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Best shield for back of phone

C

charliecc

Android Enthusiast
I've just sold my bumper after trying the phone naked again, it just feels too good.

My main reason for buying the bumper was to stop it slipping off surfaces due to the extremely slippery back. Anyway, now I need to purchase a back shield (clear film).

I don't really care about the protective qualities of the shield, it just needs to be very thin, come without a front shield and most importantly, provide a bit of traction. Any recommendations?
 
Zagg Invisible Shield for naked look.

Although you will have to buy the full body kit to get the back only - which I have done. So I guess not the cheap option.
 
charliecc said:
Thanks for the replies. Took you guys a while to get back to me, so I went with this, LG Google Nexus 4 FULL BODY SHIELD Invisible Screen: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics. Fairly cheap, and I guess I can sell the front on eBay.

Would have gone with the dbrand if I'd known about it.
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I would stay away from the "wet apply" ones. I've never found one that didn't feel like a static window cling and they always have pock marks and holes that are very noticeable. Even the ones that are 10-15 bucks, they still suck IMO.

You can never go wrong with the cheapies on Ebay that are like 5 for $3 but after getting my Ringko the other day, i'll never go back. 2 fronts and a back for 10 bucks which is way more than I would ever spend but it was well worth it. The build quality is simply amazing.

Rearth's cases are also some of the best on the market. Their slim case and their case with the clear back are both amazing. I prefer the OEM bumper myself but I gotta have options to switch it up when I feel froggy.
 
Is it enough just to have the film covering the back?

I've read some horror articles about the back glass cracking under the slightest pressure especially near the mic. I'm just afraid even with a film covering, the crack will still show.
 
I doubt something like the Zagg Invisible Shield will offer protection from drops or other trauma.

It does however help you to grip the phone and stops the phone from vibrating itself off desks and so on.
 
I think a film backing may help slightly from a fall. The force of a sharp edge, even distributed over a little extra area, can help. That said, I've dropped my phone with and without the back (once on concrete, I have a dbrand) with no breaks. It really all depends exactly on the fall. I think the glass cracks probably from all the force being distributed on one point. It's hard to tell what exactly happens right at the moment of impact.
 
hayj said:
I think a film backing may help slightly from a fall. The force of a sharp edge, even distributed over a little extra area, can help. That said, I've dropped my phone with and without the back (once on concrete, I have a dbrand) with no breaks. It really all depends exactly on the fall. I think the glass cracks probably from all the force being distributed on one point. It's hard to tell what exactly happens right at the moment of impact.
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There's several videos proving that screen protectors actually help in preventing the glass from breaking if dropped. Basically like you said in that the pressure can be expelled over a larger surface area. Makes sense. Science :D
 
Fuzzy13 said:
There's several videos proving that screen protectors actually help in preventing the glass from breaking if dropped. Basically like you said in that the pressure can be expelled over a larger surface area. Makes sense. Science :D
Click to expand...

In addition the force will be reduced because the film is elastic and "absorbs" the fall. Essentially the change in momentum is distributed over a longer time resulting in a smaller force, which is Newton's 2nd Law.
 
hayj said:
In addition the force will be reduced because the film is elastic and "absorbs" the fall. Essentially the change in momentum is distributed over a longer time resulting in a smaller force, which is Newton's 2nd Law.
Click to expand...

Oh hell. Bringing up Newton is basically kissing on my ear and trying to schmooze me. lol.
 
This thread has gone a little off track :)

Anyway, in case anyone is interested, I've just installed the film on the back and it's certainly done what I set out to achieve, which was to increase the friction. The intention was never to add protection to the phone.
 
Well, the orginal plastic backing that came on my N4 finally gave up the ghost last week and I discovered just what a slippery wee barstool it is. Not good.

So, I just bought ten stick-on plastic film backs for about 4 bucks. I don't expect these to provide any protection other'n, rather importantly it turns out, stopping the wee so-and-so scooting off any surface that isn't absolutely 100% level.
 
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