I'm not a big fan of gloss plastic, which Samsung seems to just love to bits. I especially don't like plastic that pretends to be anything that isn't plastic. As much as I love my Galaxy Nexus, the one thing that always irked me was the cheap satin-finish plastic housing. I saw that the Nexus 4 uses the ever-familiar soft-touch coating around the sides, so I figured that's the ticket for me. I looked up some DIY methods and found that the most cost-effective option is to use Plasti-Dip, which I have seen used on the Nexus S' battery door. I decided to go a little deeper and dip the Galaxy Nexus' entire housing.
Without further ado:
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It turned out really well, I think. The photos make it look more textured than it actually is. It's not exactly the same soft-touch coating OEMs use, but it's pretty close. I like how it feels, and I love how it looks.
I took some progress shots, which you can find below. They're at 640px, so here's an album at 1024px if you need it. This was fairly easy for me to do as I've done a lot of work with plastic models before. It does take up a day, so if you decide to try it, make sure you've got a lot of free time and something to do in between coats. Also, as with any coat of paint, Plasti-Dip adds some marginal thickness to the phone. With how snug the OEM docks are, I wouldn't try this if you have your heart set on using those. The desktop docks may still work as they don't look to be that tight, but the OEM car dock will likely tear at the coating.
It goes without saying that I am not telling you to attempt this. If you do decide to dip your phone, you are doing so of your own free will and I will not accept responsibility for anything that goes wrong. You have been warned.
You will need to take your phone apart for this. If you're squeamish, you can order a spare housing for your specific Nexus model on eBay. They're not expensive. i9250 (GSM) and SCH-i515 (Verizon) housings are easy enough to find, particularly on wholesale stores like ETradeSupply.com. SPH-L700 (Sprint) housings are less common. It does matter which you use.
A spare housing is preferable for many reasons. You won't have to take your phone apart before you get started, which means you won't be unavailable for contact for a whole day while you're waiting for the Plasti-Dip to cure and dry. You also won't sacrifice the existing housing on your phone in case something goes wrong.
If you need to know how to disassemble your phone, this is the video I used to walk me through it. Use this as a guide when replacing the housing. WATCH THIS VIDEO BEFORE YOU PROCEED. It will give you greater insight as to what you need to mask off and how. It also helps to just examine the housing yourself.
Some things to keep in mind:
Masking
- The rear housing for the Galaxy Nexus has a lot of connectors attached. Don't be stingy in masking them off. Even though Plasti-Dip can be peeled off, you never know what you can pull out of place. I accidentally pulled off a foam gasket without knowing, and had to use the one from my original housing to replace it. Not a huge deal, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
- In addition, make sure to leave at least a little bit of room for the Plasti-Dip to go around edges. This will allow it to grip better and lessen the risk of accidental peeling during use.
- You don't have to mask off the POGO pins on the outside. There's a little bit of space around the pins where they're seated. The Plasti-Dip won't necessarily bridge that space all the way, so you really only have to use a sharp craft knife to get the Plasti-Dip off of the pins. Just take care not to cut or peel off the surrounding plastic. I did try to mask them off at first and found them to be a huge pain. I decided against it and simply figured I'd just go without being able to use the pins. I didn't realize they didn't need masking until after the final coat had cured.
- Masking the rear speaker grill will be a pain. You can cut small pieces of masking tape, using the speaker cutout as a guide. This is how I did it, and it is time consuming, but it will work. You can also use very small pieces of Sticky Tack (the moldable adhesive), which I didn't try but I've used Sticky Tack before to mask off small openings that are difficult to tape off.
- When it's time to peel off the masking tape, use a sharp craft knife to gently cut around the tape. This will make it easier to pull, and you will be less likely to accidentally rip the Plasti-Dip where you don't want to.
Preparation
- Use a micro-fiber cloth and maybe some canned air to get all the dust and oils off of the outside surfaces. I'd already masked off the inside at this point, so I just pinched the housing by the middle whenever I needed to hold it. This kept me from touching the outside of the housing.
- You don't need to sand anything, and I would actually recommend against it. Plasti-Dip grips pretty well, and you do want to be able to peel it off if you mess up or want to redo the job.
- When painting, I used a barbecue skewer poked through one of the open screw posts to hold the housing while coating it (not shown). You can also use the screw posts with a bent coat hanger to suspend it in mid-air (see photos). Anything that will allow you to maneuver around the housing will work, so long as it doesn't come into contact with any of the surfaces that you're wanting to dip.
- I mentioned the barbecue skewer because this actually allowed me to lay the housing on top of something in order to keep it flat. This was mostly due to me being afraid of any dripping that might occur. If you decide to do this, make sure that whatever you're laying it on is small enough to only touch the middle of the housing (see pictures below).
Plasti-Dip
- Follow the instructions on the can. Read up on Plasti-Dip just so you can be acquainted with application. It's really not complicated, but it's also not all the same as laying down a coat of paint.
- Most sites that give advice on Plasti-Dip are car-related (DipYourCar.com, for instance, is a site/community dedicated to this), and they will advise you to use about 3-5 coats. This is a much smaller project, so three (3) coats will suffice; at least, that's how many I did. The first coat should be little more than a light dusting, which when dry will allow the second coat to adhere better, so don't lay it on too thickly. The second coat and on will be your full coats.
- Make sure to give each coat at least thirty (30) minutes to dry before you apply the next one. Basically, once you're done, go watch an episode or two of whatever show you like. That's plenty of time.
- When you've applied your last coat (probably your third or fourth), make sure to let the Plasti-Dip cure for at least four hours.
Finishing
- When the Plasti-Dip is fully cured, you're ready to start peeling off any excess and masking tape you've used. Like I mentioned before, a craft knife really helps here. Cut around the masking tape and the areas that need peeling off. This will decrease the risk of accidentally ripping the coating where you don't want to. Be careful when cutting. No need to gouge the housing or any crucial parts. Gentle passes will do.
- You'll need your craft knife to carefully remove the tape or tack from the rear speaker grill. Take care not to cut into the surrounding surfaces.
- You may need to "free" your volume and power buttons, so make gentle cuts around the buttons or just push them in very gently to wiggle them free. I went ahead and just peeled the Plasti-Dip off of my buttons, though you don't have to do that.
- Make sure you cut where the battery door tabs are located. This will help you pop it back in once you put your phone back together.
- When peeling, make sure there aren't any gaskets or parts coming off with the Plasti-Dip.
- You can put clear coat over the Plasti-Dip, at least from what I've read. This does harden the Plasti-Dip and makes it harder to remove, so be aware of that. It will also add a little bit of thickness to the housing. You probably need to do a separate masking for this as I can't guarantee it will peel off as it normally would. I recommend masking off the inside completely, leaving only the outside surface. If you also plan on using the POGO pins, you may want to mask those off, too. That will be a huge pain.
- Be gentle when handling the housing at first during reassembly. Even though the Plasti-Dip is cured, you want to give it a day before you start man-handling it. Also note that the coating does make the housing negligibly thicker, so be gentle when putting everything together.
Photos were taken using a Canon 60D with the 40mm f/2.8 STM lens, and a Promaster FT1750 Bounce Flash.
Pretty cool. Would it still it fit in the OEM pogo desk dock?
Probably not for using with the OEM car dock though.. it's already cherry-tight as it is and the rubber might burst after repeated in & out.
lost_ said:
Pretty cool. Would it still it fit in the OEM pogo desk dock?
Probably not for using with the OEM car dock though.. it's already cherry-tight as it is and the rubber might burst after repeated in & out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The desk dock, I'm not sure. It might. It doesn't look to be that snug. I don't have it so I wouldn't be able to say.
The car dock is a huge no-go, though. Not without modifications, anyway.
Thanks for mentioning that. I forgot to put it in the OP.
Related
Hello, all. I have seen this on a few other sites but I couldn't find it here, and if it has been posted here then I apologize in advance but please know that I don't take credit for this idea, I just wanted to share my modification and post instructions on how I did it because I honestly believe it came out perfect!
To achieve what you see in the pictures below, all you need is some 400 grit sandpaper, some compressed air duster, and some patience. Also, make sure you have a case opener tool and a T-5 torx bit to take the phone apart. Once you get everything separated, just go to work on the black paint with the sandpaper. I used 1x1 inch squares that I cutout from a large sheet; it only took five squares to complete this. Just be patient and use a pen or similar small tube to wrap the sandpaper around to get into the curved areas with ease. Take your time, it is well worth the wait. Once you are all done, take a fresh piece of sandpaper and go over the whole thing quickly one last time, then with a slightly damp cotton cloth wipe away the dust to get that deep red color back and use the air duster to remove the particles. Put everything back together and enjoy!!! The look is totally clean and smooth and so damn sexy! I am going back to my clear case from my otter box just to show it off. I don't think I left anything out but just post any questions and I'll get right back to you.
Once again, thanks to everyone who did this before be and gave me the inspiration. I really think this is the best way to go about it...no chemicals, no razors or blades, no dremel tools. Just some up close and personal TLC with some really really fine sandpaper.
Good luck and post some photos of your results!!!
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The scrape method was originally posted here. You took his a step further with "less risk".
All have turned out pretty nice. However, question, what is the "case opener tool" which you speak of?
Any photos of your disassembly?
Dude!.. such a subtle and, relatively pain free mod that REALLY makes it stand out, I love this! gonna do it right now!.
In all honesty, you could just use a blade or a small flathead screwdriver to pop the case once you get the torx screws out, but I picked up a small kit for like $3 off of eBay that has plastic pry tools in a variety of shapes that won't damage or mar the case / plastic. I don't have any photos of the teardown, but the website iFixit has a great teardown of the Evo. Just go to http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown and search Evo. Removing the speaker and camera flash LEDs to avoid getting sanded particles in is optional, I forgot to note that in my OP.
I just want to emphasize, take your time!!! It took me around an hour and a half to get it all done because I was kinda OCD about making sure I didn't jack it up. Your times may vary, but go slow and like I said before, use whatever you need to to wrap the sandpaper around to get to those curved sections.
EindhovenOne said:
Hello, all. I have seen this on a few other sites but I couldn't find it here, and if it has been posted here then I apologize in advance but please know that I don't take credit for this idea, I just wanted to share my modification and post instructions on how I did it because I honestly believe it came out perfect!
To achieve what you see in the pictures below, all you need is some 440 grit sandpaper, some compressed air duster, and some patience. Also, make sure you have a case opener tool and a T-5 torx bit to take the phone apart. Once you get everything separated, just go to work on the black paint with the sandpaper. I used 1x1 inch squares that I cutout from a large sheet; it only took five squares to complete this. Just be patient and use a pen or similar small tube to wrap the sandpaper around to get into the curved areas with ease. Take your time, it is well worth the wait. Once you are all done, take a fresh piece of sandpaper and go over the whole thing quickly one last time, then with a slightly damp cotton cloth wipe away the dust to get that deep red color back and use the air duster to remove the particles. Put everything back together and enjoy!!! The look is totally clean and smooth and so damn sexy! I am going back to my clear case from my otter box just to show it off. I don't think I left anything out but just post any questions and I'll get right back to you.
Once again, thanks to everyone who did this before be and gave me the inspiration. I really think this is the best way to go about it...no chemicals, no razors or blades, no dremel tools. Just some up close and personal TLC with some really really fine sandpaper.
Good luck and post some photos of your results!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks awesome bro, what grit of sandpaper did you use?
NM 440 Thanks lol
Checking out the packaging again, it's actually 400 grit...3M brand pro grade in a purple sleeve. Thanks for the kudos. Definitely post some pics when you're through. And don't forget that when you're done to go over it with a damp cotton rag or clean tshirt to get the dry dust off...that's when the true red color will pop out!
being a modeler for many years i'd just like to add if you want a smoother finish than the 400 you can go 1000/2000 and wetsand it.
Oh and that looks pretty awesome, good job!
i wanted to do something like this, but i wanted a red battery cover.
Is the white one red under as well?
I am actually not sure if the white one is red underneath...I'd say try some google images perhaps. On another note, on the advice of lacrossev, I did in fact give the red part another once over with some 1000 grit 3M WET/DRY sandpaper after putting the smallest bit of water on the paper and wow does it look amazing! Thank you, sir!
Jbroad572 said:
Is the white one red under as well?
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Click to collapse
yes it is.
will this void my asurion insarance or will they still replace it some haha trying it now owell lol i still wanna know thanks
I am not 100% sure, but if you take apart the phone and break the security tape that is over the one torx screw that definitely messes with the warranty and insurance claims to follow. If you were brave enough to try the sanding without taking the phone apart I don't know if it would cause problems with asurion.
HiDefinition said:
yes it is.
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Click to collapse
Oh snap son... headed to grab some sand paper now, but is it mandatory to take the phone apart? I bought a set of torqs for an old tp2, but finding it... another story
EindhovenOne said:
I am not 100% sure, but if you take apart the phone and break the security tape that is over the one torx screw that definitely messes with the warranty and insurance claims to follow. If you were brave enough to try the sanding without taking the phone apart I don't know if it would cause problems with asurion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rather then take the phone apart, you should be able to seal up the areas of it with some tape, and i just skimmed assurions contract and didn't see any thing about body mods to the phone
I wouldn't say that taking it apart is mandatory at all, but at some point you're going to have to retape because the sandpaper is going to rub through the tape at some point in the process. I can't wait to see what the red looks like with the white. Post some pics when you're done!!!
EindhovenOne said:
I wouldn't say that taking it apart is mandatory at all, but at some point you're going to have to retape because the sandpaper is going to rub through the tape at some point in the process. I can't wait to see what the red looks like with the white. Post some pics when you're done!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely will.
The highest grit sandpaper that is available at most hardware stores is 400 or 660. If you are looking for the 1000 or 2000 grit either ask a local body shop nicely for one sheet and throw them a few bucks for one sheet, or ask where their supply store is. I went to my local FinishMaster auto body supply store today and that's where I picked up the 1000 wet/dry by 3M, but they had 1200 1400 and 2000 grit there as well.
EindhovenOne said:
The highest grit sandpaper that is available at most hardware stores is 400 or 660. If you are looking for the 1000 or 2000 grit either ask a local body shop nicely for one sheet and throw them a few bucks for one sheet, or ask where their supply store is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheaper and easier still..... get a women's 7 in 1 nail file or a 3 step buffing board. That would get you all levels for $2 and can be found in walmart, basically anywhere they sell nail polish.
Also, the best polishing effect for plastic I have found is using a dremel with dremel ceramic polish and a large felt wheel. Comes out super smooth every time!
See the full post at my blog: DoesitPew.blogspot.com
If you are like me and actually use your Sony LiveView as a watch in your daily life, you are probably frustrated by a few things that were NOT well thought out.
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First of all the watchband that the LiveView comes with is very basic. That is fine, what gets me is that the plastic for the Holder is of SUCH LOW QUALITY. I have owned this device since December 25th when my boyfriend gave it to me as a Christmas present. I treasure it and treat it extremely well. However, due to this very low plastic quality the liveview pops out ALL THE TIME without even real provocation. This is because they made the back of it completely open and wrists are not flat surfaces!
I was just getting ready to mold my own LV holder for a watchband....Then I looked at the clip holder for the LV. The clip holder is made of much better materials and is properly molded. Not only that, but you do not have to take the LV out of the watchband to charge. I decided I would just use the clip and make a quick watchband.
Now, this watchband is not meant for people who change out their bands frequently, but it is a quick fix and a cheap one. I am making a pattern for a nicer watchband, but it will require sewing and more tools (including some burn work). This one is cheap, pretty, effective, and infinitely more comfortable. NO CRAFT EXPERIENCE NEEDED!
First, you need to get these materials:
- Package of riveted snaps - $5 at Michaels
- 1 Piece of medium thickness leather - $3 at Michaels or free as scrap
- Side from ream of paper - free and found at office
- Scissors - free if you are a normal person (if you can't be trusted with scissors, why do you have this watch?)
Step One:
Roll the Paper ream edge around your wrist and cut to desired length. Then place the paper down on the backside of the desired leather to make your band out of.
Step Two:
Now, Trace the paper ream out onto the leather and use the dots in the ream edge to make the places where you will be putting the rivet-snaps through (the paper ream makes this much easier as it gives you perfect hole-size, placement, and thickness for the watch band)
Step Three:
Cut it out, place the leather through the clip, and rivet in your snaps with the tool it comes with (hope you have a hammer or a rock or something).
Winning!
this is great! going to have to try this!!!
I did basicly the same thing, except i got tape and just tapped the clip to the old case...we will see how much better this will work, and not look as ugly or be as big on my wrist!!!!
mos deff WINNING!
SEE THIS POST AT http://www.stacydevino.com/?p=115
I decided that after I got the new watch mount for my Sony LiveView , I would get a much nicer watchband (new holder is no longer hollow in the back). However, there are almost NO WATCHBANDS in the same size as the Sony band. Plus a nice leather watchband is easily $30 and you have to wait for it to get there. Made my own that night out of stuff I had in the house and its the most comfortable watchband I own.
Materials:
- Scrap Leather or “Pleather”
- Hot Glue and a Hot Glue Gun
- Scissors
- Paper
- Velcro
- Candle (only if you want a worn-in vintage look)
1. Measure your wrist (you can just cut a strip of paper and warp it around your wrist). Add about 2/3 of an inch to the end of it.
2. Measure the watch band width needed (again just use the paper).
3. Make a Strip of paper the same size as length of step 1 and width of step 2.
4. Lay that strip of paper on the backside of some leather/pleather and trace it on there in two locations.
5. Cut out that pattern.
6. Slip one strip of leather in the gap between the pin and the watch face on each side and fold it over.
7. Now just glue the two sides together with hot glue. Put plenty of pressure on it while it sets so there is no visible gap (don’t worry about the glue that is comming out the sides, we will be using it later)
8. Now take two strips of opposing velcro about an inch long and glue them to the leather (might want to rough up the leather so it will stick better ) so that they will overlap and stick.
9. That extra glue that popped out the sides? Just smooth it out against the side of the watchband in a thin layer. This will protect the sides of the leather band, help it stay together, and look a lot nicer.
Congrats you made your own watch band!
It will become more and more comfortable over time since the leather/hot glue combo will eventually mold itself to your exact wrist shape. The thickness of the leather and the band also makes it so it will not stretch much, repairs are easy, sizing is completely adjustable. Velcro is much more comfortable on your wrist than the buckles used with most every leather band. Cost is less than $1.
If you want that vintage/worn look:
1. First start pulling and bending your new watchband in all directions.
2. Light a Cheap Tea light candle or any candle.
3. After the candle has made a decent little pool of wax, dip a finger or q-tip in the wax and start rubbing it against the leather of your watchband. Repeat until all areas done.
4. Rub it until shiny!
5. Rough it up by bending/twisting/scratching. Then rub out the light damage. This will give it many shades and have it look vintage or very high end or both!
Great item!
Very nice Idea and nice done. I want to do this also, when I bought this little accessory.
I am really gonna have a go at this. Looks much better than the original strap you get with the Liveview.
my liveview came with the V2 watch back, the closed one.
using a normal watch band for it, getting a leather one soon from a watchman (yes, this profession ain't dead yet)
iakovl said:
my liveview came with the V2 watch back, the closed one.
using a normal watch band for it, getting a leather one soon from a watchman (yes, this profession ain't dead yet)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a wicked watch strap ! where did you get it from ? and how many mm is it ?
local watchman... it's 18mm but it's only a temp, had to cut the sides a bit to fit well
as he sad, the location of the holes in the watch bracket is strange and "off" making most normal straps he has don't fit, found this one after digging in the box
i'm waiting for a nicer black leather strap to make it more "high end" watch
if you really like it let me know, just checked... shipping from Israel is rather cheap for small things like a strap
here is the new 20mm black leather strap
here is mine with white strap
help me
hi sir i upload 2 pics, the first pic accessory is default one got when i bought live watch mn800
,now i want the 2nd pic live view watch accessory were i can get it plz help ,i bought it just 4 weeks back
rahulk23 said:
hi sir i upload 2 pics, the first pic accessory is default one got when i bought live watch mn800
,now i want the 2nd pic live view watch accessory were i can get it plz help ,i bought it just 4 weeks back
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Click to collapse
im getting mine tomorrow, and i guess i will be getting the 2nd picture that you wanted.
fujimarcus said:
im getting mine tomorrow, and i guess i will be getting the 2nd picture that you wanted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine came with the V2 closed watch back.I'm going to ring Sony to see if they'll send me an original back otherwise it's completely useless to me.
Hey guys! I posted on my blog a full explanation of how to do this, but I thought I'd share it with XDA. I saw another post of a guy who actually tied his lanyard to the actual phone grill and that made my teeth grind. I found 2 old lanyards around my house, one from an old camera and another one that Vodafone had given me with my iPhone 4 from over 16 months ago! I don't know why they gave me a lanyard, but oh well.
As you know the Note is a big phone! I love it but sometimes I feel like I'm going to drop it while one-handing it, so I decided to make this tiny tutorial. It's REALLY easy.
All you're going to need is the following:
A TPU case. (The two I got are located here and here off of eBay). They were cheap, so this is a really inexpensive project.
A needle
Tweezers
A lanyard
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Take your TPU case and your needle and find a good location to hang the lanyard off of. Take into consideration how you'll hold it, if you like to hold it more with either your left or right hand... I'm more of a righty for just holding my phone, so I picked the bottom right corner. Also you can do the bottom right side (as seen on my white TPU case).
Proceed to stab your TPU case Don't worry, you won't hurt it. You can just take the need towards the middle or middle bottom of the case, and push through. I found it a little hard and the needle started to stick into my finger, so I just grabbed a towel and pushed it through that way, that worked fine. You could also just put a thimble on. I currently don't have one as I just moved! So towel it was.
After pushing the need through some what, you can take it out. The next step is to take your tweezers and grab the lanyard loop with the tweezers, and try and keep it as close as possible to the sharp end, if you've got a sharp end.
With the sharp end of the tweezers find the tiny hole you made with the needle and stick it through. It'll take a little force, so don't worry.
After getting it through you're going to hold onto the end of the lanyard with your finger and then let go with the tweezers and take the tweezers out. Pull the lanyard a little and you're almost done.
Put the other side of the lanyard into the loop to make a "knot" and you're done!
Attach the other end of the lanyard if you've got one, in this case I do.
And put your phone back into the case after tightening the lanyard line.
This is how it looks with the side hole, which I personally like more. But I guess it's personal preference.
And this is how it looks when I'm holding it or using it.
The TPU case is perfect for it since it's a hard rubbery silicone and doesn't rip easily. I find it really comfortable to hold now knowing that if I do drop it, or it falls there won't be an issue. I also pull it out of my jeans this way, too. I've had it like this for a week so far and there has been no additional tearing to the TPU case so I think it's a good candidate material for it.
I am not responsible if your lanyard breaks, or you end up breaking your phone. This is just something I found useful for me, and it's a lot safer for me at least.
Good luck! Take care.
Hit thanks!!!
Kent.
Very nice!
Looks like it may yank the case off if it falls while tethered?
ericshmerick said:
Looks like it may yank the case off if it falls while tethered?
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Click to collapse
Not at all! The phone is tightly placed inside the case. I have to apply a lot of pressure to get it out (not enough to break it). But any case that's loose isn't a good candidate to begin with.
The white and black TPU cases I used are not letting go. I wouldn't worry about that, at all
What if you made two holes on the side (instead of using one hole and the edge of the case as the "second hole")? It wouldn't impact the edge of the case then, so maybe it would have a tighter fit?
Just a thought, maybe it wouldn't work at all I have no case yet so I can't test.
Kind of strange that there is no lanyard attachment point on the note, really -- it's a device you could be particularly prone to dropping since it is so large/slightly hard to hold!
lodschmod said:
What if you made two holes on the side (instead of using one hole and the edge of the case as the "second hole")? It wouldn't impact the edge of the case then, so maybe it would have a tighter fit?
Just a thought, maybe it wouldn't work at all I have no case yet so I can't test.
Kind of strange that there is no lanyard attachment point on the note, really -- it's a device you could be particularly prone to dropping since it is so large/slightly hard to hold!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suppose it could work, but it would really depend on the space you put between the holes. I ran it over the top because it's the thickest part of the case. I'll give the two side holes a try with my least favorite case and post back! haha.
That is pretty cool. The TPU case I bought has a reinforced lanyard hole on the lower right corner (as you look at the GNote from the back) I do not use a lanyard although I have several laying around. Do you place the lanyard on your wrist every time you use the GNote? When in your pocket is the lanyard hanging out to assist with getting it out of your pocket?
planoman said:
That is pretty cool. The TPU case I bought has a reinforced lanyard hole on the lower right corner (as you look at the GNote from the back) I do not use a lanyard although I have several laying around. Do you place the lanyard on your wrist every time you use the GNote? When in your pocket is the lanyard hanging out to assist with getting it out of your pocket?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every time? No, but it is frequently as it's also really comfortable to hold that way.
And I use it EVERY time I need to get it out of my pocket. Since the one I'm using right now is a camera lanyard, it's short. So it hides under my shirt, but with an index finger I grab it and pull it out. It's so much faster.
Kinda suprised me that capdase case didnt come with the hole already. They usually put it right above or below that red strip. That could be a better place to put the holes at as it doesnt seem so obvious that it's added on. Good guide tho
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
Or you can just loop the lanyard through the hole (on the case) for the mic and out the hole for the stylus, without having to make any extra holes in the case.
On ebay, you can get cheapo "S" design cases that have lanyard holes, saving you the trouble. They go for around US$3-5. I have one of these (in black) and the quality and fit is surprisingly good.
The leather case can be bought directly from the manufacturer's website with FREE worldwide shipping and currently costs £29.99. For an extra £5 they'll use a laser to engrave a custom line of text of your choice.
The pictures on their website are accurate so you get what you see in the pictures.
I won't post high res pictures because I'm not planning on going around the forums making 10 irrelevant posts just be allowed to post external links.
The case comes in a simple plain plastic box, nothing fancy there. The box includes the case, a screen protector, a micro-fiber cloth, a Tuff-Luv plastic card (credit card size) and instruction manuals.
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The case is quite large and bulky so it might not suite everybody. It's size is 15x7.5x2 cm (it's thickness grows to 2.5 cm if you have credit card in it). In inches that would be 6x3x0.7 (or 1 inch with cards). In comparison I measured the HTC Double Dip Flip (DDF from here on) which came out to be 14x7x1 cm.
The case has a good feel to it. Everything is soft, the leather is cushioned; you can't stop pushing it and rubbing your hands all over the nice exterior. It's really high quality, the stitching is perfect, it's not heavy, feels comfortable in the hands, and I can confidently say that this will protect your phone like a champ. It comes with two separate holes, one for the back camera (obviously) and one for the noise cancelling mic which while not exactly in the centre of it, was not covered by the case. It doesn't have a hole for the micro-USB port and the stereo jack-in isn't covered at all.
Going on to the interior, we have the hard plastic case that holds the phone in place and on the other side three slots for CC, driver's licence, money etc. The interior is not leather, but cloth.
Everything in the there is a tight fit. It's really hard to push in and pull out credit cards. I put one into each and there wasn't really any room left to squeeze in anything else. Tuff-Luv specifically state that you should only put in three things, one into each slot. While the tight fit can be an inconvenience if you are in a hurry to pull out or put in something, it's necessary as this is the side that will be hanging downwards when you open the flip case. As a bonus you can pull on the strap which in turn pulls out for you the top most slot (essentially the same as how phone pouches work).
The plastic case holding the phone is sturdy and hard. It feels like soft rubber to the touch. Inserting the phone isn't so bad, but getting it out takes some force. I'm willing to bet that the phone would never pop out of this if dropped, which I can't say about the DDF. Especially if you close the flip cover, this becomes a fortress.
You'll lose some practicality here compared to the DDF since it takes more effort to answer the phone and you can't close the flip case while talking on the phone as there are no holes for the front grills. But hey if you're getting a flip case you pretty much expect this anyway.
One IMPORTANT thing that is worth mentioning and which is also recommended by Tuff-Luv is that you should apply the screen protector. The plastic credit card touches the screen and the flip cover has a lot of room to move around which will get your screen scratched over time Gorilla Glass or no Gorilla Glass. That would suck. I didn't apply the screen protector as I'm sure I'd screw it up, the card that Tuff-Luv gives you is included because you'll need it (or your CC is good as well) to apply it.
Another sort of negative thing is that the plastic case holding the phone seems to be too hard and every time I remove the phone I fear that the edges might carve a piece out of the plastic on the phone as the aluminium doesn't exactly overlap it where the two materials meet (and it would suck to scratch the metal part as well), although I'm sure this is just me worrying too much.
Reaching the power button with one hand also got a bit trickier. The phone is big enough as it is, many people complained and we have a tutorial on how to reach the button right here in the forum. Now you have to put your finger over the edge of the cover too, just use your left hand since you have to open the case with it anyway. Pushing the volume buttons got harder as well. You have to apply way more pressure to push them. The problem is that the edge of the plastic case will get in the way; in fact it almost covers the buttons which would be bad. So I'd say this is a minor issue that you should be aware of.
A more serious problem is that it interferes with the camera flash. The case doesn't get in the way of the camera, however when using flash, it affects the photo. I included two photos of a wall, both taken with default camera settings (I reset to default), same light conditions and flash ON. One, where the phone was in the Tuff-Luv flip case and one where there was no case on the phone. As you'll be able to see, one of the pictures has some halos on it. I can't say for sure whether this a design flaw or whether there' s something wrong with the one I received, but I suspect it's the former.
So to summarise, the case is really high quality and offers excellent protection, but has a problem with the flash.
I personally won't use it. This was my first time using a flip case that opens vertically, before this I was either running naked or had a rubber bumper on and I realised this isn't meant for me. Despite the impressive quality, craftsmanship and the added protection, I found the Double Dip Flip to be more practical since it's slimmer, smaller and faster to open. I'm way too lazy . I'm sure I'll regret it once I drop my phone on concrete and DDF fails to protect it, but I'm willing to take the chance.
However if you like vertical flip cases and can look past the issue with the flash, this case is an excellent choice and I can't say this enough, I'm impressed by how well it is crafted.
I was not happy with the looks of my 360 thanks to the absolute ugliness of the stone band. tbh i think the gray band looks just as bad, but at least it is not purple. anyways... here is how to dye your band to black and class up your watch for a dirt cheap price. It takes about thirty minutes from start to finish.
Items Needed:
Black leather dye.. Found at hobby lobby, michaels, tandy leather, online.
80 - 220 grit sandpaper
micro flat head or watch pin remover
clean cotton cloth
latex gloves if you don't want to wash off the water soluble dye
The Process:
1. Remove the watch bands. best to go in at an forty-five degree angle. It is about an eighth of an inch in and kind of caddy conrnered away from the band. Use a digging motion and the pin will release easily.
2. Remove the clasp. It uses a pin just like the bands.
3. Grab the sandpaper and start taking off the finish. Do Not take off too much. It does not take a lot. Jus a little bit more than scuffing it. There is some sort of crap on the edges trying to hide the fact that it is a laminated or bonded strap. Which is something that Horween should be ashamed of.
4. Apply the dye to the bands. It is pretty thick stuff. You will notice that it will clog the holes that the buckle goes into. I just picked it up from the end and slapped the other end on the 2x4 i was using to get the dye out of the holes. By the time i was finished with putting on the fist coat... the stuff was dry enough for me to go ahead and put on a second one.
5. Let dry for fifteen or so minutes. I put mine back on my wrist for the pictures when it was still a bit tacky with no issues.
6. Put the strap back together and back on the watch. Note: The pin for the buckle is 1.8mm. The pins for the strap are 1.3mm.
7. Profit
The dye is available at hobby lobby for six bucks. tandy leather for nine bucks. amazon prime for eleven.
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phermey said:
I was not happy with the looks of my 360 thanks to the absolute ugliness of the stone band. tbh i think the gray band looks just as bad, but at least it is not purple. anyways... here is how to dye your band to black and class up your watch for a dirt cheap price. It takes about thirty minutes from start to finish.
Items Needed:
Black leather dye.. Found at hobby lobby, michaels, tandy leather, online.
80 - 220 grit sandpaper
micro flat head or watch pin remover
clean cotton cloth
latex gloves if you don't want to wash off the water soluble dye
The Process:
1. Remove the watch bands. best to go in at an forty-five degree angle. It is about an eighth of an inch in and kind of caddy conrnered away from the band. Use a digging motion and the pin will release easily.
2. Remove the clasp. It uses a pin just like the bands.
3. Grab the sandpaper and start taking off the finish. Do Not take off too much. It does not take a lot. Jus a little bit more than scuffing it. There is some sort of crap on the edges trying to hide the fact that it is a laminated or bonded strap. Which is something that Horween should be ashamed of.
4. Apply the dye to the bands. It is pretty thick stuff. You will notice that it will clog the holes that the buckle goes into. I just picked it up from the end and slapped the other end on the 2x4 i was using to get the dye out of the holes. By the time i was finished with putting on the fist coat... the stuff was dry enough for me to go ahead and put on a second one.
5. Let dry for fifteen or so minutes. I put mine back on my wrist for the pictures when it was still a bit tacky with no issues.
6. Put the strap back together and back on the watch. Note: The pin for the buckle is 1.8mm. The pins for the strap are 1.3mm.
7. Profit
The dye is available at hobby lobby for six bucks. tandy leather for nine bucks. amazon prime for eleven.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already have the dark gray band, but thanks for the reminder about leather dye! I've used it for years on leather and even as a wood dye. Folks, it really does work as well as he says.
JimSmith94 said:
I already have the dark gray band, but thanks for the reminder about leather dye! I've used it for years on leather and even as a wood dye. Folks, it really does work as well as he says.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
indeed it does and it's pretty easy. it was a quick fix while i try to decide on what natural leather band to get. i just couldn't go any longer with the stone.
one day usage update:
after the entire day of wearing it, along with playing two rounds of disc golf i can see some of the black coming off of the sides (due to the plasticy colored crap that i did not sand). top and bottom are flawless. no dye on clothing and no dye on skin. going to look at the wear and tear tomorrow and go from there. will probably finish sanding off the sides and re-apply more dye.
the stuff on the sides are there for looks. most likely becuase the dye they used wasn't through and through... or they really thought they could hide the fact the a top nocth manufacturer like horween would bond leather together. either way... i now know that i need to get it off so the dye will 'set', and i know that i like this band, even if it is not perfect, way more than the purple.
i will post wear and tear pics tomorrow.
phermey said:
one day usage update:
after the entire day of wearing it, along with playing two rounds of disc golf i can see some of the black coming off of the sides (due to the plasticy colored crap that i did not sand). top and bottom are flawless. no dye on clothing and no dye on skin. going to look at the wear and tear tomorrow and go from there. will probably finish sanding off the sides and re-apply more dye.
the stuff on the sides are there for looks. most likely becuase the dye they used wasn't through and through... or they really thought they could hide the fact the a top nocth manufacturer like horween would bond leather together. either way... i now know that i need to get it off so the dye will 'set', and i know that i like this band, even if it is not perfect, way more than the purple.
i will post wear and tear pics tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any update on this? I'm really tempted to follow your instructions but I would like to see what your results have been. Thanks!
sorry. i got lazy. give me a minute.
one week update. the edges have the same wear and tear they had on day one. but it is not bad enough for me to care enough about. especially when the background of the watch pics was a huge piece of veg tanned leather. it still looks great from a foot away. and that is what matter most to me.
while i did not get anything on my clothes... there was dye that needed to be washed out of it because i put too much on. along with the stuff that did not adhere to the plastic sides. my suggestion is to go back with a completely dry cloth and get as much off of it as you can after it sits for an hour or so. then let it sit overnight and rinse out in the morning. i would also sand down the sides a bit better to make sure all of the plastic was gone.
all in all though i am exptremely happy with how things turned out. i have put a lot of wear and tare on the strap as it is always raking up against my disc golf bag strap and hydtration backback straps. i am off in the woods quite often walking through brush and such, pecking at a keyboard for hours a day, along with constantly washing my hands when i make my e-liquids. so far so good. i can easily recommend this diy to anyone.
then i went and washed it off to show it wet.
phermey said:
sorry. i got lazy. give me a minute.
one week update. the edges have the same wear and tear they had on day one. but it is not bad enough for me to care enough about. especially when the background of the watch pics was a huge piece of veg tanned leather. it still looks great from a foot away. and that is what matter most to me.
while i did not get anything on my clothes... there was dye that needed to be washed out of it because i put too much on. along with the stuff that did not adhere to the plastic sides. my suggestion is to go back with a completely dry cloth and get as much off of it as you can after it sits for an hour or so. then let it sit overnight and rinse out in the morning. i would also sand down the sides a bit better to make sure all of the plastic was gone.
all in all though i am exptremely happy with how things turned out. i have put a lot of wear and tare on the strap as it is always raking up against my disc golf bag strap and hydtration backback straps. i am off in the woods quite often walking through brush and such, pecking at a keyboard for hours a day, along with constantly washing my hands when i make my e-liquids. so far so good. i can easily recommend this diy to anyone.
then i went and washed it off to show it wet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the update!
SS70Chevelle said:
Thank you for the update!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
anytime.
for everyone. i went on to making my own leather strap so i would have something to match my phone. i will respond to replies if they come. but i do not see a reason for any more updates, the dye job was solid.
Thanks! I'll be doing this soon, as I, too, am unhappy with the grey band turning purple
Hi,
I might have a hard time trying to get some good quality leather dye at my place, but I have sandpaper though.
What happens if I only sandpaper the band? What should I do after that if I don't intend to dye it, just its natural colour but a more suede-like texture?
Only sanded with 80 grain size. Did not had any other. Then used some leather grease.
Zhou86 said:
Hi,
I might have a hard time trying to get some good quality leather dye at my place, but I have sandpaper though.
What happens if I only sandpaper the band? What should I do after that if I don't intend to dye it, just its natural colour but a more suede-like texture?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you have a boot shop or anythign around there you might be able to get your hands on some colored paste. that might help. when i sanded it just turned everything to a lighter purple. it really depends on how far the dye goes into the leather i guess. i dunno if you will be able to sand it down to natural color or not. mink oil or saddlesoap will darken it back up, along with protect it. but if you want your waterproofing back on there... it requires a 'top coat'. search 'top coat satin for leather'.
there are also homemade recipes around the web. using pine pitch and oils. the pine pitch will darken and change the color. you might be able to get your hands on something like that.
looks good @brotbuexe
Thanks phermey,
I followed your guide and have something between dark grey and black band now. I just scratched the band by sandpaper little bit more then I should on one place - hope it gets better after few days of usage.
Croog said:
Thanks phermey,
I followed your guide and have something between dark grey and black band now. I just scratched the band by sandpaper little bit more then I should on one place - hope it gets better after few days of usage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmm. you might put another coat of dye on it. give it the night and then wash it out. i hope it works out.
After procrastinating for way too long I finally took the time to do this.
First one is how it looked originally and how it looked sanded down.
And the other one is how it looks just after staining them.
Azoss said:
After procrastinating for way too long I finally took the time to do this.
First one is how it looked originally and how it looked sanded down.
And the other one is how it looks just after staining them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Much better!