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I'm getting a Samsung Fascinate, and I'm not sure if these are scams, or things really worth investing in. I would like to avoid a case if possible, just because of the size increase, but I will get one if it is really necessary. As for screen protectors, I'm worried that they'll make the display less clear and responsive. Is this the case? And if I don't use one, how likely is it that the screen will become damaged?

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This is a rather open-ended question. How will you choose a "correct" answer? One person says it's important; another does not. How do you choose? This is also more-or-less a shopping recommendation. On both counts this isn't really something we want to encourage here. Please read the FAQ. – Al Everett Jan 30 '11 at 19:50
@Al: I apologize--I read your comment here ("...However, a discussion about what makes a good screen protector and which products meet those needs would be okay.") and I figured it would be ok. If I remove the last paragraph about trustworthy brands, would it be more appropriate? – Matthew Jan 30 '11 at 19:58
Well, things change. I'm not sure that that advice holds any more. In any event, yes, a more generic question would be more "keepable". – Al Everett Jan 31 '11 at 13:55
See the links on this previous answer android.stackexchange.com/questions/2756/… there's videos there of people shooting Galaxy S screens, attacking them with biros and scalpels and deliberately dropping them on road surfaces face down, you're going to have trouble doing that amount of damage accidentally. – GAThrawn Jan 31 '11 at 15:58

closed as not constructive by Al Everett, roxan, Bryan Denny 2 days ago

As it currently stands, this question is not a good fit for our Q&A format. We expect answers to be supported by facts, references, or specific expertise, but this question will likely solicit debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion. If you feel that this question can be improved and possibly reopened, see the FAQ for guidance.

5 Answers

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It might not be of dire importance, but I feel better having a screen protector on my Fascinate. I've watched minor scratches vanish within a day or two. Because I carry my phone in my front pocket with keys and everything else, a case is a must.

I'd buy another Zagg Invisible Shield in a heartbeat. It doesn't degrade the screen, the colors or the touch sensitivity. Minor scratches really do seem to smooth out and "heal," and I've never had any major scratches. Just take your time with the application and when it dries, you can barely tell it's there.

With the Fascinate's display in sleep mode, the Zagg Invisible Shield is only barely noticeable. With the display on, it all but disappears. (The photo is blurry, not the screen.)

About the only thing is the screen doesn't have that immaculate, showroom-floor sheen anymore. In sleep mode with the display off, if you focus on them, you can see slight, uniform pores in the surface. With the display on, they vanish.

My girlfriend and I got the buy-one-get-one deal the day the Fascinates were released back in September. I put them on that week and neither one has peeled since.

There weren't many custom cases available at the time we bought ours. I went with a generic Verizon fastening case that has served me well despite its bulk. Easy enough to slip in and out when I need to tinker with my gadget.

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Speaking as a Galaxy S owner, you don't need a case. The top layer of the screen is Gorilla Glass (read about its awesomeness at PCMag). I've had my phone 6 months and, despite my lack of any carefulness, there are no scratches at all.

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When you say no scratches, do you mean that there are no obvious scratches, or are there literally no tiny scuff-marks at all? – Matthew Jan 30 '11 at 19:30
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Literally none. Thought I found one for a sec but it wiped away ;) – Matthew Read Jan 30 '11 at 22:41
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I concur with Matthew Read, I have a rubber case around the phone, but nothing over the screen. While I have never dropped my phone, i do keep it in my pocket, along with a lighter, sometimes keys, etc. and I do not have the slightest bit of nicks or anything on the screen. – Ryan Conrad Jan 31 '11 at 0:25
I'm with @Matthew Read, had a Galaxy S for about 6 months, never had anything covering the screen, not a mark on it even though I normally keep it in my trouser pocket along with whatever coins, keys, etc I carry. I've got a rubber case that covers the back and sides, mainly to give the smooth case a bit more grip, also my case has a ridge around the camera lens hole, which hopefully helps stop that being scratched (no scratches yet). – GAThrawn Jan 31 '11 at 15:53
Gorilla Glass is not plastic - its real glass. Its made in a particular way, developed 50 years ago and only now finding an application! – gbjbaanb Mar 10 '11 at 23:15
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Personally, the only case I use for my Droid1 is a belt clip case to carry my phone with me. I don't use any case that wraps around the phone itself, nor do I use a screen protector.

The only thing a screen protector is going to protect you from is scratches. You can easily prevent this yourself if you don't put your phone in the same pocket as your keys. :) IF you drop your phone on a hard surface (pavement), I doubt a screen protector is going to help much as it the fall will most likely crack the glass of the phone. Additionally, a case that wraps around the phone isn't going to help a lot with dropping a phone pavement either, especially if it lands on the screen.

If you think you can handle your phone with great care, then I wouldn't bother with a case. But accidents are bound to happen, so it might be a smarter move to have some sort of accidental insurance on your phone instead.

The answers you are going to receive are going to be subjective, so I'm sure some others will highly recommend a case. :)

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For me, a screen protector doesn’t degrade the screen clarity or make it less responsive. I doubt that the screen protector would provide much protection against dropping the phone, but it does provide the reassurance that the screen will not attract any small scratches.

I’m not sure whether you are making a distinction between a cover and a case. A cover wraps around the phone and adds very little to the size of the phone. For me, a cover provides some reassurance that the phone is protected against minor damage, but it is unlikely to help if the phone is dropped onto a hard surface. The other benefit of a cover (or a range of covers) is that you can change the colour of the phone according to your mood, by changing covers.

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Since your question is so open-ended I'm just going to throw my 2 cents in..

In my cell-phone user life, I have never used a screen protector or a case for any considerable length of time. I've owned many cell phones from the old days of the bricks to the nexus one today with many more in-between and never have I found the case really useful. I also found screen protectors to be more or less annoying (depending on brand and quality). The reality is that this is mostly a preference and if you enjoy the "peace of mind" and the looks of a particular case then sure.. go ahead, there's nothing wrong with that. But if like me, you enjoy having a phone that looks and feels like an original product and a screen that looks its' best then go naked.. ;)

I should also mention that I'm not a neat freak and I don't go out of my way to ensure I don't scratch or drop my phones but without being completely careless and irresponsible.. After all, high-end cell phones are expensive products.

In the end, trust your instinct!

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