Review: AL13 raises the bar for iPhone bumper design

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 70
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    All bumpers and cases are a crime, and detracts away from the beauty of Apple's products. Why buy something so nice looking, only to go ahead and cover it up and hide it from the world? It's like marrying a hot model and then forcing her to wear a burka 24-7-365.


     


    People who put bumpers on their phones and people who use cases permanently on their Apple devices reminds me of strange people who keep plastic covers on their sofas at home. I could see using a heavy duty case for an iPhone if I were a soldier serving in Afghanistan or something, but no way should any civilian ever cover up any Apple products with ugly bumpers and cases. It's only a phone, and if it breaks, then either get it repaired or go and get a new one. Or just don't be careless to begin with, and the chances of a phone being damaged is greatly decreased. Do these people also walk around with bicycle helmets on their heads 24-7? Maybe they should.

  • Reply 42 of 70
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member
    Price aside it sounds like an interesting product. The problem is the brand. It's impossible to remember the name. A-something?
  • Reply 43 of 70
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    apple ][ wrote: »
    People who put bumpers on their phones and people who use cases permanently on their Apple devices reminds me of strange people who keep plastic covers on their sofas at home. I could see using a heavy duty case for an iPhone if I were a soldier serving in Afghanistan or something, but no way should any civilian ever cover up any Apple products with ugly bumpers and cases. It's only a phone, and if it breaks, then either get it repaired or go and get a new one.

    All this would make sense if we each had a money tree in our gardens. Back in the real world dropping a pre paid new iPhone 5 that cost me €679 is something I'd like to safeguard against. Yes, the phone isn't as beautiful as it could be, but I don't tend to buy Apple products for their looks, anyway. I buy them to use them.
  • Reply 44 of 70
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    All bumpers and cases are a crime, and detracts away from the beauty of Apple's products. Why buy something so nice looking, only to go ahead and cover it up and hide it from the world? It's like marrying a hot model and then forcing her to wear a burka 24-7-365.


     


    People who put bumpers on their phones and people who use cases permanently on their Apple devices reminds me of strange people who keep plastic covers on their sofas at home. I could see using a heavy duty case for an iPhone if I were a soldier serving in Afghanistan or something, but no way should any civilian ever cover up any Apple products with ugly bumpers and cases. It's only a phone, and if it breaks, then either get it repaired or go and get a new one. Or just don't be careless to begin with, and the chances of a phone being damaged is greatly decreased. Do these people also walk around with bicycle helmets on their heads 24-7? Maybe they should.





    I have owned every model of iPhone. I never used a case at all until I dropped my brand new iPhone 4 and the screen completely shattered. I now view the iPhone as very fragile. I use a mophie battery case.

  • Reply 45 of 70
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    jd_in_sb wrote: »

    I have owned every model of iPhone. I never used a case at all until I dropped my brand new iPhone 4 and the screen completely shattered. I now view the iPhone as very fragile. I use a mophie battery case.

    When I had a 3G S I chanced using no case. I'm seriously careful with my stuff. Still, the phone slipped out of my hand onto the carpet while parked in my car. I was full sure the phone was fine until I noticed a hairline crack in the display screen. I have used cases since.
  • Reply 46 of 70
    jackzigjackzig Posts: 20member


    I had to check the calendar to see if this "review" was written on April Fools Day. This is the dumbest review I've ever read.

  • Reply 47 of 70
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    apple ][ wrote: »
    All bumpers and cases are a crime, and detracts away from the beauty of Apple's products. Why buy something so nice looking, only to go ahead and cover it up and hide it from the world? It's like marrying a hot model and then forcing her to wear a burka 24-7-365.

    People who put bumpers on their phones and people who use cases permanently on their Apple devices reminds me of strange people who keep plastic covers on their sofas at home. I could see using a heavy duty case for an iPhone if I were a soldier serving in Afghanistan or something, but no way should any civilian ever cover up any Apple products with ugly bumpers and cases. It's only a phone, and if it breaks, then either get it repaired or go and get a new one. Or just don't be careless to begin with, and the chances of a phone being damaged is greatly decreased. Do these people also walk around with bicycle helmets on their heads 24-7? Maybe they should.


    Drops happen. I average a screen-damaging drop maybe once every 12-18 months, and a case is a lot cheaper than a new screen or a new phone. I don't go all jizzy over Apple's chassis designs like you do.

    And no, I don't wear a helmet except the occasional weld, and I don't have plastic furniture covers, nor am I in a war zone, just an office and a machine shop. Not everybody is all fancy like your eminence.
  • Reply 48 of 70
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post



    This almost reads like a sponsored review.


     


    Wouldn't be the first time. It would be preferred if they made their disclosures obvious, or just put a nice visible line of text ahead of the story that says, "Advertisement".

  • Reply 49 of 70

    Anyone else seeing the discoloration? Looks like battery charging trace.
  • Reply 50 of 70
    sensiressensires Posts: 4member
    This is obviously a sponsored review, and one so badly disguised at that - why would AI review a bumper case out of the blue, especially when the next iteration of the iPhone is on the horizon. This is not news worthy at all.

    The quality of your articles and reporting has steadily declined just about since Steve's death. And I think this is the last straw for me - I am removing the bookmark to your site from my daily reads.
  • Reply 51 of 70
    danacamerondanacameron Posts: 337member


    I have the Photive Hybrid iPhone 5 Bumper Case, and it's the best iPhone case I've ever used. Just as unobtrusive as Apple's iPhone 4/4S bumper, more durable, transparent to radio signals, and it only costs ten bucks. A helluva lot less than $80! That's just crazy!

  • Reply 52 of 70
    ankleskaterankleskater Posts: 1,287member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post





    The review for this not new idea is nearly as detailed as the iPhone review itself. He's practically gushing.

    What? Ive would never say anything like that. He doesn't even think like that.




    You know how he thinks?


     


    I'd say, except for the world "awesome", Ive would say something like that, based on his previous quotes. But of course you'd know better.

  • Reply 53 of 70
    ankleskaterankleskater Posts: 1,287member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post



    All bumpers and cases are a crime, and detracts away from the beauty of Apple's products. Why buy something so nice looking, only to go ahead and cover it up and hide it from the world? It's like marrying a hot model and then forcing her to wear a burka 24-7-365.



    People who put bumpers on their phones and people who use cases permanently on their Apple devices reminds me of strange people who keep plastic covers on their sofas at home. I could see using a heavy duty case for an iPhone if I were a soldier serving in Afghanistan or something, but no way should any civilian ever cover up any Apple products with ugly bumpers and cases. It's only a phone, and if it breaks, then either get it repaired or go and get a new one. Or just don't be careless to begin with, and the chances of a phone being damaged is greatly decreased. Do these people also walk around with bicycle helmets on their heads 24-7? Maybe they should.






    While I agree that putting a case on the phone is undesirable, the fact is that it is a rather slippery sucker. Yes, yes, there are folks here who deny this. But it is what it is - a slippery phone particularly when you are pulling it out of a pockets and trying to take photos with one hand.

  • Reply 54 of 70
    kasakkakasakka Posts: 55member
    So it's expensive, impacts battery life and reception all for better looks than a 5e plastic bumper? To me a bumper just needs to fix my iPhone 4's reception issues, provide some protection and add some grip so it doesn't slip from my hands. Again, a cheap TPU bumper is fine for that.
  • Reply 55 of 70
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member

    You know how he thinks?

    I'd say, except for the world "awesome", Ive would say something like that, based on his previous quotes. But of course you'd know better.

    You answered your own question.
  • Reply 56 of 70
    Having contributed to the AL13 program I was excited to receive my bumper case. The design and execution are pretty flawless. The impact on signal strength though, especially on a weak signal, is very real and very problematic. Quite disappointing especially at this price point. But, I find the design so good that if the company remade the product with different, less intrusive materials I would probably buy it.
  • Reply 57 of 70
    superbasssuperbass Posts: 688member


    Is it april fools again? This article reads like it comes from the Onion, or something... Really, triple the cost, loss of phone functionality, and a bumper made of aluminum which is NOT shock absorbent? Weird...

  • Reply 58 of 70
    alex angry wrote: »
    Mikey C lowers the bar for what goes for an AI article.

    That's a compliment to Mikey. He's been trying to beat DED for a long time.
  • Reply 59 of 70
    liupingliuping Posts: 34member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View PostIt's like marrying a hot model and then forcing her to wear a burka 24-7-365.


     


     



    I think it's more like marrying a hot model and having her dress in nice cloths. As much as I'd like to see her naked all the time, it's just not practical...

  • Reply 60 of 70
    kiltedgreenkiltedgreen Posts: 598member

    This whole thing about bumpers and cases and whatever for iPhones is a mystery to me. So many people talk about the design of the iPhone and how beautiful it is, certainly Apple tell us how they designed the chamfered edges and the glass and that it's like a finely engineered swiss watch. And then everybody puts them inside hideous lumps of rubber and plastic so all that work is rendered instantly redundant!


     


    I took out my four year old iPod touch 2nd gen in a shop one day to show a young salesperson some information and he instantly asked me "Where did you get your replacement screen?" Surprised, I asked what he meant. He repeated the question. I answered that it was the original screen. Quickly again he asked "How come it's not broken then?". I gave what seemed to me a blindingly obvious answer, "I look after it".


     


    My 2010 iPad, bought in May that year, looks like new and I take it everywhere and use it all the time. My 5th gen iPod touch which I've had since about one month after release and use every day is immaculate.


     


    What cases do I use to achieve this? Answer - none. Never have done, except for the iPad which has the original Apple case for when I go on the train or to a meeting where I need to type a lot or view videos. I simply look after them, the way people used to look after expensive (and even cheap) things in a time when they were valued because you didn't just throw them away and buy another one.


     


    An iPhone in the UK retails at least £529. I cannot believe that someone would not take great care of something that costs that much. Are people increasingly accident prone or do people just have really bad luck today? Judging by the comments about the ease of breaking the glass or scratching the back I'm out on a limb here ...

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