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Awesome folio case for under $25

Hey guys,
I've been prowling around these sectors ever since I got my Xoom, searching for the perfect case.
What I wanted:
The flexibility of the Zoogue case really appealed to me - I like the idea of being able to choose the angle of viewing. I also wanted any case to be able to be able to provide a setting for only a slight tilt when I wanted to type.
BUT the high price tag really put me off.
Also, I wanted it to be pretty thin. The Xoom is big enough without me adding to its bulk.
After much searching, I think I found the perfect one, so I thought I'd share my experiences (Here's the link where I bought it from: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Black-Fo...Accessories&hash=item3f0a05cb28#ht_3816wt_947)
Firstly, the price tag attached to this thing is ridiculously awesome. At first, I bought it thinking 'why not? it's less than $25!', but the product turned out to be even more awesome.
Firstly, it's really thin, but covers the tablet nicely. Secondly, to a certain extent, you can also choose what viewing angle you want, which is awesome. I say to a certain extent, because after a while, you run out of cover to stick the velcro on (have a look at the attached picture)
All the cutouts are there, but you can't charge with the case closed. I don't think this is a problem, because the cover folds back on itself nicely, so you can keep it open to charge. Which brings me to the next plus: it's designed so that it folds back on itself and it's actually pretty comfortable to hold in portrait mode (I've heard that this isn't the case with the official Moto one).
The only minor flaw I've found is that on mine, the top left corner is slightly higher than the top right - what this means is that the front-facing camera is covered ever so slightly by the strip of leather running under it. The picture I attached kind of exaggerates it a bit; it's not that bad. When I booted up the front-facing camera, there's just a line across the very bottom of the image. I'm not sure if this is on all their cases, so it might just be mine.
One more note: When I first heard about cases using velcro, I immediately wondered if the velcro would wear out over time, like in some of my bags. If you're also wondering that, then don't worry! This doesn't use the traditional velcro. You know how traditionally, the fuzzy part has all the loops and the the other part would like... 'hook' onto it and that's how it stuck? Well, this uses a different sort... one that looks like it won't wear out easily. Also, this case is pretty damn sturdy when you've got it propped up. I've tested this out extensively, and even when poking at the screen with a fair bit of force, it never topples.
Finally, before anyone asks: no, I'm not in any way affiliated with the seller, I'm just one super-happy customer. Even though it says it's free shipping, they still provided tracking for me. They even took a picture of the package before they sent it off and sent that to me, which was an eBay first. Plus, the person dealing with the emails just seems really nice, based on the correspondences I've had.
So pretty much, this case is amazing (for me, anyway). I don't think it's real leather, but for under $25, I wasn't expecting it. Plus, real leather is a ***** to take care of, anyway. Whether you need this case will probably come down to what you want out of a case, but this one has been pretty versatile for me (I've had it for about a month now).
EDIT: I didn't realise how much I wrote.... can you tell I'm procrastinating?
EDIT2: I forgot to add that there's even a magnet that holds the cover closed. It's not too strong but not too weak, either. Quite nifty, actually!

screen
is the screen filtered

wyllem said:
is the screen filtered
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Nope, there's nothing on the screen area at all. That's my matte screen protector that I bought off eBay. It was the cheapest one I could find and it actually works quite well!

i got this one. will post pics and give feedback as soon as i got it.

Well, I really like it myself, so it'll be interesting to hear feedback from other people too.
And daaaang it, it's on sale now (I hate when things go on sale after I buy it!) Oh well, it was already cheap to begin with

Galaxy SIII keyboard case

I am looking for a successor to my Desire Z and as manufacturers do not release any new devices with a hard keyboard I am trying to find a solution to have a hard keyboard. I'd like to have an SGS 3 with keyboard. I had found this keyboard case for the Galaxy Note at Brando http:// shop.brando.com/samsung-galaxy-note-reclosable-fastener-case-with-bluetooth-keyboard_p7254c299d57.html. I have asked if they planned to release the same kind for the SGS 3 but it's not in their plans for the moment.
Are you aware of similar products or do you have any idea on how I could build my own slide-out keyboard on the phone or attached to an appropriate case ?
For the 2nd solution I would need to find a closing cover with right dimensions (needs to allow to be closed while phone and device are both inside; the case should be not too loose, I mean if I'm typing from the keyboard not laying on a desk I should be able to have a right angle to view the screen and the phone should stay firmly in place....) and I could attach the keyboard with a scratch.
Thanks for your advices.

I'm in the exact same boat. I want a higher spec phone, but I can't bare to leave my physical keyboard behind. It's just so much better than swype or whatever.

I had a friend who insisted on a a full keyboard coming from Blackberrys, back when he had a Motorola Droid. He upgraded to a Galaxy Nexus recently and has told me he couldn't believe why he was such a stickler for a keyboard. honestly I haven't found my typing to be any worse.
You really are going to be left behind if you expect high end hardware to have physical keyboards. The whole platform is moving away from physical buttons, best learn to adapt now, many people have wondered why Samsung gave the S3 a physical home button since the GNex went without.

LowSky said:
I had a friend who insisted on a a full keyboard coming from Blackberrys, back when he had a Motorola Droid. He upgraded to a Galaxy Nexus recently and has told me he couldn't believe why he was such a stickler for a keyboard. honestly I haven't found my typing to be any worse.
You really are going to be left behind if you expect high end hardware to have physical keyboards. The whole platform is moving away from physical buttons, best learn to adapt now, many people have wondered why Samsung gave the S3 a physical home button since the GNex went without.
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I love the home button, so glad S III has it. Love the tactile FEEL of it. Wish it had camera button too.
I have a Droid. I love its keyboard. I'd buy a keyboard case (like OP posted for Note above) if someone made it for S III.
Although the screen is big it makes on screen keys ok but I would still buy a keyboard case for S III. If someone makes one. There is a thread on this at AndroidCentral IIRC as well...will find a link later if I remember..

You could get an inexpensive micro bluetooth keyboard and keep it on hand, or get someone on etsy to make a case that both your phone and the keyboard would fit into. http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=micro+bluetooth+keyboard I've got that keyboard and just keep it in my bag.

There is a company called boxwave that has a keyboard "buddy" case for the iphone. I have contacted them and they say if they receive enough requests that they will create one. Request url is [colon]//www[dot]boxwave[dot]com/community/request/request_model.cfm.

BigRedFed said:
There is a company called boxwave that has a keyboard "buddy" case for the iphone. I have contacted them and they say if they receive enough requests that they will create one. Request url is [colon]//www[dot]boxwave[dot]com/community/request/request_model.cfm.
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This would probably be the best option TBH. I'm not a huge fan of a physical keyboard myself, but I see a lot of people not making the switch from RIM because of the lack of great Android hardware with this (primitive?) feature. I agree with the above poster in regards to the fact that the industry is moving away from physical buttons, in general. Even RIM tried multiple times to "dip their fingers" into touchscreen technology (see BlackBerry Storm or BlackBerry Torch) but (IMO) could not sell enough units to justify abandoning what has been successful for them for nearly the past decade. Of course manufacturers are seeing sales explode as they are producing thinner and thinner phones, simply because phones that have slim, aesthetically-pleasing design profiles are much more desirable for a multitude of reasons. I'm afraid to say that until a manufacturer can produce a device that is competitively thin and light I don't see physical keyboards remaining relevant for much longer.
However, to more directly address the topic of this thread, I don't think that any other "keyboard cases" will be seen for this phone, so you should probably try and request that the company in the quoted post create one. For one, as hinted to above, most people purchasing this device see its sleek profile as a major perk. Many people across multiple forums are discussing which cases are best and are looking for the following desirable attributes: thin with a lot of protection. Some will sacrifice their "1mm or less" requirement for a case that will survive a fall from a pocket or backpack, and these people (sometimes begrudgingly) purchase popular high-protection cases such as the Otterbox Commuter/Defender or Trident Aegis/Kraken. I believe that this is the only reason people would be willing to purchase thicker cases for this phone (or at least enough people for these companies to justify making cases that are purposely thicker). Additionally, these people are paying a premium because the manufacturing costs for making these thicker cases are certainly higher. If just having thicker, more protective materials are driving the costs of these cases above ~$25, how much would you assume the Bluetooth keyboard cases would cost? BoxWave charges $79.99 for their iPhone 4S version at the time of this post - a pretty hefty amount in a market where people are looking to eBay to purchase cases for under $10. It just doesn't make sense economically for companies to produce cases like this.
One might argue this point by using the existence of the BoxWave iPhone 4S model as proof that enough people will buy an expensive, thick case to make it happen for our comparatively slim phone. However, this defense would ignore the main reason why a physical keyboard is more (read: slightly) in demand for Apple's flagship device. When comparing the ease of typing on the iPhone 4S, which has a 3.5 inch screen, to that of the Galaxy S3, which has a 4.8 inch screen, their is no comparison. The larger screen real estate of our phone is vastly superior mainly due to the fact that the key size can be quite a bit larger. Also, one should consider the fact that Android keyboards can be changed quite readily and are becoming much easier to customize. It appears that anyone can find a keyboard that works for them, no matter their virtual typing style. Therefore, I don't imagine the demand being even close to similar.
That is just my two cents. I will request the case for you, but I honestly don't think that it will come to fruition for the aforementioned reasons. People are not looking for heavy, sturdy handsets anymore - they try to keep it simple and light. Keep in mind that Samsung was able to sell 10 million units in record time and the build quality does not even resemble that of stuggling manufacturers like HTC and Motorola.

Thank you. Requested. Please everyone let's join in on this request here...

Requested 1 myself. I've always missed the keyboard that my G1 had. Since the GS3 is fairly large, wonder if a track pad could be added onto the far right of the keyboard. I miss a trackpad/roller ball to move the cursor around for editing or whatnot.

marcucci217 said:
This
That is just my two cents. I will request the case for you, but I honestly don't think that it will come to fruition for the aforementioned reasons. People are not looking for heavy, sturdy handsets anymore - they try to keep it simple and light. Keep in mind that Samsung was able to sell 10 million units in record time and the build quality does not even resemble that of stuggling manufacturers like HTC and Motorola.
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Could you explain this part in other words i dont get it. Not your fault my english is not so advances
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

htcsnap93 said:
Could you explain this part in other words i dont get it. Not your fault my english is not so advances
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
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He means even thought the S3 is actually pretty cheaply made (goddamn **** plastic like always), it sells like cocaine to a homeless drug addict. Even though Motorola, and HTC make far superior handsets build wise (trust me, I had the One X, best phone I've owned by far), they can't compete with Samsung.
Nowadays, thinner and lighter is better, and therefore buying a big, bulky keyboard case is silly if you think about it for such a thin and light device.

theking_13 said:
He means even thought the S3 is actually pretty cheaply made (goddamn **** plastic like always), it sells like cocaine to a homeless drug addict. Even though Motorola, and HTC make far superior handsets build wise (trust me, I had the One X, best phone I've owned by far), they can't compete with Samsung.
Nowadays, thinner and lighter is better, and therefore buying a big, bulky keyboard case is silly if you think about it for such a thin and light device.
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This. Saved me some time explaining. Thanks, my friend. Love the metaphor :laugh:

A co-worker of mine has the Keyboard Buddy for his iPhone 4, and it's actually pretty nice. He said it takes a little getting used to, but once you have it, you can't go without it. The physical keyboard makes typing way easier, and if you're used to sending all emails/messages directly from your phone (i.e. crackberry users), then this is a must have if you have an iPhone 4.
Sorry, I got off on a little tangent talking about the keyboard case for iPhone 4, but I was just trying to illustrate how useful a keyboard case could be for the S3. So maybe for the casual everyday user, it's not as crucial. But if you're a more heavy duty/business type user, a decent keyboard case could make all the difference.
Also just my $0.02 =)

yes most people won't want one, sure. Some people DO want a real keyboard and are willing and ready to pay. I'd pay GOOD money for one. I hope this Buddy Case company makes one. Since S III is such a hugely popular phone. I think they'd for sure make a profit if they were to make Buddy Case for S III. Again...people looking to buy this have tried touchscreen keyboards and already decided they'd prefer a keyboard case. It's settled. We are not changing our mind. I have SwiftKey. Yes it's ok. But I'd prefer a good keyboard case.

Yay more "learn to do without" and "evolve" posts about physical keyboards.
As for the "thinner" excuse, the Nokia E7 was right in the ballpark at 13.6mm (say compared to the HTC EVO at it's 13mm, or the iPhone 3GS at 12.3mm but 4.3mm thicker than the iPhone4) too bad it just had a 600MHz CPU and Symbian.
I just had to chime in. We all know that those who prefer form over function (thinner vs keyboard) are the majority, but that doesn't mean we all like hearing those of us who prefer a physical keyboard are relics and need to "adapt/evolve" with the times or "deal with it."

Kinda does actually, companies cater to the masses. The masses being the "thinner, lighter, better" boat, while the "keyboard people" boat is way behind. Companies won't invest in something that won't sell well
If you guys really want a keyboard that bad, the S3 isn't for you. Its better to buy a phone with one already.
Sent from my sexy white Galaxy S3 on T-Mobile.

theking_13 said:
Kinda does actually, companies cater to the masses. The masses being the "thinner, lighter, better" boat, while the "keyboard people" boat is way behind. Companies won't invest in something that won't sell well
If you guys really want a keyboard that bad, the S3 isn't for you. Its better to buy a phone with one already.
Sent from my sexy white Galaxy S3 on T-Mobile.
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agreed maybe you guys should keep a look out for the t-mobile relay 4g. smaller screen but hopefully same internals as the s3!

They made one already. http://shop.brando.com/Samsung-Gala...-with-Bluetooth-Keyboard_p07999c1420d057.html
Sent from my Cocaine White S3

peanut_butter said:
They made one already. http://shop.brando.com/Samsung-Gala...-with-Bluetooth-Keyboard_p07999c1420d057.html
Sent from my Cocaine White S3
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Eh. Meh.
I want a SLIDING case like the Case Buddy, but for our S III. With a nice solid sliding click that is beefy and satisfying, the the mechanism in the Droid series by Moto. I reeeeally miss the build quality and keyboard of my Droid 2.
I actually found one. I want to buy this. http://www.ele-boat.com/Details.asp?ID=1
But I can not figure out how to buy it?? Anyone else get one of these?

macdroid01 said:
Eh. Meh.
I want a SLIDING case like the Case Buddy, but for our S III. With a nice solid sliding click that is beefy and satisfying, the the mechanism in the Droid series by Moto. I reeeeally miss the build quality and keyboard of my Droid 2.
I actually found one. I want to buy this. http://www.ele-boat.com/Details.asp?ID=1
But I can not figure out how to buy it?? Anyone else get one of these?
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According to http://www.ele-boat.com/Contact.asp I believe you can set it up by emailing [email protected]

Case for S5 that HOLDS a stylus??

I did a foolish, foolish thing... I promised my Mom that there were cases that would hold/keep a stylus for the new Samsung S5. I've seen many for iPhone & ASSUMED that a new flagship phone would offer similar. (yes, I know, but I was desperate to talk her out of the Note and didn't have a better idea) I have seen vids where tablet case backs are sliced carefully, and hard plastic tabs inserted into the edge of the case, with different accessories glued to the plastic tabs, quite ingenious....but how in H*ll does that help me on a PHONE case? She wants the case to hold/store the stylus. Did I mention that the standard stylus tip is too large also?? :eye rolling:
I managed to explain about the different types of screens, so she understands why a Samsung stylus only works on the Note, but she is very disappointed. To be fair, at 69 she has picked up the basics of Android in just a few months experience with a basic tablet and is kicking butt thus far with her S5. Her previous phone was a BlackBerry she had for TEN YEARS before the battery died, so I knew I had to get her the best equipment possible, VZ's BOGO on S5s came with 2 free Galaxy 7.7 tablets, all for $250, which seemed the best deal. Besides, it meant we would have the EXACT SAME phone, so her incessant questions would be easier to handle, plus a 3G tablet for vacation use as a navigation system (astounding how excited she was over that lol)
I'm new to Samsung, so I'm asking for advice, please don't make me beg! (before now, I stayed with Motorola & LG devices) I need cases & screen protector for all 4 devices, two S5's and two 7.7 tablets. I've had good luck with Zagg. I'm tough on cases tho, broke 2 Otterboxes lol. ANY and ALL ideas/suggestions happily accepted! I am quite handy, so mods are easily doable, I can sew, solder & rebuild engines! Thànks in advance for your help! :fingers-crossed:

HTC m8 pitfalls?

I'm a long time HTC sensation user and have modded it all the way up to lollipop. Sadly, the wife just dropped it and cracked her entire screen - just today. It was a fun, slo-mo event. Happily, that means it's time to upgrade. sssshhh I know I can buy a new screen...but it's time for an upgrade after 4+ years.
I'm pretty sure I'm going for the m8 rather than the s5, but I'm curious about any, shall we say, un-"reviewed" pit falls?
Things like:
I know the battery is non removable but the S5 has a removable one. We had the sensation so long we burned through a few ankers and it really helped the life span. Comments on the real world battery? One of the strength, to me, was the removable battery. I have an old itouch, with a, let called it, hard to deal with battery. It was nice to not be forced to upgrade when the battery became is hosed.
The modding power. I quite enjoy rooting/s-offing/breaking my phone - but ideally not bricking. I know htc has been a tad cranky in the past with this, it seems okay looking at the development community and I'm not reading up on too many issues but what are experiences between rooting/roming this vs the S5?
Any, I love this phone but, damn, this one thing really suck but there's a easy work around type things? Or it's be the best phone except the battery is ****? Things the main reviewers won't really say?
Hoping to join you guy here from the sensation forums in a few days(and of course root my phone asap)

It just doesn't feel right in my hands. Can't explain it but maybe it's just me and my dislike for curved phones. I still don't like how uncomfortable it feels to hold.

Elisha said:
It just doesn't feel right in my hands. Can't explain it but maybe it's just me and my dislike for curved phones. I still don't like how uncomfortable it feels to hold.
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Enough that the phone isn't worth it? Have you moved on? Wished that you had an S5, nexus 5, etc? Any other major regrets besides the feel?

I have tried every other competitor till now. G3 - sluggish and heats up fast. S5 - build quality, knox and no gpe posibility. Z3 - Too pricey, low on updates and development, otherwise a spectacular phone. OnePlus - No stable ROM to date, even CM11SR44 is buggy.
The battery on the One M8 has been great for me. I always get 4-5h SOT through 1-2days. Keep in mind that I come from Z Ultra and Mi3 that both had 3000+ mah batteries.
My advice is to buy this phone, you will not regret it.

This might actually be the first phone I manage to keep for two years (thus avoiding the inevitable arguement with the wife) hahaha

Here are my problems
1. Camera covers scratch really easily. My main back camera was scratched quite badly, even with a spigen slim armor on all the time. I sent it in for repair and they replaced both the front facing and the back main covers. The back currently is being protected by a 'screen protector'. The coating on the new front cover scratched/came slightly off in about a month and I rubbed the rest away. It remains scratch-free, but (number 2)
2. Dust can get under the speaker grilles and get stuck under front facing camera. Not sure if it is due to the replacement of the covers or what. Just last month, I went to Australia for a military exercise and it was very sandy. I believe it was the sand that went in. With that said, my platoon mate using the same phone did not get even a single speck of dust stuck under his.
I messaged the service centre and they said they would clean it for free under warranty, even with my bootloader unlocked, but the technician would do a diagnostic on my phone. The CSO asked for my IMEI number to check if I was under warranty, which I refused to give. Funny part is, shouldn't all M8s be under warranty since it was released only this year?
With regards to the battery, it is definitely awesome, although mine seem to have been weakened with me abusing it.

Personally I really like it-it's my favorite phone since the HD2. I agree it can be awkward to hold and the camera can be scratched, but for me these problems were easily solved by getting a decent case for it(i.e. not one of the barely covers it slim or dot view style cases, one of the bigger ones that actually protects it. I also put a screen protector on it just to be safe. I've dropped it twice from pocket level and it's fine).
The only thing I've noticed that I think could possibly be better is the battery life. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad per se, but I do feel it could be a little better. Of course, there are power saver apps and whatnot you can do to help with that.
And that's it.
What I like is how customizable it is. The only thing we can't currently do is put W8 on it, but given how wide open this phone is, that may just be a matter of time and interest. Meantime you can pretty much do anything else you want to it, which I love. There's a lot to be said for having the choice to use it however you want to. Can't recommend it enough.

Battery life is pretty good on the m8 especially on gpe a gpe m8 I would rate higher than a nexus device go for the m8 you won't be disappointed

One issue and that's the volume keys, everything else seems perfect to me (fantastic build quality, decent camera, decent battery, easily converted to gpe which is really nice).
Edit: Oh yeah second issue is that the htc keyboard sucks, thankfully that's a non issue because you can easily get better keyboards on the store.

I got the M8! Thanks for you thoughts. Already boot unlocked and Rooted, sadly I'll need sunshine not firewater to s-off when I go there but it's a great phone. Having had a Sensation for the lat 4 years...we've forgotten how fast phones can be! Cheers!

Sartan4455 said:
Enough that the phone isn't worth it? Have you moved on? Wished that you had an S5, nexus 5, etc? Any other major regrets besides the feel?
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Enough that I'm constantly trying to get something else!
Had the Nexus 5 for almost 11 months and absolutely loved the feel of the phone in hand!
I've been trying to get a hold of a Z3 but all the Canadian ones are only 16gb so it's kind of disappointing. I'll wait for a next generation SD810 phone before I switch again. GPE Lollipop has reduced my enthusiasm to find something else!

[Q] Considering purchasing a ZenWatch, but...

So, after an extremely difficult to explain accident my Motorola MotoACTV has basically given up the ghost. I'm lookin' into the newer Android wear devices for a replacement, and I'm wondering: How'd a ZenWatch do me? Seems that's the most unanimously recommended model and the current pricing is good. My main concern lies mostly with the durability of the device - I work as a frycook so this thing's gonna have to withstand some fairly high temperatures. Any concerns there (or otherwise) I should know of? Thanks!

I'm not sure how the face/battery/housing would hold up to heat. But, you would probably want to look into replacing the stock leather wristband with something metal. The leather holds up extremely well to casual sweat and water, but I assume hot greases and oils as well as extended exposure to cleaning solutions would be rough on it.
The watch is currently on a short term sale for $150.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...00010_zenwatch_android_smartwatch_brown.html#
Other things to consider. The Zenwatch 2 has been announced, so the first one won't be cutting edge for very long if that matters to you. Also, if you really are in semi extreme conditions due to your job, you may want to look at some options geared more towards athletes and are built to take a beating. This one is very attractive and doesn't appear to be fragile, but it's definitely not sporty.

Thanks for the advice! I might go with the current model just to save some cash, though waiting for the 2 is tempting! is anything out there right now so far as hardware specs or software-level improvements?
With regards to the work environment issues I actually can't imagine things being too much of a problem (though i defs should get a metal band and I'll wanna keep up on keeping the device clean) - worst case scenario I can always wear my trusty Casio Telememo 30 to work and save the ZenWatch for less potentially hazardous conditions! My MotoACTV did fine, I should note.

I think it would be a good choice, there is certainly nothing in the next version that makes me want to upgrade. And there are plenty of cheap metal bands out there - I use this one at the moment and it is very good:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400892494610?euid=87af0097fb9d4ac4b96ba89b1a162e5d&cp=1