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Life Proof Case
- Thread starter Jmill79
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Good to know, Thanks. I never saw the instructions since the sales girl demo'd it for me. I've been searching for something else anyway and I think I'm going with the Draco IV and the SGP leather skin for the back - combo duo. I just need to research whether the aluminum-made Draco case will affect GPS and if it will minimize signal reception. Otherwise, I'll stick with the Life Proof Case since you've testified it leaves no marks on the back case.
love mine
I had the GEN 2 for my sprint iPhone 4s 64 and love it. It IS waterproof... tested it. I work in places with allot of steel and water. This case is not bulky at all. You have to use the apple charge cord or use an extender but I have not found that to be an issue. The phone is responsive and I have had no issues operating, viewing or taking photo's with it. It is easy to hear and the back case actually vibrates enhancing sound. It was expensive but so worth it. I can not wait for the bike mount to come out!
I had the GEN 2 for my sprint iPhone 4s 64 and love it. It IS waterproof... tested it. I work in places with allot of steel and water. This case is not bulky at all. You have to use the apple charge cord or use an extender but I have not found that to be an issue. The phone is responsive and I have had no issues operating, viewing or taking photo's with it. It is easy to hear and the back case actually vibrates enhancing sound. It was expensive but so worth it. I can not wait for the bike mount to come out!
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It'll be nice to go splashing in the mud and water without having to worry about your phone.
I really want to get the white case is the typing really that bad on these?
Also what about discoloring of the white my graft leverage was white for about all of one day.
Also what about discoloring of the white my graft leverage was white for about all of one day.
I just received this case in the mail yesterday and everything is great so far except for the one spot that a raindow ring forms under the screen when pressure is applied to that particular area. I just found this help page on LifeProof's site that reccommends ways to fix it. I will try some of these out later to see if it works because that is my only complaint about the case so far. Has anyone else had this issue and been able to fix it?
Baby powder puff, lol?
You could also try a very fine puff of baby powder (with all the powder vents closed) from high above the screen protector (on the inside of the case) to let the faintest virtually invisible layer of powder to settle on the inside of the screen protector. *If you get too much on, wipe and blow it off then try again. *I think this will fix your problems forever.
You could also try a very fine puff of baby powder (with all the powder vents closed) from high above the screen protector (on the inside of the case) to let the faintest virtually invisible layer of powder to settle on the inside of the screen protector. *If you get too much on, wipe and blow it off then try again. *I think this will fix your problems forever.
I was told by them that the belt clips are coming out next week, that's what I'm looking for. LifeProof Belt Clip 1.5"
I had the seidio spring clip and while nice, it broke twice. The last time outside the warranty period. The lifeproof has a better design. If it works I can see me leaving the phone on the clip a lot and just removing it from my belt in case.
I had the seidio spring clip and while nice, it broke twice. The last time outside the warranty period. The lifeproof has a better design. If it works I can see me leaving the phone on the clip a lot and just removing it from my belt in case.
My LifeProof review:
I bought the Gen 2 (bumpers on the sides, and came with headphone adapter) from Best Buy for $79.99
I have an iPhone 4S 32gb black.
Initial Impression:
The packaging is nice and eye catching. Even nicer that you can open the flap on the front and look at the case before you buy it. It's detailed and shows exactly what its (supposed) to do. Upon opening and seeing and holding the case, it's definitely bigger than the iPhone itself. I'll elaborate more below~
Material:
The case "top" is a rubbery yet hard material. It's hard to explain, but if you run your finger over it lightly it feels harder... while running it with more pressure feels more rubbery if that makes sense. It definitely feels like it would provide good shock protection. The "bottom" is a hard plastic that scratches sort of easily. I would relate it to plastic on a gun like a Glock. Seems sturdy, just easily scratched. Last but not least, the screen protector. It doesn't (to me) feel as cheap as some people here have described. It IS a weird material, though, and probably isn't what most people are expecting. Yes, if you pushed through it hard enough it'll probably break. But you have to remember the application... there is a phone behind it, so you won't be pushing through it. Otherwise it seems durable. The screen as others have said, glares a decent amount. Personally for the amount of protection it offered this wasn't an issue, but other things were...
Fit:
The iPhone fits in the case like a glove, aside from one thing. The screen initially had a huge air pillow in it. What I mean by this, is the screen protector isn't touching the screen. At all. Their "press against the chest" method works for 2 seconds until the air fills back into the case. I will say, after a few days the air pillow settled down about 3/4 of the way, but it was still there... just enough to be slightly annoying and hinder typing. The only way to get the air out was to suck it out with my mouth, literally. Even then, it filled back in within 1 minute.
LifeProof Dusty contacted me and said this was not supposed to happen, for the record, and offered a replacement top. I haven't gotten it yet, so I don't know... But from looking at the design... the ear piece and home button are raised, and the air NEVER goes away near those two places because they are raised. It seems like a design fault. As long as they are raised, air is going to be around them causing this.
Usage:
Using it isn't all that bad. The hardware buttons do take effort to use, especially at first, but they loosen up a bit the more you use them. They don't take hulk strength like some people are describing, but they aren't easy either. Even with the air pillow, it's usable but typing can be difficult. Some people might be OK with this. Personally I plan on spending more time typing on my phone than using it in the water, so this might be a problem. The case adds a little bulk to the phone so you have to get used to that, as well.
Tests:
Water test -
I submerged the case twice. First in cold water, second in warm water. Both for around an hour. The cold water turned out fine. No water, leaks, condensation, nada. The warm water produced a little bit of condensation on the screen, not a lot, but too much for me to be comfortable with.
Shower test -
I took the phone in the shower every day for 3-4 days. It never got any water or condensation in it, and I take very hot showers. I also tested skype in case, in the shower, with my girlfriend and it worked well. It's strange the warm water test failed but the shower didn't. Maybe a matter of total submersion or not, since in the shower it's just raining on it.
Dust -
Dust got into my case, probably when I open the charging port. However you aren't supposed to take the case on and off more than 50 times... so this is a problem after 50 times!
Overall:
The case is a great idea and if they fix the air pillow, glare, and most importantly condensation-proofing issue... it'll be a gold star winner all around. I really like this case and I wish I could keep it, but I think I'll be returning it. I can't risk condensation, and the air pillow issue is bothersome for me personally. I don't know about the rest of you, but with some of those Element Vapor cases going for $150... I'd be willing to pay $150 for a LifeProof "Gen 3" that fixed all these issues and had 100% backing that it's going to be waterproof for sure. It'd be way more practical than the element for the same price.
My other idea would be to do the exact opposite. Cut the price of the case in half ($30-$40) and even if it only lasts 50-100 times of taking it on and off, this could be a very viable solution for those times you want to go to the beach or whatever, but don't want this type of case 24/7. Or design a "LifeProof Lite" for this kind of thing.
And now, for people who don't want to read the entire review -
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Waterproof (generally)
Shock Proof
Snow Proof
Dust Proof (generally)
Cons:
Failed one of my water tests (condensation)
Air pillow in screen
Glare on screen
Dust gets in from charging port
Can only take it on and off 50 times
The quest continues unfortunately!
I bought the Gen 2 (bumpers on the sides, and came with headphone adapter) from Best Buy for $79.99
I have an iPhone 4S 32gb black.
Initial Impression:
The packaging is nice and eye catching. Even nicer that you can open the flap on the front and look at the case before you buy it. It's detailed and shows exactly what its (supposed) to do. Upon opening and seeing and holding the case, it's definitely bigger than the iPhone itself. I'll elaborate more below~
Material:
The case "top" is a rubbery yet hard material. It's hard to explain, but if you run your finger over it lightly it feels harder... while running it with more pressure feels more rubbery if that makes sense. It definitely feels like it would provide good shock protection. The "bottom" is a hard plastic that scratches sort of easily. I would relate it to plastic on a gun like a Glock. Seems sturdy, just easily scratched. Last but not least, the screen protector. It doesn't (to me) feel as cheap as some people here have described. It IS a weird material, though, and probably isn't what most people are expecting. Yes, if you pushed through it hard enough it'll probably break. But you have to remember the application... there is a phone behind it, so you won't be pushing through it. Otherwise it seems durable. The screen as others have said, glares a decent amount. Personally for the amount of protection it offered this wasn't an issue, but other things were...
Fit:
The iPhone fits in the case like a glove, aside from one thing. The screen initially had a huge air pillow in it. What I mean by this, is the screen protector isn't touching the screen. At all. Their "press against the chest" method works for 2 seconds until the air fills back into the case. I will say, after a few days the air pillow settled down about 3/4 of the way, but it was still there... just enough to be slightly annoying and hinder typing. The only way to get the air out was to suck it out with my mouth, literally. Even then, it filled back in within 1 minute.
LifeProof Dusty contacted me and said this was not supposed to happen, for the record, and offered a replacement top. I haven't gotten it yet, so I don't know... But from looking at the design... the ear piece and home button are raised, and the air NEVER goes away near those two places because they are raised. It seems like a design fault. As long as they are raised, air is going to be around them causing this.
Usage:
Using it isn't all that bad. The hardware buttons do take effort to use, especially at first, but they loosen up a bit the more you use them. They don't take hulk strength like some people are describing, but they aren't easy either. Even with the air pillow, it's usable but typing can be difficult. Some people might be OK with this. Personally I plan on spending more time typing on my phone than using it in the water, so this might be a problem. The case adds a little bulk to the phone so you have to get used to that, as well.
Tests:
Water test -
I submerged the case twice. First in cold water, second in warm water. Both for around an hour. The cold water turned out fine. No water, leaks, condensation, nada. The warm water produced a little bit of condensation on the screen, not a lot, but too much for me to be comfortable with.
Shower test -
I took the phone in the shower every day for 3-4 days. It never got any water or condensation in it, and I take very hot showers. I also tested skype in case, in the shower, with my girlfriend and it worked well. It's strange the warm water test failed but the shower didn't. Maybe a matter of total submersion or not, since in the shower it's just raining on it.
Dust -
Dust got into my case, probably when I open the charging port. However you aren't supposed to take the case on and off more than 50 times... so this is a problem after 50 times!
Overall:
The case is a great idea and if they fix the air pillow, glare, and most importantly condensation-proofing issue... it'll be a gold star winner all around. I really like this case and I wish I could keep it, but I think I'll be returning it. I can't risk condensation, and the air pillow issue is bothersome for me personally. I don't know about the rest of you, but with some of those Element Vapor cases going for $150... I'd be willing to pay $150 for a LifeProof "Gen 3" that fixed all these issues and had 100% backing that it's going to be waterproof for sure. It'd be way more practical than the element for the same price.
My other idea would be to do the exact opposite. Cut the price of the case in half ($30-$40) and even if it only lasts 50-100 times of taking it on and off, this could be a very viable solution for those times you want to go to the beach or whatever, but don't want this type of case 24/7. Or design a "LifeProof Lite" for this kind of thing.
And now, for people who don't want to read the entire review -
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Waterproof (generally)
Shock Proof
Snow Proof
Dust Proof (generally)
Cons:
Failed one of my water tests (condensation)
Air pillow in screen
Glare on screen
Dust gets in from charging port
Can only take it on and off 50 times
The quest continues unfortunately!
Bravo! Nice review!
Regarding the condensation, have you looked at the water damage indicators on the phone to see if they changed colors to pink or red?
Hey guys, thanks.
As far as I can tell, the indicator is still white. I did not want to push it further than I was comfortable with, and the small condensation broke that limit.
I will say the headphone port in general is probably well designed, even if water or condensation got in... so it wouldn't set off the sensor. The thingy that screws in goes into the headphone jack and of course has an O-ring seal so it would take a lot to get water in that area. About the only thing that would do it would be if the O-ring failed.
To answer the guy about the headphones:
Yes, unless you use headphones with a cable exactly the right size.. you'll always have to use the headphone adapter. I'm a drummer for a living and I use in ear monitors, so I tested those out because most likely I'd be listening with those on the go as well... they didn't fit, obviously, and I had to use the adapter. The adapter isn't that big of a hassle other than having to remember to bring it everywhere you go. In fact, it includes an extra screw-in top on the adapter and something to hold it, so when you're done you can just put it back.
The only other thing worth mentioning on the headphones is this: You HAVE to screw in the adapter for it to work!
If anyone has anymore questions feel free to ask
As far as I can tell, the indicator is still white. I did not want to push it further than I was comfortable with, and the small condensation broke that limit.
I will say the headphone port in general is probably well designed, even if water or condensation got in... so it wouldn't set off the sensor. The thingy that screws in goes into the headphone jack and of course has an O-ring seal so it would take a lot to get water in that area. About the only thing that would do it would be if the O-ring failed.
To answer the guy about the headphones:
Yes, unless you use headphones with a cable exactly the right size.. you'll always have to use the headphone adapter. I'm a drummer for a living and I use in ear monitors, so I tested those out because most likely I'd be listening with those on the go as well... they didn't fit, obviously, and I had to use the adapter. The adapter isn't that big of a hassle other than having to remember to bring it everywhere you go. In fact, it includes an extra screw-in top on the adapter and something to hold it, so when you're done you can just put it back.
The only other thing worth mentioning on the headphones is this: You HAVE to screw in the adapter for it to work!
If anyone has anymore questions feel free to ask
I decided to return mine after having it for a few days. I really liked the case overall as it is incredible that it provides so much protection (including waterpoofing) in such a slim design. However, the screen just doesn't work for me. I may have a faulty screen unit, but there is a spot on it where the "rainbow ring" just won't go away no matter how many different times I try cleaning it as recommended by LifeProof. Beyond that, the screen just doesn't feel that great and has an odd clicking sound when typing and oftentimes feels very grippy and sticks to my fingers.
Sorry if this has already been mentioned...
From: http://www.lifeproof.com/lifeproof-store/apple-cases/iphone-4-g2
From: http://www.lifeproof.com/lifeproof-store/apple-cases/iphone-4-g2
I'm not sure if you've seen this guys. But here's a water test with the case.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7WNoguXEc0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7WNoguXEc0
Issues
I have issues with the speaker port
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuh-GgC1KP0
can anybody look at this and comment on it? really need your feedback guys
I have issues with the speaker port
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuh-GgC1KP0
can anybody look at this and comment on it? really need your feedback guys
I hear you, but I can imagine myself buying this to take on vacation (or summertime) so I can take it to the beach/pool and not worry about water damage or sand getting in it.
I have a waterproof camera, but I would love to have peace of mind when it comes to checking emails and such. I even wonder how long it can stay in water in case I want to carry it while swimming so there is no theft issues.
If this is from the manufacturer's site then I would not purchase a case from them. They are essentially suggesting you put a very fine grit on your screen. Yes this has the effect of covering up their case defect, but it also introduces scratch causing grit that can end up eating up the finish on the glass and steel.
I picked one of these up recently, and I must say I really like it. I'm not getting and weirdness on the screen and the sensitivity is just fine, which was my biggest worry after reading about it.