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iPhone Case Review: Otterbox Commuter Case

iPhone and iPad News and Reviews — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:30:18 +0000

OtterBox has always been one of my favorite case manufacturers. I use their Defender Series case for my iPhone 3GS religiously. There’s no denying the Defender Series is a bulky case. While it provides an unparalleled level of protection for your device it also increases the overall size of your phone substantially.
I realize the Defender series isn’t for everyone and OtterBox does as well. For this reason the company has just recently released a new slimmer case, under their new Commuter line.

The Commuter case provides the iPhone 3GS with three levels of protection. First is the crystal clear screen shield OtterBox includes, along with a cleaning cloth and installation card.
Second, is the thin silicone which wraps around the entire device. It includes a built in dock connector cover, headset port cover, covered sleep/awake button and volume rocker and cut out for the vibrate switch.

Finally, there’s the one-piece polycarbonate shell which you place over the silicone skin.

Once all three layers are installed you’re left with a decent amount of protection for your device. The silicone corners are left opened which serves to draw impact away from your device in the event of a fall.

The silicone layer of the Commuter case is available in only black and the case comes with one black polycarbonate shell. However you can accessorize your Commuter case with the addition of color packs. Each pack includes three different colored shells which work with the black silicone skin.
There is a generous cutout for the camera lens on the back of the case and an even bigger one for the Apple logo as well. Unfortunately this leaves the Apple logo completely exposed. It would have been nice if OtterBox included a circular screen protector to place over the Apple logo.

Technorati Tags: case review, commuter, iphone, otterbox

Piel Frama Executive Leather Case Review

iPhone and iPad News and Reviews — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:16:33 +0000

The Piel Frama executive leather case is simply stunning, the iPhone slides into the soft-leather-lined interior remarkably easily, without being too tight but with complete security. Although the phone cannot be docked while in the case, it is a moment’s job to slide it out into nakedness. You can, of course, attach the sync cable to the phone while in the case; it’s just that the leather prevents seating in the iPhone dock. The leather frame around the screen is pretty unobtrusive (unlike in the case of some cheaper designs I’ve seen in the Apple Store) and doesn’t hinder the fingers when typing. Just occasionally I have found a little difficulty in selecting text to the far left, but you soon get the knack.
Unlike similar Sena cases I looked at in the Apple Store last week, the Piel Frama protects the corners of the phone. With the Sena and other designs I could imagine damaged corners if the phone fell on a hard surface. What’s the point of having a case if the corners, the most vulnerable bits, are exposed? An unexpected bonus (not by design, I feel sure) is that the phone in the case stands upright on a table—either in portrait or landscape mode. In both modes the case flap acts as a hinge to keep the phone level without slipping over (as shown in the photograph above). It is thus ideal for watching videos (something that I am doing more and more often). You can even adjust the viewing angle easily in portrait mode or, in landscape, by putting a piece of folded paper under the edge of the flap.
The flap on my model uses magnets for closure. There is an alternative design with a press-stud flap, but this adds bulk and needs an extra action to close. The magnets (two of them) work well and I would recommend this configuration for general use. Incidentally, the flap folds back neatly so it doesn’t get in the way of typing or phone answering.
Inside the case are three compartments for credit cards or other odds and ends, plus a small cleaning cloth in a leather enclosure. A hole on the back of the case allows the supplied belt clip to be attached. I don’t like this arrangement and prefer to keep the phone in my pocket. If you don’t want to fix the clip there is a small plastic plug to fill the hole. I forgot to mention in my earlier piece that these cases come in a variety of very attractive colours–including red, lime green, powder blue and tan. There are also customised designs to special order. My feminine side loves these colours but the remaining dregs of testosterone forced me to tick the black box.
If you are hooked on the colours, do bear one factor in mind. The leather frame on the black case blends into the colour of the iPhone screen so it isn’t very noticeable. If you have a contrasting colour the frame will be emphasised. You might like this or you might hate it. It’s a small point, but worth mentioning. All the Piel Frama cases come in a sturdy box which makes them ideal gift material. And there’s an extra goodie in the form of a small, pocketable spray for cleaning the screen. This did not work for me and I was about to fire off an angry email to the long-suffering Estefania Lopez when I read the small print: “Fill it with tap water, it’s the best cleaning agent for screens”. Previously I’ve bought special sprays at eye-watering prices and I now wonder if they were all filled with water. Sure enough, Eau de Thames in London does a sterling job. If you are super fastidious, fill the thing with Perrier.
The Piel Frama iPhone case costs €70 (£60 or $99) but this includes international next-day shipping. On my bill the case was listed as €49.34 plus €11 shipping and €9.65 value added tax. This doesn’t look unreasonable to me. Lesser leather cases in the Apple Store in Regent’s Street sell for £45 (€53).

Technorati Tags: case review, leather, piel frama

The Wooden Case For The Iphone 3G/3Gs

iPhone and iPad News and Reviews — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:15:14 +0000

Most iPhone users have their device in a case of some sort. Those cases tend to be made from plastic or silicone and all of them look pretty much the same. If you are after a case that looks different and comes from renewable and beautiful materials Vers has the case for you. The company has announced new handcrafted wood cases for the iPhone that are made from walnut, cherry, and bamboo wood. The company claims that the cases are the most environmentally thoughtful on the market.
The case has an oval cut out on the front and back that lets the Apple symbol and the clock be seen with the phone in the case. The cases sell for $39.95. The only issue I can see is that there is now cutout for the button you need to press to wake the iPhone to activate the clock.

Technorati Tags: case review, products, wood case

The Sena Magnet Flipper Case For iPhone 3G/3Gs Reviewed

iPhone and iPad News and Reviews — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:57:06 +0000

The second of five SENA cases waiting patiently in line for the iPhone Addicts review treatment is the SENA MagnetFlipper. If the name didn’t give you a clue then it’s a magnet-secured flip case for the iPhone 3G.
The MagnetFlipper is one of my favorite cases from SENA, and probably my most favorite case over all. It’s well designed, secures the iPhone better than most other cases and flips down so you don’t have to worry about maneuvering the flap around a headphone jack or folding it behind the case when talking on the phone. The sample we were sent is in a fetching Croco Tan, an imitation crocodile skin style which I’ll readily admit to finding quite attractive and classy. This is the case that a millionaire would probably have their iPhone in. The Magnet Flipper sets itself aside from ever other case I have covered thus far by having a second, popper clasped flap that secures the iPhone 3G perfectly into the case. This extra flap is doubly necessary because the main flap of the case does not itself serve this purpose. Having the iPhone secured on the top also makes it very easy to unclasp and slide out the phone without opening up the case. It’s even possible, although a little tricky, to remove the iPhone from the case without removing the case from your pocket. Very handy if you’re an avid “naked” iPhone user but want that extra protection when you’re stuffing it into your pocket. The flap is secured with two magnets which squeeze in along the lop-sided cut out that has to provide access to the ear-speaker, light sensor and proximity sensor. I Highly Recommend this case to anyone looking for a premier leather style iPhone case.
www.senacases.com

Technorati Tags: case review, magnet flipper, sena