You purchased a new iPhone 3GS or 3G recently but you are still searching for that perfect case to protect your investment? There are so many options out there in the marketplace that choosing the perfect case can be a tough decision. Today I want to introduce yet another case that you may want to consider, the Belkin Slim-Fit Case for iPhone 3G/3GS. You can purchase the Belkin Slim Fit right here in TiPb store for the low price of $24.95. Follow us after the break to see if this case is the one for you!

Desgin

The Belkin Slim-Fit is a well designed holster case that serves one single purpose, to protect your investment while it is not in use. The case is made up of high quality leather and stitching, with fabric sides and a soft lining that will not scratch your phone. To secure your phone there is a velcro flap that assures you your phone will not accidentally fall out. A nice touch that Belkin added was leaving the bottom of the case open so you can not only attach your charging/sync cable but your speaker volume will not be muffled.

Overall, the case really lives up to its name, as it doesn’t add much bulk to your iPhone, even with a belt clip on the back. Kudos to Belkin.

Daily Use

I am a big fan of holster/pouch cases, and the Belkin Slim-Fit did not disappoint. Your iPhone 3G/3GS will fit perfectly into the case but not so tight to the point where you can not get the phone out quickly if you have to answer a call. The first few times you use it, it may seem like it is tighter than you’d like but rest be assured, the leather does loosen up a bit after a few uses.

The option to use a non-removable belt clip is a nice feature. And the clip itself is very low profile so if you don’t wish to use it, the case still fits comfortably in your pocket.

If there are any downsides to the case, it would be that, as a slide-in holster, the Slim-Fit doesn’t allow you use your iPhone while it’s in the case. Yes, that should be considered a given when purchasing a holster case but it would be a nice bonus to have none-the-less.

Conclusion

Like most holster-type cases, the Slim-Fit only offers protection to your iPhone when it is holstered, which can be a good thing or a bad thing. It all depends on what your preferences are in a case. If you are a fan of similar cases, this one is a great deal. In the end, I can’t help but like this case for what it is – the slimmest belt-clip case I’ve used – ever.

Pros

• Slimmest holster case money can buy
• Offers good protection while your iPhone 3G/3GS is not in use
• High quality materials

Cons

• Can not access your screen when your phone is in the case
• Not dockable

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: Belkin Slim-Fit Case for iPhone 3G/3GS

The Belkin TuneCast Auto with ClearScan for iPhone 3G is available and can be purchased in TiPb Store for $79.95. If you are looking for a charger/ FM transmitter in one for your iPhone, this might be for you. Let’s see how it measures up after the break!

Design

The Belkin TuneCast Auto is a charger/FM transmitter that sends your iPhone’s audio directly to your FM radio.  The device is made of plastic and has been quite resilient. The cord length is just about perfect. I currently plug it in under my car’s arm rest and it is just long enough. The transmitter is compact and easy to use.

Daily Use

I admit it, or perhaps I shouldn’t, but I am one of those people that sometimes drives with my headphones in. I liken this to the same as someone playing their boom-box loudly in their car. So, being a good citizen, I wanted do the right thing and find a way to listen to music without headphones; in comes the Belkin TuneCast Auto!

I have a 45-minute commute each way to work, so I use this thing A LOT and for extended periods of time, driving through several parts of town before arriving at my place of employment. Why is this important? Well, the way this device works is, it sends the the iPhone’s audio to a radio channel that is not currently being broadcast on. So, in theory, you find an “empty” channel and you are in business. Well, like I said, in theory anyway. The reality is where I live, there are very, very, very few stations (like 3) that don’t broadcast anything. What is the magic station for me? 96.1, for about 75 percent of my commute. Since I am driving from suburbia to downtown, as I approach the city, there is more and more static encroaching on the crystal-clear audio I enjoyed from my home; frustrating indeed.

So how do you resolve this? Well the Belkin TuneCast Auto gives you a few tools at your disposal. First up is the scanner. You press the button and if finds a station, based on your location, that has the least amount of static or stations to transmit to the radio. You can adjust by numerical increment if you like too. For example, the device select 105.4, but you find that 105.5 provides a slightly clearer listening experience, you can adjust at that level.

Next, you can save up to two favorite channels. This is quite helpful in my instance. I choose one channel for most of my commute, then as I get closer to work, I switch to another. It would have been really handy to have more then two saved presets, but alas, what can you do.

Lastly, you have “Pro” settings that help improve the audio performance. There are Pro levels 1-3 that essentially increase the volume of the music if it is muffled over the air with the FM reception. The last level plays in mono, further decreasing static.

Conclusion

I really like the Belkin TuneCast Auto for iPhone 3G. The problems I have with it are really just inherent of the technology and its compatibility in my city; there just aren’t any available stations that don’t have anything being broadcast on them. This issue, however, is not Belkin’s so I feel it is unfair to knock them any points for this. Instead, the disappointments I have with the device are listed below, that just prevent it form being a 5-star device.

Pros:

• Hey, instant iPhone to Stereo transmission in your car!
• Ample cord length
• Good reception (when there is a available channel)

Cons:

• It would be nice if the 30-pin connector snapped into place to make it more secure
• Having more than 2 presets for stations would be nice

TiPb’s Rating:

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: Belkin TuneCast Auto with ClearScan for iPhone 3G

Looking for a new case for your iPhone? Do you like leather cases? Than look no further than the Belkin Eco-Conscious Formed Leather Case for iPhone 3G! This case is available for $29.95 from the Phone Different Store. This case is not only stylish, but allows easy accessibility to your iPhone 3G!

Design

I have never used a leather case before on any of my previous phones. Needless to say I was excited to see what this Belkin product had to offer. The case is very snug against the iPhone and is held in place by a strong velcro flap that flips over the top of the case. I think “formed” is a bit of a misnomer; the leather is simply folded over then stitched together with what I can only describe as ski boot insulation-like material. This is not to distract from the product in anyway, but when I think of “formed”, I think of almost a molded-like attachment to the body of the phone, which this case does not have. 

There are cut-away openings in the top (to allow for headphones and sleep button), side (silent switch and volume controls) and the bottom (to allow for a cable for syncing and charging). On the front of the case, there is a cut away area at the top to allow for the speaker and sensors. The screen is also cut to allow full view as well. The home button is covered, but has a carved overlay of the home button. So, how did this case fair during daily use?

Daily Use

However, what durability has giveth, some compromises are made. An example that comes to mind is accessing the lower portion of the touch screen while the iPhone is in the case. Many iPhone applications have buttons located on the very bottom edge of the touch screen; such as Safari. I found that I had a difficult time touching the buttons due to the thickness of the leather directly below the bottom of the screen. Or, when typing on the keyboard, I would tap “B” instead of the Space button. Over time, I was able to get used to it; I simply learned to adjust my fingers differently. However, this does take some getting used to.

While the case does have rather exact openings cut into the case to allow for the necessary ports, I found that the bottom volume control was slightly obscured but the case; the hole simply is not big enough. To be honest, this is really more of an aesthetic anomaly; it really had no impact on the external volume controls, but it is worth noting. 

Conclusion

Pros

• Nice leather finish
• Good accessibility to external buttons
• No plastic; eco-friendly
• Durable
• iPhone 3G can be easily removed from case if needed
• Velcro strap is secure

Cons

• Difficult to use the Space bar while typing (case edge can get in the way)
• No screen protection
• Cannot place in 3G dock when inside case
• No clip for a belt, etc. 

TiPb Rating:

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: Eco-Conscious Formed Leather Case for iPhone 3G

Casey’s shown us the iControlPad already, but it looks like accessory heavyweight Belkin may be getting ready to throw a gaming controller of their own at the iPhone. According to TouchArcade, JoyPod would be a heck of a lot smaller than iControlPad (by covering the top and bottom, non-screen areas of the iPhone), and feature 6 front buttons (8 total), audio out, and a dock pass-through. Most importantly:

Belkin’s involvement certainly suggests that Apple will be building support into the official SDK to allow App Store games to take full advantage of these controllers.

Up until now, of course, gamers have pretty much been limited to accelerometer tilt and multi-touch based gaming on the iPhone using the accelerometer and tap/pinch/swipe screen interface, so no doubt those hungry for more traditional control schemes will welcome this news. However, since we haven’t seen anything that suggests Apple support for it in the still upcoming 2.1 firmware, JoyPod may not be landing anytime soon.

And that’s assuming Steve Jobs would ever authorize something with that many buttons…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Unofficial Peek at “Official” Belkin JoyPod Gaming Controller?

Imagine this scenario: You’re in a hotel room and you bring your iPhone, Macbook, External Hard Drive, Camera, and another iPod cause you’re nasty..but they’re all in need of a charge. You run and send a search team for the nearest available outlet, to your utter dismay it only provides two outputs. You reason you can live without a couple of those items but then you can’t fit two clunky chargers at once. You’re left with just charging one device.

We’ve all run into hotel rooms that just don’t seem to have enough power outlets. With the Belkin Mini Surge Protector with USB that problem is pretty much solved. How does it perform?

Read on for the rest of the review!

Design

It’s a portable surge protector that includes 3 electrical outlets and 2 USB ports (for charge only). They also throw in a Mini-USB charger for you in the box. Obviously it won’t win any design awards but the white and grey look is clean and will match your white charging cables from Apple, if you’re into that kind of thing.

The uniqueness of this electrical solution is the ability to rotate the surge a full 360 degrees with four locking positions (up, down, left, right). Meaning you can adjust the surge to your liking or to fit the surroundings of any outlet.

It’s a bit taller than your iPhone and as thick as maybe 4 iPhones so it’s not exactly small but its size is certainly purposeful. Build quality is solid, it makes you feel safe just holding it. Belkin did a really good job in making this surge protector a sturdy, trustworthy device. But I won’t lie, for a surge protector, this may be as good as it gets for design. It even matches Apple’s minimalist products!

Usability

Okay, here’s the lowdown on the specs of this bad boy:

• EMI/RFI Noise Filtration: 150kHz ~ 100 MHz up to 40 dB reduction
• Joule Rating: 918J
• Maximum Spike Current: 36,000A
• Powered USB Output: 5V/500mA each port
• Responses Time: <1 nanosecond
• UL Clamping Voltage: UL1449 800V

Though it isn’t the most compact device, it has become a must-add to my laptop bag. I’ve already found use for it at the local coffee shop, a hotel room, a classroom and expect to use it in more locations such as airport terminals and other public spaces. Honestly, I have no worries of being without a charge when I carry this portable surge around. Also, sharing the plugs with neighbors is fine by me, many suits breathe a sigh of relief when they see me pull out the mini surge protector.

This item isn’t exactly perfect though. I do wish the 3 electrical outlets were spaced a little bit wider, with so many unwieldy chargers these days it was hard to use ALL 3 outlets at the same time. Also, I would have preferred to see the actual plug snap into the body of the surge, which would make this device even more portable. Luckily they toss in a cap to protect the prongs.

Final Thoughts

PROS

• Simple and Stylish for a Surge Protector
• Incredibly Useful for Frequent Travelers
• Rotates 360 Degrees
• It’s a portable surge!

CONS

• Minimal Usage for Home Use
• Outlets should be spaced wider apart
• Plug should fold into the body

Final Rating: 4.8/5

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: Belkin Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger

There are several choices for an iPhone case at the Phone Different Store. One that caught my eye was the Belkin Clear Acrylic Case ($14.95) due to its unique “kickstand”. I was very excited to see this type of case become available for the iPhone. It is perfect for setting on a tray table or on any table for that matter. But the real question is how does it hold up as a case?

Read on for the full review after the break…

Design

The Belkin Clear Acrylic Case is just that; completely clear. The design is clear around the entire case so you can gaze upon the iPhone’s beauty wherever it is. The iPhone is encased on both sides by the clear plastic. Every opening you need is available from the hole for the camera to the volume buttons to the bottom exposed for the microphone and speaker. There is an optional second attachment that snaps onto the rear of the plastic case. The attachment offers two forms of functionality; the aforementioned stand and a belt clip in one.

How it Holds Up

I found the case a little difficult to separate after unpacking the case. After “forcing” the case apart, I was able to determine how the case worked. There is no real latch or snap, the case simply fits together. In my opinion, it does not hold together well, a latch-type of mechanism is desperately needed. When I attached this case to my belt as intended, I felt very, very nervous that the iPhone would just plop right out of the case onto the concrete. The clip allows you to rotate the iPhone horizontally or vertically, but either way, it felt just as insecure. I do not trust this case while attached to your belt.

It is not all bad news though. The optional second attachment acts as a stand for the iPhone when attached to the rear of the case. The stand expands to a 45 degree angle making it a great solution for watching your TV shows and movies on your iPhone. When using the stand the iPhone was very sturdy and there was no concern of it falling over.

Conclusion

I don’t feel this case was made to be carried around. The weakness of the plastic encasement while on your belt is just too much to be ignored. I have to assume the main value for this case is for its aesthetic look and stand for movies. I know without a doubt that if this case fell from my belt to the concrete, the case would either shatter or break, ultimately not protecting my iPhone. However, if you are looking for a case that looks good and works amazingly well as a stand to watch video your iPhone, look no further than the Belkin Clear Acrylic Case

Ratings (Out of 5)

• Look and Feel: 5
• Stand: 5
• Clip: 2
• Latch: 2
• Protection: 2

Overall: 3.2

Pros

• Looks good
• Great stand for watching videos

Cons

• Weak case latching
• Poor protection

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: Belkin Clear Acrylic Case for iPhone