DORENITA is a great phone holder and charger for your mobile phone

With the new hands-free driving law that went into effect earlier this year, I was looking for a new phone mount that doubles as a phone charger for the newer wireless (qi-compatible) phones. I had the chance to test out a wireless charger car mount from DORENITA and it has proven to be reliable, flexible and has withstood the bumps and windy roads here in New England.

What I really like about the car mount is that you can attach it to your windshield, but then it telescopes quite far (just around 7.5 inches!) and can fit perfectly out of the way while still swiveling up to 270 degrees and then locking in place. If you'd rather mount it to an air vent, there is an included mount that is encased in silicone which allows it to grip to your car's air vent better than any car mount I've seen.

There are two buttons on the side which clamps the phone securely to the holder and will also release the phone for removal.

If you're looking for a car mount that is fully compatible with the recent generations of Apple and Samsung smartphones, this would be the one to get! For more information you can check them out on Amazon where the phone is currently on sale for $39.99 as of this writing.

NOTE: We were provided with a sample of the case to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided.

LifeProof Fre case for iPhone 6s Plus

We got the LifeProof Fre case for iPhone 6s Plus to try out and wow, it’s great. I tried the iPhone 6 Plus when it first came out but when I saw that LifeProof only came out with the Nüüd case line for the plus phones I tried it and it just felt too big for me, so I returned the phone and the case. I told myself if and when LifeProof comes out with a Fre case for the Plus series of phones, I would jump on it immediately and there you have it!

We got the case to try and sure enough it lived up to the usual lLifeProof “truths” of being a durable case. We’ve had the pleasure of testing out LifeProof cases since they were released with the iPhone 4/4s and it’s been really neat to see the progression of case technology.

You still need the usual headphone adapter in order to use non-Apple brand headphones with the case but other than that this is a really slim way to protect your iPhone if you’re clumsy and accident prone (or if you are a parent and your child gets a hold of your phone)!

We started by putting the EMPTY case through the usual water test which they recommend you assemble the case without the phone and submerge it in water for 30 minutes to ensure the case is waterproof when it arrives to you. While LifeProof tests every case before they package it, they always recommend you do the test yourself so you have a baseline and know that the case is watertight for yourself.

Once the test was done, I put my phone inside and it’s been nice and protected ever since from multiple drops, liquid, etc. My favorite thing to do is to take my phone out in the nasty weather when my case is fully closed knowing that I can take photos and video without fear of my phone being exposed to the elements.

We also had the chance to review some of their new LifeActiv quickmount accessories like the bike mount and the car mount. The quickmount adapter allows you to adhere it to your phone once and then you can put it in any LifeActiv compatible mount which features a secure setting but also allows for a quick release if you need it or an optional locking mechanism for it to be fully secured to the base.

Note: We were provided with a case for review purposes. There was no promise of a positive review. All opinions are our own.

LifeProof Fre for iPhone 6

So I've had the iPhone 6 for a few months now and have been lucky enough to be one of the first folks to try out the new LifeProof Fre for iPhone 6. Like it's predecessors, this awesome case protects against the four "proofs": snow, dust, water, drops.

I think this case is a perfect fit for families and those of us who live where the weather may be unpredictable. I have found that this case is great since my 4 year old daughter can take it and I don't have to worry about if she drops it or if it goes for a swim, since it's fully protected. 

The really nice feature is that the engineers have managed to keep the case super-slim (0.44" high!) and you have a built-in screen protector so you don't need to worry about the glass getting scratched!

Like the LifeProof cases for iPhone 5s, there is complete protection for the TouchID sensor and all ports/buttons.

Otterbox Defender Series Review

I had the chance to review the Otterbox Defender Series for iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s this past fall and am excited to say that this case lived up to all of my expectations! First off, the nice folks at Otterbox sent me a defender series case with a Red Sox logo (yes, they make them customized with the Major League Baseball logos). What was really nice was that I had the case as the Red Sox led up to their World Series win... Being from Boston, that was extra special and who knows if it helped a little ;)

 It provides the safety, ruggedness and security that Otterbox is known for. I was able to use it under various conditions here in New England, rain, snow, and sleet and found that while it isn't waterproof, it held up to the usual drops, tumbles and accidents one can expect. I even had the unfortunate experience of accidentally dropping it on a parking lot asphalt in the rain and it was fine (luckily it didn't get wet). Honestly, my heart skipped a few beats ;)

I think this phone case is great for parents since it provides added heft to the phone so that you can pass it to your kids in confidence without worrying if they drop it. Again, it isn't waterproof so if you're really concerned about liquid and spills, you may want to look elsewhere…

PROS

Rugged, durable, secure. Also, it comes with a belt clip as an accessory which has been a separate accessory with other cases so that's a nice touch.

CONS

Not waterproof… The only thing negative I could say about this case is that after you remove the rubber casing a few times, it may seem to get a little loose around the bottom. Other than that, it's a great case for every day use!