Review: GizMac Titan Clear for iPhone

By now, you might think that we’d seen every plastic/polycarbonate case that’s been made for the iPhone. Ever. But, just like delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies, there’s always room for one more. So it is with GizMac’s $35 Titan Clear for iPhone (; $25 if you opt to go without a belt holster).

Like most of the other polycarbonate cases we’ve seen, the Titan Clear leaves the front of the iPhone exposed so you can use its touchscreen, and provides openings for the volume buttons and Ring/Silent switch on the side headphone jack and Sleep/Wake button on top; camera lens on the back; and dock-connector port, microphone, and speaker on the bottom. The front and back halves of the case snap securely into place around the iPhone-so much so that I found it difficult to remove the case until I discovered that the plastic is flexible enough that you can pull firmly on the structurally thinnest side (the part over the volume and Ring/Silent controls) to unsnap the two pieces.

The neatest feature of the Titan Clear is that the back half of the case actually incorporates a pair of kickstands that fold out: one for keeping your iPhone propped up in landscape mode, the other for the portrait orientation. Both kickstands are adjustable, allowing a wide variety of viewing angles. And GizMac has thoughtfully put small, rubber feet on both the bottom and left side of the Titan Clear, so the case won’t slide around when you prop it up. When you don’t need the stands, they fold flush back into the back of the case.

Polycarbonate is pretty tough and the Titan Clear feels solidly made. With the exception of the unprotected screen, your iPhone is well protected;though even here, as with most other plastic hard shells, the screen ends up slightly recessed due to the ridge formed by the case, offering a bit of protection against damage.

The included holster is sturdy and allows you to rotate its belt clip 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise. Two rounded brackets at the bottom of the holster hold the iPhone in place while leaving the speaker and microphone open to the air; a flexible arm at the top of the holster lets you snap the case into place either face-in or face-out, and a convenient tab atop the arm makes it easy to pop the iPhone out when necessary.

If you’re looking for a good case/holster combination, the Titan Clear may very well suit your needs. And if you want a change from the standard clear-case look, you can also pick the Titan up in translucent smoke or pink colors.

Category: Reviews

Posted by Dan Moren on Mar 3 2008, 3:05 PM ET

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iPhone illustration by Joe Zeff Design Inc. // Design by Jason Brightman