Reviews written by Christopher Meinck - Page 2

Space Out for the iPhone is a mashup of two retro arcade games, Space Invaders and Arkonoid. The result is suprisingly good.

At first glance, I thought SpaceOut was going to be the classic Space Invaders. As an avid fan of retro games, it was high on my list of apps to download. To my surprise, the game is much different than the classic. While you still have the ruthless invaders marching towards you, you don't have the standard missile launcher to defeat them. Instead, the gameplay mixes with that of Breakout or Arkonoid. You have paddle that you control from left to right. As the ball starts coming towards you, you deflect it to destroy the invaders. When you think about the iPhone, it would have been difficult to pull of the controls of the old school game. You could move your missile launcher left and right, but that would leave double tapping for firing. Could it be done? Quite possibly, and I'll be checking the App Store regularly to see if someone releases the Midway classic.

The graphics are excellent, a nice mix of the classic Space Invaders look with a colorful planet as the backdrop. More impressive are the sounds and this seems to be a growing trend with iPhone games. The arcade style sounds suit the iPhone very nicely and make for a better experience.

From a gameplay perspective, Space Out is easy enough to control. It might not come through on the video, but it's easy enough to go left and right. I was focusing on keeping the iPhone from moving too much in the video and it's obvious that my gameplay suffered. There are some fun powerups in the game. For instance, a +1 or +2 will through multiple balls into the game and mayhem will ensue.

Space Out is priced at $4.99. It's visually appealing, offers true arcade sounds and proves to be a worthwhile mashup for retro gamers.

If you are unfamiliar with the Invisible Shield, it's a film that gets applied to devices that offers industrial strength protection against scratches. Have the Invisible Shield installed on your iPhone or iPhone 3G, don't forget to submit your review today.

I've used the Invisible Shield on other products in the past. Years back, I installed it on my iPod Video, but this was my first go around with installing the Shield on an iPhone.

Installation

I have to say that some videos on the Internet show this as being a pretty easy process. Despite the install video being around 9 minutes, the actual install time was 40-45 minutes. This was in stark contrast to installing on a MacBook Air. The corners of the iPhone 3G were quite difficult to adhere. I used quite a bit of the provided solution, but that was also a detriment when I went to squeegee out the bubbles and excess solution. While the corners were tricky, the end result provides protection on the corners, an area that is very susceptible to scratches. With the Invisible Shield installation, you need the following:

• Clean environment: Avoid any areas where you might have dust or pet hair


• Flat surface: Area where you'll install the shield


• Paper towels: You'll need to clean up the mess afterward, but don't keep them near the Shield for risk of it applying to them


• Included accessories: Shield solution, squeegee


• Soft cloth: The included iPhone cloth or a microfiber cloth will suffice.

Protection

The Invisible Shield for iPhone 3G does an excellent job of protecting the iPhone 3G back from scratches. It does not however offer full coverage of the chrome. Expect partial coverage of the chrome areas of the iPhone 3G. The Invisible Shield comes in two parts, one for the back and one for the front. For the purpose of this review, I chose not to install the Shield on the front. With my experience using the first generation iPhone, I found the glass on the iPhone to be scratch resistant. That in mind, there have been reports in our forums of some people scratching the glass of the iPhone 3G. Honestly, while it's not currently installed, I will probably install the front shield. If my ability to use the iPhone 3G is in anyway impeded, removal is very easy. As I noted above, I installed the same product on a MacBook Air. I ended up returning the MBA, so had to remove the Shield. With a fingernail, you simply get under a corner and peel away. There was no residue or marks as a result of the Shield.

I did the familiar key test with the Shield. This simulates the iPhone 3G being in a pocket and accidentally coming in contact with keys. As promised, the Shield did not scratch and the iPhone 3G was safe as well. I will say that Invisible Shield itself is not scratch-proof. I was able to produce fine lines in the Shield by using my fingernail. Lesson here is while the Shield will protect the iPhone 3G, you do not want to "try and scratch the Shield". I had my iPhone 3G for about 2 weeks before installing the Invisible Shield. Despite it being in a case with a cloth, I still managed to get to small scratches in the middle of the iPhone 3G. As you'd imagine, it's not that hard to scratch the plastic casing of the iPhone 3G, so the Invisible Shield product offers you the peace of mind that your iPhone 3G will remain scratch-free.

While the Invisible Shield protects against scratches, it will not protect your iPhone 3G if it's accidentally dropped. For some, there is the option of both a case and the Shield. This is the absolute best solution against protecting your iPhone 3G against drops and scratches. The Shield does not add much, if any, bulk to the iPhone 3G. However, there have been reports of some cases not fitting with the Shield installed. If you purchase a case to fit on top of your Shield, be sure to check compatibility and if the store has a good return policy.

Overall

The Invisible Shield attracts two camps. The first camp is looking for the least amount of bulk, but offer protection against scratches. The second camp is looking to get the maximum protection for their iPhone 3G and will probably bundle the Invisible Shield with a case. Both will find the Invisible Shield delivers on it's promise of protecting the iPhone 3G, while retaining the looks. When you put a stock iPhone 3G next to one with a Shield installed, it's hard to tell the difference. I also found the gummy feel of the Shield provided me with an improved grip on the iPhone 3G. At $24.95, it's a bit pricey, but they do offer a lifetime guarantees and there is a difference when compared to sub-$10 body skins. Zagg offers either the front or full-body options, but you cannot purchase just the back. It would be nice to see the company revise their product selection, as the back would easily be a best seller. If the Invisible Shield is part of your "ultimate iPhone 3G protection strategy" or you are simply looking for bulk-free protection, it's hard to beat the Invisible Shield.

I found myself using this case less as a true holster case and more as a pouch case. The design elements on the exterior of the case aren't necessary and I would have preferred that Belkin simply use a simple design. Overall, it's a good looking case. Since it's top loading case, the top portion of the iPhone is not protected. I learned this the hard way, when my iPhone was dropped and sustained a few minor scratches. The inside of the case has a soft lining, which is important as you'll have to remove the iPhone each time you receive a call or go to use your device.



I purchased this case when the iPhone was just released and it was my primary protection for a number of months. The build quality is good and the case performed well with heavy usage.



I found the fit to be perfect. With some pouch cases, you might be concerned that your iPhone will slip out if turned upside down. This is certainly not the case, which gives the end user a comfort level when carrying the iPhone in the Belkin Holster Case.



Usability is a mixed bag. When using a case that covers the screen, you have to remove your iPhone to see alerts. This is not due to the Belkin Case in particular, but pouch cases in general. The mesh at the bottom of the case made it easy to push the iPhone out of the case. Given the secure fit, I found the mesh to be a nice feature.



If you are looking for a true holster, you might be better off looking for a pure holster versus a pouch case. As a pouch case, the Belkin performs well, but be prepared to remove the iPhone during calls, etc. The build quality and fit make this a good solid case for the iPhone.