Miscelleneous by stefan @ 2013-05-30
Brando Workshop has lots and lots of accessories available for the new Xperia Z, along with products for protecting our phone like thin plastic films, cases. In this presentation we will try to cover some of them.
At first we would like to thank Brando Workshop for sending some Sony Xperia Z accessories to do a small presentation.
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Features:
Luxurious Genuine leather
Magnetic closure
With belt clip
Perfect protection and highly durable
Stylish design
Thin, snug fit and lightweight
Designed for Sony Xperia Z
Features:
Removable and Reusable
Washable
Anti Scratch
Dust Prevention
Incredibly clear
Strong Protection
Easy to use
Better Writing
Size:
67.4mm x 134.7mm
Features :
Removable and Reusable
Washable
Anti Scratch
Dust Prevention
Anti Light Reflection
Better Writting
Size:
67.4mm x 134.7mm
Features:
MHL Standard
HDMI and DVI 1.0 transmitter compatibility
The bridge converts data received in the MHL format to standard HDMI, and supports all resolutions between 25-75MHz
HD displays up to 1920 x 1080i
The Leather Case from Brando made especially for the Xperia Z mobile phone is shipped inside a simple cardboard box, with a golden logo on the top side:
If we look carefully on the side, we will find the case type printed on a small sticker:
Inside the box we will find besides the case a belt mounting mechanism:
Unlike the Noreve Tradition case we have just reviewed, this one opens like a book, and is held secure with magnetic force:
On the back side of the case we will see the small cut-out for the camera and flash, along with the hole for mounting the belt clip mechanism:
The case can be opened with ease and the leather design is identical on both sides:
The top cover also comes with a Brando logo imprinted:
Here are some views of the mounting clips on all sides:
Right Side
Bottom Side
Left Side
The phone can be installed inside the case by simply sliding it from top to bottom:
Again, let’s look how the phone looks like inside the Brando Workshop case:
Bottom
Right Side
Top Side
Left Side
Both bottom and top covers of the case are noticeably thicker than the Noreve Tradition, but what we did not like in particular was the fact that the holding clips on the sides are a little bit too rigid, at least on the first use and they seem to lift up the screen protector in the same area.
The belt clip mechanism is made from two main components, one which must be installed to the back of the case:
The circular component must be properly secured, in order not to have unpleasant incidents like the phone falling off:
The assembly can be mounted to the plastic belt clip in a couple of seconds; a “click” sound should be heard and the case will be secured:
In order to remove the case from the belt clip, we will have to press on the top black plastic button:
That button will retract the small foot which holds the circular piece secured:
Brando has available quite a few screen protectors at the moment, made from either glass or plastic; the plastic ones come in Ultra-Clear and Anti-Glare versions. These are carefully packed in cardboard envelopes and sealed in transparent plastic bags:
The mounting instructions can be found on the back and are no different to the ones we have seen at regular models that are shipped along with cases:
Besides the screen, we won’t receive any additional accessories like the squeegee for removing the initial air bubbles or a soft cleaning cloth. Also, each package only features the frontal screen protection and no extra one for the back side of the phone:
The MHL cable which Brando sells comes in a sealed anti-static bag and is compatible with most Android phones:
On one side of the cable we will see the USB cable and the other houses the adapter with HDMI output:
On the back side of the adapter, we will see different ratings for the input and output:
After plugging both ends of the adapter, we also have to connect the power adapter to the USB charge port:
Let’s take a final look at the products we have just presented. The Brando Workshop Leather Case (Side Open) looks decent, comes with an easy to open system and a handy belt clip mechanism. However, we won’t see a tight, near perfect fit as we did on the Noreve case and the bottom side of the phone is not fully covered.
The screen protectors are of good quality, but they are shipped with no extra bundle, so we will have to get ourselves a squeegee and a soft cloth for performing an optimal installation. For some extra money, we would have preferred to get an extra screen for the back side of the phone, which is also made from glass.
The MHL cable works quite well; after plugging in the power adapter USB connector into the charging port, the accessory was detected right away by the phone. To test it, we have ran some video clips, which ran flawlessly and also navigated the web with ease. However, we had some issues when playing games which were shown on the TV with a noticeable lower framerate than on the Xperia Z display; on XDA forums people reported the same issue with other compatible MHL cables too, so we are unsure if this is a hardware or software issue of the phone itself.
Regarding the selling prices, Brando always provides good deals; the Ultra-Clear Screen protector can be found for about $13 and the Anti-Glare for about $10. Also, the Brando Side Open Leather Case is available for about $28 and the MHL cable $19.5. Since we have received the samples, a lot of other accessories have appeared on the website like Glass protectors, themed polycarbonate cases, external batteries, various cables and so on.
We would like to thank Brando again for making this review possible!