Moto Z2 Force - Keeping the screen scratch free - Sprint Product Ambassadors

A lot has been written about how durable the Moto Z2 Force screen is - and I've really enjoyed the durability of the phone.  It's the first phone I haven't felt I needed a case for, and it's been dropped the usual amount of times on concrete, hardwood and more with no damage.  However, the screen isn't scratch proof due to the shatter-resistant build.  How do I keep it from getting scuffed and scratched?

Simple!  I put a tempered glass screen protector on it from Illumishield.  They offer a hard glass screen cover that directly fits the Moto Z2 Force, providing scratch protection and a fingerprint resistant cover for the screen.  Now, this isn't a recommendation for any specific brand; they were just the first ones I found on Amazon that claimed to support the brand new Z2 Force. 

The screen on the Z2 force is made from a layered glass and polycarbonate composition, the exact nature of which is secret to only Motorola.  It's definitely shatterproof as I have dropped it from 4+ feet directly onto the screen on concrete.  But it's not as hard as the Gorilla Glass screens on other phones and keys or other things can leave scratches in the screen.  I've been quite careful to keep the phone in a pocket with nothing else hard - usually behind my leather wallet - but even so a few small marks were becoming visible.  So I ordered the tempered glass screen protector.


I've had less than stellar experiences with screen protectors, but the 0.3mm thick Illumishield has been an exception to the rule.  Installation is simple - just clean the screen well with the included alcohol wipe, peel off the sticky back, align the protector to the screen, making sure the small 'U' (shown) lines up with the home button, and drop it in place.

Once you drop it in place, start pressing firmly with the microfiber cloth from the center out to remove any air bubbles and adhere the protector to the screen.  You won't get all the bubbles out at first, but after a day in your pocket the heat and pressure will force the air out leaving a perfectly clear and smooth surface.  A word of warning - do not use anything hard to try to push the bubbles out.  As you get close to the edge you can (and will) crack the glass protector.  Trust me.  I'm glad there were three screen protectors in the package; the first one didn't survive my ham-handed installation where I tried to use the back end of a permanent marker to push out the bubbles.

Screen responsiveness and touch have not been impacted with the screen protector on, and after several weeks there's no sign that the tempered glass will peel up or come loose.  I'm quite satisfied with the Illumishield protector and recommend it highly.

- Will England

Disclaimer:
       The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Moto E4 Plus - Introduction from Sprint Product Ambassadors

These days 'entry level' or 'midrange' smartphones are better than the top of the line phones from just 2 years ago.  The Moto e4 Plus is a great example of that! Fast charging, quad core processor, 2GB ram, well, lets look and find out more!

The 5.5" large screen Moto e4 Plus offers a large screen at 1200x720px resolution, a 5,000 mAh battery, good for up to 2 days use, quick charge, and all the latest improvements in smartphones.  With a 12 megapixel rear camera and a 5 megapixel front camera this 'midrange' phone outstrips many premium phones of just a few years ago.  It supports all the latest radio bands too for fast data speeds, and offers the newest Bluetooth standards for pairing with your car or headset.  Still have a wired headset?  No worries - the e4Plus still comes with a headphone jack!  

The body is made of metal with a slightly curved glass front for appealing aesthetics.  The phone, while not waterproof, has a nano coating to allow for splash resistance.  Don't submerge it, but if you get caught in the rain you're not going to fry your new phone.  Offering a single loudspeaker and dual microphones, it should provide good sound clarity and quality - up to 84dB according to Motorolas specifications.   The phone comes in a gold tone or flat grey color to match your personality.

At this price point a few things have been left out - a QHD display is missing as is NFC, so no Android Pay is available on this phone.  But with the great specifications, quad core Qualcomm chip and multi-day battery, I think it's going to be a winner for anyone going for a solid Android phone without breaking the bank.

Will England 

The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Painting Wallpaper

A friend of mine recalls her challenges in painting over wallpaper - https://brownbungalow.wordpress.com/2017/09/04/just-paint-over-the-wallpaper/