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Galaxy S4 Cases and covers!

I am pretty hard on my phones due to my work environment and have been using OtterBox for about 5+ years now.... I am very pleased with how well they hold up.

I Just got my GS4 on Tuesday and my OtterBox Defender came in the mail that same day. My last three phones have been in Defender cases and come out like new when I removed them from the cases.... cases are completely thrashed though.

I couldn't be happier. Yes it's big and bulky... but from the past 5 years, The Defender Series has proven itself time and time again for me..Worth EVERY penny in my book.

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http://www.otterbox.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-cases/samsung-galaxy-s4-cases,en_US,sc.html
 
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I am pretty hard on my phones due to my work environment and have been using OtterBox for about 5+ years now.... I am very pleased with how well they hold up.

I Just got my GS4 on Tuesday and my OtterBox Defender came in the mail that same day. My last three phones have been in Defender cases and come out like new when I removed them from the cases.... cases are completely thrashed though.

I couldn't be happier. Yes it's big and bulky... but from the past 5 years, The Defender Series has proven itself time and time again for me..Worth EVERY penny in my book.

gs4-defender.jpg


http://www.otterbox.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-cases/samsung-galaxy-s4-cases,en_US,sc.html


I feel the same way. I love Otterbox defender cases and have had them on my phones for about 3-4 years now. I'm glad that Otterbox makes different colors for the phones now...much more variety. I ordered the S4 defender in pink/purple color. I have the case now I'm just waiting for Verizon to ship my phone lol
 
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This is a review for various Yoobao S4 cases I just received from kevikev: Samsung Galaxy S4 I9500

Since I just posted my review for Yoobao Thunder 13000 mAh external battery and some N2 cases (if interested you can check it out from my sig link), I wanted to point out these are genuine Yoobao products, not some cheap ebay/HK knock offs. Kevikev is the only US authorized Yoobao dealer/distributor which also services their product under warranty. Just wanted to bring this to attention because I got very confused when I was looking for Thunder battery and found a bunch of lookalike knockoffs. Also, www.kevikev.com told me about the current promotion of 10% with a coupon code of kk001 on purchases of $50 or more and also free shipping when you order two items (although you guys have to contact them about details of free shipping).

I received 3 cases and will do a review in order of how I took pictures of each below. First one is a unique combination of TPU bumper molded with semi-transparent matte finish PC material on the back. This hybrid case is very light. Unlike some slim cases that offer only plastic back to scratch protect the battery cover, this one has a decent TPU bumper that snuggly wraps around the phone without too much pull. It offers a nice protection lip so you can place your phone face done without worrying of scratching your display or screen protector. The PC material seems to be hard and looks like scratch resistant (I tried to scratch it with my nail lol!!!). All the ports are perfectly aligned with a nice rounded cutouts. Power and volume buttons are covered, and because its a TPU material those are easy to press and very responsive. The case itself is easy in-and-out of your pocket, will not stick inside :) Overall it gives you a decent every day all around protection. Plus, as a bonus you get a nice screen protector which doesn't feel flimsy at all (better than cheap stuff you get from ebay), and it comes with a generous size micro-fiber cleaning cloth.

Next one, is a super slim plastic case with a very nice rubbery finish. This one is for those who are after improving a grip of their naked phone and also protecting your battery cover from being scratched. It doesn't offer full wrap around protection of top/bottom of the phone, so you have to be very careful since you can't rely on this case providing an adequate drop protection. It's mostly to keep it super slim and to give you a better handling of the phone to avoid dropping it. As you can see, all the port openings align perfectly. Power and volume buttons are open and easy to access. This case also comes with a screen protector of a decent quality and a very generous micro-fiber cloth which I'm sure a lot of people will find useful even after installation of sp.

The third case is a slim leather flip case that will not add any bulk to your phone while offering a very elegant folio casing and a nice screen protection of your display. That is why no screen protector is included with this one. Considering low price (while still a high quality), it's obviously not a real grain leather, but it's very nice to the touch and has both rich feel and look. The plastic part of the case where you insert the phone has a very nice tight fit that insures your phone will not fall out if you drop it by accident. For that purpose, the inner part of the case where the phone goes actually has a very soft rubbery thin cushion layer to absorb any shock and also to protect your battery cover from being scratched. You get a perfect camera/flash opening and speaker opening, and also cutout to easily access power and volume buttons. The inner side of the flap cover has a soft textured material to protect your display and to avoid any scratches. It also has a speaker cutout so you can use your phone without any obstruction even with a flap closed. Unlike other folio cases, this one doesn't allow flipping of the cover to prop the phone in landscape position. Obviously it's not an intention of this folio case because the goal is to keep it super slim without any additional bulk.

Pretty much all three cases are built for different type of use. These are also come in different colors so you can accessorize properly, just check out the link above for other options. I believe these are new products, so kevikev still updating its catalog because the last time I checked hybrid TPU/PC case wasn't listed in there yet. But you can always email them and ask. Cases are very reasonably priced, and this is the ONLY place in US where you get authorized Yoobao stuff (authorized by Yoobao itself, I did check their website actually) and also it will be protected by their warranty.

Here are the pictures for your enjoyment:

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Does anyone know whether having a case like these will work with the wireless charging option? I would assume that since you need the special back plate for wireless charging to work this might interfere with that, however I wasn't sure. Would be nice to know if wireless charging will be compatible with a case over the battery cover, or if you want to use wireless charging you can't have any case on it.

I started using wireless charging for my LG revolution when it stopped charging via cable. I was never able to put a cover on it with the wireless charging battery because it bulked up the phone quite a bit.

But if you could get a case on it I'd imagine it would interfere with the charging. Now, I just tested my LG Revolution's wireless charging abilities with a stack of about 5 papers and it still charged. I don't know if the type of material between it would make a difference.
 
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This is a review of Cruzerlite TPU cases for S4: Galaxy S IV

After just posting a review for Cruzerlite TPU cases for N2, I'm on to S4 :) I'm sure a lot of the people are familiar with Cruzerlite and their line of TPU cases featuring Andy the Android character. The unique graphic design of these cases is what makes it stand out from other TPU cases. But as I mentioned before, eye candy will not last for too long if the quality of the case iis sub par. After testing these new S4 TPU cases, I can confirm that Cruzerlite delivered again and didn't cut any corners while still providing a great slim tpu case at a very reasonable price.

The first case I looked at was their Bugdroid Circuit model. The case itself is semi-transparent with a nice rubbery feeling. What makes it stand out is the etched out design of circuit traces surrounding Andy the Android. You can actually feel these etched out traces and they give you an additional grip when holding the phone. The bumper of the case wraps around the phone and provides a lip to keep it off the surface when placed display done. Now, here I have some concern. Perhaps maybe it's because I just reviewed exactly the same model of the case for my Note 2, but this lip felt a little shallow to me. Yes, it will keep the screen away from touching the surface, but I would prefer it to be a bit thicker for an additional drop protection. All the cutouts are precise and aligned perfectly. Please keep in mind that I'm suing a display model of S4 and that one has mic opening next to micro-usb which is not precisely aligned by itself (the case is actually all good). Power and volume buttons are open and easy to access through a cutout.

The second case is from their Androidified A2 series. The design also features Andy the Android and semi-transparent material. All the openings are precise and aligned perfectly. And again, I felt that bumper lip could have been thicker. Due to consistency between this and Bugdroid design, I think Cruzerlite was trying to slim down their TPU cases thus trying to avoid any extra bulk including bumper thickness. One thing to note, A2 series design add a textured side grip for an improved handling of the phone. Very nice touch.

As I also mentioned in my other review, overall these are very nice looking TPU cases for everyday basic use. These stand out with it's original design around friendly Andy the Android in the middle. Also, cases have a very reasonable price without sacrificing the quality. For those who like to change their cases on a regular basis and looking for a unique design, Cruzerlite line of TPU cases is definitely something to consider.

Now, here are the pictures for your enjoyment:

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This is a review of Spigen Slim Armor Case for Samsung Galaxy S4: Galaxy S4 case Slim Armor | SPIGEN SGP

When it comes to slim and light weight cases, Spigen never disappoints with their unique and rich styles. But in the past they weren't exactly known for their rugged touch. With their Slim Armor case it looks like they decide to turn the table around. So let's see if they were able to add extra "armor" protection while still maintaining their typical slim design.

Slim Armor is actually consists of two layers. Inner TPU layer surrounds the phone with extra cushion to absorb shock impact and adds extra thickness at the top/bottom bumper beyond the boundaries of Outer PC layer which bounds the sides and the back of the case with hard plastic material. Still, even with two separate layer, case feels very thin. The fitment of both layers is seamless and almost feels like one piece. Every port opening is precisely cutout and perfectly aligned between inner/outer layers and with a phone. What I found especially amazing is that case is actually easier to fit in with a phone while two layers are together. This was a pleasant surprise since I know that a lot of people like to take their cases on and off and when you are dealing with two layers it becomes a hassle to constant align two together. For the purpose of pictures, I demonstrated how the phone looks with inner layer without outer shell, but in everyday use I would recommend keeping both of them together when taking phone out.

One of the details that keeps both interlocked perfectly together are the power and volume buttons. Those are part of TPU inner layer, but made to feel and to perform like hardware buttons. A separate cutout around sides of these buttons makes them very easy to push with a nice tactile feedback, and while aligned with outer PC shell cutout it keeps both layers together. There is not too much to complain about Slim Armor except for the lip around the display. Typically those are designed to keep your phone off the surface when faced down. To my personal taste I found this lip to be very shallow. Actually, it's more shallow around the side edges while a bit more thicker around top/bottom part of the case's bumper cushion. So in theory it will protect your phone screen down from touching a surface, but you will not get as much clearance thus I highly recommend having a decent screen protector when you use this case. For those familiar with Spigen, you know that quality screen protectors is one of their signature products. Another thing to mention, which was actually a pleasant surprise, is a bonus of 3 home button stickers labeled as "jelly bean" buttons. Those come in assortment of 3 colors and will help you personalize your phone even further. The case itself comes in a selection of 5 different colors for the hard outer shell. The one I got was in black, and somewhat a fingerprint magnet. For those who are bothered by this, probably a good idea to go with a lighter color PC shell :)

Overall, this is a very impressive and high quality case (made in Korea, which I find lately to be of a higher quality than HK built cases). You will still get a slim and light weight design while maintaining a piece of mind in case if you drop your phone. Even so I wish the lip would be thicker to offer a better "armor", bundled with a good screen protector you should be OK.

Here are the pictures of black Slim Armor case I tested with my S4 display model of the phone (thus a slight misalignment of mic port next to micro-usb connector):

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I just ordered the Spigen Neo Hybrid in Metal Slate, GLAS.tR Slim glass screen protector, and aluminum home button set for my S4. I will see if I can get some pics up after I receive everything.

I, too, have a Spigen Neo Hybrid on order. Thinking about the GLAS.tR but, dang, I can buy a lot of cheap screen protectors for the price of that thing.

I can't wait to see what you think of it.

My favorite screen protectors are the matte from Monoprice. Cheap but a great feel and quality.
 
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It looks awesome. I would not hesitate to make this my TOP CHOICE case were it not for one reason. The peripheral lip around the display is not substantial enough. The case material is simply too flush with the device itself. One halfway decent drop and your SG4 will SURELY suffer from a cracked display. The Otterbox Defender or Otterbox Commuter are better protection. Of course, both Otterbox cases are bulkeir, especially the Defender Series. However, you would be hard pressed to damage your device in the event of an inadvertent drop. Hopefully, Spigen will add a bit more material to their case to address this.
 
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This is a GREAT case for all around protection for the GS 4. The screen protector, which is built in, can be easily removed prior to installation. This case will ensure that your GS 4 is as tough as nails. Of course, the case adds a bit of bulk, but it is well worth it. If anyone knows of a comparable alternative, please let me know.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Defender Series Instructional video - YouTube
 
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With a kind assistance of AF admins, there was a few rearrangements of my reviews and the comments above are in reference to Spigen Slim Armor for S4 (http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s4/719712-review-spigen-slim-armor-case-s4-w-pics.html). So if you would like to continue this conversation, let's do it in that section not to confuse it with Yoobao review :) But in a summary, I absolutely agree and hope Spigen is reading these comments from their customers and taking notes about our suggestions!!! :)
 
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I'm using the Neo Hybrid at the moment but I expect that when the SlimArmor arrives that will end up being my main case. Nice to see the relatively thick back will allow you to lay the phone on its back with zero concerns for the camera lens.

My only concern are the rubbery TPU buttons for power and volume. On the Neo Hybrid those are hard plastic and they line up so well with the phone buttons that you feel like you're pressing the real buttons. I hope the SlimArmor buttons don't feel too spongy.
 
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I ordered this plain clear TPU case for under $10. Its the same one I had on my S3 and similar to the one on my iPhone 5. I don't want to change the look of the phone, so thin and clear is what I like.

Amazon.com: Iwotou Slim-fit Matte Anti-slip TPU Durable Skin Case for Samsung Galaxy S4 with Free Accessories (clear): Cell Phones & Accessories

I agree. Thin TPU cases is the way to go if you're a careful person that won't drop their phone over 4 feet high. Question, are the power & volume buttons covered by that case? Also, does the case provide good lip for screen protection?
 
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I got my Spigen Neo Hybrid case in today. I installed it as soon as I got it and it feels a little wide to me, but the buttons are excellent. Overall it's a great case and the only gripe I have about it is it doesn't come with any kind of holster. I was thinking about picking up a UAG case, but I don't think I will anymore because if it feels wide to me now I can only imagine how wide it'll be with the UAG case.
 
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