So, my Live Case arrived today. I ordered on the 30th and it was supposed to be delivered between the 17th and 20th, but to my surprise it arrived today. Google typically seems to overestimate delivery time, as to not disappoint customers, but I was tracking it and was surprised to see it was out for delivery so soon.
So here is the preview of my design on the Google Store:
And here is the actual case:
So, where to begin?
1. Protection: To be honest, this case feels like a step down from my clear Spigen case. Not only does it leave the top and bottom edges exposed, but because most of the value of the case is in its design you're left feeling like you need a protector for the thing that's supposed to protect your phone. The case also feels harder to grip than my old case. I feel like I might be more prone to dropping my phone.
2. Fit: It fits the phone very well. The profile is very slim. Once it's on, it almost feels like you have a brand new phone in hand. It's weird not seeing the black camera hump on the phone.
3. NFC Button: The button is absolutely terrible. I don't mind the fact that you have to press it a little harder to get it to activate, what bugs me is the location. I typically use phones one handed and maneuvering it to access the button is awkward. There are multiple ways to set up shortcuts on Android, so the button feels useless because of this minor inconvenience. I was going to use it to launch LastPass but...
For some reason my NFC radio kept picking up on the button even when I wasn't touching the phone. My phone kept making this unfamiliar sound, that I thought was my roommates' XBOX. It didn't even launch the app when it did this, so it took me a while to realize what it was. Removing the My Live Case App didn't stop it, and after fooling around with it for a little bit, the phone started promoting me to download the app without me even pressing the button, so I had to do this:
4. Print: The image turned out better than expected on the case. I was hoping the colors would pop a bit more, but I actually like the way it looks. The only thing I'm concerned about is the design wearing off. But I guess I'll have to wait and see.
So, if you think a case that offers inferior protection but superior customization is worth $40, then this is for you. But don't get your hopes up for anything outside of that or you just might be severely disappointed.
So here is the preview of my design on the Google Store:
And here is the actual case:
So, where to begin?
1. Protection: To be honest, this case feels like a step down from my clear Spigen case. Not only does it leave the top and bottom edges exposed, but because most of the value of the case is in its design you're left feeling like you need a protector for the thing that's supposed to protect your phone. The case also feels harder to grip than my old case. I feel like I might be more prone to dropping my phone.
2. Fit: It fits the phone very well. The profile is very slim. Once it's on, it almost feels like you have a brand new phone in hand. It's weird not seeing the black camera hump on the phone.
3. NFC Button: The button is absolutely terrible. I don't mind the fact that you have to press it a little harder to get it to activate, what bugs me is the location. I typically use phones one handed and maneuvering it to access the button is awkward. There are multiple ways to set up shortcuts on Android, so the button feels useless because of this minor inconvenience. I was going to use it to launch LastPass but...
For some reason my NFC radio kept picking up on the button even when I wasn't touching the phone. My phone kept making this unfamiliar sound, that I thought was my roommates' XBOX. It didn't even launch the app when it did this, so it took me a while to realize what it was. Removing the My Live Case App didn't stop it, and after fooling around with it for a little bit, the phone started promoting me to download the app without me even pressing the button, so I had to do this:
4. Print: The image turned out better than expected on the case. I was hoping the colors would pop a bit more, but I actually like the way it looks. The only thing I'm concerned about is the design wearing off. But I guess I'll have to wait and see.
So, if you think a case that offers inferior protection but superior customization is worth $40, then this is for you. But don't get your hopes up for anything outside of that or you just might be severely disappointed.
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