Regardless of whether you love or hate Apple, admire or resent them, or in just plain terms; plain don’t care about the company, no-one can deny that they consistently churn out beautiful products. The design ethos isn’t all about the product itself though, if you ever take the time to review the packaging that your new iPhone, Apple TV or iPod Shuffle comes in, you’ll notice that it is just ‘right’. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I have purchased a product from a different manufacturer only for it to be delivered in a mammoth box which is stuffed with protective bubble wrap, then to find that the product inside is swamped by free and unused space.
With that in mind, I think it is fair to say that Apple puts a lot of thought into the entire process which is evident not only in the beautiful products they make, but also the packaging and the consistent design and layout of each of their Apple Retail Stores around the world. As elegant and eye-catching products like the iPhone and iPad are, there is always a part of us which craves the ability to customize our products and give them a little unique touch which represents our personality in some way. Our need to tinker and change is what makes things like protective skins, cases and covers such a popular additional purchase.
The competition is tough in the iDevice accessories market, with a number of large companies competing against a selection of smaller independent retailers for the limited business which exists. One of the newest kids on the block is a range of protective skins known simply as ‘RAZORIA’, which in itself invokes a sense of theatre, but when you dig deeper into this range, you realize that it has previous pedigree and embodies the proverbial phoenix from the flames rise to glory. The RAZORIA range of skins was previously available under the iSKINZA moniker at the back end of 2010, but due to unforeseen circumstances had to withdraw the products. If this was a live news reading, then you would hear the loud drum roll as RAZORIA makes it triumphant return to the community with a renewed sense of vigor and purpose, providing a range of quality protective skins for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
Now that the historical introduction is out of the way, we can move onto the important part, which is the product itself. As mentioned above, the RAZORIA range is available for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices and comes with a range of choices depending on which color variation you require, and what device it is actually for. The review units which were sent to me were the FOLZI iPad 2 Vinyl Skin and the ZUMOKI iPhone 4S Skin. The skins themselves are manufactured from 3M Controltac Vinyl material which guarantees quality and strength and I am pretty sure this is the standard material for protective skin production across the industry due to its amazing tension and malleable properties. Each skin is made up of three layers with the first being a backing film, the second the actual vinyl adhesive and the third the protective layer which features an anti-UV and anti-scratch coating.
The quality of a product is irrelevant, if when it arrives at your door, it is battered beyond use. Thankfully, the team behind RAZORIA seem to follow in Apple’s footsteps when it comes to providing adequate, fit for purpose packaging. The skins arrived with recorded delivery meaning a signature was required and in a robust A4-sized cardboard envelope for maximum protection during transit. Inside of the envelope the actual skins themselves were additionally packaged inside a clear protective case giving an extra element of protection during transit, and were in perfect condition upon delivery. The first thing you notice when removing them from the packet is the sheer vibrancy of these vinyls. No-one could accuse the designers of being boring or mundane as all of the different skin variants are made up of bright, contrasting colors which bring the iDevice to life and will certainly ensure that you stand out from the crowd.
Along with the vinyl skins, the package contained two printed inserts which were printed upon quality, thick paper and look very professional. One of the cards gives clear and concise installation instructions on how to apply the RAZORIA skin to your device, while the other offers a 10% discount on the next order from www.razoria.com (this is likely to be a limited offer so don’t be upset if this does not come with your package). The simplicity and importance of including these two printed inserts should not be overlooked. The relatively little time it would take the owners to produce and print these cards will save countless users time and support emails asking for installation guidance and help.
Applying the skins to my device was a relatively painless task, with the vinyl being cut perfectly and peeling of the back cover without any issues. With previous skins I have purchased from other suppliers, I have unfortunately suffered from not being able to peel it off properly due to it not being cut effectively at the manufacturing stage. To apply the skin to an iPad 2 took me literally less than five minutes, and I have to admit it does bring the device to life. One of the added extras is that there is also a free of charge, matching wallpaper available for the skins which truly finishes off the product and makes your device look complete.
As much as I do like the RAZORIA Vinyl Skin product, there are just a few little niggling things which let it down for me. First of all, and I must concede that this might be my issue with my installation technique, but the rounded corners would just not sit right, causing a very annoying imperfection on the rear of my iPad 2. It isn’t immediately noticeable, and doesn’t look terrible, but I know it is there and something which I couldn’t seem to rectify it no matter how many times I tried. The second issue I have is the fact that the skins don’t have a cut on the rear for the Apple logo. I like the fact that the iDevices display the Apple branding on the back, and it is something that I have no wish to cover up. Protective skins from iCarbons for example make allowances for this and come with the place holder for the logo perfectly cut out.
All in all, the RAZORIA range of skins are a very accomplished and professional looking products for those who are looking to add a touch of glitz and glamour to their iDevice. With the added bonus of a free of charge matching wallpaper the vinyl skins from RAZORIA offer excellent value for money and start from as little as £7.00. You can view the whole range at the official Razoria website.
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