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Well, since it's taking so long for both Asus and 3rd parties to come with accessories for the transformer, I decided to take advantage of some foamcore scraps I had, and made me a "dock" for videochat, video watching and gaming. I say it's a "dock" because it is simply a bunch of foamcore boards, paper and glue (I'll probably seal it, sandpaper it, and paint it)
Right now, it's very handy, for using the tablet without having to hold it. It's angled, at a very confty angle, and doesn't get in the way (the keyboard dock, while awesome, gets in the way)
I had the images in my Dropbox gallery, but had to attach them because I'm a new user though a long time lurker. The good thing about putting them in the dropbox would be that I could add and update the pics at any time, without having to come back to the post, and edit it. Oh, and the picstures would be clearer, since I'm taking them with a 12 MPixel cam. Well, at least it keeps linkspam out of XDA
I must admit I am thinking of making my own dock via the use of a decorative plate stand (you know the ones, fold open to 90 degrees, have a lip at the bottom)
Like this one
Pretty cool idea there, but I have a question.. You can find your apps on that home screen?? It's crazy!
ericcarboni said:
Pretty cool idea there, but I have a question.. You can find your apps on that home screen?? It's crazy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I can, but I agree that it's not for everybody. What I do, is having the apps grouped spacially. 90% of the apps I use are on that screen. I really don't like going to the app drawer
you can always use a "folder type" system like smart shortcuts so u can categorize apps into "folders".
The plate idea is cool but ya might want to check out the arkon stand. same concept but its collapsible.
http://www.amazon.com/IPAD-ST-Unive...2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1312309239&sr=1-2
I use one of these at work (we have plenty in the supply closet):
I just put it on there upside down and let the screen rotate 180 degrees so I can plug in the charger up top. I can also put books of various sizes on the back end, to adjust screen angles.
@carrrnuttt - lol, thats brilliant
(..although i'd add some nice felt between the 'stand' and TF)
In case anyone was wandering (as i was) - this is a Black Mesh Business Card Holder - so you can pretend that is what you'll use it for
stujuk said:
I must admit I am thinking of making my own dock via the use of a decorative plate stand (you know the ones, fold open to 90 degrees, have a lip at the bottom)
Like this one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have this, the only issue i have with it is it does not lean back enough.
Why not just buy a cheap leather folio case for the transformer for $10 from ebay, they all have the ability to stand the TF up at an angle for video viewing/video chat etc
such as this one
brett_day said:
Why not just buy a cheap leather folio case for the transformer for $10 from ebay, they all have the ability to stand the TF up at an angle for video viewing/video chat etc
such as this one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got one of those and I have to say it's not very good when you've got the Transformer oriented the normal way (camera at the top) because the flap that covers the bottom (Dock connector) doesn't hold well so the tablet slides down quite a bit. Great as a standard case for holding, and having with the camera at the bottom, but not so great with you have it stood with the camera at the top.
ant_thomas said:
I've got one of those and I have to say it's not very good when you've got the Transformer oriented the normal way (camera at the top) because the flap that covers the bottom (Dock connector) doesn't hold well so the tablet slides down quite a bit. Great as a standard case for holding, and having with the camera at the bottom, but not so great with you have it stood with the camera at the top.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have this case and it works perfectly. Super snug fit, no slippage, anyway, just thought i would throw that out there. I am happy with mine.
Found a way to charge mine while it is the right way around in my home made dock too.
The case hooks onto the edge of the dock leaving enough gap to plug in the charger
The plastic dock is from my GFs laptop, supposed to be a stand for that, and the thing I bent into a pyramid is a leather place mat
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brett_day said:
I have this case and it works perfectly. Super snug fit, no slippage, anyway, just thought i would throw that out there. I am happy with mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe mine was an early model and wasn't designed too well.
I got myself a prime last week, promptly ordered a keyboard because nobody had one in stock and I didn't feel like paying a $70 dollar premium on amazon to get it in the future anyway, and received the dock yesterday.
Electrically, the dock seems fine - all of the keys work, it charged normally, it's discharging normally, etc. - but it appears to have a physical deformity at the front of the unit. I took a picture of the unit to demonstrate... unfortunately, as some of you are no doubt aware, taking close-focus pictures of smallish things with an android camera is a little tough. Still, see attached image for the illustration. Note the gap between the rubber stopper and the fact that you can see the palm rest surface despite looking at the tray head on.
The question is, of course, "is this normal?" Does anyone else have a warped dock? It seems like the trackpad buttons don't quite click as easily as I think they should, but I don't have anything to compare it to. None of the local Best Buy stores have a dock on display, either.
[edit]I started this thread in the wrong forum and moved it here, then forgot to attach the file. Here's a link to an imgur-hosted copy:
http://i.imgur.com/Bn0la.jpg
nurrwick said:
I got myself a prime last week, promptly ordered a keyboard because nobody had one in stock and I didn't feel like paying a $70 dollar premium on amazon to get it in the future anyway, and received the dock yesterday.
Electrically, the dock seems fine - all of the keys work, it charged normally, it's discharging normally, etc. - but it appears to have a physical deformity at the front of the unit. I took a picture of the unit to demonstrate... unfortunately, as some of you are no doubt aware, taking close-focus pictures of smallish things with an android camera is a little tough. Still, see attached image for the illustration. Note the gap between the rubber stopper and the fact that you can see the palm rest surface despite looking at the tray head on.
The question is, of course, "is this normal?" Does anyone else have a warped dock? It seems like the trackpad buttons don't quite click as easily as I think they should, but I don't have anything to compare it to. None of the local Best Buy stores have a dock on display, either.
[edit]I started this thread in the wrong forum and moved it here, then forgot to attach the file. Here's a link to an imgur-hosted copy:
http://i.imgur.com/Bn0la.jpg
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When mine is closed, the lid touches the rubber bumper on the keyboard which is what I would expect. Yours doesn't seem to close properly.
Thanks - that's what I suspected. It contacts the two rubber pads on the sides, so this poor thing is the victim of a god-knows-what. The box was completely undamaged so I guess someone sat on it at the factory.
Obviously anyone else that wants to weigh in is welcome to do so - on this topic, anyway, I don't recommend actually weighing in on the keyboard dock because I guess it will bend.
Yep, looks bent, as if it was laying on a soft rocking chair, couch or something undocked and someone sat on it. You could take your knee to the back of it with a hand on each side and try to bend it back You may end up with a creased unit afterward though... I'd send it back as a return and try to find one somewhere else.
My keyboard dock also came with a slight bend to it (from a UK Grey BC0KAS batch). I didn't notice it at first, but when I put the keyboard on a flat surface when closed, it wobbled. Towards the back the centre of the metal was coming into contact with the table, so the rubber feet were slightly raised.
I was able to gently apply pressure, using a soft cloth, to the metal around this area and correct this so it's not really noticeable now.
Also, when the tablet is docked, and closed, there is a slightly larger gap on the right side between the screen and keyboard than the left. It makes contact with all 3 rubber pads, but it's definitely there.
I'm still contemplating returning the whole lot to Comet, as I have 3 stuck pixels, and have been experiencing poor WiFi and some crashes.
Quality control definitely could have been better here.
SO! I went to another Best Buy that actually had docks in stock, did an exchange, and the second dock is bent as well. That said, the buttons on the trackpad actually click easily on this unit, so I think I'm going to keep it especially given how difficult it is to find anything with a TF-201 in its model number in stock.
It'd be interesting to see how many docks have warping or if it's supposed to be there. I guess it could be Asus' way of giving us space to fit our fingers in to open the unit...
Turns out mine was slightly bent too. I never would have noticed had it not been for this thread... Lol, anyway...mine was bent slightly in the middle. The middle rubber stopper didn't touch when cosed. It is really, really easy to bend this though...i just put pressure in the middle from behind and pushed slightly and the gap has disappeared.
I don't have the dock yet but this will be on my new dock QC checklist when I do get one. I'm not planning on getting one for a while so hopefully stuff like this will be ironed out by Asus and stocking levels are better. I'm thinking August (my birthday).
Hi all,
Today I suddenly noticed a click sound when putting my keyboard on the side and I found out that the case on the side of the hinge would come apart with little force.
It is easily replicated when you push the hinge push the hinge to the bottom and while holding the back case.
The problem is shown on the video below,
http://youtu.be/XS9zTEvvbzk
now, is it normal ? it seems like there are no screws holding that part together so it seems like it is bound to happen!
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For the Fix
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Just curious, how long have you had the dock? And how often do you connect and disconnect the prime from the dock?
My guess (and it's just a guess) is that the chassis on the edge uses snaps to keep the plate seams together. If this is true then it could be that something caused the snaps to break.
From what you're showing in the video, it definitely does not seem normal to me. I'm really hesitant to reproduce the issue with my own dock, so hopefully someone else in the forums whose had experience opening up the keyboard will provide some insight. In the meantime, if I were you, I would avoid any actions that would forcefully pry apart the chassis edge like that; it could aggravate the problem.
like i said, I barely need to use any force at all, just a a very small push.
I also figure out that the position of the hinge makes a difference as well.
If the hinge is in the "closed" position (imagine tablet docked with screen closed), it will not snap open.
it's when the hinge is opened up, the problem appears.
oO_SwooP_Oo said:
My guess (and it's just a guess) is that the chassis on the edge uses snaps to keep the plate seams together. If this is true then it could be that something caused the snaps to break.
From what you're showing in the video, it definitely does not seem normal to me. I'm really hesitant to reproduce the issue with my own dock, so hopefully someone else in the forums whose had experience opening up the keyboard will provide some insight. In the meantime, if I were you, I would avoid any actions that would forcefully pry apart the chassis edge like that; it could aggravate the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyone ?
just a yes or no so I can try to return it !
babadudu said:
Anyone ?
just a yes or no so I can try to return it !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Two weeks ago I started having this same problem. The slightest pressure pops it right back together. I don't know that I'll bother to return it. I would assume there is a good chance they all do, and that it may have something to do with the way we insert it and remove it from the dock.
I just noticed this problem the other day. It does it about half way when opening or closing. Kinda like the pins of the hinge push it open just a little.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA Premium HD app
looks like it's not just me then, i am baffled that they didn't design screws to keep it together......
I have the same issues. The dock is generally just not well made. the back panel is too flexible, it pops open at the edges, and Ive noticed the hinges have gotten looser, and have a dead spot now, where the tablet can flap back and forth, similar to most laptops.
Same problem here. Just went to the shop on saturday and they sent it to Asus. Don't know yet, what happens.
Bought the prime about 10 weeks ago, so they don't want to exchange it without sending in here in Germany. I just wish there'd be ASUS-stores like Apple stores, where this would have been handled more easily...
As someone who has taken their dock apart to see what makes it tick i know there are several hidden screws inside the dock part of the keyboard (under a black sticker, hard to see or find if your not looking) that help hold the hinge together. i found my screen protector was adding pressure on the dock and removed some of the material so everything fit better tho after doing what i did i dont really recommend it to others.
I too am rather unimpressed with the construction of the dock however im not going to worry too much about it, if it gets too flimsy for my liking ill just take it apart again and tighten things up again.
I had this once but i just pressed it toghether slightly and it never happened again.
Pileot could you make a small video or take pictures of the screws you did tighten to make it better?
This just happened to me last night and I'm very deeply saddened.
I take the tablet out of the dock about once every two days, Max. I've had the dock for 12 days now. C1OKA to start the S/N. Amethyst. Bought it from Amazon 3/2.
No screen protector, no added weight. I noticed it happened when I grabbed the dock with the tablet open by the Asus sticker on the keyboard, with my hands on both side of the touchpad.
Entire backend popped open, both hinges, and alongside the bacl under the tablet slide.
Im going to see if Amazon will take it back and exchange otherwise Asus will get my backend fixed.
Any ideas to those of you who have opened it that will keep it in place? i don't want to put tape on it. But i understand the weight of the tablet in the dock fully extended changes the center of gravity putting more pressure on the bottom of the dock and if it only has tabs that is the reason it is popping open.
No breaks cracks scratches damage of any kind.
I too have a clicking dock.
Got the same problem with mine. It's only a month old and it seems to be the way I hold it whilst docked. I tend to hold it one handed by the black sticker whilst opening it with my left hand. Gonna send it to asus for a repair as it seems the catch as snapped. ANOTHER desgin floor.
Is there not a screw underneath the rubber ?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
My docking station was also having this issue. THere's screws under the rubber feet of the dock. I had to tighten both screws near the hinge down and that resolved the hinge splitting. Who knows if it'll happen again, but it's a pretty simple fix.
Hi,
No issues with the dock whatsoever, however I did notice that at a 45degree angle the prime just closes by itself. Not sure if it was like that from the beginning but it seems like opening and closing does loosen the hinges hold a bit.
Anyone experienced this?
Hinge FIX
I meant to write this a few weeks ago.
So I have a C3 keyboard....My C1 from Amazon worked great for 13 days...then it "popped" at the hinge and i was like...oh ****...
In the pictures you can see where it pops and the hinge came apart.
What I found was the little old chinese lady who put these together on that specific day must have had a serious case of Arthritis....when i examined underneath the rubber feet, both screws on both sides were completely unscrewed. I got the right sized 6 star driver, popped the hinge back together (especially underneath the hinge-release area in the middle of the keyboard), and screwed them in but didn't overtighten. I checked to make sure the dock wouldn't pop out again by placing tablet in and holding it on both sides of the trackpad and it didn't pop open. Voila! Put a dollup of rubber cement on pads, stuck them back on, and let it dry. Happy again! I hope this works for you guys.
edit: screws are Phillips head, not 6 star. opened rest of dock with 6 star (not necessary for this fix); sorry for confusion. PS super glue works well too if no rubber cement
Your images are dead.
And they're back.
Perfect, thank's a lot. I had the same problem, and your solution worked 100% for me as well.
Found this on amazon - Seems nice and I quite like it:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portfolio-K...H9TG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1331229951&sr=8-4
Questions:
(1) Has anyone bought this and what is it like?
(2) It says "...case fits with and without docking keyboard..." - The wording is little confusing, does it actually come with the docking cover too, or just for the tab? for the price+wording I imagine it would be just for the tab, but the pictures seem to say otherwise?
and I cannot find it being reviewed on the internet.
Ive not got that exact one but i got this: (arrived today)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Leather-Por...BF9I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331233211&sr=8-2
Same brand and photos - mine came with the keyboard cover too.
the prices are the same so i would "expect" that the one you linked just comes witha screen protector aswell but im not entirely sure. Id ask the seller first.
For the MiTAB case in general one thing that worries me is the amount of leather in-between the tab and keyboard at the hinge end, it is a VERY tight fit and I'm a bit worried it might damage the hinge when closed, can anyone else confirm if they have tried one and if it has caused any damage over time?.
My main concearn is that while sitting in a bag and getting squashed all the pressure is put on the hinge. Plus attaching the tab to the keyboard half requires an uncomfortable amount of pressure.
Quality wise its fairly good, mine has navitech branding on it, and the leather around the bezel isnt too weak, I dont love the way the case cover overhangs when using the tablet alone and the camera port on the back doesnt line up perfectly.
I can take some photos if you want.
@funkus
Yeah, it looks like they are from the same seller.
After going through the forum, from what I can gather:
(1) All of the prime cases (dock+tab) have that tight fight at the hinge area.
(2) Misaligned openings-port/etc.
The reasons why I am keen to get one for both dock/tab are:
(1) There had been reports where prime's screen cracked/fractures because of undue stress when it's in the 'lid-close' position - especially around the hinge areas where there are no rubber stops.
--> So I thought by getting the dock cover, the piece of leather strip at/overlying the corners of the hinge end will provide some cushions when 'lid' is closed.
(2) But now you mentioned that the fit is very tight around the hinge area.
--> There had been reports in here that the dock came apart around the hinge area when the latch rotates with tab docked. It appears only minority suffers from this issue. But again, given the QC issue(s) with prime, I wonder if it is worth taking the chance. I imagine this tight fit will slowly loosen whatever the mechanical parts involved around that area.
Temptation right now is, given that it is cheap, is probably to get it and then sand down/trim the leather over the tight fit areas.
Your description is graphical enough and thanks for sharing the review.
Another question for you: How long did it take for the order to arrive? And was it normal or express delivery?
Sanding the leather around the hinge down might be a good idea but you'd need to be careful not to break the stitching on the leather.
To add to the negatives the overhang on the cover is a bit annoying when just using the tablet case half it hangs over the tablet by 1 inch.
I used express delivery and ordered it Wednesday in the morning, came in early afternoon Thursday.
Damages the Device!!
FYI: I've decided to stop using the case - I think its bent the socket for the screen half so now the tablet wobbles in place and sometimes doesn't charge from the keyboard until i move it about.
I wouldn't advise anyone to get this. Left a review to same effect on the amazon product page.
So, as we all know the Omate TrueSmart is as waterproof as a leaky boat, or perhaps a sponge.
However, I don't think there are any other Horologists on the forum at the moment. ( wikipedia horologist http:// en.wikipedia.org /wiki/horologist ).
After looking at the "seals" on the case buttons, and the laughable o-ring that Umeox/Omate have chosen to use on the back, along with the piece of silicone flap that they are using to seal the SIM card... I have to say that expecting it to be water resistant to any degree is a bit laughable.
So, I have a solution, the same one used by Rolex, Omega, Breitling, Citizen, Seiko, etc.. etc...
* Liquid silicone sealant gel on the SIM card seal and flap.
* Replace the silicone o-rings for the watch back with a thin silicone gasket, with more sealant gel
* Retrofit and replace the button seals, or create black silicone button covers that better seal them
I'm going to have to look at the speaker port on the watchband. I don't know if there is a simple solution there to make it compliant for 1 meter depth without severely affecting the quality of the sound output from that port. A brief examination makes it seem that the port -might- be able to take IP67 conditions .. but without reinforcement, I doubt it could take the forces involved in a swim, waves, wakes, spas.
Still, I think I can put together a kit, and instructions that careful and diligent people could use to retrofit the TrueSmart to make it far more waterproof than the manufacturer does. The kit would cost between $15 and $25 US, mostly to cover the cost of making custom molds for the silicone gaskets. ( There is a local TechShop here in Austin, and I have a CNC mill to make the aluminum molds, and all the design experience and software I need. Even so, a small super-accurate mold is a couple hundred dollars worth of materials and work. )
If there is enough interest evidenced here on a poll, I'll make the kit.
Sincerely,
Martin Bogomolni
Maker, Horologist, Coder, and Machinist
Need to redesign the case so that the speaker is sealed as well.
I've read that the O-rings are different among different runs. If the shape of the part of the case they fit against is different as well, wouldn't that make this effort require potentially as many different molds as the number of firmwares Loki has been trying to contend with? Or is it just the ring that's been different?
The case design is different. There's at least two maybe three.
Then that means I'll need to make two or three variants of the kit. This will also require some externally-visible way to identify the differences between various batches of TrueSmart watches.
Lokifish Marz said:
The case design is different. There's at least two maybe three.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think, just an opinion, that if the gasket between the body and the back cover has holes for the screws to pass through it like on my Last of the Kickstarter Dev Eds, 1/8/1900, delivered first of the USA group in early Feb, then that gasket works if properly placed and screwed together. The housing on these is flat, without raised screw hole posts and no groove.
I think the main problem you are going to need to overcome is the buttons and the mic pinhole leaking.
The speaker, if it doesn't mind getting wet itself, provides no entry path into the body if the wire set going in has been properly sealed inside (white sealant on mine, I think). Water could destroy the speaker, OK maybe, but not the watch unless it can follow the speaker connections back up into the body. Where the band halves meet the body on both sides there is a hole through the body to let the cables through, sealed inside with some white stuff. Maybe sealed...
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
The speaker is inside the case (under the square "bump" in the backplate) and uses nothing more than double sided tape. It is partly held into place by the plastic insert.
What is that open slot for then, in the band on the speaker side ?
Where the sound comes out ?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Yep. (see attached image)
Yes I was also curious about how the waterproofness of the speaker and microphone port would be approached. But I'm definitely down for one of these.
For what it's worth, I've submerged (no more than 2ft) my NA 1gb/8gb OTS and used it in the shower after having opened the bottom. During the first week I was constantly checking inside the case for internal moisture and didn't see any. It's been a while, but I remember thinking the physical buttons looked like they would let water in if used while underwater, but that didn't seem to happen.
for giggles, my omate arrived with bad software, and only pulling the battery would fix it. I had first tried letting the battery die out but the vcom drivers didn't fully take until i pulled the battery, so the water seal warranty was moot from early on. I don't remember how long I waited, but I sent the following screen to cecilia and a few other mailboxes at omate for help with no response (surprise!) before pulling the battery and stepping through the restore guides.
Looking back, I can't even imagine how the bootloader got to be so trashed! Volume up and down you say?
I am in. Also shared on G+ and KS comments the poll, good luck!
Yep
I'm definitely in support of this. I created a kayaking app that is pretty useless with the watch the way it is... having this kit out there would be great.
Hi. I am a watchmaker (horlogist?) from Germany and its my daily job to make watches watertight.
I have access to professional measuring devices for checking the watches if they are sealed. It is testet via air pressure, no water. The watchcase deformation is measured by fine sensors and if it is deforming in the given parameters then the device says proof or leak. There are ranges from -0,8 Bar to +20 Bar.
Further tests to locate the leak are made with water tests.
I havent received my pre ordered true smart yet (but I own a simvalley AW-414.go). Before I would test the true smart I would like to know how much pressure it could take before the screen brakes.
After the long wait and seeing this IPx7 drama unfold, I decided to just flip my TrueSmart on delivery - and flog it on eBay/Amazon without ever opening the box. Depending on the delivery timeline and other factors (such as the impending release of the Polar V800 and Garmin fenix 2) I may reconsider that strategy if this "aftermarket waterproofing" plan gains momentum.
I checked the option to be willing to pay for professional install (having waited this long - and the fact that the V800 is another $100 more expensive than the TrueSmart) but I'm more than happy to do the install myself if the kit is solid. From what I gather in the initial post, it's going to be a far sight better than the factory seal. So, if I keep my TrueSmart I'd be in for either the home install or the pro install option.
FWIW - I could care less about using this phone in **** Tracy mode [trademark pending]. For my money, stuff a grommet in the ports and glue/seal them in place - my goal is to use the device for training.
DerUhrmacher said:
HThe watchcase deformation is measured by fine sensors and if it is deforming in the given parameters then the device says proof or leak. There are ranges from -0,8 Bar to +20 Bar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In a pressurized submersion test it will fill with water before anything else. The case was never tested beyond about 0.015 Bar and even then it wasn't tested properly (bare case, no buttons or straps and all the ports sealed in 15cm of water).
Them doing something as simple as not putting in the speaker right or the double sided tape not seal correctly on the speaker will negate any water resistance it may have had.
Had any luck looking into this?
I would definitely be interested in a kit to improve waterproofing...
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Me too ! I don't see a survey, maybe Tapatalk does not support surveys ?
I bought a NeverWet spray set from HomeDePot recently. They show how to treat an iPhone 5 by removing the back cover and spraying inside. I don't have an iPhone or I might try it. Wouldn't care...the stuff worked pretty good on my shoes though.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
In the meantime...
Hi horologists,
I was wondering: is there anything a layman could do in the meantime to, at least, improve the water sealing on the TrueSmart? I'm not interested in submerging it or taking a shower; I just don't want to be afraid that my watch will short if I get stuck in rain and put it in my pocket.
One of the things I obviously don't want to be doing is just smearing vaseline all over it as that'll ruin the silicone components, correct? I am currently purchasing silicone grease (dielectric so non-conductive) to improve the seals on the bottom and around the sim card case. What should I do about the buttons? Can I put more grease around their edges? Would vaseline be apprpriate there, since it's coming in contact with my skin and there seems to be no silicone gaskets? What's the best quick fix for buttons?
Sorry if these questions are stupid but... this is admittedly coming from a place of utter ignorance. : )
Take care and thanks very much.