With the appearance of phones with larger screens and increasingly high defintion cameras appearing on the market, the need to protect the exposed regions of the screen and the lenses of the cameras is becoming increasingly important. Not only are scratches unsightly, scratches to the screen can make text difficult to read and scratches to camera lenses make the purpose of the high definition camera pointless. Obviously the drawback of just using screen protectors is that if you drop your phone it is only the screen and camera lenses that are protected, whereas with a full case there is protection for the whole phone.
Martin Fields Overlay Plus screen protectors are highly recommended by many end users on various forums and I decided to test the screen protector for myself, having recently purchased an Nokia N95 8GB, which although nicely designed, has a large screen and an easily damaged Carl Zeiss lens(The kit for the N95 includes protection for the main screen, the cameras and the camera flash).
First things first, the screen protector for the N95 retails for around £7 (Available from expansys UK), which is not a large expenditure for the protection of such a valuable item. Unlike some cheaper screen protectors, the packaging is of good quality and actually includes instructions (including cleaning, reuse and application) and links to videos of the aforementioned.
The screen protector itself has good adhesive properties to the screen, there is no slippage at all and the material appears to be very tough (it does not deform easily). When applied, there is no obvious difference to the thickness of the screen and it is indeed difficult to tell whether there is actually a screen protector installed, enhanced due to the precision fit of the screen protector to the screen (0.2mm thickness). The same can be said for all of the camera lenses protectors.
The reflection on the screen from ambient lighting conditions is reduced by the screen protector making text easier to read in high light conditions, and the protector also blocks 99% UV light (The UV filters reduce the strain on your eyes by blocking 99% of ultraviolet rays radiated from the LCD screen.)
The addition of the protector to the camera lens does not appear to affect the quality of the image (see above image). As can be seen from the image to the left, the lens protector does not really affect the quality of the camera significantly.
All in all I would recommend the Martin Fields Overlay Plus screen protector for its small impact on the overall appearance of the phone and functions but strong protection for the screen and camera, and also for the small price tag for something that can be reused over and over with relative ease.
For more useful articles and product reviews visit Computer Takeaway.
By: James Youell
Posts Tagged ‘End Users’
Mobile and PDA – Martin Fields Overlay Plus
March 6th, 2010Why Develop Mobile Database Applications?
November 27th, 2009
Mobile database applications are an effective way to streamline business processes and ensure that end users always have access to the critical corporate information they need to do their jobs. Although large enterprises tend to be the ones that invest most heavily in mobility, smaller businesses can also benefit from mobilizing their data.
“Mobile” is Not the Same as “Online”
Some people equate “mobile” to “online”, but they’re not the same thing. Online applications require a consistent and dependable network connection to an external server. Browser-based applications are the classic examples of online applications.
A truly mobile application, however, is an application that continues to work even when network connectivity is lost, unlike an online application. Being “disconnected” from the network does not stop the application dead in its tracks. This is an important feature for many users. Many mobile workers move in and out of network coverage on a regular basis while doing their jobs but need information to be “always available”. Online solutions don’t work well for these kinds of workers.
Local Data = Speed and Convenience
Mobile applications work best when they include some kind of local data store. By keeping important data local to the device, the user is insulated from network connectivity problems. Data operations are faster (no network lag) and can occur at any time. This results in a much better and less frustrating experience for the user.
Of course, using a local data store makes the design and implementation of the mobile application more complex. Even if the application works standalone, without the network, eventually some kind of data exchange must occur between the local data store and one or more external servers. Depending on the design of the application, keeping track of changes and dealing with potential conflicts can be quite challenging to manage. Mobile database applications often take longer and more skill to develop than their online-only equivalents because of this.
Saving on Network Costs
Besides offering a better user experience, mobile database applications can also yield significant savings in network costs. Data costs on mobile networks can be surprisingly high when using online applications, especially browser-based applications. The continuous back-and-forth between the device and the servers hosting the application racks up network charges quite quickly. A well-designed mobile application, on the other hand, requires only minimal use of the network by exchanging changes to data instead of entire data sets.
While the upfront costs of developing mobile database applications are typically higher than online applications, the savings on network costs can be quite substantial and make these applications must more cost-effective than their online equivalents. It’s certainly something to consider the next time you develop or purchase a mobile application.
By: Eric Giguere
