Develop Bugs

Thin case comparison/review- Incipio Feather vs. Casemate Barely There

I just got my Incipio Feather in the mail, and I must say I am very let down. When I looked at the picture on the website, I really thought that the case was going to wrap around the front but it does not. In all fairness, I did look at the picture again and it doesn't wrap around in it like I thought it did. The picture is very deceiving, the way they shade the Evo makes it look like the case wraps around, at least to me it does. Anyways...
The Incipio is a lot thicker than the Barely There, and doesn't come up as high on the sides either. That actually makes it feel rather awkward in the hand because there is a very pronounced lip around the whole phone. Also, the Incipio case has a full cutout, like a bite, from the front of the case for the volume rocker whereas the Barely There has a rectangular hole and covers the plastic in front of the rocker.
The Incipio also provides far less protection for the camera lens. With the Barely There, the lens is completely protected, it covers the edge of the glass, fully recessing the lens into the case. It has a separate cutout for the flash, lens, and speaker. The Incipio just has one gaping hole for all three to share.
My biggest complaint about the Incipio is that because it doesn't come up all the way around the sides, the face of the Evo sticks out from it and consequently the corners are not fully protected. If this thing takes a tumble on to concrete, there is a good chance your corner could still get scratched. With the Barely There case, while still not very protective, at least your corners won't get beat up.
The only positive about the Incipio is that I like the way the material feels better than the Barely There. It has a softer, almost velvety finish to it. The Barely There still has a nice rubberized texture to it, just not as nice as the Incipio's.
I see no reason at all to purchase the Incipio case when you can buy the Barely There case instead. The Barely There is thinner, feels more comfortable in the hand, and provides more coverage/protection. I am sticking with my Barely There case and will probably give the Incipio away.
Casemate Barely There
Incipio Feather
Both cases cost $19.99.

Thanks for the review ... appreciate it. Have you looked at the other Case Mate Evo case that is two part (Tough Case)? Just wondering about the protection and quality.

No I haven't, at least not in person. I'm sure it's a great case, and I know other people have had good experiences with it, but I personally don't like the way it looks compared to the OB Commuter case or the Seidio Active Limited, and I already have both of those.

_MetalHead_ said:
No I haven't, at least not in person. I'm sure it's a great case, and I know other people have had good experiences with it, but I personally don't like the way it looks compared to the OB Commuter case or the Seidio Active Limited, and I already have both of those.
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Couple of quick questions for you ... since you have both. I had the Seidio Active Limited from Amazon, really liked the feel of it, but the plastic back began to peel off. I didn't replace it with another ... afraid the same thing would happen. Any issues for you? So I've been using the Otter Box Impact case, but since I keep my phone in my front pocket ... it can be a lint magnet. If you don't mind ... tell me about your experience with the Commuter case from OB. Thanks.

wmdunn said:
Couple of quick questions for you ... since you have both. I had the Seidio Active Limited from Amazon, really liked the feel of it, but the plastic back began to peel off. I didn't replace it with another ... afraid the same thing would happen. Any issues for you? So I've been using the Otter Box Impact case, but since I keep my phone in my front pocket ... it can be a lint magnet. If you don't mind ... tell me about your experience with the Commuter case from OB. Thanks.
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I have the exact same issue as you with the Seidio. I have actually gone through 3 of them now, and they all started peeling within a week. The first one I had one of the tabs broke off while putting the case on. It's a shame that the build quality is so crappy on them because I really like the design, and I think it's a little more rugged than the OB Commuter. Not by much though, it just has thicker silicone.
My only complaint about the Commuter, and I know a lot of people share the same feeling, is that the cover for the charging and HDMI ports was poorly designed. It is a pain to get it closed, and it never stays in place for very long. Also, the way they cut the silicone for that cover, it is subject to tearing. Mine hasn't torn, and neither has my buddy's, but I know some people have had that issue. The good news is that Otterbox, unlike Seidio, has no problem whatsoever sending out a replacement case if by some chance that piece tears off, or any other defect for that matter. Overall I think it is a great case and I use it regularly, and even with the small issue of that cover, I can still recommend it to people.

Thank you ... I'm thinking about trying the "Barely There" since I'm an "in pocket" guy.

You can barely tell that there is a case on the phone with the Barely There, hence the name. If you're an in pocket guy, then that is definitely the case you want. I use it way more than all my other cases combined.

get the barely there case, i have it and love it, and as they say, its hardly noticable. plus case-mate came out with a full frontal screen cover, so you have case protection on back and sides and a full screen cover to cover the remaining parts
wmdunn said:
Thank you ... I'm thinking about trying the "Barely There" since I'm an "in pocket" guy.
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You said my words exactly. I too am very let down with the Incipio Feather case. I also thought that it would at least have a lip that came over the front edge but nothing. I dropped my phone on the carpet(fortunately it was carpet) and it popped right out of the case. If you want protection I don't think this is the case to use. They could have done much better. I would have preferred one of the Incipio NGP cases to this thing.

I've been using the Barely There case for almost 2 months. I love the feel of it. The material holds well. The screen protector it came with is awesome. I hated the way stealthguards and invisible shield felt on the glass. The screen protector that the Barely There came with feels just like glass when it's on.
The only thing is that this case is just to protect against scratches and minor drops on carpet maybe. I dropped it once on concrete and the case flew off and I have a small dent on the top front corner of my Evo.

This is my experience exactly
dcfella said:
I've been using the Barely There case for almost 2 months. I love the feel of it. The material holds well. The screen protector it came with is awesome. I hated the way stealthguards and invisible shield felt on the glass. The screen protector that the Barely There came with feels just like glass when it's on.
The only thing is that this case is just to protect against scratches and minor drops on carpet maybe. I dropped it once on concrete and the case flew off and I have a small dent on the top front corner of my Evo.
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I have the Seidio Rugged and it comes with the Innocase Surface as well and I really like the Surface, its not too thick and protects the camera lenses from scratches. I just need to get the belt clip for the Surface so outside of work I don't have all the bulk.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Get the Otterbox Impact. I love it. High quality silicone and nice thick screen protector.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Those aren't really barely there cases

xlGmanlx said:
Those aren't really barely there cases
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Barely there cases are counter-intuitive. If you want to protect a case against impact should you drop it, the case needs to be heavy enough to absorb most of the impact itself and not the phone. These barely there cases may protect from scratches on the phone body but that's it. So I guess you can safely slide the phone around on your desk but don't drop it.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Case mate barely-there case on newegg for $9.99. I would post the link but I don't have 8 posts yet.

Not really applicable in a thin case review check op as the subject isn't the merits of thin cases versus other types
mitchellvii said:
Barely there cases are counter-intuitive. If you want to protect a case against impact should you drop it, the case needs to be heavy enough to absorb most of the impact itself and not the phone. These barely there cases may protect from scratches on the phone body but that's it. So I guess you can safely slide the phone around on your desk but don't drop it.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
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the bottom flap on my commuter stays in place fine, also fits great in your pocket, unless your female and wear them skin tight the barely there doesn't have any lay on the table protection for the front glass, which is just too risky in my opinion.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Poetik said:
Case mate barely-there case on newegg for $9.99. I would post the link but I don't have 8 posts yet.
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Thanks, just order it. I had the ID case for the iPhone from them and that thing took a beating and never gave up. Hope to expect the same from them again

I still think the Otterbox Commuter is the best case out there. It doesn't add that much bulk, feels sturdy and protects like none other. Well worth the money.

[Q] Non sticky evo cases?

So rather than sift through a bagillion threads I figured I'd just ask outright. Are there any cases of decent protection level that aren't like sticky? I'm basically looking for a nice case that doesn't have silicone on the outside at all. I've had an otterbox commuter and the case mate tough case and while I love the way they feel, they are too hard to get out of my pocket, and once they do come out they are covered in dust and lint. I really love my case mate tough case but even though most of the silicone is covered by the abs plastic, it still gets a pretty good hold on the insides of my pockets. Any reccomendations would be highly appreciated.

The innocase II is a soft-touch surface, kinda like the back of the evo stock. Pretty easy to get out of the pocket without any lint, and should offer a similar level of protection to the casemate, not sure about the commuter.

You might want to check out the Ballistic HC case. It has a silicone outer cover, but you can use the case with or without it. If you just use the inner case, the outside of that is a harder type of rubber that's not sticky at all. The inner case by itself has about the same protection as an Otterbox or other rugged cases. If you add the outer silicone layer, it has far more protection than any other case out there.
Sent from my HTC EVO 4G with Tapatalk

+1 for the ballistic, but it is pretty bulky compared to the casemate and the commuter which you're using right now

Ok cool thanks guys. I knew the Ballistic had the silicone but I had no idea you didnt have to use it.

Ups and Downs about the otterbox impact?

Well, what are your opinions on the otterbox impact? I basically want to know the reasons i should get it...
Im currently debating over the otterbox + JUST screen protector
and
full body maximum screen protector (from zagg)
The zagg one is a couple bucks cheaper for me because i have my warranty, but the otterbox definetly seems like more protection. My question is, is there ANYTHING about the otterbox that annoys you? Whether it be hard to push the touch sensitive buttons at the bottom of our screen, or if it made it too thick. Anything.
What would you guys get? The full body, or the otterbox?
Thanks

The otterbox.
The Zagg protector does protect your phone from scratches and small knicks. But if you drop your phone onto the street or a rough surface, the plastics of the phone will nick and chip on impact even with a zagg shield. An otterbox will provide the barrier or rubber that really saves phones on impacts. I have that case and its pretty decent. I bought it as soon as it came out and it was the only one available from otterbox at the time. Now, I think the commuter looks way better.

capocaccia said:
The otterbox.
The Zagg protector does protect your phone from scratches and small knicks. But if you drop your phone onto the street or a rough surface, the plastics of the phone will nick and chip on impact even with a zagg shield. An otterbox will provide the barrier or rubber that really saves phones on impacts. I have that case and its pretty decent. I bought it as soon as it came out and it was the only one available from otterbox at the time. Now, I think the commuter looks way better.
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+1 otterbox for drop protection, zagg for scratch protection.

The otterbox is awesome for drop protection, it's a little bulky but not too much and the only thing i don't like about it is that it can attract some lint when in your pocket, specially on the speaker and sensor holes on the top but that's easily cleanable, and the bottom is not as tight as it was at first but thats after a year of use, i'd go with it or the commuter as it looks way better but kinda pricy.

a slim not slippery case ?

is there any good slim cases and not slippery back for galaxy note ?
dont want bulky but still want some protection ..

I have the elago G4 Slim Fit Case on my note atm, and I'm liking it so far. Not much in the way of protection, but it isn't slippery and the note + case still fits in my pockets.
One thing I would say though...it's a pain in the ^$#%#$% to get off once you get it on.

oopeteroo said:
is there any good slim cases and not slippery back for galaxy note ?
dont want bulky but still want some protection ..
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I use this very slim case that ONLY offers scratch protection. Very good to hold and has a matte finish so no finger prints.
Have a look at my review thread,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1504446

Slim, form fitting "case".
I like both the Incipio Feather UltraLight Hard Case (although it might snap/break as some have mentioned) and the Diztronic High Gloss Translucent Grey.
The Diztronic High Gloss is great, because it slides out of where ever you have it, mine is usually in my pocket and it doesn't pick up link. It's rather sticky and grippy, in a good way, doesn't feel like it will slip out of you hands or lose grip of the phone. It's very slim, so the phones slender sexy lines are kept and it shows through the semi see through material.
Both are very minimalist, the TPU protects slightly more, since it's a tad thicker, bouncy and raises above the screen face some.
That's IHMO, YMMV.
-CC

+1 for elago slim... I had a 4ft drop the other day with it on, and my note came out scratch free because it landed right on the corner of the case (whew).... using the elag + sgp protector and liking the setup so far.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

I just ordered this one:
https://www.speckproducts.com/smartphone-cases/samsung/fitted-for-samsung-galaxy-note.html
I will let you know how I like it when I get it next week. The Speck Fitted cases my wife has used on her iPhone 4 and 4s have been very durable and given great protection.

[Q] otterbox defender VS ballistic maxx

hi guys
i have been comparing these two products for a quite some time and i cannot give my final decision to which product should i buy. i am looking for a case that has a front face cover. and i found the ballistic maxx and otterbox defender. but what makes me think twice between these product is the comes with screen protector. these protector is quite think and most likely it will ruin the colors of my S3's screen. i have seen it in some product reviews posted by youtube users. the screen becomes glary. and the second thing that makes me think twice is, if i remove the screen protector, will my S3 shake around inside the case if i dont use the screen protector?
i tried contacting the customer support of otterbox they said they cannot answer my concern. and for ballistic they told me i can still use the case even if i dont use the screen protector, but i still do not understand what they really meant. and they did not gave me a straight answer to my question on what will really happen if i did not use their product's screen protector.
now i would like to ask your personal opinion about these two products, which is better? and if you guys did not use the comes with screen protector will your S3 shake around inside the case? and lastly i am just looking for a case that has a front cover. i dont really like the flip cover cases.
thanks

From what I read about the defender taking out the screen protector does not affect the snugg-ness of the phone and case.
I have the trident kraken that came with a removable screen protector, that I decided but to use.
Sent from Pluto.

I know how you feel, i looked at both those cases and went with the Trident Kraken. Provides the same level of protection and the kickstand is a bonus. Second choice would be the otterbox.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

I personally hated the otter box, sold it as soon as I got the chance. I kept the maxx and it's the case I go for when I need a holster.

I took the screen protector off of my defender with no fit issues. I stopped using it because it squeeks so much. When you hold the phone. This may be due to extra flexing from the removed screen protector as it is rigid and glued in.

The otterbox is an awesome case, the only thing I hate is that the outer silicone layer always stretches out. The defender for my GS3 streched out after 2 months...
Sent from my SCH-I535

ricktat said:
I took the screen protector off of my defender with no fit issues. I stopped using it because it squeeks so much. When you hold the phone. This may be due to extra flexing from the removed screen protector as it is rigid and glued in.
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I think it's just the case in general. My screen protector is still in tact and it squeaks like no other.
I'm tempted to get a new case, but can't decide. I've narrowed it down to the SG MAXX, Commuter, Kraken, PX260, and the Dualtek.

owlchemist said:
I think it's just the case in general. My screen protector is still in tact and it squeaks like no other.
I'm tempted to get a new case, but can't decide. I've narrowed it down to the SG MAXX, Commuter, Kraken, PX260, and the Dualtek.
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I got the dualtek case yesterday, it's a really nice case. I just wish there was a compatible holster for it.
Sent from my SCH-I535

I have both cases mentioned in OP. The included screen covers are garbage. Make the screen look like crap plus particles such as sand, dirt (I am in construction field) and so on can get behind protector and scratch screen.
Standard zagg and otterbox working well for me. Zagg HD seemed to thin and marked up easy om my pocket. Otter box laps over the edge of the zagg, which so far has kept the edge from peeling on me which is a common problem for me and my use.
Ballastic has great rubber corners for drop protection but the otter box is easier to slip in and out of pocket and my preferred case.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium

naturecannon said:
I have both cases mentioned in OP. The included screen covers are garbage. Make the screen look like crap plus particles such as sand, dirt (I am in construction field) and so on can get behind protector and scratch screen.
Standard zagg and otterbox working well for me. Zagg HD seemed to thin and marked up easy om my pocket. Otter box laps over the edge of the zagg, which so far has kept the edge from peeling on me which is a common problem for me and my use.
Ballastic has great rubber corners for drop protection but the otter box is easier to slip in and out of pocket and my preferred case.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
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I also have both cases described in OP and have to agree to a point, the screen protectors make the screen look terrible. I went with the Ballistic for a couple reasons. 1. The Ballistic seems to slide in and out of my pocket easier (probably because it has more smooth surface than the Defender). 2. The belt clip seems more comfortable to me. The Defender belt clip seemed to sit higher on me which would gouge my hip. Not cool. 3. I got the Defender used when I bought my phone and the rubber on it seems a little loose. I don't think this will happen with the Ballistic mainly because my wife has one on her Note and it's help up extremly well. 3. I got my Ballistic Maxx on ebay for $30 in the color I wanted and I thought that was a good price. Now I need to ditch this screen protector and get a nice one.

I too have both cases. I did/don't use any of the screen protectors that came with it. As for OP, it really depends what you're trying to get out of it. What's your average day like? do you work in an office? go to school? work in construction? I am a process engineer and i'm in and out of food plants and i pull my phone out to snap pictures at least 4 times a day on a daily basis for an hour or so. With that being said I NEED the protection because I have dropped it a few times. I'm currently using the Ballastic without the clip, i just hold it in my pocket. The otterbox is a bit bulkier for me and it slips easy (from hand and in and out of pocket). The ballistic on the other hand, doesn't. It gives you good grip, and isn't a pain for me to pull out of my pockets (i wear dickies for work and rvca romero ii jeans when i'm out and about or jordan basketball shorts when i feel like bumming it). I like the grip because it doesn't slip out of my pockets easily when i wear basketball shorts as the ottorbox did. HOWEVER, be warned that it does pull lint easily. It's not alot where you'll get a hairball when you pull it out of your pockets but it is there. Overall, I'm sticking with the ballastic because it offers great drop protection (as does the OB), but with the corners I personally feel it's more secure and it's not as bulky as people say it is. I'll post up pictures when i get the chance.