Monaco Aluminum case pictures
- Thread starter rleonard
- Start date
HeroNova
Member
I had a bad experience with the Monaco aluminum case when I purchased it for my blackberry. It was a good idea in theory, but to make a long story short I go into three major flaws I found with it.
1. I had it for the Storm and you could not use the touch screen through the screen protector, you had to open the door regardless. Did not say that on the website.
2. The latch that held the door closed was never really secure. My Storm fell out about 3 times in the two days that I tried to use it. Once was real bad because the case was on my belt and I bumped into my desk, which opened the latch and send my storm sliding across the room on a wood floor.
3. When I wanted to return the case after only two days. They initially refused to give me my money back. After explaining to them why I was returning it, they said they can only give me some of my money back. I think at the time it was 49.99 and they gave me 19.99 back and I had to pay for the return shipping. I'm not the fighting with customer service type so I guess I just got screwed with that, but just thought I'd give a fair warning.
It was about a year ago, maybe a little over, so maybe they improved their product and CS by now.
1. I had it for the Storm and you could not use the touch screen through the screen protector, you had to open the door regardless. Did not say that on the website.
2. The latch that held the door closed was never really secure. My Storm fell out about 3 times in the two days that I tried to use it. Once was real bad because the case was on my belt and I bumped into my desk, which opened the latch and send my storm sliding across the room on a wood floor.
3. When I wanted to return the case after only two days. They initially refused to give me my money back. After explaining to them why I was returning it, they said they can only give me some of my money back. I think at the time it was 49.99 and they gave me 19.99 back and I had to pay for the return shipping. I'm not the fighting with customer service type so I guess I just got screwed with that, but just thought I'd give a fair warning.
It was about a year ago, maybe a little over, so maybe they improved their product and CS by now.
xliderider
Active Member
Yep, I wonder about that as well. It's called the Faraday effect, and is the exact reason why Motorola had to design the Droid with the distinctive chin at the bottom, so the antenna isn't completely surrounded by the aluminum housing.
vtrider159
Member
I have one of these ordered, sorry to hear about the flaws and experience. If this thing isn;t very strong, I'll return it or just scrap it, but maybe it'll be better in terms of the latch staying closed.
I find it annoying that people can't find a good metal or highly protective case for this thing, either they are cheap plastic snap ons or ill fitting rubber etc.
I also have a leather top case on order to use when I'm not at work. as long as this case can save the phone from hard drops and stay closed I'm fine.
I find it annoying that people can't find a good metal or highly protective case for this thing, either they are cheap plastic snap ons or ill fitting rubber etc.
I also have a leather top case on order to use when I'm not at work. as long as this case can save the phone from hard drops and stay closed I'm fine.
I just received mine last night. im happy with it. the fit and finish is better than i expected.
as for interfering with reception, if i look at the phones signal meter, in my house it goes from -90db to -99db. in or out of the case, the phone has 3 bars. it makes calls and does full data with out any problems that i have noticed so far.
as for interfering with reception, if i look at the phones signal meter, in my house it goes from -90db to -99db. in or out of the case, the phone has 3 bars. it makes calls and does full data with out any problems that i have noticed so far.
vtrider159
Member
Thanks for the update. I'll use the case at work mostly, so having reception while in the case is good, I don't need it at the best signal all the time and my area always has great verizon reception. I'm going to use the case mainly for drop protection on the job.
naman919
Member
anyone drill the mic hole yet?
vtrider159
Member
Where exactly is this 'mic hole' people here speak of? The case looks to have the right specs.
naman919
Member
There is a second, noise-cancelling mic on the back of the droid. It's almost impossible to see the slit in the case, but this picture helps:
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...slide-out-keyboard-feature-19.html#post179897
Here's the physical location:
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...-2nd-noise-cancellation-mic-4.html#post177720
vtrider159
Member
That's not an issue for me, the first pic in the first post doesn't even look important to have uncovered. That isn't worth putting a hole in a case for IMO, if it was crucial, the case makers would have had a slot for it.
Thanks for the link though, appreciated.
Thanks for the link though, appreciated.
naman919
Member
The case makers don't realize it's there.
Look at Siedio's line of cases. they did a whole run and then realized that 2nd mic was there. Then they redesigned the case to include it.
it is crucial.
vtrider159
Member
I checked them out when shopping for cases and the metal one suits me better for work because dropped phones in anything but metal cases or otterbox style cases end up as broken plastic shrapnel, I'll take a cut in reception since I use speakerphone many times anyway.
naman919
Member
*sigh*
This case is aluminum, and as the OP states, it will dent when dropped from a good height.
Realistically the worst drops i've ever had happen with a little forced behind them too; trying to grasp the phone resulting in me slapping it away, or if i have brushed the phone off my lap or table on accident.
This is definitely not equivalent to an otterbox.
Also, the 2nd mic is for noise cancelling. Using the speakerphone has no relation to it. you're still talking into the mic(s). people have reported echoing effects when the 2nd mic is covered.
JMHO. do what you want, but that looks like a rip off. I've read bad things about this case.
EDIT: also, unless you go with some ebay cases, most of them (OEM, Verizon, Seidio..etc) are a rubberized hard plastic. They don't "shatter".
This case is aluminum, and as the OP states, it will dent when dropped from a good height.
Realistically the worst drops i've ever had happen with a little forced behind them too; trying to grasp the phone resulting in me slapping it away, or if i have brushed the phone off my lap or table on accident.
This is definitely not equivalent to an otterbox.
Also, the 2nd mic is for noise cancelling. Using the speakerphone has no relation to it. you're still talking into the mic(s). people have reported echoing effects when the 2nd mic is covered.
JMHO. do what you want, but that looks like a rip off. I've read bad things about this case.
EDIT: also, unless you go with some ebay cases, most of them (OEM, Verizon, Seidio..etc) are a rubberized hard plastic. They don't "shatter".
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I got the Body Glove hard case at the Verizon store, very happy with it. Only drawbacks are that its a little on the thick side, and you can't take the phone out to use the media dock. But it provides great protection, I dropped my Droid edge-on from about 4 or 5 feet, it survived. That being said, this aluminum case looks nice, I like how it will keep the keyboard from sliding open (I never use the keyboard). I'd use the dock most nights if I could remove the case. Also, it's very thin. I don't think it will protect as well as the rubber coated plastic Body Glove case I have now though. Its a tough call, but I'll hold off for now I think.
