Review: Proporta Screen Protector and Sync-Charge Cradle for Nokia N97 mini

I wrote my review of the N97 mini back in early December and still think it is one of the best Nokia smartphones available today. It is a S60 5th Edition device built as stout as an Eseries device. Even though I have been trying out some of the newer smartphones for my ZDNet blog, I do keep the N97 mini close at hand for apps and rock solid performance. Proporta reached out to me to see if I wanted to evaluate a couple of accessories for the N97 mini and they ended up sending along an Advanced Screen Protector and USB Sync-Charge Cradle. Let’s take a look at my thoughts on these two accessories with an image gallery of both following my writing.

Advanced Screen Protector

I switch devices almost as often as fast as I change my underwear and thus the first thing I do with my devices is purchase and install screen protectors on them. This way, my device displays remain in mint condition so they retain their resale value when I decide to switch to another device and so I can throw my device in my pocket without worrying about scratching. I was curious to see how much of the front of the N97 mini the Proporta Advanced Screen Protector would cover since the BodyGuardz I installed on my N97 covered the entire front with openings for the buttons, camera, and proximity sensor. The Proporta protector covers just the display area itself, which is really the most important part to protect.

Inside the slim packaging you will find the screen protector, fiber cleaning cloth, bubble removal/application card, and directions on the inside of the packaging. There are only three steps to installing the Proporta Advanced Screen Protector and unlike some recent skins I have tried there is no liquid used or drying period. You simply peel off the backing with the yellow tab and slowly place the protector on the N97 mini as you then slide the protector on and continue peeling back the covering. I was able to clean the display and install the protector within less than a couple of minutes.

I understand that Proporta uses some kind of adhesive material to secure the protector to the display, but it doesn’t leave any residue or anything and can actually be washed and reused if needed.

I am seeing no impact on the clarity of the display and it actually reduces glare from sunlight and bright indoor lighting a bit too and I prefer it over the glossy finish the device already has. It does give a slightly rougher feel to the display, but nothing that affects the usability of the device. It is supposed to improve the “feel” during stylus use, but I have never used a stylus on the N97 mini so that is not a benefit I personally care about.

The Proporta Advanced Screen Protector sells for just $6.95 and if you are looking for a way to protect your display, then this is a good product to consider.

Ratings (out of 5) Value: 4.5 Ease of Use: 5 Quality: 5 Overall: 4.5/5

Pros Offers durable protection Easy to install and reusable Fairly low price Cons Doesn’t cover the entire N97 mini front

Proporta Mini USB Sync-Charge Cradle

I recently read an article about cradles for smartphones and with more and more devices lying on old mousepads on my desk I admit I do miss having a cradle to rest the devices on when not in use. Google has the Nexus One cradle, but there are very few that actually come with or have cradle options. Proporta solves this with their 3rd party options and sent along the Propota Mini USB Sync-Charge Cradle for me to evaluate.

The USB Sync-Charge Cradle comes in a retail box just with the cradle an no extra cables or AC power supply. You are expected to have your own power supply (I think it uses a standard old school Nokia charger, but all I have now is the smaller 2mm variant). You can also use a miniUSB cable to connect to your computer or wall outlet to provide power to the cradle and that is how I tested out the unit. Ports for these two power sources are found on the back of the cradle. There are four soft felt pieces on the bottom corners of the cradle to protect your desktop.

On the front of the cradle you will see a small switch to choose between Sync and Charge. You may think that you can just place your N97 mini on the cradle and have it connected to sync and charge, but then you would be wrong. You see, you need to use the short (approximately 4 inches) cable with the microUSB end to connect to your N97 mini.

The N97 mini slides into the clear plastic guide piece mounted on the top of the cradle and it holds it quite securely. The cradle is also weighted so that it doesn’t tip when the N97 mini is cradled. A Blue LED, on the bottom left located next to a flash icon, is present on the cradle and lights up when power is supplied to the cradle.

When in Charge mode your N97 mini will just charge and will not require you to even make a selection on your device. If you have the cradle in Sync mode then the pop-up appears on your N97 mini for PC Suite, Mass storage, Image transfer, and Media Transfer options. You cannot switch the front button between modes and have the N97 mini switch to the other option unless you unplug and then plug back in the microUSB cable. BTW, the microUSB connection cable lays down into a groove on the top of the cradle and stays secure.

The Proporta Mini USB Sync-Charge Cradle sells for $20.95, which seems like a fairly reasonable price for a solid cradle. I like having my device in a cradle since it offers a secure method of keeping my device safe and sound on a desk.

Ratings (out of 5) Features: 4 Build Quality: 5 Overall: 4.5/5

Pros High quality, stable cradle microUSB cable secures well Cons Limited to N97 mini only No AC power source provided

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