Over the last couple of weeks we have gotten a lot of heat for one of our videos concerning a "drop test" we conduced on the Lifeproof case with an iPhone 4.  Essentially we put an iPhone 4 in a Lifeproof case and dropped it.  Here is the video:

As you can see the LifeProof case failed the test and drop the back glass of the phone.  The one problem with this video that many are saying to us is that we didn't show the phone before it went in the case and so our video really doesn't show anything because the phone could have been broken before we put it in the case.  I can attest to the fact that the phone was not broken but I can understand the position.  However, I would like to show the video that LifeProof has on it's website displaying the same test we conducted:

As you can see LifeProof fails to show you the phone BEFORE it is in the case.  As a matter of faat they fail to show you the phone AFTER their tests.  They just show the phone in it's pretty little Lifeproof case, never bothering to take it out and show you if the phone broke or had damage.  Because we have gotten so many people who have had their phone break because of the LifeProof case we will be disecting the case and showing you that the case is no where near what the creators claim it to be.  Be looking for some more videos and reviews covering the LifeProof case.  Until then.

Much love,

Shawn Wilson

The Trident Kraken AMS is Tridents beast.  The name alone is enough to make you think “Beastly case”, or “Release the Kraken!”   Trident goes against the grain with this beast.  Here are some of its stats. 

1. It starts with the Perseus silicone skin(with optional screen protectors)
2. A rigid polycarbonate EXO Skeleton with built in screen protector.
3. AMS (Adaptive Modular System) rear slide lock groove for multiple atachments, initially for aluminum kick stand.
4. Headphone extension.
5. Belt clip.

Kraken AMS goes against the normal silicone present on multiple cases at the Tank level.  Examples would be Otterbox Defender, Griffin Survivor, and the Ballistic HC.   Due to the rigid nature of most polycarbonates, used in manufacturing cases, silicone wraps diffuse the initial impact preventing cracks.  The AMS series uses a rigid layer on the outside.  This allows for the case to smoothly go in and out of the pocket by not sticking to anything.  The silicone Perseus case is left on the inside to absorb any residual shock from the initial impact.  It begs to question whether the dampening of the initial impact is better than absorbing the aftershock.  We will test this theory with a video in the near future.

The Ballistic Hard Core Series is my personal pick for protection.  If you need a Tank for your iPhone, HTC, Galaxy, etc…  This case has it all. 

1. They use a flexible polycarbonate frame.
2. Composite rubber barrier around the polycarbonate.
3. Thick silicone for additional cushion.
4. Built it clear polycarbonate screen protector
5. A track made of the same composite rubber as the barrier, which lifts up the device.
6. Integrated port plugs.
7. A clip made by AGF.

What does all this mean? It means we have serious hardware for our devises. 

Let’s start with the polycarb they use.  Polycarbonates are supposed to be fairly indestructible. This isn’t always the case. Thickness of said polycarb, density, rigidity, and amount of force applied is a determining factor.  Ballistic went with a flexible versus rigid.  The colored plastic will flex and transfer energy versus fighting and cracking.  Can it crack? Yes, but it takes some serious juice to do it. 

Next we have the composite rubber which surrounds the case.  Composites are usually rubbers integrated with some type of fiber to make sure the bonds are stronger.  What you get here is a stiff rubber capable of absorbing impacts.  The Ballistic HC also fashions the composite into notches along the top and side of the case.  This prevents the case from landing flat by forcing it to buckle.  All of this is perfect for transference of energy.

The additional silicone layer is added cushion for the HC.    The cases are already designed to transfer energy.  The silicone is merely a bonus for those days when you mistake your phone for a baseball.

The track is part of the internal structure that is attached to the composite backing.  It raises the phone a bit off the back of the case.  I’ve yet to see the back of a Ballistic HC case break, and we hit it with an eighteen wheeler.  Check out the video here!

Ballistic HC’s used to have port plugs integrated with the silicone rubber.  Now it is integrated to the hard shell.  One of the best things about the Ballistic HC is that It does not require the silicone for it to be protective!  This means the issue with silicone’s grabbing ahold of your HAIR, and everything else you own, can be done away with, while still be protecting your cell phone.  Now that the port plugs are on the case, you don’t have to worry about dust, rain, etc… whilst sporting it without the rubber.  But remember, if you plan on doing something crazy, Use the Rubber.

The clip is made by AGF. If you ever bought a slim hard case that came with a clip, it probable came courtesy of AGF.  Clips come in all shapes and sizes, and usually take the brunt of abuse.  Ballistics’ Clip has fewer issues than its competitors like Otterbox Defender, Trident Kraken, and Griffin Survivor.  Is it perfect? NO.  But I rarely know someone that has issues with it.

 In conclusion, Ballistic Hard Core, is more versatile than its competitors, yet lacks some of the color schemes others have.  But it is called the hard core.  Check out the Zellatek store to see the colors offered.  And with Ballistic's one year warranty, what is there to lose?

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to my new favorite file explorer app for Android, Solid Explorer. The little jewel is still in beta (which means it could have a few bugs), but don't let that stop you from installing it today and giving it a whirl for yourself. Let me lay out some of my favorite features for you.

First up, like any top notch app, the user interface is clean, easy to use, and simple. The main interface consist of two individual panes that are easily switched by swiping your finger to the left or to the right. Each pane can be set differently according to your preference of view styles (which I'll show you in a minute), sorting options, or filtering. You can long press on a folder or file to bring up an options dialog. The dialog is context sensitive, based on the type of file or folder that you're trying to manipulate. For example, if you long press on a ZIP, RAR, TAR.GZ, or TAR.BZ2 file, you'll have two options pop up for extracting the contents of that file. You'll also be given options to copy, move, rename, send (which integrates with Androids share functions), view properties, or archive the current item (which also supports ZIP, RAR, TAR.GZ, and TAR.BZ2).

Skipping down to the bottom of the app, we have Solid Explorer's menu. This is where the magic really begins.

The first item on the left is the "New" button, which allows us a way to create new folders, and new files. It also allows for an array of new connections, including FTP, SFTP, SMB, DropBox, and Box.net. I was able to test the FTP and Dropbox connections and both worked seamlessly. When you're browsing a remote connection of any sort, your active pane's browser gets pushed into the background. If you then change panes, a simple tap of the Android icon in the top left corner gives you easy access to all of your current connections and local folders. This is great if you frequently access files in the cloud or want to use your web hosts storage to backup or offload files from your phone.

Next on the menu is the Actions button which allows you to Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, or view Properties of currently selected files or folders. It also allows you to select multiple items using checkboxes and a quick "Select All." Perhaps my favorite feature of the Action menu is the Properties feature. I've been long looking for an app that would allow me to quickly visualize where space was being used on my SD card so that I could quickly free up some space on my SD. When you give a quick tap of the Properties button, it takes you to a new screen that allows you to quickly view the details of the item(s) you have selected. If you don't have any item selected, it takes you to the Properties screen for the SD card and gives you an overview of the entire contents of the SD.

Moving right along, the Filter button comes in handy for quickly finding a file or folder that is currently on your screen. It does not search recursively (meaning that it only looks in the current directory, no deeper), but results are instantaneous. As soon as you type a letter, it begins filtering immediately.

The jump button allows you to quickly move around to different locations that you may not have open in the background. If you have root access, you can use this menu to quickly view the System root by tapping Device, then System root. The Photos and Downloads buttons are customizable via the settings of the app, in case you've changed the default locations within your Camera or Browser. The Network button quickly allows you to reconnect to previously connected network connections.

The Menu button, which is also accessible if you press the Menu button on your device, allows us to customize our Simple Explorer experience. Search allows you to search everywhere in your current browser (it works for the network connections as well), AND the search feature integrates with Android's search button. After installing Simple Explorer, you'll be given an option to allow Android to use Simple Explorer's search feature by pressing the Search button on your device.

Further down the Menu button are the View and Sort buttons. These allow you to fine tune your current pane. My favorite view is the "Detailed List." The only thing I wish were different about the detailed views is the ability to display the size of folders.

Another big feature worth pointing out is the File Sharing feature. If you're Android device is connected to a Wifi network, enabling File sharing will allow you to browse your phone via FTP. I can't stress enough how much I LOVE this feature. No more usb cables, no more dismounting your SD, no more "Safe removal." I love it!

The Settings button allows you to further tune Simple Explorer to your liking. There are quite a few options in the Settings. Perhaps of greatest interest are Theme (currently only Light and Dark are available), the Default directories for both panes, and the Quick start guide.

As with anything in life, there are a couple of negatives to point out. First of all, the app crashes on the Properties page on my phone when I switch back and forth between the various property pages. Also, in the Top 10 files, occasionally the Top 10 files will repeat. After number 10, number 1 will reappear, and scrolling down will reveal the top 10 list having been duplicated. These, of course, are bugs, and this app is still in beta, so I'm sure that these issues will be ironed out.

Overall, hands-down, Simple Explorer Beta wins my vote for best Android Utility App. You owe it to yourself to download it from the Play Store and give it a test drive yourself.

To Otter or Not to Otter

Most people have heard about an Otterbox. It’s probably one of the most popular brands in cell phone cases in general, and certainly for iPhone cases. I thought I should write a little review primarily about some of the misconceptions about the Otterbox Defender series as well as an overview about the case.

First, let’s deal with some of the myths about Otterboxes:

1)  The Warranty. Many people have heard that if your phone is in an Otterbox and it breaks, that Otterbox will replace your phone. That is, quite frankly, a big fat hunk of poo. No company would expose themselves to several hundreds of dollars of liability simply on a person’s “word” that it was in an Otterbox. Otterbox specifically says on their website that they do not warrantee the electronic devices (think: your iPhone) that are in their case. They warrantee their cases for ONE YEAR (NOT lifetime!!) against any faults. However, if it breaks because you drive over it with a tractor, technically they don’t have to replace it. However, Otterbox’s customer service is top notch, and will often give the customer the benefit of the doubt as far as replacing the case. If your case breaks, you can contact them (you don’t have to register the case or anything), and they will often replace the case for you.

2)  Waterproof. Many people think that the Otterbox is waterproof. This, once again, is not so. It is water RESISTANT. Meaning it has rubber flaps to protect the charging port as well as the headphone jack. I have had may customers say that they have dropped their phone in water and it has protected it. However, I have also had many customers drop their phone in water and, unfortunately, their phone was fried. Most of the time when the phone was saved it was because the person got the phone out of the water very quickly and quickly dried the phone off. Either way, it is NOT waterproof.

3)  The hole for the headphone jack doesn’t line up. If you read the above myth, you will notice that there is a flap for the headphone jack. The whole to the right of the head phone jack is NOT for the headphone jack. It is actually for a sensor that has to be left open for the iPhone to work correctly. So, the headphone jack is SUPPOSED to be covered by the otterbox. The hole is meant for the sensor, not the jack, so it isn’t supposed to line up.

4)  All Otterboxes protect. Some people think that every otterbox case protects their phone equally. Again, simply not true. Like anything, the size of the case makes a big difference in the protection of the case. Many people like the Commuter series, for instance, because it isn’t as bulky and doesn’t have rubber on the top of the case that will stretch or stick to pockets or hair. Unfortunately, the Commuter is not nearly as protective as the Defender series. When most people think of protection and “indestructibility”, they are thinking about the Defender series. This series is the one that protects the best, hands down. If you don’t like the rubber on the top, there are other cases (Kraken for instance made by Trident). However, the Commuter, Impact, and Reflex versions of the Otterbox are not as protective as the Defender series (some are hardly protective at all). It really comes down to physics. The more mass there is around your phone, the more force it can absorb. Many people want something that is going to protect their phone from everything but isn’t big and bulky. In this universe, unfortunately, that isn’t going to happen. Anyone who tells you something different is trying to sell you something. There are happy mediums--cases that protect well but also are sleek (like my personal favorite--the Skech Hard Rubber, Rise, or Shine cases), but they aren’t going to be as protective as a Defender case.

5)  Otterboxes are indestructible. Make no mistake, the Defender series is extremely durable. I have had customers tell me about dropping them off roofs, driving over them in cars, tractors, and even running them over with a lawnmower, and their phones surviving. However, in most extreme cases, the case will be damaged, possibly to the point of not functioning. Many extreme example where the case is damaged, the phone actually comes out unscathed. However, there are limits to what a case can do. People want certainty. They want to believe that if their phone is in a case it can survive nuclear winter unscathed. Again, if any salesperson tells you something like that, they are suspect. My favorite story was a woman that told me her horse stepped on her otterbox and her phone and her case was ok. For her, the case worked out well. And for most people, who may drop their phone or be rough on it, the otterbox will keep your phone safe and secure. There are, however, limits to the punishment it can endure. At the end of the day, it is plastic and rubber. Plastic can scratch and break, rubber can stretch and break. You have to be reasonable in your expectations of what a case can and can’t do.

Bottom line, the Defender series of the Otterbox is a great case for protection. I personally think it’s too big and bulky. However, if your priority is protection, this is the way to go. If you don’t want something as big and bulky, remember, it’s a trade off. You can’t get a smaller case and expect it to protect as well as an Otterbox Defender. There are good alternatives. Again, the Kraken made by Trident, is nice because the plastic is on the outside so its easier to put in and out of your pocket and won’t stick to your hair when you talk on the phone.

I prefer a case that keeps the sleekness and feel of the iPhone. So, I prefer a Skech case (even over and Otterbox Commuter). But, if you want a case that will give you the best in protection, an Otterbox Defender (or another “tank” case as my fellow reviewer categorizes them) is your best bet.

Sincerely,

Nick Andrus

Jedi Master

The Pros: 

I like this case because it combines protection while keeping the sleekness of the iPhone 4/4S. 

The hard rubber gives it a rubber feel while still allowing easy sliding into your pocket (not sticking like a rubber otterbox or a silicone case). Ladies might also like it because it won’t stick to their hair while they are on the phone. 

The inside has a felt covering that will keep the glass back of the phone from scratching.  If the case is just plastic or even silicone going up against the glass back, you are at risk of rubbing grooves or scratches, or getting dust/sand in the back that can also scratch the back. So, the felt on the back is a good thing to keep it safe. 

Best of all, there is a space between the case and the phone--almost like a “buffer zone.” It’s made similar to a football helmet, so if there is a shock or an impact, the force of the impact spreads around the case rather than going right to the phone. 

Is it as protective as, say, an Otter or a Trident case? No. It’s not a “tank” to use “the Guru’s” terminology. Now, if you are a paratrooper going behind enemy lines into Afghanistan, this case might not be for you. If you are a parent in the habit of giving your $500+ dollar device to a 3 year old to keep them busy, this case probably isn’t for you (and maybe an iPhone in general isn’t a good idea for you). Anyway, I digress...

If you are a reasonably careful person, this case works fine. I have even dropped mine several times. Two times while running to my car my phone fell out of my pocket and landed face down then bounced around the asphalt about 4 times.

Scratched the case, but the phone itself was not damaged. One time my phone landed facedown and slid across the sidewalk--the entire slide it was face down. Still, no damage to the screen. 

The Cons: 

The bad thing about the skech case is that much like most quality cases, there is limited selection on styles. There are no graphics or logos available. I have found that most cases with some of the cooler graphics and logos seem to spend more time and effort on the look of the case rather than on the functionality and protection of the case. So, unfortunately, you have to choose if you want your case to combine protection with simplicity and sleekness, or if you want a graphic or logo on your case with cheap plastic/rubber. 

It is a two-piece case, so the bottom does come off. That could mean disaster, and usually does for most cases. The bottom just pops off. I do notice that the skech don't come off as easily as others. The case itself seems to fit on the entire phone, rather than just snapping together. So, the bottom doesn’t seem to come off easily, even after months of use. Two-piece cases that do have a snap seem to come off more easily with time because the snap wears out. 

One positive in the midst of the apparent downside of a two-piece case is that if you need to put your phone in a dock to charge and/or play music, you can take only the bottom off rather than having to take the entire case off. However, if you tend to wear more skinny jeans and you put your phone in your back pocket, there can be a chance that when you take the phone off the bottom part of the case might stay in your pocket. Not that my jeans are that skinny...but I have seen it happen with others...just saying...

In general, I like this case better than most. Again, I don’t like the bulky cases. I try to not put my phone through lots of turmoil. I like the look and the feel of an iphone without anything on it. If I could have no case I would. This is the best option if you are looking for good protection and keeping the sleek style of an iPhone 4/4S. 

Sincerely,

Nick Andrus

Jedi Master

Call me crazy, but I hate being stuck in traffic. I absolutely hate being stuck in traffic. The thought of being in a motor vehicle while staring at the back of another motor vehicle in the middle of my commute home sends chills down my spine.

Now I’ve tried dialing my FM radio in to one of the local stations to get the traffic reports, but after the 3rd Aflac, 4th diet program, and 2nd vote for me commercial, my nerves can’t stand it. Traffic + radio noise just drives me nuts.

Enter, Beat the Traffic. This little app is a divine Godsend. It’s design: simple. Its interface: easy to use. Its purpose: single fold. That is, to inform you of any traffic related issues and update on a regular basis.

Granted, there are other apps out there that provide you with traffic reports. There are even a ton of GPS devices that provide "alternate routes" based on traffic flow, but I like having a simple app that visualizes the flow of traffic for me so that I can make my own decisions about which route would be best for me to take.

When you first load the app, it begins to find your location via traditional location means: GPS, wifi, or cell tower. Once it finds your general location, it shows a Google map with a traffic overlay. Green for smooth flowing. Yellow for sluggish traffic. Red for "Holy crap this is going to take a while" traffic. It also has a handy "Report" button that allows you to report accidents, construction zones, and road hazards, which does count as doing a good deed for the day, should you run into anything that hasn't been reported.

All in all, it's a great app. Download it from the Android Market.

We kick off our new segment called "Outside the Box" covering the Skeck Rise Purple Case for the iPhone 4/4S.

The Porter is for the person that doesn’t want a bulky case, yet wants to save the iPad from falling. It is a slim leather case that fits like a glove around the iPad. Something that I like is that this case snaps into place instead of sliding into a pocket. The snapping feature keeps the iPad from moving around. The case has a strap on the inside. When I open the case, flipping the front to the back, I can slide my hand across the back of the iPad, and into the strap to ensuring I don’t drop it. The strap is snug and secure.

From a purely personal standpoint I love the Skech iPhone 4/4S case. Not only is it durable (a MUST for a father of 3) but it’s also a sleek and slim case which makes it easier to handle. There are a TON of iPhone cases on the market, but few have the strength that the Skech brand offers to the customer. Made of hard rubber that protects the phone from drops, dings, and falls allows the customer to know that their phone will be protected in normal daily activities. Not only does Skech make their case from hard rubber, which is a MUCH better protector than plastic or soft rubber, but it also adds felt backing to the inside of the case to protect the back of your phone from scratches.