What Material is Best for You?

Knowing Your Material

By: Galen Patterson

Silicone / PC hybrid case

Have you ever wondered what your cell phone case is made out of? Knowing your material can make or break your phone sometimes, especially those of us with high-risk workplaces. Why not educate yourself?

Silicone 

Silicone is a well trusted branch of chemistry that is used in more applications than I can count. Its
rubbery makeup creates a seal which is water-resistant. However, the open areas around the charging port and speakers will obviously not be protected from submersion. With one of these skins attached, consider the phone ‘splash’ resistant. It’s soft, smooth and according to dowcorning.com, silicone combines the better qualities of glass and plastics. It is somewhat abrasion resistant and provides a well needed cushion for the device when it is dropped. For a practical application, consider the thought of falling over in a giant, stuffed sumo suit, versus falling over in full metal-plated armor.

Polycarbonate

This is a fantastic plastic shell for your phone, good for scratches and minor bumps. Polycarbonate, or PC, cases are made up of a very common and useful polymer. There’s also a brief step in the process of its production where bisphenol A is added to phosgene, an interesting chemical used as a weapon in World War I, or The Great War, for you European readers. Variations of this plastic are used to make ultra-light eyeglass lenses, in addition to so much more, according to the Polymer Science Learning Center. These are solid, well-fitted cases meant to take as much as they give.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane

These cases are great! Thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, appears to take the flexibility and shock-
resistance of silicone and add to the stiff protection of polycarbonate to give you a case you can count on. This unique plastic has also been made into side moldings for cars, medical tubing, swim fins, and goggles. Simply put, they’re trusty cases. They are also abrasion-resistant, according to the American Chemistry Council, meaning they won’t easily be scratched. Something I find quite valuable.

Hybrid

Hybrid cases can be diverse. For example, you can get TPU mixed with PC or Silicone, but the most common I've seen is the PC/Silicone hybrid. This concept has been adopted by Otter Box and Pelican. The idea is that you get the best of both without losing anything really. They come in various designs as well. The two most popular being a PC shell with a Silicone skin around it, and Silicone skin with a PC Shell around it. Personally I like the 2nd option. Don’t get me wrong, the silicone on the outside is a shock-absorber meant to soften the blow, but there’s something about the idea of having a soft cushion on the inside of plated armor that seems to make falling down a bit more graceful and less gut wrenching. Another major perk is that the PC exterior allows the phone to slip easily in and out of a pocket instead of grappling with friction the whole way.

So in conclusion, if skinny jeans are in, and half-dangling your phone out of your back pocket is in, then the choice is yours: slide out easy, or stay put until I really want to see you?

What is Tempered Glass and Why You Need it

  Tempered Glass

By: Galen Patterson

First impressions of tempered glass might be something along the lines of: “Why put another layer of glass on a layer of glass?” At least that was my initial thought. However, the reviews at the touch of Google’s all-knowing database gave me confidence that this product is worth it. So I rolled the dice and soon after received my tempered glass screen protector. A month later, here I am with a screen looking exactly how it did when it came out of the box.

Donna Lam, a tempered glass user says “I even forgot it was on my phone.”

This, coming from another user, is completely understandable. I never once forgot it was on my phone, but I couldn't tell it was. The perfect cutouts on the receiver and home button are the only telltale signs, but even that is aesthetically pleasing.

Another outstanding feature is the protection it offers. For those of us who absent mindedly drop our keys in the same pocket as the phone, historically, had a problem. After  my experiment, I noticed that I couldn't even tell it was in peril at all.

“We actually did a scratch test and it was very shiny afterwards. They’re very durable,” said Xiao Li, from Valor Communications.

I believe it, simply because I witnessed its durability with my own eyes.

The real strength here is what the screen protector does when dropped.

It’s almost an act of self sacrifice, the loyal bodyguard of the precious image that allows the device to be used. When dropped from a considerable height, it shatters.

Here’s the thing; it’s something like a ‘controlled shatter.’ The tempered glass will crack every-which-way you can imagine, but it doesn't splinter and cut you, it sticks together. The actual screen underneath? Flawless. This, Li ensures me, is by design and not divine intervention.

“It’s shatterproof, so it won’t break into pieces, it’ll crack but stick together, and the screen is fine,” said Li.

Mrs. Lam seems to agree. “When I dropped it, I didn’t even panic, knowing I had protection,” she said.

So here’s the situation: I’ve got a product that’s way easier to install than those pesky films that bubble, which I can barely notice, doesn’t scratch easily and protects the original integrity of the device from all but the most brutal attacks.

What’s the catch? Why, waiting for the mail to arrive of course.