbinding techniques, contain an eco-friendly bamboo tray to secure the device in, and a variety of outer materials ranging from a black Moroccan cloth (Classic) to some more colorful canvas-style options (Solid). They also have a magnet embedded inside the front cover to activate sleep or wake, an elastic strap to keep it closed, and leather inserts to fully lock your device in place.

If you are looking for the ultimate form of protection for your Nexus 7, but still maintain a level of class, you can’t go wrong with a bookcase style case. The craftsmanship here is as good as others in the industry, it’s a U.S. company, and their overall taste is exactly what I like to see in a case. If I were asked to choose my favorite bookcase of all, I would probably go with Portenzo’s Alano, but it’s also incredibly expensive with a minimum price tag of $100. You can get yourself into a DODOcase starting at $60.

The Solid $69.95, with the Classic dropping in at $59.95.

Find all of the Nexus 7 DODOcase products here.

Gallery

Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Quick Look: DODOcase Hardcover, Classic and Solid for the Nexus 7 is a post from: Droid Life

As you know after seeing our continued coverage of cases from the likes of Portenzo and Treegloo, we’re big fans of products that are hand-made in the U.S. The latest to enter our radar is none other than DODOcase, a company based out of San Francisco that has been around for some time in the Apple case game. Over the last year or so, they decided to enter the Android realm as well, and have produced some of the finest sustainable cases around.

This afternoon, we’re taking a look at their new Durable sleeve for the Nexus 4 and Galaxy S3, along with the matching Durable for the Nexus 7. They are very much like the classic smartphone pouch that has been around for years, however, very few can match the quality and design. 

Build and Design

While I may not be the biggest sleeve fan on the planet, it’s tough to not fall at least somewhat in love with the build quality and materials used in DODOcase Durables. Made with mahogany leather, a sage waxed duck exterior, a soft poppy interior, and contrast stitching, these look like they were built for battle. Not only will they hold up through every day wear and tear, but they’ll probably look better as they age.

The leather patches add grip, durability and beauty, while the waxed duck exterior gives off somewhat of a military vibe, with the contrast in orange making it feel very modern.

The Nexus 4 and Galaxy S3 cases also have outside leather pockets to go along with the internal pouch.

Price

At $49.95, the Durables for all of these devices aren’t necessarily cheap. But when you are dealing with finer materials and an outfit based out of the U.S. that does everything by hand, you get what you are paying for. These are high-quality sleeves that carry a timeless design and will also withstand every day punishment.

Keep in mind that if you decide to order one, that it takes a couple of days for them to make it, since they are made to order.

Nexus 7 Durable has been available for some time. The Galaxy S3 and Nexus 4 Durable are finally available today.

More from DODOcase.

Gallery

Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Quick Look: DODOcase Durable Sleeve for the Nexus 4, Galaxy S3 and Nexus 7 is a post from: Droid Life

Our hunt for the best Nexus 4 case continues today, as we take a look at Rearth’s Ringke Fusion. The Ringke Fusion combines both protection and a transparent back, so that you no longer have to hide the Crystal Reflection backside that the N4 is somewhat known for. I’m surprised it took accessory companies so long to come up with an option like this, so let’s see how Rearth did as the first to market. 

Materials and Protection

The Ringke Fusion is a mix of TPU and PC – TPU is the black part for bumper-style protection, PC is the clear back. The TPU portion has what feels like a soft, almost matte finish and does not give off the rubbery feel like other TPU cases. The PC see-through back piece has been given an anti-scratch coating to help with minor dings, but likely won’t withstand a full-on key scratch test. Overall, the materials combine well to give both a unique look and what should be ample protection from drops. It should also keep the glass backside of the Nexus 4 scratch free.

Fit and Feel

This case fits OK. It’s tight, yet can still be removed fairly easily if need be. I am having somewhat of an issue with the Power/Lock switch, which isn’t as easy to toggle with the case attached. It’s not impossible, but you definitely have to find the sweet spot or simply press it a few times to get it to react.

Outside of that, the case is minimal enough and doesn’t add much bulk. The TPU material is soft in hand and should help with grip so that you are less likely to drop it. I’m a fan of the clear back, as that is one of the design highlights of the device that most of us would hate to hide. In the short time with this case, I haven’t scratched it or anything, but I’m guessing over time it’ll see little scuffs here and there just like a normal screen protector would. Rearth also added little bumps on the back corners of the case so that it’s slightly lifted off of any surface when laying backside down. This should help to extend its scratch-free life.

Wireless charging still works with the Fusion, as well.

Overall

This is a great option for anyone looking for protection, but still wants to be able to show off or see the Crystal Reflection backside of the Nexus 4. Actually, it’s the only option I know of that combines a case with a clear protective back. It’s only $13.99 as well, which is less than some of the ultra slim cases available that hide one of the Nexus 4′s best features.

You can pre-order now. The cases should ship around February 20.

Amazon Link ($13.99)

Update:  Here is a quick video comparison of the Fusion to the Ringke Slim, Spigen Ultra Thin Air, and official Bumper.

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Quick Look: Ringke Fusion Nexus 4 Case, Clear Back Shows Your Sparkly Goodness is a post from: Droid Life

After using the Pebble E-paper Smartwatch for five days, I’d say I’ve spent enough time with it to give you all my final impressions. And when I say that I’ve used it for five days, I’m not kidding. This sucker has been attached to my wrist from the time I wake up until my face hits my pillow at night. I’ve tried to make it as much a part of my daily life as I would a smartphone to see if there are any real benefits to having a smartwatch. So far, I’m seeing a lot of potential here. But is potential enough?

Design

Overall, I really like the look of Pebble. It’s simple, minimal, and not obvious. I chose the all-black version, which features a semi-glossy exterior and matte-rubber watch band. It may not stand out as the flashiest watch on the planet, but sometimes that’s a good thing, especially when the point of a smartwatch is to be constantly staring at it. The face is slightly curved (outward), the buttons on each side stick out just far enough to be pressed with ease, and the entire watch fits perfectly onto my wrists, which I do not consider to be big by any means. The size matches up to many of the standard watches these days, and does not fit into the “oversized” watch category in my opinion

Build

The Pebble is supposed to be waterproof and scratch-resistant. While I have yet to take it swimming, I’ll assume they aren’t lying when they added that spec to the feature list. As far it being scratch-resistant, all I can say is that I haven’t scratched mine to this point. With that said, we are hearing reports of others scratching theirs “with normal use.” I’d definitely take care of the display of this like you would a smartphone, as I do not believe it to be the most scratch resistant substance on the planet. Outside of the display, the unit itself feels solid and like it won’t die after a single drop. And actually, I just dropped it from my desk to hardwood floor while writing this and it survived.

Battery Life

The Pebble team claims that their watch with its E-paper display will last for up to 7 days on a single charge. As of writing this post, I’m at 5 days and counting on my first full charge. I don’t know if it’ll last the full 7 days, but I’m pretty happy with it at least getting me through a work week. There is a problem, though – it doesn’t have a battery meter. Unless we see an update that includes one, you have no idea how much life your Pebble has left in it before it dies.

Update:  In the menu, my Pebble is now showing a low-battery icon. This is the first time this has showed up, so I’ll assume this means that I should charge the watch or it will be dying soon. At least they notify you that death is near – would still like an ongoing battery meter.

Update 2:  Battery did die today, the 5th day of the first charge. Assuming the battery will get better over time, I can’t complain.

Notifications

The star feature of Pebble is its ability of it to show you notifications from your phone as they come in. It does a great job of populating your screen within seconds of a notification arriving. For now, Pebble can show notifications for incoming calls, SMS messages, calendar reminders, emails, Gmail messages (multiple accounts), Google Talk messages, Google Voice messages, Facebook messages, and WhatsApp messages. There will likely be more as developers build out support for Pebble.

While I mentioned that Pebble does a great job of notifying you immediately upon arrival, there are some limitations that I hope to see addressed before long. First, emails are limited to a certain number of lines or characters. If you are a power email user, you may find that a bit frustrating. For me, I eventually just had to use Pebble as a way to preview emails and to decide if I actually needed to pull my phone out or not. Then again, that’s sort of the point anyway, since you can’t actually reply to anything from the Pebble.

Also, notifications themselves aren’t handled well when you receive one after another. If you are looking at an email on Pebble and a Google Talk message comes in, the email disappears forever and you are left with the Google Talk message or whatever is newest. There is no way to return to the previous notification or manage say, your last five or ten notifications. At this point, Pebble can only handle one at a time.

User Interface

The user interface of Pebble is not incredibly advanced, and that may be a good thing. Since it doesn’t have a touchscreen, you rely on back, home/select, up and down buttons to navigate. It doesn’t take long to figure out, so for those concerned that it may be too advanced shouldn’t worry. There are a couple of simple screens – the clock face and then the menu. As you can imagine, you use the back button to get out of options, the home/select to choose them, and the up and down to navigate the menu. The UI is much better explained in the video review below, so I’ll spare you from me trying to explain it here.

What I will say, is that in world where we touch everything, it does seem like somewhat of a step backwards. Maybe this was how they kept it somewhat reasonable on the price?

Price

At $150, the Pebble is not necessarily cheap. It may carry the “smartwatch” tag, but it still needs to pack in a robust feature set in order to get people to want to commit to such a product at that price. For now, it lacks some features that we would like to see in the very near future (like pairing with workout or GPS-enabled apps). Give me Nike+ support with Pebble, and you won’t need to go out and buy a separate watch, just for exercising. The problem right now, is that we don’t know if apps like that will ever work with Pebble.

I should point out that you can buy a product like the Sony Smartwatch for as little as $100. It also handles notifications, does social media, controls music, and has a touchscreen.

Gallery

Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Verdict

Overall, I’ve definitely enjoyed my time with the Pebble. I love the idea of having notifications for emails or messages appear on my wrist so that I don’t have to pull out my phone all of the time. I’ve also been able to use it during the course of a normal workday, as it has allowed me to avoid having to dive into email every 30 seconds. Instead, I can look at my wrist for a second and decide if the email is important enough for me to take a deeper look at. It has a subtle design that makes it look like nothing other than a typical black watch, phenomenal battery life so far, and could turn into one heck of a product assuming developers decide to build out support for it through their apps.

On the downside, Pebble needs to fix the watch’s handling of multiple notifications and expand email output. They also need to convince those previously mentioned developers to build out support for their apps, so that this watch can be taken to the next level.

At $150, I wouldn’t necessarily say that the Pebble is overpriced, but I’m also not sure it’s priced to grab the average tech user. This is for early adopters and tech geeks, like myself that will have some patience as this eventually turns into the watch we all dream of it becoming.

Pebble E-paper Smartwatch Review is a post from: Droid Life

Wireless charging, while slow to have been adopted by the industry, is a technology that once you have, you really never want to live without. Thanks to devices like the Nexus 4 (neither of these work with the N4 after testing), DROID DNA, and Nokia’s new Lumia 920 it’s becoming more of a standard. But now that it’s a little more mainstream, we figured it was time to talk about some of the charging options out there. Thanks to Nokia doing their part to push the technology forward, we have two new options worth taking a look at – the Fatboy Pillow and the charging plate, both from Nokia (both built to the Qi standard, so yes they work with Android phones). 

Update:  A few readers pointed out in the comments that the charging plate and pillow may not work all that well with the Nexus 4. I have not had a chance to fully test their charging abilities, so stay tuned for that. Will report back in a couple of days with my findings.

Update 2:  I ran my battery down to 75% and then tossed my phone back on the charging pad and came up empty. The device attempted to charge and then just kept the phone awake and actually ran battery. The pillow seems to be doing the same thing. For whatever reason, these are either built to some other Qi standard or the Nexus 4 has issues – I’m going with the latter. Feel free to watch the video and gaze at the fancy chargers, however, if you have a Nexus 4, you may want to stay away. Will test the DNA and report back.

Update 3:  Both chargers seem to wirelessly charge the DROID DNA with no issues. Clearly the Nexus 4 just isn’t a fan of them.

Nokia Fatboy Charging Pillow

The Fatboy charging pillow is probably going to be the most popular of the wireless chargers released this year, simply because it’s a pillow and carriers a fun-to-say name. It’s exactly as you would picture it – a big fat pillow that your phone lays on. Inside the pillow you have a soft, squishy outer rim that holds your phone ever-so-softly, while the plate in the middle takes care of the charging business. It has an extra long cord so you can drape it all over a room and still have it reach your destination. It comes in a few colors:  yellow, blue, white, red, and black. You can find it at Verizon and AT&T stores for around $60.

As expected, you simply drop your wireless-ready phone in the middle and it begins to charge. There are no beeps or notifications, so you may want to double check to make sure it’s charging before walking away from it.

Nokia Wireless Charging Plate

The charging plate from Nokia is the least sexy of the two, however, it may be my choice if I had to make one. It’s small, does the trick, and also comes equipped with the extra long power cable. It also comes in blue, yellow, red, white and black, while retailing for around $50. I favor this over the pillow mostly because of the size. This plate isn’t much bigger than a hockey puck, and it’s also not a giant fluffy pillow, for those who care about the appearance of their desk.

To charge, you simply lay your phone on it, centered over the Nokia logo. It’s that simple. It also has a rear light that notifies you that your phone is charging.

Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Android Wireless Charging Options: Nokia Fatboy Pillow and Others (Updated) is a post from: Droid Life

We’ve covered a lot of tempered glass screen protectors over the last year. With displays growing in size by the month, protection has become more important than ever. Since tempered glass is the most popular solution at the moment because it offers the greatest level of strength, it only makes sense that we continue our coverage with the newest protector for one of the biggest displays in the business. Here is a quick look at the Voyager 2 screen protector from XGEAR for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. 

Fit and Look

Smartphone manufacturers have gone the opposite direction of recessed displays as of late. Instead of hiding displays below the phone rim, they are popping them up, to give users a much softer and less rigid experience when swiping a finger from edge to edge. The Galaxy Note 2 is no different, so when you apply the Voyager 2, you are going to have a slight lip. XGEAR has done their best to make the edge semi-smooth, however, you will most certainly notice a difference. By no means is this a deal breaker if you are looking for this kind of protection.

Aside from the lip, the screen protector itself fits nicely over the top of the 5.5″ display of the Note 2. All sensors, cameras, and buttons are left exposed, so no functionality is lost (and yes, I tested sleep-wake during a call). XGEAR also supplies you with a home button sticker since the home button becomes slightly recessed once the screen protector is applied.

The only flaw, which was necessary, is the inclusion of the dotted grid that I complained about with these protectors a while back. The XGEAR team told me that these dots were needed in order to avoid those oily, watery-looking spots that can at times appear underneath screen protectors. I’d assume it has to do with the size of the display we’re dealing with here. As you’ll see in the photos below, the dots are not as noticeable as they once were.

Sensitivity

In the short amount of time that I’ve played with a Note 2 protected by a Voyager 2, I haven’t had any issues with sensitivity. Screen swipes happen as fast as they would without the protector.

The S Pen also works well. I was able to use gestures, take screenshots, edit photos, draw all over the place, and navigate as usual while using the S Pen. Even with the Voyager 2 in place, all functionality seems to still be there.

Specs

• Surface hardness of 8H (with the hardest being 10H) keeps scratches non-existent
• Thickness of .4mm allows you to maintain a slim and sleek profile
• Special coating that resists oily residue from staying on the screen
• Beveled edge keeps you safe from cracked & chipped edges
• Keeps the smooth feel of a glass screen unlike PET films

Price

The Voyager runs $34.95 and comes in both black or white. In the box you also get a cleaning cloth and two aluminum home buttons.

Buy.

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Quick Look: Galaxy Note 2 Tempered Glass Screen Protector by XGEAR is a post from: Droid Life

Hey, would you look at that – the official Nexus 7 dock is real! I say that for a couple of reasons actually, mostly over the fact that Nexus accessories are always on display during unveilings, yet almost never make it to customers hands or become any sort of a reality outside of Google’s campus. The second reason being that we have seen this thing push through delay after delay before finally appearing on random electronics outlets (which I purchased this one from). Enough complaining, though, let’s talk about the dock and its $40 price tag. 

In the box of the Nexus 7 dock you get nothing but a dock. They didn’t even toss in audio or microUSB cables, even though it utilizes both. No sir, this is a BYOC kind of party.

The dock itself feels well made. In fact, it’s got some heft to it at 280g. It’s made of fine plastic (is that such a thing?), has “Nexus” and “Asus” logos on the front and back respectively, audio and microUSB ports, and a rubber grip on the bottom to prevent desktop slippage. Beyond all of that, the key selling point here has got to be the dock’s use of the Nexus 7 POGO pins to charge the device.

Once you have the dock situated on your desk with a charger attached, all you have to do is turn your N7 sideways and firmly press it into place. From there, the experience is what you want to make of it. Use it to watch movies with its optimal viewing angle, connect it to a speaker or headphones to bring a world of tunes to life, or take advantage of Android 4.2′s DayDream desktop docking feature.

Your biggest worry is probably the price, right? At roughly $40 (cheaper at some spots) with shipping, all you want to know is, “is it worth it?” Tough question! It’s a well-made docking station, but with the lack of HDMI, some may consider it to be too expensive. I’ll say this – if you are looking for an official dock that still offers plenty of features and still remains under $50, this isn’t a bad choice.

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Official Nexus 7 Dock Hands-on is a post from: Droid Life

The review of Portenzo’s awesome Nexus 7 covers way back in the day got me thinking that I’d like a case of my own for my tablet. I wanted to see what other good quality cases were out there though, and many people suggested that I check out Treegloo if I was looking for a good bookcase. After a long small delay it has finally arrived and it’s about time to give this case a once over. 

Treegloo is a design shop that started off making cases for the iPad and has since grown to the Nexus 7 and does a pretty decent job at it. The cases are wrapped in soft faux leather with solid wood frames inside to keep your tablet in one place no matter which way you are holding it. Each one of these wood frames is hand-made as opposed to machine cut, a fact that Treegloo is, rightfully, proud of. The overall product is a solid, slightly hefty case that give you the security to take your tablet outside the walls of your house.

Treegloo also offers a bevy of customization options, leaving almost no two of their cases looking exactly the same. The a la carte ordering line starts with choosing your frame finish (9 colors) and then you move onto the leather color (10 colors). From there you choose what type of liner you want, choose the color of the liner (19 colors) or you can choose from a set of liner prints that feature maps from around the world. And that’s just cosmetic options, you can choose the standard elastic strap to keep it closed or go with the kinetic latch that allows the case to stand for easy typing and media viewing. Oh, and all cases come standard with the magnetic sleep/wake function that the Nexus 7 works with.

And Treegloo provides all these options for consumers while still keeping their ecological footprint small. All the paper stock they use are FSC complaint and their other materials are Green Seal certified.

Prices for these cases start as low as $30 bucks and go up from there depending on upgrades to the latch, liner and certain colors. The prices are fairly affordable considering how much customization and sustainability goes into each case, but since they are hand made expect a bit of a wait before your case arrives. The site says they expect cases to ship within 7-21 business days, but my wait was about 3 times that.

However, the end product feels great in your hand. The faux leather they use feels better to the touch than my Moleskin notebook that I carry around. It offers protection and style for an affordable price. If you’re ready to get started head over to Treegloo’s website.

Update:  After posting this review, we have heard enough stories of delays in shipping of Treegloo products that we wanted to add this note as a word of caution. While Treegloo may make nice cases, readers’ orders are taking months to be fulfilled, the company has even stopped communicating after a few support emails have been exchanged, and customers are often times left wondering if they are ever going to see their cases. If you want a case from a reputable company that will deliver on time, check out Portenzo.

Review: Treegloo Case for the Nexus 7 is a post from: Droid Life

Last week, during a quest to find the best Nexus 4 case, I found an option from one of our favorite case companies, Rearth. Their Ringke SLIM for the Nexus 4 was available on Amazon for $9.99 in a variety of colors, so naturally, I jumped on it. Unfortunately, the original version of the SLIM had some fit issues near the volume rocker, making it a bit uncomfortable to use. But thankfully, Rearth didn’t waste time in releasing a revised version with optimal fit. This new version showed up in a set on my doorstep yesterday, so let’s talk about it. 

As you’ll see in the pictures below, nothing has changed at first glance. It’s still ultra-slim and adds almost no bulk, something I always look for in a case. The volume rocker fit issue has definitely been addressed, and the case fits perfectly. All ports are exposed and it has a soft finish, that can actually be a bit slippery at times. It’s about as minimal as it gets, with almost zero branding other than the “Ringke SLIM” mention at the bottom of the case. The case is easily applied, giving just enough protection to anyone who is worried about cracking their new Nexus 4. An added bonus comes in form of front protection. Each of the four corners of the case sticks up just enough so that you can lay the phone face down, yet keep the glass off of whatever surface it is laying on. The Ringke SLIM is also thin enough that wireless charging still works, something the Bumper case can’t say. (Update:  Wireless charging does still work with the Bumper on. Had issues last night, but works fine today.)

The grey color is probably my favorite, but it also comes in white, black, and blue. It’s not the fanciest case ever made, but it’s very minimal and well worth the price.

Oh, I also ditched my official Nexus 4 bumper already, as it added too much bulk for my liking. This is my case of choice.

Amazon Links:  White | Grey | Black | Blue

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Second Look: Ringke SLIM Nexus 4 Case [Revised Version] is a post from: Droid Life

When the bumper case for the Nexus 4 went back on sale earlier in the week, I caved in and bought one. After having a well-documented, not-so-awesome time with the glass on my first Nexus 4, I decided that this time around I would do everything in my power to protect the second one. So, bumper case we go. The most surprising part about it may be the fact that it arrived already, as in, a day and a half after ordering it. Not bad.

So what do I think? Well, it provides just the right amount of protection. You can set the phone face down or face up and the bumper’s lip should keep both surfaces off the ground/table/naked body. It’s minimal enough that it shouldn’t get in your way or make the phone feel too bulky in hand. But most importantly, it allows you to still see that beautiful Crystal Reflection backside. Mmmhmm.

Is it worth $20 plus the $6 in shipping? If you have already broken one glass back, it probably is. 

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Video: Quick Look at the Nexus 4 Bumper Case is a post from: Droid Life

After the back of my LG Nexus 4 cracked, prompting me to order another one, I decided to set out on a mission to find the best case for it. As you know, I have zero confidence in the glass backside, so even as someone who hasn’t used a case for more than a few hours at a time over the years, I am willing to give them a shot. If it takes covering up that pretty class backside to preserve it, then so be it. Today, we’re taking a look at the Ringke Slim case for the Nexus 4, a product made by RearthUSA.

I’ve been a fan of the Ringke Slim line in the past, so when I saw the posting for this at the ridiculously low price of $9.99, I jumped on three of them:  grey, black and white. 

The case itself, is very minimal. It’s a light piece of plastic that is made to barely fit over the backside and edges of the device. There are cutouts for the speaker, camera, lock switch, and volume rocker. And that’s pretty much it. The plastic has a soft matte finish to it, so it shouldn’t be all that slippery. Rearth claims that they’ve done some super secret grip stuff with “efficiency engineering.” I don’t know what that means, but I do know that it shapes very well to the Nexus 4 without adding bulk.

Overall, I’m a fan of these cases, however, they appear to be working through some issues and are planning to release a “revised” version by December 11. The current version, which happens to be the one I just purchased, doesn’t fit flush with the side that has the volume rocker and constantly does this clicking noise. The reviews on Amazon couldn’t be clearer that this is a pretty major issue. Hopefully, this gets fixed in the revised version, because this could be the perfect N4 case. Matte, minimal, slim, and clean, all things I look for in a case.

Amazon Links:  White | Grey | Black | Blue

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Quick Look: Ringke Slim Case for Nexus 4 in Black, White, and Grey is a post from: Droid Life