verus

  • Verus case for iPhone 6 Plus gets the job done

    When it comes to the iPhone 6 Plus, relatively few case options were available at launch, especially for buyers with a long list of must-have requirements. As one of the TUAW staffers put it, companies who pride themselves on making the best and most resilient cases for the iPhone were in no position to guess those new iPhone dimensions in order to have design and manufacturing completed and new cases ready for launch day. I opted on the iPhone 6 Plus because it seemed the best compromise between tablet computing and an actual phone. I must say, it's lived up to that promise extremely well. It's beautiful to read on, even if it will never really match up the full iPad air experience, and it's just small enough that I can stick it in a handbag and chat on it. And thank heavens for speakerphone! I wanted a case to support reading, video, browsing, email, and games. The Verus wallet, which was retailing over at Amazon for under $20 (the price varies by seller and availability, and is currently selling closer to $40), seemed to offer the key features I needed: a protective front, a built-in stand, a clip-in protective body, and access to all key features even when closed. After spending hours hunting for a portfolio-style unit, I plunked down my credit card, crossed my fingers, and ordered. The case arrived a couple of weeks after the phones started shipping, and quite honestly, it does a pretty good job protecting my unit. The transparent plastic insert offers a great fit to the phone, and I have no problem accessing every button, toggle, and camera. That said, the portfolio materials aren't leather (didn't expect them to be). They're barely leatherette. A self-respecting Nauga would look amiss at the stitched-pleather quality, which quickly crinkled and bent at the edges, especially at the weakest part of the case, near the back-side camera. Other than that, I've had no damage issues or fraying. The built-in stand is pretty shoddy but it sort of gets the job done. This involves bending the back along its center line to stand the phone up in landscape orientation. As I use the case more and more, this bend point is getting weaker and weaker, so the phone, which started with a nice 135 degree tilt for movie viewing, often slips down closer to 160 degrees or so. There's no natural "catch" to keep it from sliding, so you either have to push it back or prop it up. I wasn't particularly interested in the built-in storage (a bills case suitable for US currency and three card slots) but they work just fine as long as you don't put too much stuff in them. A magnet pair keeps the case closed on the side (you can see these at the picture at the top of this post) and is probably one of my favorite features. The front panel folds back well for making calls. I'm not dissatisfied by the case, especially given its relatively low cost. It's doing a great job protecting my phone, and that's my first concern, especially since regularly I stick phones into bags along with keys, tools, and other gadget unfriendly items. For what it is, the Verus isn't an amazing case, but it's a decent one and will probably suit the needs of many other new iPhone 6 Plus owners.

  • UFC on Versus 3 will be in 3D March 3

    MMA should get its first 3D broadcast this week, as SportsBusinessDaily reports the UFC on Versus 3 event will be available in 3D. It seems fair to assume availability should match other Versus 3D events like the outdoor hockey game and Cal/Oregon college football so check your provider to see if it's on the schedule (Comcast, Cox, Verizon, Massillon Cable, Blue Ridge and Armstrong are confirmed so far) for March 3. As far as the quality, we're interested to see how the camera placement may be affected and if there's any difference in the out of the ring shots since there's a cage between the viewers and the fighters. Watching the HD broadcast? Versus has announced it will continue its technique of running some between-round ads in a PiP box while the broadcast of fighters coming to the ring continues on the rest of the screen.