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I don't often use the camera in my Tilt, that is to say I never use it on purpose. If I need a camera on the spot, I'll use it. It's better than nothing sometimes.
I hadn't used it in a while and this weekend I needed to grab a photo of something and I noticed that the window on the battery cover was very strange looking, almost a fractal pattern of scratches or etches on it. Very light, but making it very foggy. Unfortunately I didn't notice until later, and my shots were horrible. After I noticed the fogginess, I took a few test shots with and without the cover, and without the cover the shots looked as 'good' as they ever do.
So I got out my Novus plastic polish that I use to polish up light scratches out of gadgets (similar to Applesauce and other products) and polished the window for a few minutes and all of the weird foggy layer went away. It took a few times, so it wasn't simply dirty, etc. Now I have a 'ring' of this weird looking fogginess around the edges of the lens but that doesn't affect the camera. So I took a few more test shots and the different between with the battery cover and without are back to negligible.
Just thought I'd mention it for folks who are taking off the battery cover to take photos or thinking about removing the 'lens' in the battery cover. If you have something to polish plastic and your lens looks foggy, give this a try.
I might try to take a picture of it sometime, but not sure I'll be able to really capture it well.
I used brasso brass polish for the same result, works well with a bit of elbow grease. As for the "halo" left around the edges I took a wooden toothpick and covered the end with a bit of paper towel and got rid of the "halo" by polishing in circles against the edge to remove that halo. Now my cover is like new!!!
mk69 said:
I used brasso brass polish for the same result, works well with a bit of elbow grease. As for the "halo" left around the edges I took a wooden toothpick and covered the end with a bit of paper towel and got rid of the "halo" by polishing in circles against the edge to remove that halo. Now my cover is like new!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was yours similar to how I described? Not just foggy, but kind of a weird pattern on the plastic?
khaytsus said:
Was yours similar to how I described? Not just foggy, but kind of a weird pattern on the plastic?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, it looks like a "rainbow" on the surface almost like if you were to blow a bubble and catch it and look at it you can see a rainbow of colors in the bubble.
After I polished it it was clear, the before and after effects were enough for me to see.
must have been somthing on our fingers that got on the cover or something like that.
mk69 said:
yes, it looks like a "rainbow" on the surface almost like if you were to blow a bubble and catch it and look at it you can see a rainbow of colors in the bubble.
After I polished it it was clear, the before and after effects were enough for me to see.
must have been somthing on our fingers that got on the cover or something like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm beginning to think you're right, it was a suspicion of mine to start with as the only thing that could have really made a lot of contact with it is my fingers. And sure enough after a week or so, the window is starting to get funny looking again. I touch it all the time by accident, it's just in a perfect spot to get fingers on it.
khaytsus said:
I'm beginning to think you're right, it was a suspicion of mine to start with as the only thing that could have really made a lot of contact with it is my fingers. And sure enough after a week or so, the window is starting to get funny looking again. I touch it all the time by accident, it's just in a perfect spot to get fingers on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just in case people aren't aware, the lens cover is not plastic but really thin coated glass. The coating thats been applied to it clearly isn't heavy duty enough for the type of ordinary use the device gets as mine also developed this problem, even though I'm very careful with how I treat it. I too used brasso to polish the coating off and then cleaned it with my Klearscreen and microfibre cloth and all is now well. I thought the blurry photos I was getting were because I wasn't holding the device still enough but it turned out to be Chromatic Aberation (click the link for an excellent Wikipedia description).
thanks for the advice, now my pics won't look like they've been altered by some cheap gaussian blur effects,
I finally installed the XOskin screen protector I got a while back.
It's been 17 hours since I installed it, about six hours in front of a heater register. I must have a hundred air bubbles! Doesn't look much different from this morning "before" a majority of the heated time. They say the micro bubbles go away in 24-48hrs. Don't know I'd call them micro bubbles and we'll see about them going away too.
Should get that guy that installed one in their video but he probably done a bunch. He had hardly any bubbles after installing it.
It's cut close near the speakers, top/bottom have some extra room but holes from the camera/sensor are tight. It took me three tries to get it right.
I put a Zagg on a 7" tab and don't remember this many bubbles. Maybe bigger doesn't mean easier?
wptski said:
I finally installed the XOskin screen protector I got a while back.
It's been 17 hours since I installed it, about six hours in front of a heater register. I must have a hundred air bubbles! Doesn't look much different from this morning "before" a majority of the heated time. They say the micro bubbles go away in 24-48hrs. Don't know I'd call them micro bubbles and we'll see about them going away too.
Should get that guy that installed one in their video but he probably done a bunch. He had hardly any bubbles after installing it.
It's cut close near the speakers, top/bottom have some extra room but holes from the camera/sensor are tight. It took me three tries to get it right.
I put a Zagg on a 7" tab and don't remember this many bubbles. Maybe bigger doesn't mean easier?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed Zaggs when I worked at Best Buy and was the go to guy there so I am going to see if I can explain this here and it might help some people out. (This is not me bragging, this is me trying to give back in whatever way I can)
First make sure you are using a clean surface and the air quality is pretty good (no dust floating around)
Next clean the screen with at least water, the spray included with Zagg and XO are actually pretty good cleaners too. You will need the cloth that comes with it to wipe it down later so use something like an extra microfiber cloth to clean it when it is wet.
Beat out the cloth that came with it against something. It will have dust in it, you need to get all that dust out. Wipe the dry screen down very well, make sure to end it you wipe all in one direction making sure there is no dust on the screen. I've found that if you start at the top and wipe towards yourself you will end up with no dust.
Spray the screen with the spray included while covering the holes that are showing on the front as you spray by them with that screen protector.
Spray the top of the screen protector (makes it easier for the squeegee to slide across and remove bubbles), and spray your fingers. (important step, saves so much grief later caused by finger prints or by trying really hard not to touch the back.)
Remove the protective backing making sure not to let any of the protector touch itself, that is a major problem with people trying their first time. Then spray the back of the protector generously and your fingers again.
Put the protector down and get it lined up. It will slide around pretty easily. When it is in line use the squeegee and make a line across the middle of the protector to hold it down.
Pull up half of it making sure not to go all the way to where you pressed it down and spray the screen and protector to make sure they are still wet and slowly squeegee it down. Start with the part touching the screen and squeegee, only laying down what the squeegee is pressing down. This will ensure that you don't create a bubble by just laying it down.
Pull up the other half to where you stopped the last time and repeat the last step with the other half.
You might end up with some liquid left in the protector, but the squeegee will get this out easily. Make sure you look at it from all angles with light hitting all sides so that you can see all the pockets. Squeegee out what remains and you are done.
It seems like a ton of work, but I consistently showed people up with this method. After putting enough down you just lay it and get it in line and squeegee the crap out of it, but this is the best way to learn. Remember that you will need some decent force to make sure you get it tight to the screen. Don't use too much though or you'll stretch it.
wptski said:
I finally installed the XOskin screen protector I got a while back.
It's been 17 hours since I installed it, about six hours in front of a heater register. I must have a hundred air bubbles! Doesn't look much different from this morning "before" a majority of the heated time. They say the micro bubbles go away in 24-48hrs. Don't know I'd call them micro bubbles and we'll see about them going away too.
Should get that guy that installed one in their video but he probably done a bunch. He had hardly any bubbles after installing it.
It's cut close near the speakers, top/bottom have some extra room but holes from the camera/sensor are tight. It took me three tries to get it right.
I put a Zagg on a 7" tab and don't remember this many bubbles. Maybe bigger doesn't mean easier?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you sure you clean your screen perfectly before you apply it?
it might need longer time, like 24 hours - 48 hours, but it shouldn't that much bubble for 17 hours.
I apply the xoskin on my nexus 7 and end up with 1 bubble after about 24 hours or more, most probably because i didn't clean it well. Oh but well, the xoskin on my nexus 7 definitely reduce the sensitivity and sometimes makes the screen almost totally not responsive (i always gotta wipe the screen with something and it finally fixed). Might be the defect in my case but i don't wanna take a chance in their product again for now.
I used Monster screen cleaner with a micro fiber cloth, no cloth comes with the XOskin. One thing, it kind-of stuck and didn't slide around like the Zagg did. I wet it good on both sides but maybe because it took three tries, I should have rewet it??
In front of the heat register all day, no drastic change that I can tell and coming up on 24 hrs.
wptski said:
I used Monster screen cleaner with a micro fiber cloth, no cloth comes with the XOskin. One thing, it kind-of stuck and didn't slide around like the Zagg did. I wet it good on both sides but maybe because it took three tries, I should have rewet it??
In front of the heat register all day, no drastic change that I can tell and coming up on 24 hrs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, you have to rewet it when you reapply it. I would request a replacement from XO. I wouldn't put it in front of a heater either. If you squeegee it down good enough you don't need heat.
thacounty said:
Yea, you have to rewet it when you reapply it. I would request a replacement from XO. I wouldn't put it in front of a heater either. If you squeegee it down good enough you don't need heat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mean that I didn't have it completely laid down all way, I was off location a mile. You have to position by the camera/sensor holes and the top edge and there isn't much room for error. Sideways there is no room for error, overlap near the speakers and its edge will stick up.
I found the follow at the XOskin site:
How do I get rid of bubbles that appear after I’ve installed my XO Skins?
If it was recently that you installed the XO Skins, as soon as possible try pressing out the bubbles lightly with the squeegee. Make sure the squeegee is wet to avoid burn marks on the Skin. If the Skin has been dry for longer than a few hours, then the large bubbles are set in and you'll need a replacement. Small bubbles, or mini-bubbles, are normal and will disappear 24 to 48 hours after installation.
Whoops! I wonder what they call large and /or small bubbles? I removed it, wet applied to the sheet it came on on a flat surface. We'll see how it looks after a while and if it's worth a retry. Might have to get a replacement.
Like I mention, even when wet, it doesn't slide around easily. Maybe these are not as easy as a Zagg to install which has an orange peel surface which would allow the fluid in the pockets for easier movement?
wptski said:
I mean that I didn't have it completely laid down all way, I was off location a mile. You have to position by the camera/sensor holes and the top edge and there isn't much room for error. Sideways there is no room for error, overlap near the speakers and its edge will stick up.
I found the follow at the XOskin site:
How do I get rid of bubbles that appear after I’ve installed my XO Skins?
If it was recently that you installed the XO Skins, as soon as possible try pressing out the bubbles lightly with the squeegee. Make sure the squeegee is wet to avoid burn marks on the Skin. If the Skin has been dry for longer than a few hours, then the large bubbles are set in and you'll need a replacement. Small bubbles, or mini-bubbles, are normal and will disappear 24 to 48 hours after installation.
Whoops! I wonder what they call large and /or small bubbles? I removed it, wet applied to the sheet it came on on a flat surface. We'll see how it looks after a while and if it's worth a retry. Might have to get a replacement.
Like I mention, even when wet, it doesn't slide around easily. Maybe these are not as easy as a Zagg to install which has an orange peel surface which would allow the fluid in the pockets for easier movement?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I put xo skins on my evo 3d and my 2 touchpads when I had them. They don't slide as easily, you are correct, but keeping them wet will go a long way. That is why so much spray is included. Just make sure all bubbles are gone before you start letting it dry.
thacounty said:
I put xo skins on my evo 3d and my 2 touchpads when I had them. They don't slide as easily, you are correct, but keeping them wet will go a long way. That is why so much spray is included. Just make sure all bubbles are gone before you start letting it dry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too bad I didn't have /get more info before the first try. Yeah it probably needs lots of spray to let it slide but one has to be careful because of the speakers on the sides.
wptski said:
Too bad I didn't have /get more info before the first try. Yeah it probably needs lots of spray to let it slide but one has to be careful because of the speakers on the sides.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, if you get liquid around them dry them out immediately. That's why I cover ports as I spray around them with the protector.
I saw a few guys complaining about the scratched/bumped bezel which looks ugly because the paint will reveal the metal underneath.
Well, I also damaged my watch by accidentally hitting it . Permanent markers are not a good solution because they do not last.
Apparently the bezel is made out of aluminium and only the watch body is made out of steel, that why, maybe, the bezel is less resistant.
Last evening though, an idea came to my mind, which I also applied on the watch. The result is promising .
Using some fine sandpaper (600) and some real paper after that, I completely removed the paint from the top of the bezel.
As a technique, I laid the sandpaper on a flat surface (table) and then I pressed the watch on it while rubbing it. After the paint was completely removed, I did the same operation but using a regular sheet of paper (to add a nice finish on the metal surface).
Please be careful: you have to press the watch against the sandpaper (laid on a flat, hard surface), not the other way around. In this way you leave no room for mistakes and the revealed metal will be uniform and nice, w/o weird edges.
This is the result.
That actually looks really nice! I'm Impressed with it . Just out of Curiosity what watchface is that also as it suits the watch really well.
That's a custom watch face for WatchMaker (built by me). You can download it from here.
I'm not sure I have the b... sorry guts for this kind of job
First Hardware Mod!
That looks great! I know it's just a matter of time before I will need to do this. I have sanded/polished like this before and may I warn everyone:
Make sure you keep the sandpaper flat. If it rolls up under the face it will scratch the screen.Better yet, only do this with a screen protector.
Really nice. You should offer your services for a fee, to do this for others afraid to do it themselves. Not that you'd offer any guarantees, but you have proof you know how to do it right .
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
Wow that's a great fix for this. Showed the scratches on my bezel to the lg team at ces and they were surprised and would follow up with me after the show. They said they hadn't come across this issue (which I find hard to believe). Like you mentioned OP the bezel is aluminum and the lower parts are steel and seem to be much more durable paint wise.
I'm hoping they might send me a new watch with some better paint but if not I'm definitely going to use this method!
it does look good, however once you do this there is no going back ........
if you want a better finish you may want to try crocus paper after you have removed the paint on the bezel, crocus paper is very fine and may give a smoother finish.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocus_cloth
Once you have bumped the outer bezel into an outer object, hard enough to expose the metal under the paint, the is no going back either. But at least, there is a way to move forward .
ro_explorer said:
Once you have bumped the outer bezel into an outer object, hard enough to expose the metal under the pain, the is no going back either. But at least, there is a way to move forward .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So very true.
I personally think that looks fantastic and a milliion times better than a scratched bezel. Mine hasn't recieved any scratches yet, but seeing your results, I'm no longer panicked about that happening.
Thank you for a great solution!
yes of course, I like the look of it too
How long have you had the watch since you did this? Is there any signs of corrosion on the exposed Aluminium?
ro_explorer said:
Once you have bumped the outer bezel into an outer object, hard enough to expose the metal under the paint, the is no going back either. But at least, there is a way to move forward .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did the operation on January 2nd (when I posted on the forum ). One full week passed since then .. no signs on the metal surface whatsoever (expected, it's aluminum and this does not corrode).
Here is a photo from today.
ro_explorer said:
I saw a few guys complaining about the scratched/bumped bezel which looks ugly because the paint will reveal the metal underneath.
Well, I also damaged my watch by accidentally hitting it . Permanent markers are not a good solution because they do not last.
Apparently the bezel is made out of aluminium and only the watch body is made out of steel, that why, maybe, the bezel is less resistant.
Last evening though, an idea came to my mind, which I also applied on the watch. The result is promising .
Using some fine sandpaper (600) and some real paper after that, I completely removed the paint from the top of the bezel.
As a technique, I laid the sandpaper on a flat surface (table) and then I pressed the watch on it while rubbing it. After the paint was completely removed, I did the same operation but using a regular sheet of paper (to add a nice finish on the metal surface).
Please be careful: you have to press the watch against the sandpaper (laid on a flat, hard surface), not the other way around. In this way you leave no room for mistakes and the revealed metal will be uniform and nice, w/o weird edges.
This is the result.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had my watch for a little over a week and don't recall hitting it against anything but this morning noticed my bezel has a scratch longer than half an inch. Doing a Google search brought me here.
I was going to try your method today. I understand using the 600 grit sandpaper to remove the rest of the paint from the bezel but how does the regular paper help the finish? My uneducated guess would have been to try a finer grit sandpaper such as 1200 instead of the paper.
You can use whatever finer than 600 you have (even coarser but you may risk it going coarser that that).
Unfortunately, 600 was the finest I had in house at the moment that why I used id. After that though, the metal finish was matte, missing that fine polishing .... there is where the regular paper got into action. If you use a regular laser printer paper sheet, it will act as a very very fine sandpaper, enough to give that fine polishing on the pure metal (aluminium in this case - soft metal, no other reason.
ro_explorer said:
You can use whatever finer than 600 you have (even coarser but you may risk it going coarser that that).
Unfortunately, 600 was the finest I had in house at the moment that why I used id. After that though, the metal finish was matte, missing that fine polishing .... there is where the regular paper got into action. If you use a regular laser printer paper sheet, it will act as a very very fine sandpaper, enough to give that fine polishing on the pure metal (aluminium in this case - soft metal, no other reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sir are a genius - your solution actually makes the watch look better than before the problem.
dzyuba said:
You sir are a genius - your solution actually makes the watch look better than before the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please tell us what did you do exactly to the watch, step by step. Thanks.
My request to any other people who want to adopt this method, please record a video of the process. Then upload it to youtube and share it with us. Thanks.
The entire process that I used is described in detail in the first post of this thread.
There is also the possibility to use a nail file (there are some guys who did that and the results are quite nice as well).
Guys,
This looks fantastic. Perhaps even better than stock. I've got a 1/4" scratch, so not quite ready to take the plunge...but certainly thinking about it.
-Doc
I should probably post this here also. I managed to ding up my watch pretty badly crashing my skateboard, and a user suggested I try this method. I did it a little differently by finishing with a 3000 grit and using metal polish cream on the exposed metal to give it a nice shine. Here are before and after pictures.
The metal polish is definitely adding a nice touch. Thanks for the info.
// sent from my phone //
TOAST
Note: all pictures are hidden inside spoiler tags. Pictures are not downsized. All pictures and videos were shot on my old Galaxy S6. Videos will be 1080p 60fps (installation) and 4K (end result).
A little bit of a personal background on me first. I am a repair tech for a Houston-based phone/tablet/computer repair shop. I have been doing this for over two years, and I have seen and fixed just about everything imaginable. Phones with cases, skins, and screen protectors, and those without. Tablets with cases, skins, screen protectors, etc. You get the idea. I know exactly what kind of protection every type of material can provide, be it TPU, polycarbonate, silicon, and others.
Let me start off by saying that I have never encountered actual real wood in a protective or decorative scene before. Faux wood, sure. But not real wood (not counting the wooden backs on the Moto X here, since they're part of the actual device). I hadn't even heard of Toast before this first post here almost two weeks back. Let me tell you, the second I found my way to their homepage, I was captivated. I had never thought something like this would even exist. It's brilliant. I spent the next two hours watching every YouTube video I could that showed off these "skins". I use the word skin lightly, here. This is the only skin that I would say provides real protection. But I'll touch on that later.
I received a full set of a style of my choice with the option of a design. I decided on Walnut with no design. I figured most people would choose it this way, and personally I find it the most attractive.
First, the packaging. The skin is shipped via USPS first class, inside a small and nigh-indestructible cardboard box. Not cheap UPS-style cardboard, but that solid white American ****. You can see for yourself below. Everything was snuggled neatly inside paper gift wrapping. I had a shipping confirmation on 11/12, and it got to my apartment on 11/16.
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I'm waiting on the videos I took of the skin installation to upload and process on YouTube, and I'll embed that below as soon as I have it ready. I need to cut out a lot of wasted time and replace the audio, but I'll have it ready in a few days I hope. By the end of the weekend, worse case.
*edit, 11/21/2015*
Here's the installation video:
But, words will have to do for now. I started by installing the back. It was very easy to simply line up the camera, fingerprint scanner, LED flash, and laser focus. The corners, sides, and camera folds all folded up/down nicely. Next I installed the right side with the buttons. That was also as simple as the back, just line up the buttons and you're good to go. After that I did the top, then left, then bottom. Things were going smoothly until the bottom. The part that goes over/around the 3.5mm headphone jack and microphone, at least for my set, seem to be shifted 1 mm too far to the left (towards the USB C port). I'm not sure if the laser cutter became misaligned or what happened there. It's not a fatal flaw, the microphone hole and 3.5mm jack are still totally open and accessible, they're just shifted a little bit. They didn't square up perfectly with the back and the right piece. You'll see what I mean with the pictures below. Finally, we have the buttons and camera cover. You'll be able to see how those are packed once the video is ready. Again with these, there may have been an issue with the laser cutter. The longest sides of the power and volume buttons, along with the sim tray, were cut properly, whereas the short sides were only cut with the laser through what appeared to be most of the wood. You'll see this in the video as well, but I had to take a razor blade to these parts to separate them from the packaging. The buttons all turned out fine, but if you don't have anything tiny and sharp around, you would likely break the buttons. The camera cutout did not suffer from this problem.
Here now are some HD pictures of the finished installation. I was sent a front cover along with the back and sides, but I decided to keep my tempered glass screen protector installed on top and not the wooden skin. It is definitely possible to install the skin on top of the tempered glass, but that would raise it a far amount off of the phone. To me, it wouldn't look as good like that. If I had a thin film protector, I would go ahead and install the skin on that, but I would not install it on tempered glass. Just my two cents there.
Now, for my thoughts after the installation. The feel of real wood is much better than polycarbonate. You can immediately feel the change in grip. The texture of everything looks and feel perfect, just like real stained walnut. Hell, it even smells like it. I'm going to get weird looks from people seeing me smelling my phone now. Points off for that (kidding). The way the back bevels itself into the sides make it a little more comfortable, too. The buttons are pretty tactile, just about as much as without the skin. My volume buttons seem to be a little mushier, but that's probably because I cut it out of the packaging myself. I will say though that since even 12 hours later, the buttons feel a little better, so we'll see how that plays out. The power button is just as clicky as ever. I really like how the skin raises above the tip of the camera lens, I have always hated (hate is such a strong word) putting my phone back-down on rough surfaces because of it. The opening for the USB C port is plenty big, and should fit even the largest chargers (I'm looking at you, cheap cables).
And finally, my thoughts on protection. By no means is this an Otterbox replacement. Time will tell if this can substitute thing cases like the Spigen Thin Fit (which I was previously using). Without a doubt though, this skin can provide minimal basic protection. Since it is actually real wood, I can see it providing some impact protection on the corners. The wood should cave in first before it starts to put too much stress on the housing. Now, don't expect it to save you if you drop it onto tile or concrete from 3 or 5 feet up. But I can see it providing decent if not good protection from a small drop, like slipping out of your pocket when sitting down.
Finished results video:
Do you like wood? Damn right you like wood. Do you not want a case, even though you've used one for years despite the fact you have never dropped or broken a phone? Buy. Buy buy buy. It's going on all of my future devices.
I just got mine as well and will add my $.02 to your excellent review.
I also had a slight misalignment for one of the wrap pieces but mine occurred between the top and the left side. It's about a 1 mm gap so not really that noticeable, but will be curious to see if it snags pockets over time and pulls away. It also took a very bright light (and for a 48 year old reading glasses) to make sure the top microphone holes aligned. My only other installation issue was even with using a blade to help cut out the small cover punchouts, the sim card cover broke above the removal hole since it is such a thin piece there. If they could fully cut around those pieces with their lasers so they came off with the adhesive backing that would make it much easier and less likely to break. I've also noticed a slight lifting on a couple of the backs corner wrap pieces, once again it will be worth seeing if they become a snag hazard and potentially get pulled away. But overall installation was easier then most screen protectors I've put on.
Post install, a couple of items to note. I came off an Adopted case so this skin is definitely much slicker. It does feel when I'm retrieving it from my car mount or grabbing it quickly off my desk that it might slip out of my hand and given the minimum protection hitting the pavement may not survive (thank goodness for Google insurance The other issue I've had post-install is getting my headphones to seat well in the 3.5 mm jack. As noted in other threads, you need them in pretty tight to get connections and the first time I put mine in (I use the Bose QuietComforts) they didn't seat right and I had to really push on them to get them to connect. We'll see if things shift a little over time and it gets easier.
That all said, I'm very happy with the overall look and would definitely buy one again.
dpwhitty11 said:
TOAST
Note: all pictures are hidden inside spoiler tags. Pictures are not downsized. All pictures and videos were shot on my old Galaxy S6. Videos will be 1080p 60fps (installation) and 4K (end result).
A little bit of a personal background on me first. I am a repair tech for a Houston-based phone/tablet/computer repair shop. I have been doing this for over two years, and I have seen and fixed just about everything imaginable. Phones with cases, skins, and screen protectors, and those without. Tablets with cases, skins, screen protectors, etc. You get the idea. I know exactly what kind of protection every type of material can provide, be it TPU, polycarbonate, silicon, and others.
Let me start off by saying that I have never encountered actual real wood in a protective or decorative scene before. Faux wood, sure. But not real wood (not counting the wooden backs on the Moto X here, since they're part of the actual device). I hadn't even heard of Toast before this first post here almost two weeks back. Let me tell you, the second I found my way to their homepage, I was captivated. I had never thought something like this would even exist. It's brilliant. I spent the next two hours watching every YouTube video I could that showed off these "skins". I use the word skin lightly, here. This is the only skin that I would say provides real protection. But I'll touch on that later.
I received a full set of a style of my choice with the option of a design. I decided on Walnut with no design. I figured most people would choose it this way, and personally I find it the most attractive.
First, the packaging. The skin is shipped via USPS first class, inside a small and nigh-indestructible cardboard box. Not cheap UPS-style cardboard, but that solid white American ****. You can see for yourself below. Everything was snuggled neatly inside paper gift wrapping. I had a shipping confirmation on 11/12, and it got to my apartment on 11/16.
I'm waiting on the videos I took of the skin installation to upload and process on YouTube, and I'll embed that below as soon as I have it ready. I need to cut out a lot of wasted time and replace the audio, but I'll have it ready in a few days I hope. By the end of the weekend, worse case.
But, words will have to do for now. I started by installing the back. It was very easy to simply line up the camera, fingerprint scanner, LED flash, and laser focus. The corners, sides, and camera folds all folded up/down nicely. Next I installed the right side with the buttons. That was also as simple as the back, just line up the buttons and you're good to go. After that I did the top, then left, then bottom. Things were going smoothly until the bottom. The part that goes over/around the 3.5mm headphone jack and microphone, at least for my set, seem to be shifted 1 mm too far to the left (towards the USB C port). I'm not sure if the laser cutter became misaligned or what happened there. It's not a fatal flaw, the microphone hole and 3.5mm jack are still totally open and accessible, they're just shifted a little bit. They didn't square up perfectly with the back and the right piece. You'll see what I mean with the pictures below. Finally, we have the buttons and camera cover. You'll be able to see how those are packed once the video is ready. Again with these, there may have been an issue with the laser cutter. The longest sides of the power and volume buttons, along with the sim tray, were cut properly, whereas the short sides were only cut with the laser through what appeared to be most of the wood. You'll see this in the video as well, but I had to take a razor blade to these parts to separate them from the packaging. The buttons all turned out fine, but if you don't have anything tiny and sharp around, you would likely break the buttons. The camera cutout did not suffer from this problem.
Here now are some HD pictures of the finished installation. I was sent a front cover along with the back and sides, but I decided to keep my tempered glass screen protector installed on top and not the wooden skin. It is definitely possible to install the skin on top of the tempered glass, but that would raise it a far amount off of the phone. To me, it wouldn't look as good like that. If I had a thin film protector, I would go ahead and install the skin on that, but I would not install it on tempered glass. Just my two cents there.
Now, for my thoughts after the installation. The feel of real wood is much better than polycarbonate. You can immediately feel the change in grip. The texture of everything looks and feel perfect, just like real stained walnut. Hell, it even smells like it. I'm going to get weird looks from people seeing me smelling my phone now. Points off for that (kidding). The way the back bevels itself into the sides make it a little more comfortable, too. The buttons are pretty tactile, just about as much as without the skin. My volume buttons seem to be a little mushier, but that's probably because I cut it out of the packaging myself. I will say though that since even 12 hours later, the buttons feel a little better, so we'll see how that plays out. The power button is just as clicky as ever. I really like how the skin raises above the tip of the camera lens, I have always hated (hate is such a strong word) putting my phone back-down on rough surfaces because of it. The opening for the USB C port is plenty big, and should fit even the largest chargers (I'm looking at you, cheap cables).
And finally, my thoughts on protection. By no means is this an Otterbox replacement. Time will tell if this can substitute thing cases like the Spigen Thin Fit (which I was previously using). Without a doubt though, this skin can provide minimal basic protection. Since it is actually real wood, I can see it providing some impact protection on the corners. The wood should cave in first before it starts to put too much stress on the housing. Now, don't expect it to save you if you drop it onto tile or concrete from 3 or 5 feet up. But I can see it providing decent if not good protection from a small drop, like slipping out of your pocket when sitting down.
Do you like wood? Damn right you like wood. Do you not want a case, even though you've used one for years despite the fact you have never dropped or broken a phone? Buy. Buy buy buy. It's going on all of my future devices.
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Thank you so much for the in-depth review, and sorry to hear of the alignment issue! Looking at the picture #2 of the Toasted 5X, it appears that that side wrap is a little low. I suggest (and thought it was mentioned in the instructions) using the scorelines of the actual back cover to align the sides. The ports may not be perfectly centered within the cutouts, but they should all be fully functional. We have a "butterfingers" replacement policy on everything, so if you'd like another set of wraps, just shoot an email to [email protected] referencing your order.
In regards to the sim/button covers, it's best to peel the paper off and then push them through the little slots. Those guys can be tricky to get the laser to cut all the way through, but our QA should have caught them in the production process. We'll gladly send replacements any time!
Thanks again, and enjoy your Toasted 5X!
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rgerrans said:
I just got mine as well and will add my $.02 to your excellent review.
I also had a slight misalignment for one of the wrap pieces but mine occurred between the top and the left side. It's about a 1 mm gap so not really that noticeable, but will be curious to see if it snags pockets over time and pulls away. It also took a very bright light (and for a 48 year old reading glasses) to make sure the top microphone holes aligned. My only other installation issue was even with using a blade to help cut out the small cover punchouts, the sim card cover broke above the removal hole since it is such a thin piece there. If they could fully cut around those pieces with their lasers so they came off with the adhesive backing that would make it much easier and less likely to break. I've also noticed a slight lifting on a couple of the backs corner wrap pieces, once again it will be worth seeing if they become a snag hazard and potentially get pulled away. But overall installation was easier then most screen protectors I've put on.
Post install, a couple of items to note. I came off an Adopted case so this skin is definitely much slicker. It does feel when I'm retrieving it from my car mount or grabbing it quickly off my desk that it might slip out of my hand and given the minimum protection hitting the pavement may not survive (thank goodness for Google insurance The other issue I've had post-install is getting my headphones to seat well in the 3.5 mm jack. As noted in other threads, you need them in pretty tight to get connections and the first time I put mine in (I use the Bose QuietComforts) they didn't seat right and I had to really push on them to get them to connect. We'll see if things shift a little over time and it gets easier.
That all said, I'm very happy with the overall look and would definitely buy one again.
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Thank you so much for the feedback! As I'd told OP, in his second picture of the Toast 5X, it appears that his side wrap is a little low. I suggest (and thought it was mentioned in the instructions) using the scorelines of the actual back cover to align the sides. The ports may not be perfectly centered within the cutouts, but they should all be fully functional.
With the sim/button covers, it's best to peel the paper off and then push them through the little slots. Those guys can be tricky to get the laser to cut all the way through, but our QA should have caught them in the production process. We'll gladly send replacements any time. We even have a "butterfingers" replacement policy on the actual covers; just send a picture of the misaligned cover and we send a replacement. Please shoot an email to [email protected] referencing your order and we'll send another set of buttons, as well as wraps, if necessary.
Thanks again, and enjoy your Toasted 5X!
Looks really nice but it's a shame that they don't have mahogany, dark reddish wood alá art deco..
So I had one of these toast covers a few years ago on my Nexus 5. Sure they're ok for the feel and all but the adhesive they use picks up a lot of lint from pockets, general dust etc.
If not for that, I may consider them again.
LAURCORE said:
Thank you so much for the feedback! As I'd told OP, in his second picture of the Toast 5X, it appears that his side wrap is a little low. I suggest (and thought it was mentioned in the instructions) using the scorelines of the actual back cover to align the sides. The ports may not be perfectly centered within the cutouts, but they should all be fully functional.
With the sim/button covers, it's best to peel the paper off and then push them through the little slots. Those guys can be tricky to get the laser to cut all the way through, but our QA should have caught them in the production process. We'll gladly send replacements any time. We even have a "butterfingers" replacement policy on the actual covers; just send a picture of the misaligned cover and we send a replacement. Please shoot an email to [email protected] referencing your order and we'll send another set of buttons, as well as wraps, if necessary.
Thanks again, and enjoy your Toasted 5X!
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Click to collapse
On the alignment, it's tight on the power button side, just 1 mm short of full wrap and/or the sim card side is just short of coming up high enough. Thanks for the offer on the replacement but it's such a small piece that snapped off that it's barely noticeable and not worth the effort to replace.
For me the bigger issue is turning out to be the size of the 3.5mm audio cutout. I can't get my Bose to get a secure connection. Unfortunately, it looks like the only way to get the opening big enough would be to actually take it into the first bend cut since the Bose plug cover is 6mm in diameter vs. what looks like a 5mm cutout now. Not sure if that's even an option? May have to see if I can cut back part of the plug cover on the Bose.
Other then that, still liking the cover. No issues with snagging or extra lint pickup from the small side gap or any of the corner cuts.
I was thinking of picking one up for my 6p and debating one for my 5x. I kinda like leaving my 5x naked.
If I were to get it I would for sure get it engraved with the nexus logo text across the back. You can request this as they can't put it as an option on the site due to trademark. You select the custom text engravings option ($5 more) and then in the custom text field write: "Nexus etching" or "X etching" (for the X in nexus only) as the custom text.
My videos have processed and are live on YouTube. I've embedded them into the first post.
littleguevara said:
So I had one of these toast covers a few years ago on my Nexus 5. Sure they're ok for the feel and all but the adhesive they use picks up a lot of lint from pockets, general dust etc.
If not for that, I may consider them again.
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There's typically a little bit of exposed adhesive around the edges, but this should never be an issue after a few days of use. We always tell people to just leave it be and it will go away on it's own. :good:
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ElecTriX666 said:
Looks really nice but it's a shame that they don't have mahogany, dark reddish wood alá art deco..
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Sorry for the disappointment, but we plan on adding a cherry wood this Spring!
---------- Post added at 08:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:28 PM ----------
graffixnyc said:
I was thinking of picking one up for my 6p and debating one for my 5x. I kinda like leaving my 5x naked.
If I were to get it I would for sure get it engraved with the nexus logo text across the back. You can request this as they can't put it as an option on the site due to trademark. You select the custom text engravings option ($5 more) and then in the custom text field write: "Nexus etching" or "X etching" (for the X in nexus only) as the custom text.
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Thanks for sharing the Nexus etching info, and you won't regret Toasting them!
---------- Post added at 08:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:30 PM ----------
dpwhitty11 said:
My videos have processed and are live on YouTube. I've embedded them into the first post.
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Excellent video - thanks again! Those button covers were definitely underscored by the laser... don't know how that passed through QA. Please let me know if you'd like a replacement set of wraps & buttons!
So, a little update for me here.
I have, to my own disappointment, dropped my phone. It slid out of my pocket when I was getting into my Jeep and fell onto a parking lot. The skin performed just as I thought! The wood caved/dented in where the impacts were. There is no actual damage to my phone. A++.
Another note, we have finally had some colder days here in Houston. Because the skin is real wood, the ambient air temperature and relative humidity factor into the grippiness of the skin. It is definitely much more slippery in colder & drier weather, about as slick as an iPhone 6 (at least that's what I would compare it to).
dpwhitty11 said:
So, a little update for me here.
I have, to my own disappointment, dropped my phone. It slid out of my pocket when I was getting into my Jeep and fell onto a parking lot. The skin performed just as I thought! The wood caved/dented in where the impacts were. There is no actual damage to my phone. A++.
Another note, we have finally had some colder days here in Houston. Because the skin is real wood, the ambient air temperature and relative humidity factor into the grippiness of the skin. It is definitely much more slippery in colder & drier weather, about as slick as an iPhone 6 (at least that's what I would compare it to).
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Thanks for the update. In general, would you say the wooden toast skin is more or less slippery than the naked device?
These look amazing. I'm thinking about getting the darkest (teak?) one for my 5X. Just had a quick question. I use a Mountek magnetic phone holder in my car. What I currently do is put the thinner of the two metallic "badges" (that hold the phone to the magnetic mount) under my phone's case. Do you think it would it work to do the same under the Toast skin? I don't have calipers, but the piece of metal is quite thin.
Great review thanks!
bblzd said:
Thanks for the update. In general, would you say the wooden toast skin is more or less slippery than the naked device?
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Can you use the skin without the button covers? I like cases/skins that keep the buttons free or is the thickness too much and the buttons are lower than the wood?
bblzd said:
Thanks for the update. In general, would you say the wooden toast skin is more or less slippery than the naked device?
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Here in Houston, I'd say (generally) more grippy. But like I said, once it got cold and less humid, it easily became more slippery.
bkjones88 said:
These look amazing. I'm thinking about getting the darkest (teak?) one for my 5X. Just had a quick question. I use a Mountek magnetic phone holder in my car. What I currently do is put the thinner of the two metallic "badges" (that hold the phone to the magnetic mount) under my phone's case. Do you think it would it work to do the same under the Toast skin? I don't have calipers, but the piece of metal is quite thin.
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I use a similar kind of magnetic mount. I have mine just stuck right on the back. If the magnet is strong enough it should be okay.
radeon962 said:
Can you use the skin without the button covers? I like cases/skins that keep the buttons free or is the thickness too much and the buttons are lower than the wood?
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You could, but they're basically flush with the skin. It would be pretty hard to press.
Does the camera lens ring affect light going into it? That's my only concern, as this phone is marketed with more light capturing capabilities.
ShishkaBerry said:
Does the camera lens ring affect light going into it? That's my only concern, as this phone is marketed with more light capturing capabilities.
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Not a bit.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
dpwhitty11 said:
Not a bit.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
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Sweet! I've been working on a custom case design since yesterday, the first time I've ever used photoshop lol. The fingerprint sensor looks like a full moon to me, so I'm thinking forest treeline with orion constellation above it on ebony. Currently waiting for the ice blue 5X, just ordered it Friday.
dpwhitty11 said:
You could, but they're basically flush with the skin. It would be pretty hard to press.
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I ended up just trimming the opening for the buttons with an Exacto knife so that I could leave the buttons bare.
Just a quick update to my experience with my Toast cover. Unfortunately, after 7 months I had to take it off. The cover on the power button had slowly chipped off (kept snagging on my pocket) down to the point it was difficult to press and a couple of the corner curve pieces had snapped off. Fortunately using a hair dryer helped it come off with no leftover adhesive.
Is anyone else's xz1 compact body bent or not straight?
I have had mind a couple of weeks and been super careful with it, so I don't think I bent it or something. I didn't notice until today when I set my phone down on a flat table as I was finicking with it when I noticed it rocked back and forth and wasn't perfectly flat to the table. It is particularly noticeable in the front side (I think part of this is due to the edges around the screen not being completely flush or evenly flat. The back does it much less, but I think that may because of the curved back on the back. After looking down the back side of the phone I realized it was clearly not straight and could see It curve.
Anyone with similar issues? Thanks!
The border around the camera lens is protuding a tiny bit from the back of the phone, to protect the lens from scratches.
The top and bottom edges of the phone are protruding to protect the screen from being scratched when placed face down.
Though it does not rock for me.
What sort of curve?
Mine doesn't rock when on its back, and I have a screen protector on the front which is slightly taller than the top and bottom metal caps, so it is also stable.
When I bought my phone in store, per procedure they had me inspect the phone for obvious damage or defects.
The first unit I got unfortunately had assembly issues with the top and bottom metal caps, there was a noticeable gap on both ends and they protruded unevenly. One end protruded to the front, and the other to the back.
At first they tried to play it off as non-issue, citing manufacturing tolerance, and refused to let me exchange a new one, but I insisted and eventually they agreed to give me another unit, which is the one I'm currently using.
Does your unit have similar unevenness with the metal caps? Maybe that's the cause of the instability. I do not perceive any curves on the body of my phone.
The border around the camera lens is protuding a tiny bit from the back of the phone, to protect the lens from scratches.
The top and bottom edges of the phone are protruding to protect the screen from being scratched when placed face down.
Though it does not rock for me.
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I didn't think about the camera, good point, that may be some of the issue when it's on its back. The rocking when it's on its back is mild, so it may be the camera lens ring. However, I can look down the phone close with my naked eye and notice the bend pretty easily.
I do realize the front 'metal caps' protrude a little to protect the screen, but as mhaha says below, those edges are not necessarily uneven. The top metal cap sticks out further, in general, than the bottom. Individually, if I run my finger down the cap edges on the face of the phone I think I can feel where they get closer/further from the screen in places (it is very slight, so maybe that one is more in my head). I also didn't notice the uneven gap edge until you said that, I can't really physically feel that one so I think it's a little less of an issue. But, yes, on the left side of my screen it's super snug up against the side bezel and on the right I can see a very slight gap, in comparison.
My phone rocks bad on its face/front , diagonally from the cameras corner to the corner opposite.
I have actually requested my return (I ordered mine online) and will very likely be sending it back. I am not sure ill get a replacement either, for now just the return.
Thank you both very much!
mhaha said:
What sort of curve?
Mine doesn't rock when on its back, and I have a screen protector on the front which is slightly taller than the top and bottom metal caps, so it is also stable.
When I bought my phone in store, per procedure they had me inspect the phone for obvious damage or defects.
The first unit I got unfortunately had assembly issues with the top and bottom metal caps, there was a noticeable gap on both ends and they protruded unevenly. One end protruded to the front, and the other to the back.
At first they tried to play it off as non-issue, citing manufacturing tolerance, and refused to let me exchange a new one, but I insisted and eventually they agreed to give me another unit, which is the one I'm currently using.
Does your unit have similar unevenness with the metal caps? Maybe that's the cause of the instability. I do not perceive any curves on the body of my phone.
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you may be having this issue?
https://sumahoinfo.com/xperia-xz1-compact-so-02k-docomo-fuguai-issue-body-twisted-distorted
It's in Japanese but the photo explains, I think.
yyiimm said:
you may be having this issue?
https://sumahoinfo.com/xperia-xz1-compact-so-02k-docomo-fuguai-issue-body-twisted-distorted
It's in Japanese but the photo explains, I think.
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Yeah, my top metal cap isn't as in line as the bottom, now that I see that. Thanks very much! That would definitely contribute to a wobble on a flat surface.
But, there are still all the other issues I've noted, so I'm quite confident it's a number of issues contributing to it all.
Thanks!
yyiimm said:
you may be having this issue?
https://sumahoinfo.com/xperia-xz1-compact-so-02k-docomo-fuguai-issue-body-twisted-distorted
It's in Japanese but the photo explains, I think.
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1230m said:
Yeah, my top metal cap isn't as in line as the bottom, now that I see that. Thanks very much! That would definitely contribute to a wobble on a flat surface.
But, there are still all the other issues I've noted, so I'm quite confident it's a number of issues contributing to it all.
Thanks!
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The photo isn't quite a good descriptor of the problem though.
The photo suggests that it's just the way the metal end-caps are installed is what's causing the rocking.
If you run the link through a translator, the author states that the metal caps are misaligned because the plastic/glass-fiber body itself is warped.
So you may want to look at getting the phone replaced.
I dropped my phone on the road 2nd day of use. The metal edge got scratched, but the phone survived. The only other issue I noticed was twisted body. Looking from the edge, the twisted edge was easy to notice, and surface wobble was also there. I held the edges of the phone and put some pressure in opposite direction (trying to twist it back), and now my phone seems straight/aligned).
Please don't try this at home and come complain to me if something goes wrong. Since I dropped my phone, I couldn't just return it and get it replaced. Also not sure if the drop twisted it, or just pressure in my jeans pocket. Also not sure if the twist will come back. For now, the phone is fine.
I just bought XZ1 (not XZ1C) in UK, and having similar issue.
I'm not sure if the "cap" in misplaced or the whole body is twisted, but when I put the device face down, it rocks
pbarrette said:
The photo isn't quite a good descriptor of the problem though.
The photo suggests that it's just the way the metal end-caps are installed is what's causing the rocking.
If you run the link through a translator, the author states that the metal caps are misaligned because the plastic/glass-fiber body itself is warped.
So you may want to look at getting the phone replaced.
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Thanks for the further insight, I'm grateful! I will be returning the phone. I'm undecided on whether or not I would like to purchase another after. I kinda wanted to see how the future quality/reviews are more. Based on some with similar issues, I'm not sure ill be getting another, but I'll see I guess. Thanks again!
I dropped my phone on the road 2nd day of use. The metal edge got scratched, but the phone survived. The only other issue I noticed was twisted body. Looking from the edge, the twisted edge was easy to notice, and surface wobble was also there.
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Thanks very much for your input! I appreciate it. The body twist and warp (these are better way to describe it, thanks, as the phone isn't so much curved/bent as it, or the single piece back/body specifically, is warped) is quite noticeable with the one I have too (looking at the edge like you said). However, I don't think I've dropped the phone (too hard at least and no visible scrathes, scrapes, etc.) I also keep a phone in a coat pocket, bag, or just take it out and set it down when I'm not out and about, so I don't think I would have caused the warp myself. Thanks again!