Not being satisfied with any of the cases available I decided to purchase the Case_Mate Z1C Tough case and make some modifications to adapt it to my Z3C.
There are three areas that I modified:
1: The camera opening for the flash.
2: Adding an opening to allow magnetic charging.
3: Adding a hole for the top noise cancelling microphone.
Note: The power button location is slightly off between the Z1C vs Z3C but using the power button has not been a problem at all, all the buttons have a nice feel similar to the Ringke Fusion case. As a bonus for me the USB flap is slightly covered by the Z1C case so it holds the flap closed, you could trim the case if you needed constant access for USB charging instead of trimming the case for a magnetic charger.
The tools I used were an Xacto knife, Dremel with a small grinding stone and a drill with a small drill bit. I used a Z3C TPU case to mark where the camera flash needed to be trimmed and the noise canceling mic to be added. The noise cancelling mic hole was easy to add by simply drilling the hole in the case, I used the Xacto knife to clean up the hole to make it nice and smooth. The camera flash opening took a bit of patience as I cleaned up the initial Xacto knife cuts with the Dremel grinding stone and tried the cover on the phone several times while taking pictures. The last opening I did was for the magnetic charging port, this was fairly simple to do and depending on if you want to use a dock(I think it will work) or have a larger magnetic cable tip you might need to trim a bit more than I did. The opening was cut with an Xacto knife and I used the Dremel grinding stone to clean the cut up and make the final shape. I do plan on evening out the lower edge of my opening the next time I take the case off but right now my charging cables attach perfectly the first shot even in the dark, no fumbling to make the connection.
Note: I did all the cutting, drilling and grinding from the inside of the case.
The case is very nice to hold with plenty of grip and feels very well protected without being bulky at all. This case feels like it costs $35(purchased on Amazon) vs the other cases I've used and IMO is well worth the cost and an hour or so of your time. I have a generic TPU, Bugdroid, Toperk, Ringke Fusion, a book case and one other generic TPU/plastic case and I can FINALLY say I'm satisfied with this modified Case-Mate case.
Hey that looks really nice!
I think I might do the same thing, plus I might try to put sugru on the flap opening and the rear part where the Z1C LED was so I end up with a cleaner finish, just telling you in case you want to do the same I'm hitting that thanks button!
Thanks, after 2+ weeks with this case I am MORE than satisfied. I might try the Sugru idea you had.
Hey - thanks for post.
I have also just upgraded from Z1c to Z3c and was planning to cut out the flash area on my Tough Case - had NOT even noticed the small mic hole at the top (I have already done the magnetic port cutout for my Z1C - following another post on here)
Cheers!
Bump for those looking for the best protective case.
In my opinion best looking case with the right openings in the right places is the CruzerLite Bugdroid case. It has a great protection at the same time.
ro_explorer said:
In my opinion best looking case with the right openings in the right places is the CruzerLite Bugdroid case. It has a great protection at the same time.
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Cruzerlite makes the best TPU cases hand down, I think most anyone will agree with that. Problem is they don't offer them without some Android type design on them so they don't appeal to everyone. I have one for my Z3C and it fits great and gives decent protection but the case can feel a bit slippery.
Related
I received my Seidio Innocase Rugged Case and Holster for my EVO 4G. It consists of a Innocase II Surface, a soft plastic shell that wraps around the Innocase II Surface. The third and final piece is an exoskeleton that fits around the soft plastic shell. There is also a nicely built holster that has a nice locking button.
Fit- The fit is excellent, everything slips on tight but not too tight. Be careful not to pull off your screen protector when putting this case on your EVO.
Materials- The materials seem like they are tough and durable. The problem is that the soft plastic is very thin in the areas where the exoskeleton fits on it.
Durability- This solid feeling case should outlast my EVO in my opinion.
Protection- I doubt that this case provides more protection than the Active cases. I would like a thicker soft layer like the Active cases have. However, this rugged case does come with a sturdy clip and protection of ports and camera lens. The Surface case that the rugged fits around is also a plus for anyone that has need for a sleeker looking case at times.
Overall, I think I would be happier with an Otterbox type design, I think they are tougher. But the Rugged and Active are both available now. I would recommend the Innocase Active over the Rugged if you have no need for an included clip, camera lens protection and want to save some cash.
*The rugged case comes with a screen protector, which some have liked, I personally prefer something tougher.
This is my very subjective opinion, I'm sure I missed a few things. Please share your opinions as well!
firemedic1343 said:
I received my Seidio Innocase Rugged Case and Holster for my EVO 4G. It consists of a Innocase II Surface, a soft plastic shell that wraps around the Innocase II Surface. The third and final piece is an exoskeleton that fits around the soft plastic shell. There is also a nicely built holster that has a nice locking button.
Fit- The fit is excellent, everything slips on tight but not too tight. Be careful not to pull off your screen protector when putting this case on your EVO.
Materials- The materials seem like they are tough and durable. The problem is that the soft plastic is very thin in the areas where the exoskeleton fits on it.
Durability- This solid feeling case should outlast my EVO in my opinion.
Protection- I doubt that this case provides more protection than the Active cases. I would like a thicker soft layer like the Active cases have. However, this rugged case does come with a sturdy clip and protection of ports and camera lens. The Surface case that the rugged fits around is also a plus for anyone that has need for a sleeker looking case at times.
Overall, I think I would be happier with an Otterbox type design, I think they are tougher. But the Rugged and Active are both available now. I would recommend the Innocase Active over the Rugged if you have no need for an included clip, camera lens protection and want to save some cash.
*The rugged case comes with a screen protector, which some have liked, I personally prefer something tougher.
This is my very subjective opinion, I'm sure I missed a few things. Please share your opinions as well!
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good review. I agree with you, just wish that amazon would stock the active so I could get one already!
ive got a rugged on the way for a few reasons:
-its two cases in one
-its got protection for the cam and ports
-it comes with a holser (i dont believe the active does)
dmc971989 said:
ive got a rugged on the way for a few reasons:
-its two cases in one
-its got protection for the cam and ports
-it comes with a holser (i dont believe the active does)
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There is a set on the website that has an included holster. However, the price is $50 and it does not give you 2 cases or cam/port protection. If you need a holster the rugged is the best value right now.
firemedic1343 said:
There is a set on the website that has an included holster. However, the price is $50 and it does not give you 2 cases or cam/port protection. If you need a holster the rugged is the best value right now.
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i got my rugged today and i must say im a fan...
its pretty much an innocase II with a soft ruber case around it and then another plastic shell to surround the soft rubber case
i would also like to mention that the holster has a locking feature, my regular innocase II holster did not have that
p.s. the port covers are very nice, but some of the covers (the head phone jack cover) worries me... i feel like its going to tear off of the case
I wish Amazon would hurry up and receive their stock.
Someone needs to put up a video & picture review of this case
redrazr7791 said:
I wish Amazon would hurry up and receive their stock.
Someone needs to put up a video & picture review of this case
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why would anyone dislike your sig?
dmc971989 said:
i got my rugged today and i must say im a fan...
its pretty much an innocase II with a soft ruber case around it and then another plastic shell to surround the soft rubber case
i would also like to mention that the holster has a locking feature, my regular innocase II holster did not have that
p.s. the port covers are very nice, but some of the covers (the head phone jack cover) worries me... i feel like its going to tear off of the case
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I like the idea of the locking holster, but my locking mechanism seems to unlock frequently with use.
I agree with you on the tearing issue, I'm just waiting for it to tear. The rubber is thinner than I'd like and with the amount of times you need to charge the phone, I'm anticipating a tear...
Innocase Rugged Review
I also just received my rugged case and thought I would share my thoughts on it.
As my brother often says, "It is amazing how the phone manufacturers spend so much time and effort to make the phones sleek and shiny and as soon as we get them we cover them up to protect them, hiding all the built in beauty."
The "killer" feature of this case/holster combination is the protection it offers. It doesn't make your phone look extra cool, easier to use, or anything of that sort. Other than protection you can now also carry your phone on your belt with the included holster.
You will find that after you put on the rugged case you will have to use the holster. This rugged double case makes your phone nearly twice as thick. It still fits in the pocket of my jeans, but it is very apparent that my phone is there.
I purchased the version that also includes the Innocase II Surface holster as well. In comparing the two holsters, you can quickly see that they are like night and day. The rugged holster will support belts that are almost twice as thick as the non rugged holster. The plastic on the rugged holster also looks to be slightly thicker through out. The rugged also includes a locking mechanism to prevent you from bumping into something and having your clip release your phone to the floor. I do find that the locking mechanism is a little tough to put into the lock position, but very easy to push to unlock.
The phone must have its face in on the holster. You will not be able to just clip the holster into your car and have your phone face out. It will not be usable as a poor man's car dock using just some twist ties or paper clips and an A/C vent. With the rugged part off, you can use the phone face out in the rugged holster. (I haven't tried seeing if that combination will allow access to the power ports to charge.
The screen protector went on easily and the included cloth fully cleaned all of the finger prints and grime off of my phone. It seems that the screen protector could have been slightly (very slightly) wider to fully fit the front of the phone. After putting on the Innocase II on the phone, I was unable to see the area that wasn't covered with the protector.
All of the buttons on the phone are easily hit even though they are covered with silicone. This includes the power button as well as the volume up and down buttons. You can hit them just as easily as when they were not covered.
The USB and HDMI port cover reminds me a bit about the usb port cover on my wife's Palm Pixi. You can get it off, but it would help to have longer finger nails. I was glad when my USB port cover previously broke off of my Palm Pre and made it always available.
The camera cover seems like a very nice feature. Almost no camera would exclude something to cover the lens when not in use. Yet almost no phones try to cover it up at all. Since the EVO also has the lens stick out the back of the phone this can be a real worry. I definately like the idea of having a cover, but it does have a few draw backs. First it is a pain ot open. It took me a bit to get it, but I found that the two finger solution seems to work. Use one finger to press down on the little piece of rubber and then another to pull it out. It is too bad it doesn't work much more like the kickstand where you can press on one side and it pops open. It does latch into the hard plastic exoskeleton, but it can take a bit to get it to stay. The camera cover also covers the speaker on that back, so you might need to uncover it when talking on the speaker phone. Overall I like the camera cover.
The headphone cover seems to be the easiet cover to open. It left plenty of room when open for me to put in my headset. In saying this, my headset has a vary narrow plug, so your milleage may vary.
The case does not seem to effect my signal coverage at all. I can hold my phone in the left or right hand and still get 5 bars of signal. I can also get a gps lock with this case on my phone.
I tested throwing my phone down onto hard ceramic tile in my kitchen and was unable to see any damage to my phone or the case. (just kidding)
davebu said:
why would anyone dislike your sig?
Click to expand...
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You'd be surprised...
i would also like to add that the evo in just the Innocase II will fit in the holster "face out"... and lock in just fine
soooo:
full rugged case - holster works with screen facing in
just innocase II - holster works with screen facing out
Went out with my friends yesterday, showed one of them the rugged case, he looked at it and goes: "throw it" I was confident in the case but not the screen, so i decided to drop it on its back from about 4 ft in the air. Hit the dirt parking lot, everyone that wasn't paying attention to the conversation gasped as they thought i had accidently dropped my shiny new toy.
I picked it up, inspected it, there weren't even any marks on the exoskeleton part. Dusted off the silicone and snapped it back in my holster, everything was fine.
Overall, fairly impressed by the protection it affords.
lacrossev said:
Went out with my friends yesterday, showed one of them the rugged case, he looked at it and goes: "throw it" I was confident in the case but not the screen, so i decided to drop it on its back from about 4 ft in the air. Hit the dirt parking lot, everyone that wasn't paying attention to the conversation gasped as they thought i had accidently dropped my shiny new toy.
I picked it up, inspected it, there weren't even any marks on the exoskeleton part. Dusted off the silicone and snapped it back in my holster, everything was fine.
Overall, fairly impressed by the protection it affords.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Next time man up and throw it.
Just want to share a review of this case which i bought and have used for 1-2 weeks.
just a bit of background about why I chose this case.
I was looking for a tough case and find that the otterbox or casemate tough do not fit what I am looking for.
i had a otterbox commuter case for my HTC HD2 and the polycarbonate break easily around the edges where the ports are... i really want something that is rubber around the edges instead of plastic (I bought the defender case in the as replacement and that's exactly how it was.)
Unfortunately, the defender case is not available for the SGS2.
I have gone though 2 sgp cases and the neo hybrid breaks easily around audio port/ extra hole at the top right. and so my hunt for a tough case started.
so about this case.
This case does adds considerable size to the SGS2. it adds about an inch at the top and bottom of the phone and about 1cm at the sides however do take note that these extra additions are all of rubber material so your phone is really protected well against drops and bumps.
This is how the case itself looks like and its thickness relative to the phone.
the way the case is designed is like a 'hole dug in the middle of a brick'. and the phone fills perfectly into the hole and is now protected by the case.
The case is also ergonomic designed to be used for games when using the phone in the horizontal position.
the 2 pictures below are what the phone now looks like with the case.
Pros:
-Fully protected by rubber around the phone and therefore protects well against accidental drops and bumps.
-Feels good and have a better grip when I play games now on my SGS2
-Has different colours available as compared to casemate tough and otterbox commuter
Cons:
-The increase in size and thickness of the phone is not something that everyone will like.
-Due to the extra inch, I can only use a USB cable to charge my phone and therefore eliminating the use of sync stands like Zenis. My L shape earphones still fit into the audio port without an issue.
Conclusion for this case
I really like the case and it fits what I am looking for in a case that is able to protect my phone well and not look dull.
I would give it 4/5 for the case and it cost around USD27 excluding postage from Korea.
For guys who are interested, you can check out this link: scroll to the part where a video is embedded and see the case being subjected to drop test.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challe...90000001&pos_class_kind=T&keyword_order=iface
Great review! Thanks for all the info... Really helpful!
hey all. this is just simply pics of sgs2 and cases, covers etc.
all these covers are dirt-cheap! most are foudn thru ebay or amazon. Do not use excessive quoting in any form!
pic 1: standard sgs2 i9100 nordic white version.
pic 2: case-mate clear case cover, very comfy TPU-style case. the stupid triangular indentations on the back seems to helpescape the blemishes coming from simply cleamching the tpu gel onto the glossy finish of the phone. Not that that really means a thing! The clear rim is a nice feature, showing the chrome bezel off the SGS2. The firm grip comes with the tpu style, the bumper protects all the edges and <obviously> the back camera front surface as well. All covers however, do vocer the camera protruding area. Can recommend this cover!
pic 3: This, a glossy clean white case, made of tpu, a lovely cover, this covers never lost it's white for months. Until - I put it in a bag for a few months at max. the result was this cover was stained in several ways, pencils' helping included, yet surprising how this 'storage' made it look real bad, darkened, stained, after being dumped so to speak.
pic4+5: both of these covers have no cut-outs for side buttons. they are not hard to control though. I have certainly tried worse with a SGS3 cover, whereas the side buttons are askew, tilted backwards to the back of the phone. Using TPU cases on SGS2 is quite okay, albeit can be hard. Nowhere the same issue as on the SGS3. Quite acceptable as you will eventualy know where and when to punch those voume and power buttons.
pic 6+7: comparison of the white TPU and the clear TPU case-mate covers,
pic8-9: these show the same TPU cases, and these come with some screen protectors. cases and covers come with a variety of screen protectors. so do these here, and how to categorize those, will be another matter, cos there's so many different ones. and i dont use a single one
pic 10: this show how a textile mini towel can be saved up for later polishing of the screen. And yes, this wil surely overheat your phone if all you do is play TinTin all day. The SGS3 has a way more back panel to give, and fits 'standard' towels fine.
pic 1-2: No sweat!
Pic: 3-5: that white dirt cheap tpu gel case. Nothing bad to say about this case. Other than if you remove it, put it in a tight plastic bag first - otherwise it will not stay white!
this post is about screen protectors.. happens they all look alike, out of the dozens i have.. there is a few matt ones etc. .. so no screen protectors stupidities. swipe along this post then. if you want to believe: swipe it clean frictionless.
some really awesome bigass covers for scouts
This G931. Golla holster is really neat. As many other holsters I did not find it practical in everyday. Which is a great unfortune! this is a great rain repellant pouch. This particular holster fits a variety of phones WITH cases on, which includes SGS2, S-E arc-S, and those sizes. The pouch has an extra zipper pocket at the belt side, which is a WIN!. Several in my family found it useful indeed.
Golla
pic 1-5: GOLLA G1065. this golla pouch is really nice. a sorta denime color, with damaged areas, a badge, a wide belt fitting, double velcro in the front for the front face flap. The credit card deposit is a JOKE, it is not functional, not useful. In general this pouch is very comfy and absolutely a great looking pouch. Only it does not come handy, for at least, me.
This pouch works as well for S-E Arc-S - even with a cover. Are you needing over protection, then this pouch is there to fit that extra belt.
Golla G1065
this is a previous Golla case. G1065. very very the same as to the previous sandy colored golla pouch. this fits a SGS2 as well, including a case. It also fits the S-E- Arc-S. I would not recommend this case.
it has poor rear hooks for straps - certainly a joke with the brutal vinyl look of the rear of the pouch! the supplied neck chain is a joke, just as the attached flimsy hook is. This model has been discontinued i think, for obvious reasons! I owned it and it was a piece of ****!
EDIT: i will ad a wel photos of the HTC Desire Hd in this pouch. IT will happens when it DOES.
Pic 1-4. shows the typical 'vent' case covers. These <supposedly> relieve the heat from the... COOORE. These are comfy feeling cases, they don't do much, their weight amunt to zero, and can be found in any color.
Pic 5-7: The WHITE vent case sent here was for a korean phone. Notice the antenna area, and the enlarged button areas, and the obviously showing MISSING protectionate corner on the right-hand-side (seen from the front).
Hi, are those hard or rubber cases?
Looks very cool, thanks for the ideas
Hey XDA,
I recently ordered this case to replace my Ringke Fusion (which I both like and hate) and hopefully I will like it enough to keep it as my long term case. I haven't noticed much as far as reviews for this particular case so I was thinking of doing one for it. I have a new qi charger coming with it so I should be able to test that and see if it adversely affects the glass screen protector I have on right now. If anyone out there is interested in pictures of the case on the phone or anything like that, let me know and I'll do my best to include them when I review it on Thursday, I'm a little bit of a case junkie and typically try out several for my phones during their life time, but this is the first higher end case I'll have for the N5 and I'm really excited to see how it turns out.
Seidio Product Page
moonDOOM
Probably no real reviews of this case because they're already well-known. Others have already posted, and I'll back it up, Qi wireless charging works perfectly with it. Simply the best cases you can buy. Also, the holsters are pretty fantastic.
I got the case in today and as apparently everyone knows already, this case is quality made. I previously had a Ringke fusion case on my N5 and liked being able to see the nexus logo, but hated the tpu layer and how the back collected dust every time it was put into a pocket. I decided to go with a more traditional 2 layer case and I thought that the Seidio Dilex looked the best out of the ones currently available.
Pros:
- After seeing the product in person, I'm immediately sold on this design. The case is much darker black than it appears on the website (bright lighting in their product photos) and the rubberized coating on the PC layer is the classic silky smooth texture that Seidio is known for and has used for years. On a side note, the other colors are actually really nice looking too if you prefer something other than black and it looks like they have the same texture coating. The case feels really good in hand because of the soft texture and the silicone actually feels really similar.
- The kickstand also adds just a little weight to the bottom of the phone and makes it somewhat easier to balance, hold and manipulate with one hand. Speaking of the kickstand, it's actually aluminum instead of plastic which is a nice touch. The best part is that the kickstand is spring loaded (slightly) to the outward position but also contains a magnet to hold it securely in place when not in use. It appears to be pretty well attached to the case so hopefully it will hold up over time.
- The ports are all pretty well lined up with the cutouts and they seem big enough to accommodate most cables.
- Qi charging works just fine, at least on the cheap chinese one I also got in today. NFC doesn't appear to be affected either, although I only tried once.
- I'm currently using a Nillkin glass screen protector and it appears that the silicone is soft enough not to interfere with the edges of the screen protector. May not be the same with other brands.
Cons:
- The only thing I can think of is that because the outer layer only presses the edges in the middle and corners, the silicone seems to be a little loose or saggy inbetween the "arms" of the outer shell. I'm hoping that settles into place over time but if it catches on my pockets too much, it might actually get worse.
- The sticky texture is great for grip, but also picks up a lot of dust, but that's not news to anyone who has used a silicone case before.
In conclusion, I'd probably give this case 4.7 out of 5 stars. I like just about everything about it but I wish the silicone they used was just a little less pliable.
Pictures of the Case
Sorry, I know the pictures are garbage (I had to take them with my old phone so the N5 could be in the case) but I'd be happy to answer any questions y'all might have.
moonDOOM
Looks real nice little too thick for my taste though.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
This looks almost exactly like the generic thick kickstand cases that are being sold under various brands at various prices.
Dilex Case and Qi
Good morning. I wanted to follow up on your case experience with Qi charging I put this case on a Samsung Galaxy S5 and used a powerbot circular charging pad. I found that to get the charger aligned, I needed to prop the device up on the kickstand so it was a little firther from the pad, and I could not get a charging lock.
I'm trying to figure out if that is a function of the powerbot's charging signal or the anatomy of my Qi pad. Does your phone sit square on the charging pad? or is it propped up on the kickstand?
Thanks,
Marcva
Here is the product page: http://www.tetded.com/home/en/xperi...ria-z3-compact-d5803-d5833-caen-lc-black.html
I paid $30USD.
See images: http://imgur.com/a/AMxTZ
Unboxing
- Case
- Some documentation for warranty
- Nothing else
My thoughts
My first impressions of the case was the lovely leather look. The colour is a fantastic deep Washington Black.
The leather is not as plush as I was hoping. I feel as though the plastic skeleton which maintains shape is a bit too thick, compared to the leather. This doesn't compromise the leather feel, but I would have preferred a softer leather.
(Although, in saying that, there seem to be other cases for the Z3C from TETDED which look softer).
The inside fabric is about 1mm thick microfibre-ish. Its smooth, soft and feels hard wearing; good for something which will be touching my phone.
It fits well to the case, nice and tight. There is no play in the case, except for a very small movement in the bottom left corner of the case (not the top left, oddly).
It might have been nicer if the left hand side of the case covered the micro usb port cover, but thats just me. This doesn't take anything away from the structure of the case, I just thought it would look nicer.
The edges of the leather are well burnished and are flawless. The case feels great in the hand, and provides much needed friction on surfaces as well as while holding the phone.
One awesome thing about this case is that it allows use of the magnetic charger (if the small plate is removed; see pictures).
In terms of the purchasing of the case, it took them a few days to send, and overall I think I received it a week after order - not bad.
Pros
- Fits nicely
- Feels lovely in the hand
- Adds much needed grip
- Works with the magnetic charger!
- Its leather?
Cons
- Not a soft leather
- Not much else really
My rating: 8.5/10
Final words
Overall, I think TETDED did a pretty good job on this case. My one gripe is the lack of softness of the leather, but I suppose this would add thickness to the case (although, I think I would pay the price gladly).
TL;DR: Good case, could be softer, works with the magnetic charger. Nice.