At first glance, Contour Design's $30 iSee iPhone v3 (
) looks a lot like Contour Design's original iSee for iPhone. It's still a solid-feeling, snap-on, clear-polycarbonate case with a plastic holster, but the iSee v3 has some subtle differences that make it a different case than its predecessor.
The major differences start with the assembly of the case itself; it's two pieces, a front and a back that snap together, instead of the cradle construction of the former iSee. The v3 unfortunately doesn't have the rubber feet found on the previous iSee, which stop the iPhone from sliding around. On the other hand, the v3 has protective silicone coverings for the iPhone's Sleep/Wake button and volume buttons, and silicone plugs for the earphone jack and dock-connector port. I could still feel the click of the Sleep/Wake and Volume Up buttons through these covers, but I couldn't feel the Volume Down click, even though I could see on the iPhone's screen that the button was being pressed. The silicone plugs are attached to the case so you won't lose them, but it took a little bit of fiddling to get the headphone plug in place.
With the original iSee, the opening for the iPhone's dock-connector port was fairly narrow, which prevented some accessories that use that port from making a reliable connection. The v3's dock opening is even more restrictive-you can't really connect anything but Apple's standard dock cable-as the case provides more protection around the bottom of the phone, with openings for the speaker and mic. When the aforementioned silicone plug isn't inserted in the dock-connector port, it folds back and out of the way, but because it's attached to the case permanently, it prevents you from placing the iPhone in a dock-cradle accessory such as a speaker system.
Even with all the changes, the v3 is a lot like the original iSee. We're not sure that the changes make for dramatic improvements, since some usability is sacrificed. But overall, the v3 provides good protection for your iPhone.
Last year, soon after the iPhone was released, we took a look at iPhone headphone adapters—short cables that let you use any headphones with the iPhone's recessed headphone jack—from Belkin and RadTech. Since then, a number of vendors have released similar products. Because these cables are essentially minor variations on theme, we aren't going to do extended reviews; instead, here's a quick look at some of the other models we've seen. All work as advertised, so you're really choosing based on appearance, construction, and price.
Griffin Technology Headphone Adapter ($10): Perhaps the most attractive model, Griffin's offering is black and gray, 3.5 inches long, and has a rubbery covering. The cable is fairly flexible, although the female adapter at the end—into which you plug your headphones—is a bit bulky.
Helium Digital 3.5mm Headphone Adapter ($4 CAN): The shortest adapter in the bunch, Helium's offering—pictured at the top of this article—is only 2 inches long (not counting the female adapter at the end) with a fairly flexible cable, but has the bulkiest female adapter of the bunch. The biggest advantage of this model is its super-low price; on the other hand, it ships from Canada, so some of the cost savings may be offset by shipping charges.
FastMac Audio Headphone iPhone Adapter ($5): Although longer than most at nearly 6 inches, FastMac's offering uses the thinnest and most-flexible cable and has the thinnest female adapter, making it the least obtrusive we've seen. The low price is a bonus.
ProCable - Audio Extension Cable 3.5mm Male - Female ($8): Since we looked at RadTech's adapter last July, the company has replaced that model with a new version that comes in two lengths. Although RadTech classifies these lengths as 3 and 4 inches, my measurements—from the beginning of the plug cover on the male end to the juncture between the cable and the female adapter—were 3 and 4.5 inches, respectively. The cable is fairly thin and flexible, although the female adapter is just slightly smaller than the one used on the Helium adapter, above.
Out of the six adapters we've seen (seven if you count both RadTech sizes), FastMac's Audio Headphone iPhone Adapter is my favorite thanks to its thin profile, flexible cable, and low price.
(I have another current favorite, but it isn't available as a separate product; it's actually an accessory included with some SwitchEasy iPod and iPhone cases. These cases fully enclose your iPod or iPhone, so the headphone jack is recessed; SwitchEasy includes a short, slim, flexible adapter—white or black, depending on the case—for using any headphones with these cases. The adapter works great with the iPhone with or without a case, so if you're in the market for an iPod or iPhone case and an iPhone headphone adapter, it's worth giving SwitchEasy a look, especially considering the reasonable price of the company's cases.)
Note: The original version of this article had an incorrect description for the Helium adapter; the error was corrected a few minutes after publication.
If you're on the lookout for an extremely simple, chic sheath for your iPhone, the $30 Sena iPhone UltraSlim Pouch (
) may fit the bill. Made from hand-crafted leather in your choice of eleven different colors, from standard black to orange and green, the pouch keeps your phone completely protected from damage.
The top of the case is open, letting you get at the iPhone's Sleep/Wake switch and headphone jack; the bottom has small holes so you can still hear the phone when it rings. The inside of the case has a soft, microsuede lining that won't scratch the iPhone's exterior. Of course, the downside of a pouch/sleeve style of case is that except for listening to music or-if you're using a headset or the iPhone's earbuds-talking on the phone, you can't use most of the iPhone's functions while it's in the pouch. And the case itself is a bit on the pricey side for just a sleeve. Then again, looking fashionable always costs a little bit extra.
What's better than one silicone case? If you said two silicone cases, you're two-thirds of the way there. The answer, of course, is three silicone cases. MCA's Rub iPhone Pack (
) is a set of three such cases-black, white, and purple-along with a screen protector, all for just €19.90 (around US$30).
The included silicone skins are all of the same design. They have the usual access for screen, Home button, Ring/Silent switch, camera, and headphone jack. In addition, the bottom of the skin is open for access to the microphone, speaker, and dock-connector port. At the top of the case's front are two slits for the ambient-light sensor and the receiver speaker. Like some silicone cases, this one uses small protruding nubs to cover the Volume Up/Down and Sleep/Wake buttons. MCA has also oddly left an opening on top of the phone for accessing the SIM card, though I doubt that's something most users will need to get at frequently. All of the phone's controls work fine while in the case. MCA also includes the common adhesive film for protecting the screen.
Besides the lack of robust screen protection, I also found that the black case, like many other silicone cases, tended to attract a noticeable amount of lint when kept in a pocket for any length of time. The pack isn't a bad value-MCA charges €14.90 (around US$24) for a single silicone case-so if you're going to buy one, you might as well get two backups for the extra six bucks.
What can be said about Scosche's $25 Clear case for iPhone () that hasn't been already said about similar hardshell iPhone cases? Precious little, in fact, so let's cut right to the chase: it's a two-piece-front and back-transparent-plastic case fashioned from polycarbonate, and including a thin, adhesive-film screen protector. There are openings for accessing all the phone's controls and ports.
The case, which is pretty slim, snaps together tightly—so tightly, in fact, that it's difficult to get off easily; this isn't a case for those who want to remove it frequently, which is slightly irritating since, like most other iPhone cases we've tested, dust and particles have a tendency to get trapped between the case and the phone. In the end, I had to resort to using a small screwdriver to pry the case apart, gently so as not to scratch the iPhone's exterior.
One distinguishing feature of the Clear case is the small rubber feet that Scosche has attached to the front and back of the case. There are four on each side and they provide traction for when you put your iPhone down on a slippery surface. While they may not add much to the case's aesthetic appeal, they certainly seemed to work well enough in their advertised capacity.
Scosche's Clear case is no revolution in polycarbonate cases, but it's a decent enough offering in the category, as long as you don't want to constantly take the iPhone in and out of the case.
Silicone skins to the left of us, silicone skins to the right of us! They're everywhere we turn nowadays. Like many of them, PDO's $20 TopSkin for iPhone () provides lightweight protection for your handset without hampering your use of its features and controls.
Available in four colors (black, blue, white, and hot pink), the PDO Top Skin has the requisite openings for the iPhone's screen, Ring/Silent switch, microphone, speaker, and earphone. Every other control is covered with silicone, though in the case of the dock-connector port and headphone jack, the material is in the form of cut-out flaps that you can pull back to get at the ports. Both the volume controls and Sleep/Wake switch, however, have rubber nubs that indicate where the controls are and let you operate them through the case; the Home button, on the other hand, has a slight depression over it to make it easy to find and use. The TopSkin also comes with a thin, adhesive screen protector and a detachable, rotating belt clip.
The flaps of silicone that cover the dock-connector port and headphone jack are thoughtful touches; they're easy enough to use when you want to get at the ports, otherwise springing quickly back into place to keep dust out. The nubs over the volume controls and Sleep/Wake button work fine, and the Ring/Silent switch hole is big enough for easy access.
The belt clip, which rotates 90 degrees, clockwise or counterclockwise, is one of the case's weak points—in some cases literally. Though the belt clip is detachable, I had trouble getting it to unclip from the plastic bracket it attaches to. When I tried to peel the silicone skin from around it, I ended up accidentally ripping through the material, which happens to be much thinner on that part of the case. I also found that the clip itself was difficult to take on and off my belt when I was trying to answer the phone. That's good, in that it's secure, but somewhat frustrating from a practical standpoint, especially if you're the type who spends a lot of time pulling out your iPhone.
Overall, the TopSkin for iPhone is a pretty good silicone skin, and one that won't cost a pretty penny, but its belt clip leaves a bit to be desired. If that's not a function that you're craving in your iPhone case, it may be a good choice for you.
Tekkeon's $30 Hard Case with Soft Touch for the iPhone () is a hardshell iPhone case...with a twist. Or, more accurately, a flip. Available in five colors, its most distinctive feature is a hard-plastic screen protector that flips up to let you use the iPhone's touchscreen, and back down to keep the screen shielded when it's not in use. But just how well does that idea work?
Like most other hard cases I've tested, Tekkeon's is made of two pieces: a front and a back. These snap together around the iPhone, leaving a thin gap between them (more on that later). Wide openings let you get at the headphone jack and Sleep/Wake button on top of the iPhone as well as the microphone, speaker, and dock-connector port on the bottom, while the front features cutouts for the iPhone's receiver speaker, ambient-light sensor, and Home button. The left side of the case lets you get at the phone's Ring/Silent switch and volume controls, and the back has an opening for the iPhone's camera lens. There's also a removable, rotating belt clip that snaps into place or slides off when you don't want it. And, of course, there's the aforementioned flip-up screen protector.
While the screen protector is a nifty, novel feature, it can be annoying to use. Since so many of the iPhone's functions involve interacting with its touchscreen, you spend a lot of time flipping the case's door up and down. Worst of all is answering a call, which requires you to: 1) unclip the phone from your belt; 2) flip the door up; 3) tap the screen to answer the phone call; and 4) flip the door down (because you can't put the phone to your ear when the door is open). Though I got faster at this procedure with practice—I lost a couple phone calls while fumbling with it at first—it's still an irritating process (unless you largely use the iPhone's earbuds or a Bluetooth headset). Fortunately, the door can popped off from the inside of the case, which means you can avoid the problem, but you do so at the cost of screen protection.
The case itself is solidly built, and it holds together well. So well, in fact, that the instructions say you need a credit card to get the two halves apart again (don't worry, it's not to pay for a locksmith). Remember that thin gap I mentioned earlier? Slide a credit card in and twist and the you'll pop the latches. I wouldn't recommend trying with your fingernails if you want to keep them intact; it's pretty tightly sealed.
The case's belt clip is fine, if you want to use it, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like you can remove the mount for the belt clip, a small toothed wheel that sticks out of the back of the case; you're stuck with that nub even if you don't want to use the belt clip.
So though its screen protector is an interesting idea, Tekkeon's Hard Case with Soft Touch has practical limitations unless you're a devoted headset user. That, combined with the protruding belt clip mount, should make you consider whether or not this case is right for you.
