The Amano Phone Holder Grip by Bullz-i

Written by Young Jeohn

With Bullz-i's Amano, it's going to be difficult dropping your cellphone or tablet -even by accident- to an untimely, screen-cracked doom. How, you ask? In short, this accessory attaches to the back of your device, into which you slide your finger through the built-in metal loop. The uniqueness of its build is the 360 degree rotation of the ring enabling a portrait or landscape movement of the device in question. It's small, lightweight and just as importantly, re-usable in the event you upgrade your phone.

PHYSICAL BUILD AND QUALITY

It's made of aluminum and is surprisingly light and thin. It doesn't take up too much space in your pocket either, taking up the thickness of about two stacked quarters. The ring fits neatly "inside" the attachment when not in use and flips out easily. Designed to rotate 360 degrees, the mechanics seem to be fluid and built well - and in essense, won't break on you no matter how much you rotate it around (within reason of course). 

I wouldn't recommend attaching this to a curved surface since you want a nice, tight fit. With proper application and care, this product should last you years of continued use.

USAGE / INTERFACE / PERFORMANCE

The main function is to keep the device securely in your hand and prevent accidental dropage. To that end, it works well once it's properly attached and the ability to rotate is a great addition to that security. For smaller fingers like mine, it's hard to use for one handed operation because the space inside the ring is quite big. For one handed ops, accessories like these work better with tighter fit - you want it to be a part of your hand for ease of use, and the looser the fit, the harder it is to use comfortably. For example, while using it upside down in bed will prevent the phone from falling on your face, it won't be quite that easy reaching certain parts of the screen because you're constantly having to adjust your fingers due to the loose fit and free rotation of the ring. It might not be a problem for people with thicker fingers, but for the rest of us, two handed operation will be much more practical.

One thing to note is that there is no locking mechanism or stiffness in the ring of any kind. Since it doesn't "lock" into place, you're free to rotate the ring without resistance, but the flip side to this is that it also makes the ring a bit floppy - it can bounce shut if you flip it open too hard or fast. So you have to hold it at an angle to "open" first before you insert your finger. Just something to keep in mind.

On smaller devices like phones, it's possible to use the Amano as a kind of kickstand for when you're watching videos. It's a nice relief from having to hold the phone up with your hand so you can relax while watching something, and especially useful if you're sharing the screen so your hand doesn't obstruct the other person's view.

CONCLUSION

The Bullz-i Amano is a well made safety precaution for cellphones and tablets - and frankly, who among us wants to risk an accidental drop that might cost hundreds of dollars for a replacement? It's definitely worth considering for ease of use, peace of mind and as an additional "insurance policy". It's available on the Bullz-i website for US$29.95 (at time of writing).

For more information: http://www.bullz-i.com