Cases for KIN Two ?

[Pammy]

KeepOnSingn.... Glad you're happy with the case !  

Pam

[fisharefriends]

When it comes to pushing the camera button, i actually find it easier with the case. I have the $4 AccessoryOne black 'rubberized' case, and now when pushing the button, your finger actually kind of sinks into the button. My fingers aren't small, but they also aren't large. The problem without the case is the reverse-chamfer on the phone, added to the slippery nature of the plastic of the battery cover. Now, i can hold the phone tightly because of the rubber's friction, and then the groove for the camera button helps my finger go directly down on it.

As far as the friction of hte sliding goes, if you want to fix this, go ahead and take a file/sandpaper to the case's 'clipping areas', which is where i believe the parts are contacting. Don't file away too much, but just enough to give it some clearance. Worst-case scenario, you thin the clips too much and make them weak, and/or damage/break your $4 case (assuming you did the smart thing and filed it while the case was OFF the phone).

Also, if you don't like the additional bulkiness (about 1/8") added by cases, you could just spray some 'rubber' onto your battery cover. I thought about doing this, but i decided the bulkiness of hte case wasn't too bad to bother me (although i might change my mind in the future). Take off your cover, and go out and buy some Plasti-Dip (sells for about $6, for a quart-ish sized can..pretty cheap). It can be found in the paint section of Home Depot, and i assume the same for Lowes/other stores, or online. This stuff is the material they use for making plier-handles and other tool handles, but i also use a lot of this stuff for other purposes at work. It is really just a rubber-compound, with some Methyl-Ethyl Ketone (MEK) mixed in to make it 'liquidized' (the actual composition is on the can, although i never really read the whole label). They sell them in brush-on/dip cans, as well as spray-cans, i would recommend the spray-on for this application. There are directions on the container, but it is simple enough.

Make sure you are in a properly-aerated location like outdoors (as you would for any other chemicals), pop off the battery cover, and place it on a surface.Give it a light coating, to sufficiently cover the case, but not 'globby', and let it set. I think 1 coating is sufficient, but you can experiment with this and give it another if you like. Make sure you don't spray the inside, or the side 'clip' sections, which could cause the cover to not fit properly onto the phone. And Voila, you have a rubber-textured battery cover. This stuff does peel off, although i don't know how much prying you'd have to do without a release-agent applied.

If you are worried you will mess up, go ahead and apply some 'release agent' (some sort of oil..cooking oil, baby oil, shortening, it all will work) at first and practice around with the plasti-dip material. Then, peel it off (easily done with the release agent), and try again. When you are ready to apply the actual 'permanent' coating, make sure you degrease the cover (rubbing alcohol will do, or if you have denatured alcohol or other chemicals...although those stronger 'industrial' agents could also take off the paint from the cover) and apply the spray 1 last time. If you are still worried about ruining the phone battery cover, you can look online to see if they sell kin one/two battery covers (they don't need to be M models, the hardware between the old and new kin phones are identical), but i haven't done so, so i don't know if they sell extra covers for this phone that you could do this on. After time, it could possibly wear off, but then just apply another coat (there's plenty of this stuff in a can...for $6, you can find many other uses for it around the house, otherwise it'll just go to waste).

[Pammy]

I bought the Lime Green AccessoryOne case and thought it looked extremely cheap and really cheapened the look of the Kin Two, but maybe it's not as bad in other colors, especially black.  I did like my Body Glove much better, but just took it off and started using my phone naked. The body glove case fits great, looks good, adds great protection, and adds great texture, but it just bulks up the phone way too much for my liking.  It also was a pain to slip the phone into my back pocket since the case is so nice and grippy and so thick.  I'm getting used to the feel of the phone without any case, and it's starting to be easier to open without a case now that I"m getting used to it.  The Kin slips really nicely into my back pocket now.   It still is a slippery phone though.  I did think of one option I haven't seen mentioned.  I went on a search for something high quality that I might be able to stick on the Kin to give some traction.  Check out the attached link below.  They make these Egrips to fit many specific devices, but since they don't have a specific set for the Kin yet,  I thought a generic set of Egrips might be good so you can choose which pieces you want to use and where you want to put them, depending on how you hold your phone and where your fingers come in contact to the phone.  If you see a different set on their site you think might work better on the Kin, let me know, or let me know if you've found something similar local that you think would work well .  The Egrips come in different colors.  I thought black would be best on the Kin, but the clear might be a good choice too.  If you don't care about the color, their are some closeouts for only $1.99 instead of $12.95 for the one I picked out.  The first link below is the Universal Egrips I was thinking about ordering for $12.95, but I just found a smaller Egrips Universal set for only 99 cents (Buy It Now price)  with free shipping on Ebay (2nd link below).  The logo looks the same on Ebay as on the Manufacturer's website.  Can't beat that price!  I just ordered it.  I'll let you know how it works when I get it.   The 3rd link below is a YouTube video comparing the Egrips, to other manufacturers products.   Pam

Egrips Website

Egrips on Ebay for 99 cents

Egrip review on YouTube

[fisharefriends]

Seems like those will serve about the same functionality as coating the battery door with Plasti-dip. One thing i would favor the spray-on methods more is that it would be even across the entire cover, since they don't have a custom kin Egrip.

[Pammy]

It's a shame that we have to take steps to overcome the design flaws.  You would think they would have learned from the millions of phones that came before the Kin, as far as basics and what works and what doesn't work.  Rubberizing the battery cover is a great idea, but might be more involved than a lot of people want to attempt.  Let us know how it works !   I'm wondering if you can get a professional look attempting to rubberize the battery cover yourself.  Sounds like a good challenge.

Pam

[fisharefriends]

True. but...corners cut during design lead to a product where the cover feels like an egg carton. currently, i am using the 'rubberized' hard snap on case from AccessoryOne, and it is serving me well. I like the feel, and i like how it covers the buttons, which 'rubberizing' the cover wouldn't do. It isn't the product itself that would give you a 'professional' look, just the applicant themselves. I use that PlastiDip stuff at work a bit, so i've had practice. But its application with the spray on bottle isn't much different from any other spray application, like spray paint. Just hold it evenly facing the surface, normal (perpendicular) at all times to the curvature, and spray on an even coat. You could well just practice on a water bottle if you liked, practice makes near perfect. And theres plenty of material per spray bottle, so you shouldn't have to worry about running out. Sorry i couldn't be of much help. If i do get sick of hte added bulk from the case at any time, i'll go ahead and try the spray application and give an update.

[FrankAtCommunit]

I have an extra, brand new Body Glove case for Kin Two or Kin TwoM. The case comes with an option of belt clip and adjustable kick-stand.

[Pammy]

I put the Egrips on the back of my phone, and it worked perfectly. No more slippery back.  I used two small strips, which are 1/4" wide by 1" long.   Placed them on opposite ends of the back of the phone, towards the bottom, which is where I thought my fingers are when I hold the phone, and it was the perfect position for me.   My middle and index fingers rest on the two strips.  Happy with the 99 cent solution.  

[dsonyay]

I received my AccessoryOne case yesterday. I paid about a dollar for it. With shipping about 4 dollars.

I was surprised- the case is a bit nicer than I thought. Just a tad of thickness is added- but I think this will help prevent the volume buttons from moving by accident. It does have a slight affect on the round camera button- but not a major interference.

The phone still slips in my back pocket quite easily- but I don't normally carry it there. The texture is good enough to where the slick feel of the bare phone is eliminated.

With the cover on, the phone slide-out feature is much better than without. Probably the added thickness adding some mass. But- when typing, the little tabs on the case that grab the keyboard kinda bug me. I can feel them poking my palms.

Time will tell how well the case can hold together. Not much to lose here- this is a case costing under 5 bucks with shipping. Mine is black and looks nice.

[fisharefriends]

Regarding the tabs while texting/typing, if you have a file, you can knock those down a little bit and then they are much less noticeable. Note, that filing them will take off the black paint since it is a very thin layer, but you can go over those with a permanent marker, and its hardly noticeable after that (unless you stare at them). I used this case for about a month before i decided i didn't like the bulk, its not much, but just enough to feel 'too big'. I ended up purchasing a skinomi full body skin, and i like this solution much better. I did end up filing down the volume buttons a little bit, and that was one of the best things i've done with the phone. Now, its hard to press them. I figured, there aren't many times i need to push them, especially in a hurry, so if it removes the accidental pocket press, it is well worth it. I can still press it fairly easily, so long as i can find it (the texture is nearly flush with the phone, so really i can move my finger over it without noticing). I've ordered a wriststrap for the phone, because i use it a lot for a camera, which will be great for making sure i don't drop it.