Product Comparison: Newertech Nuguard KX vs Otterbox Defender for iPhone 5/5S

Apple iPhone 5/5S. The most innovative iPhone yet. It's slimmer, it's lighter and probably more fragile. An accidental drop on the floor, you might put a dent on it or worse, cracks the screen. In order to protect the phone, companies are launching casing that are able to protect the phone from damages.

One of the most successful casing for protection is the Otterbox Defender Series. It provide protections against drop / impact, dust / debris and scratches. However, like any other products, the Defender has some serious challengers too. Today we will introduce the Newertech NuGuard KX for iPhone 5S.

What's in the package, warranty & Price

Otterbox Defender

• Otterbox Defender Casing
• Holster / Belt Clip
• 1 Year Limited Warranty
• Price: RM189

Newertech Nuguard KX

• Nuguard KX casing
• Lifetime Limited Warranty
• Price: RM180

Size and Weight

   

   

Size

Otterbox Defender - 5.32 in x 2.75 in x 0.64 in

Newertech Nuguard KX - 5.15 in x 2.6 in x 0.48 in

 

Weight

Otterbox Defender - 65gm 

Newertech Nuguard KX - 30gm

 

Verdict: Unless you are looking for a Bulky Protective Case for your iPhone 5/5S, then Otterbox will be your choice. But since most of us would prefer a thinner case, as long as the protection is the same, the Newertech Nuguard KX with smaller dimensions and weight will be the clear winner. 

NUGUARD KX Wins.

Safety Profile - Drop Protection

Otterbox Defender can protect against drop up to 6.6 feet while The NuGuard KX has been tested to withstand impact from a height of 20 feet on solid ground. Nuguard KX also dropped from a Wind Turbine with a height of 200 feet to the snowy ground. 

Verdict: While not many of us will drop their phone from 200 feet, but there are incidences where phones are drop from 1st floor to ground floor. So, it doesn't harm much to get a better drop protection case. 

NUGUARD KX Wins.

Safety Profile - Dust Protection / Scratch Protection

Otterbox Defender comes with 1 layer of integrated Plastic Screen Protector that helps to prevent scratches and protect against dust. While the integrated screen protector can be scratched, it does protects the iPhone 5/5S screen. Meanwhile, the Newertech NuGuard does not come with any front protection. You will need to get a separate screen protector to prevent the screen from scratches. And you can only use those case friendly screen protectors such as the XtremeGuard for iPhone 5/5S. 

Verdict: Money savings for Otterbox Defender. Since there is an integrated Screen Protector, you do not need to pay extra to get a separate screen protector. On the other hand, XtremeGuard is currently not available in Malaysia so it will be difficult for user to get one. 

Otterbox Defender Wins.

Well, these are some of the points that you might be considering when choosing between the two case. Both have their pros and cons. 

Otterbox Defender

The size of the casing is the main weakness of the Otterbox Defender. To have a full comfortable grip on the phone, you will need a bigger hand and this narrowed their market. Most ladies will find it challenging to hold the case properly. It comes with a belt clip although I find it difficult to remove and attaching the phone. The drop protection are up to 6.6 feet which is higher than an average adult height, no problem if you drop your phone when you are talking on the phone. However, if you accidentally drop it from the upper floor, then you might face the risk of damaging your phone. 

The main benefits for the case is the protection against dust and scratches. If you are someone who works in a construction site or other field with a lot of dust, then this case will be a good purchase. And the integrated screen protector also protects your phone's screen from scratches. Having said that, the plastic screen protector itself is not resistance to scratches, so over a period of short time, you will find a lot of tiny scratches on it. And soon, the case will not be usable as it will be full of scratches. 

Newertech Nuguard KX

The main weakness of the case is the compatibility of screen protectors. Although the iPhone 5/5S screen comes with a scratch resistance properties, it's not scratch proof. In my opinion, a phone without a screen protector is prone to scratches. This is the area Newertech will need to improve. Rumours that Newertech is going to launch a new glass screen protector that is 100% compatible with the case, and if this is true, then this will be the greatest improvement. But until then, the best option for the time being is the Liquid Screen Protector or the XtremeGuard Case Friendly Screen Protector for iPhone 5/5S. 

On the positive end, Newertech NuGuard KX is the only casing that have been tested against drop from a Wind Turbine at the height of 200 feet to the ground. And they are also the first to offer a limited lifetime warranty for the casing. This proves on the high quality material that can fight against  time. 

Note: To overcome the weakness on Newertech NuGuard KX, Connect2U are currently providing FREE Liquid Screen Protector for buyers. We are planning to get the XtremeGuard Case friendly screen protector for our customers too. Until we able to get the stocks in, we are to continue to offer the liquid screen protector.

For more information on both casing, kindly contact Connect2U at cc@connect2u.my or reply below.

Thank you for reading. 

Product Review: X-1 Flex In Ear Sports Headphones by H2O Audio (Waterproof, Weatherproof, Sweat Proof Headphones)

New arrival from H2O Audio USA. A waterproof, weatherproof, sweat proof headphones that comes with a 1 Year Warranty. The patented H2O Audio technology ensures these headphones can withstand heavy perspiration and complete submersion to 3 feet (1 meter) underwater. 

I will give it a try and see if that's really the case. 

Inside the box : 1 Pair of Flex in Ears, 3 Ear Tip Sizes (S/M/L)

The length of the cord : 42 inches

Close up photo on the earbud. I got the Super Hero Blue colour. It also comes in Pink and Black. Unlike the Apple earpod, the Flex fit nicely and comfortable and fit nicely into my ear. The sound quality not as good as the Apple Earpod but still acceptable. 

Now, the moment of truth. Can it performs as claimed? Does it live up to it's IP7 rating?  We will run through a series of test in the water and see.

Ready? 

Go! 

It's swimming in the water

Deep in the water. It says it can last for 30 mins. So I removed it and rinse it again.

A direct rinse from a running tap after soaking it for about 30 minutes in the bowl.

After drying it with a towel

I tried it again and the sound are slightly better than before. Amazing! I would really recommend this to swimmers, gym goers, runners and anyone who like sports and musics. 

Summary

PROS

• Waterproof
• Weatherproof
• Sweat Proof
• Comfort and secure fit
• 1 Year Warranty (can be claimed locally through Connect2U since we are the Authorised Distributor in Malaysia)

CONS

• Sound quality not as good as some premium earphones.

Video Review - Hand Stylus vs adonit Jot Pro

You might have read about our Hand Stylus. Now some video review on the comparison against one of the top stylus in Malaysia, the adonit Jot Pro stylus, which claimed to be the most precise tip on the market. 

Youtube Direct Video Link

Photo Shoots during our review.

 

The retail pack of both Hand Stylus and the adonit Jot Pro

Tip of the Titan - Hand Stylus equipped with a 4mm rubber tip while Jot Pro with the dampening tip

Comparison of the tip size

Kissing of the tip - Ha ha ha, the Handstylus features a smaller tip but the responsiveness is as good as the Jot Pro

The Hand Stylus comes with a retractible tip like a pen and the Jot Pro come with a cap which need to be screw to keep it intact. Both keep the tip clean and safe although Hand Stylus offers a more convenient retractible features

The part I hated most. It's only an hour of usage and the rubber holder are full of non removable dust. And the magnetic cling also causes inconvenience as it cling to any metal or magnetic materials.

Comparison of Writing (Using a regular ball pen as benchmark)

For those who wanted to know more about the 2 stylus brand, feel free to leave a comment. Or if you have any test you would like us to perform using the 2 styluses, feel free to share with us. We will see if we are able to do it. 

Thank you.

Review - Handstylus

 

A lot of people are saying that stylus are unnecessary. However, you are able to find it being sold almost everywhere and people are buying it. Isn't it weird?
Not for those who need it for their job. Some occupations requires one to write on the tablet and not all tablet comes with a stylus especially iPads. You will need to get a separate stylus on your own and getting a good and reliable clearly not an easy task.

Why?

First, you will need to determine how much you want to spend on one. A stylus price range between RM5 to RM400 or more. That's pretty huge difference for something as simple as a stylus. But problem is, a lot of people spend the amount in between the minimal and the maximum and most ended up disappointed with the quality.
Then, you might need to look at the designs, the features, the brands? Some might say a good stylus will comes with a lot of features such as pen, laser pointer, bluetooth and so on. But do you really need those? Come on, if you need to write on a paper, why get a stylus with pen? You can easily get a pen everywhere. Laser pointer? A stylus with laser pointer would means batteries inside the stylus and extra batteries means weight. No wonder you hate the weight of your stylus. Bluetooth? The only thing i find useful with bluetooth is a handsfree to be use while driving and a lot of people rather not using it. And you want it on your stylus? Please pardon me but I can't really stop laughing.
I mean, you getting a stylus means you need to write on your tablet digitally. That's all and all you need is a good one that respond to your writing.

HANDSTYLUS

The Hand Stylus received more support (7500+ backers) than any of the other three dozen stylus projects featured on kickstarted, the crowdsource funding website.

Features Rich Stylus

The Handstylus is a masterfully crafted, pen-like stylus featuring a 4mm tip - the world's smallest conductive-silicone rubber tip. The slim tip provides super precision, is retractible and rotates as it retracts so it wears more evenly. The extra tip can also be purchased and it comes with a pack of 6.

 

Just like a pen, the hand stylus tip is retractible to ensure the tip is always clean when not in use

The Handstylus comes in an array of colours. Black, however, is our all time favourite colour which fit into all occasions. It's packaging are made from recycled or recyclable materials. And yes, what you see is what you get. There is also an optional extra tips packaged in handy canisters that cost at RM17 per 6 pieces canister.

The Hand Stylus is perfect for writing, drawing, taking signatures or playing games on the tablets. It also works with smart phones for clicking tiny internet links, selecting small text, and typing on diminutive keyboards. The Hand Stylus is also great with gloves, if you have long fingernails or if you like screens free of fingerprints. 

Some of the sample photos.

written on the iPad Mini with IMOS OPC Series Screen Protector applied

written on a piece of paper using a normal ball pen

As you can see, there aren't much difference on the quality of the writing using the Hand Stylus. Due to the pen-like design and small tip, you write like a normal pen. Let's check out another writing using a regular 5mm rubber tip stylus.

written on the iPad Mini using a normal 5mm rubber tip stylus

Using the same writing speed, you notice that there are huge difference in the writing. The Hand Stylus clearly shows what it can do better than a regular 5mm rubber tip stylus. As mentioned earlier, the reason you wanted to use a stylus is to make sure the writing experience is the same as using a normal pen and the Hand Stylus are able to provides such quality.

For more reviews on the Hand Stylus, kindly click Hand Stylus Reviews. 

Note: 

Connect2U are currently the only distributor / reseller of Hand Stylus in Malaysia. For those who are interested to become our dealer, kindly drop us an email at cc@connect2u.my.

For those who are interested to purchase, you can visit our e-store Connect2U.my

Product Updates - Motorola X Phone

Motorola just launched the new Moto X Phone. What so big deal about this? Well, it is the first Google inspired smartphone released by Motorola after acquisition by Google.

While it is now a ground breaking phone, it does come with features not found in other phones. Now, let's take a look at the specifications.

Looking at the specs, the Moto X Phone is just a mid-range model but if you just watch the promo videos, you will noticed that while it's just a mid-range model, it is built to IMPRESS. (at least to me)

Let's see if you will be impress by the Moto X Phone.

Moto X - Always Ready

You can now set your reminders, alarms even without touching your phone.

Moto X - Quick Capture

Unlike other phones, you need to start the camera touching on the icon. But for the Moto X Phone, you can activate the camera with a flick of your wrist and you'll never miss a shot.

The above are just some of the key features of the new Moto X. According to Motorola, the phone is fully customisable by user. You can choose your preferred colour, storage size, Welcome Message and more.

Check out the video on how you can customise your own Moto X

Moto X - Motomaker

Well, that's it. I am not sure if you will like it but for me, the design, the features are to my liking. Now I'm waiting on the announcement of the availability of the Moto X in Malaysia. Should Motorola decide not to launch it in Malaysia, then probably will need to get it from Google Play Store. 

Your Fears, Our Concern - by Connect2U Team

The data was taken from Refresh-It.net on the TOP E-COMMERCE FEARS. These are the top 7 reason why consumers are afraid to purchase online. Today we would like to explain on how are we addressing these. As we said, "Your Fears, Our Concern".

Fear of Credit Card Information Being Stolen

Here at Connect2U, we take this very seriously and that is why we offers our customer an offline payment. Customer can transfer the fund directly to our company account. Currently we have Maybank and OCBC. And for those who wanted to use credit card since it's easier and can get points / rebates, we offer them the convenience of using PayPal. This way, we will not going to obtain your credit card details and PayPal has proven that they are one of the safest for secure payment.

It's Not A Real Store

The reason why we decided to start an online store instead of a retails are, cheaper overhead cost that enable us to sell at reasonable price and enable us to reach out to more customers. And most important, we wanted YOU to be able to shop at your convenience, meaning you can shop anytime, anywhere (even when you can't sleep in the middle of the night or even when you are in the toilet). And for those who are from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, you can choose to meet up for a drink as well. 

I Can't Tell What the Product Is Really Like

Most of our product photos posted in our store are taken on the actual product. That is also the reason why its not attractive as some posted in the internet as we are not a professional photographer. On top of that, we also did some product demo and posted it on YouTube. You can view it here, Connect2U Youtube Channel. If you are interested to know more about the product, you can also contact us via whatsapp and we will be glad to take more photos and send to you. This is an extra added service from the team to give the upmost satisfaction to our customers.

Needing Help From A Salesperson

This is where we really excel. As we are really passionate on our business, we are offering the best service to all our customers. If you have any questions or in need of extra information, feel free to ask us. We offers a FREE CONSULTATIONS in terms of mobile phones and tablets selection as well as accessories too. If you have something in mind but not sure of how it works, just contact us and we will try our best to help. We might not be an expert in everything, but we promised to assists in our best efforts.

You'll Sell My Information

We currently have hundred of members and all information are kept with high confidentiality. As much as you hate your personal information are leaked, we feel the same. We also hate it when someone just call us and tell us that they are from this agency. that company and wanted to offer you good insurance / financial package. Rest assured that all information given are safe with us. 

Not Being To Track Orders

All our orders are deliver using Pos Laju and GDex. For screen protectors, we also offer postage using Pos Express since it's cheaper. Tracking reference are available for live tracking of your item. For all orders placed from our website, there will be at least 2 notifications to the customer. First notification is when the item is packed and ready for shipment, we will whatsapp our customer the tracking reference. The second notification is after we have send the item, so customer can start tracking the item later that day. 

If I Don't Like It, I'll Be Stuck With It

Currently all our items are non returnable unless its damaged. But if you think that it's important to have a Return Policy, feel free to email us at cc@connect2u.my. We will then look into how we can integrate this to our business. Again, we really appreciate feedbacks / comments from YOU so we can improve further. 

Do let us know if you have any other concerns on buying online. 

You can reach us at :

e: cc@connect2u.my

t: 016 - 5522 666 (Yeoh) - Whatsapp Preferred

f: Connect2U FB Page

Y: Connect2U YouTube Channel

Post-WWDC 2013 - iOS 7 New Features

iOS 7 updates

1. Animated Home Screen
2. Gorgeous Display
3. Clean Display - Calendar, Weather, Messages, Mail,
4. Folders - Multiple Pages
5. Gesture Control
6. Notifications Centre - New Design with Quick Look, also available from the lock screen
7. New Features
- Control Centre - Quick Control for Settings, Brightness, Airplay, etc
- Multitasking - For all Apps with GREAT BATTERY LIFE - Double click to view Apps
- Safari - Full Screen, Smart Search Field, 1 tab access, iCloud Keychain, Favourites, Parental Control
- Air Drop - Share your photos with those near to you. Just select and tap to share. System Wide, Peer to peer, fast, securely encrypted
- Camera - 4 in 1 Camera, Live Photo filters
- Photo Apps - Organised into Moments, Collections, Years, Video Sharing Supported
8. Siri - New Interface, Smarter,
9. iOS in the Car - 95% Car Integration with iOS Screen controlled by Siri in 2014
10. App Store - New Categories, filter by age, popular near me, updates on app automatically
11. Music - Musics, Movies, TV Shows from iCloud
12. iTunes Radio - Build in Music App, Create New Stations, Modification of stations, Free wih Ad Supported
-13. Facetime Audio
14. Notification Sync
15. Phone, FaceTime and Message Blocking
16. Activation Lock - Unable to reactivate iPhone without Apple ID
17. 1500 new APIs
18. BETA Today on the 10 June 2013 - Pacific Time and end user by fall

That's ended this year WWDC 2013.

Event : Apple's Annual Event - Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2013

Event: Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC)

Organizer: Apple

Date: 10 June 2013 10:00 am Pacific Time

(Malaysia Time: 02:00 am 11 June 2013)

Expected Announcement during the event.

iOS 7 

As usual, Apple will most certainly announce the new iOS 7 alongside updated iPhone 5S or 6 (whatever they will name it) later this year (Past announcement made normally in September Apple Event). During the WWDC, Apple will showcase the updates of the upcoming software. Based on history, there will be more than 200 new features and it should took most of the time for Apple to go through the changes. For App Developers, this will be the time they get the apk from Apple and so they will have time to test the new software and to build and update their own apps.

(will the rumoured "FLAT DESIGN" driven by Jony Ive, going to materialised and captured the heart of the loyal Apple's supporters and Attracting Android's Users to Switch to iOS?, We'll see)

OS X 10.9 

Nothing much of the news surrounding OS X 10.9. What we have gathered so far includes the enhancement go Finder, Safari, Multiple Monitor Support and Multitasking. We also heard that there are possibility Mac OS X 10.9 will include Siri, Apple Voce Assistance software and Maps Integration.

(with Siri and Maps Integration, does that means we no longer need to type, instead use voice recognition to tell our Mac to search for a place? E.g. "Siri, where is the nearest McDonalds?" Cool huh?)

"iRadio" 

We have heard a lot of news on Apple working with Record Labels to offer a Pandora-like streaming radio service for the iOS 7. And the latest news was Apple managed to secure deals with Warner Music. 

(it will be a great news if iOS7 includes a FREE streaming radio service. And hopefully it will be available in Malaysia too.)

These are some of the announcement expected during the WWDC. For Malaysian, it would means staying up for the night as it starting at 2 am and probably will end at around 4 am. If the agenda stays as usual, Apple will start the session with the Announcement on the updates of new software, particularly on iOS 7 and Mac OS X 10.9 then followed by New Hardware. it would be unlikely to have announcement on new iPhone or iPad as Apple is having another event in September. So most likely those who are waiting to change their phones and tablets might have to wait for at least 3 months before the announcement.

Product Review - Asus Versa Sleeve 7 for Asus Fonepad 7"

Asus VersaSleeve 7 for Asus Fonepad

The VersaSleeve 7 comes in 4 choices of colour. Black, Blue, Pink and White. It is made from High Quality Polyurethane (PU) on the exterior and Microfiber in the inside. It provides dual position and multi angle coverage for the Fonepad. The folding form factor enables handheld video watching and ergonomic typing.

How true is this? Is it really as good as it claims? Today we will be unboxing it and you decide whether this will be a value buy.

Asus VersaSleeve 7 Black

I decided to buy the black colour as blue was unavailable. Pink are too feminine to me while white are prone to dirts. The VersaSleeve 7 comes in a fitting box . No fancy design on the box, just a plain box with the brand and model printed.

On the outside, it looks like leather, it feels like leather and it even smell like leather. But it's not leather. It is made from PU material. The high quality material give it a very classy leather look.

Zooming in, you will see the word "ASUS" printed on the flap. And if you are observant, you will noticed that the stitches are very neat. Nice workmanship.

Side View 

The Overall weight of the VersaSleeve 7 is 116gm. I do not consider it heavy as those 3rd party flip case weighs more than that. 

Exterior Rating : 5/5

On the inside, you will see the microfiber materials that gives protection to your Fonepad. Again, you can see the nicely done stitches.

Interior View

As you can see, the VersaSleeve 7 just slightly bigger than the Fonepad itself. This gives a perfect fitting to the Fonepad. 

Easy to slip in and out. I have no problem to keep it. And the smoothness of the microfiber gives me assurance that it won't scratch the Screen and the aluminium body of the Fonepad.

On the side, you will able to see the 3.5mm port and also the charging port. This means the Fonpad can be use for music even it's inside the sleeve and you can charge it at the same time as well.

Interior Rating: 5/5

In Asus website, it shows how the VersaSleeve 7 can be use. It have the dual positioning multi angle coverage for the Fonepad. Let see how this position looks like in real life.

Video Config

Under the Video Config, the Fonepad was leaning about 80 degrees. This will enable users to have a direct view on the screen. It's a great position for those who want to watch movies via their Fonepad.

Typing Config

Under this config, user will have a 45 degrees view and it's the perfect angle for those want to email, blogging or even updating their facebook. If you have a bluetooth keyboard, then it will be the perfect setup to use under this config. 

In conclusion, the Asus VersaSleeve 7 is truly a great sleeve but only if you fancy to use a sleeve instead of a flip case. I bought this out of desperation since I needed something to protect my Fonepad. There are other options such as the compatible china made leather case, but I don't really like how it looks and feels. I would rather pay more for the Asus Turn Case but it's unavailable in Malaysia. Some users asked Asus and they replied that Asus do not have plan to sell it in Malaysia. 

For those who are looking for a sleeve instead of a case, I would highly recommend the Asus VersaSleeve 7. I bought mine at RM90 (RSP RM129) from a computer shop in KK, Sabah. 

Final Rating:

Exterior: 5/5

Interior: 5/5

Functionality: 4/5

Price: 3/5 

Value for money: 4/5