The Griffin California Roll for iPhone 2G and 3G is in stock and ready to ship from the iPhone Blog Store for $19.95. Personally, I’m not much for sushi, but this is a California Roll I can sink my teeth into. If you want something to carry your iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch and other small accessories and to organize them into one case, Griffin’s California Roll could be what you are looking for. Follow me after the break to get to know this case a little better!

Overview and Design

Made of durable high-tech synthetic materials, the Griffin California Roll has a stylish design with built-in elastic band for securing your valuable items. The exterior of the case is glossy with an interesting visual design. It’s a bit difficult to describe, but there appears to be a dark green textured material just under the glossy exterior material, making the outside of the case interesting to look at.

Opening the case reveals a tri-fold configuration with a Velcro-secured middle compartment with similar Velcro-secured compartments on either side. The side compartments are constructed with a mesh material so you can get a better idea what’s in the pockets without having to remove the item. Each of the compartments are about the same size and the interior of the Roll is a soft suede-like material to gently cushion your valuables and protect from scratches and impacts.

Usability

I was able to fit my iPhone 3G in the left pocket, my big fat iPod 160GB Classic in the middle, and a set of earphones in the right pocket. I then folded up the case and secured it with the built-in elastic band and was ready to roll (no pun intended). The case folds up reasonably well, even with all that stuff packed inside of it. The whole point of this case is that it’s soft and flexible, allowing you the most flexibility with different kinds of devices and accessories. The stitching around the case seems top-notch and the elastic band for securing the case is sewn into the case well and stretches just enough to secure the case but is tight enough to stay in place.

Conclusion

The Griffin California Roll case is one of those cases that will meet certain needs. It may not be a case that you use for everyday use, but then again, if you are “gadgety” and carry a phone, iPod, earphones, and other stuff around with you on a regular basis, this is a great case for securing everything in one place and it offers some protection against the cold, cruel world that would be harsh and unkind to your expensive tech gear. I think it makes an excellent travel case, perfect for keeping everything together for use on the airplane, then easily taken with you to your rental car, and finally resting at your side by the swimming pool while you sip a drink.

But why limit yourself to traveling? This is a good case for just carrying all your stuff around with you, secured in one place inside the Roll. As you can see in this picture, I successfully crammed my iPhone 3G, my iPod, and not seen are the earphones stuffed in there as well. Even if you aren’t a fan of sushi, for $19.95, you may want to give this California Roll a try.

Pros

• Flexible case to accommodate many types and sizes of devices
• Built-in elastic to secure items
• Three storage compartments

Cons

• A little big to carry around as your regular case

TiPb Rating:

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

Review: Griffin California Roll for iPhone 2G/3G

The iSkin revo case for iPhone, available in the TiPb Store for $39.95, is designed for the iPhone 2G and is touted as offering maximum protection for your iPhone. With a broad landscape of cases to choose from, this one stands out from the others. It costs a bit more than most other cases, but is it worth the extra bucks? Read on for the full review!

Design

Constructed of durable rubber and including an ultra-clear impact resistant Screen ViSOR, the iSkin revo case for iPhone 2G has your iPhone covered. Form-fitting to protect all vulnerable areas of your iPhone, it is an impressive way to protect your iPhone from bumps, scrapes, and shock from accidental drops. The material used in it’s construction is even anti-microbial to help keep the germs away. Also, it is available in a variety of colors to give your iPhone a little flair.

The included Screen ViSOR snaps into place to protect your iPhone’s screen from damage when not in use. When you need access to the screen, the Screen ViSOR snaps into place seamlessly on the back of your iPhone, readily available when you need it’s protection again.

The case covers and protects the ports and controls of your iPhone as well. A removable docking port cover is included to keep dust and dirt away from your docking port while still allowing room for the speakers. Along the top of the case, a rubber flap allows access to the headphone jack. The surface of the case is slightly grooved to give your iPhone some “grippiness.”

The iSkin revo includes a privacy screen film with anti-glare. This is a nice touch because it covers and protects your screen from prying eyes as well as dust and dirt, but also performs admirably in reducing fingerprints and smudges. Also, a small, clear plastic lens cover is included to fit between the camera lens and the case.

Performance

The iSkin revo is an exceptional case with regard to protection. It covers the iPhone’s vital spots while still giving you full access to the screen and all controls and ports. The material is grippy and durable, and the case is easy to install on your iPhone and it stays put. Staying put is important, and not for the obvious reason of protection. In my experience, other rubber cases tend to stretch over time and develop a looser fit on my phone. As it loosens, it slides just a little, but enough that any dust or dirt that gets inside between the case and phone results in scratches and abrasions over time. This is very annoying when you thought you were protected. The iSkin revo avoids this problem because not only is the rubber material fairly rigid, but each end is a snug fit on the iPhone, drastically reducing the possibility of stretching and, consequently, abrasions and scratches.

The case features slightly raised surfaces over the buttons so it’s easy to find and “feel” the power button, volume buttons, and Home button. There is a cutout for the mute switch, protecting the switch very well but also causing a little trouble for those of us with larger fingers to access the switch. The ultra-clear impact resistant Screen ViSOR is handy if you are carrying your iPhone in a bag or pocket and want to protect the screen from damage, but it can also be a bit humorous when you try to tap on your iPhone’s screen, get no response, and then realize you had forgotten the clear Screen ViSOR.

The port cover is a handy little item. I like that it’s not attached, giving you the choice of using it or not to protect your iPhone’s charging/syncing port from dirt and dust. Usually it sits firmly in place, but on rare occasions it would come off when I struggled to pull my iPhone out of my front pocket, for example. A friend of mine has used this case since he bought his iPhone 2G when it was first released (a testament to the durability of this case), and he has already paid a few bucks to replace a lost port cover.

Along the top of the phone is the headphone jack cover. I like the design in that it’s a flap of rubber that is virtually seamless when closed, but opens to reveal the headphone jack when needed. It does a great job of protecting your headphone jack from dirt and dust. The included anti-glare privacy screen film is a nice addition. The iPhone’s screen is such a fingerprint and smudge magnet, so the privacy screen film is a welcome addition because it greatly reduces smudges and fingerprints while reducing glare and keeping your screen private from curious onlookers.

Conclusion

The iSkin revo case for iPhone 2G, available now for $39.95 right here at the TiPb Store, is about the best you can do for an iPhone case. It offers excellent protection of your iPhone while still providing access to the buttons and ports. The included privacy screen film with anti-glare is a nice addition, and the embedded anti-microbial protection offers a little piece of mind against germs. The option to attach the Screen ViSOR to protect your iPhone’s screen is nice, particularly that it stores seamlessly on the back of the case when not in use. It is a durable case that adds a little bulk to your iPhone, but not so much to make it unbearable. Given what you probably spent for your iPhone, it’s a great way to protect your investment.

Pros

• Great overall protection.
• Protects yet allows access to all buttons and ports.
• Anti-microbial.
• Includes a Screen ViSOR and privacy screen film with anti-glare.

Cons

• Adds a little bulk to your iPhone.
• Rubber port cover can be lost if you aren’t careful.

Rating:

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

Review: iSkin revo case for iPhone

I’ve become a big fan of snap-together hard cases for my iPhone. I’m sporting a form-fitting hard case with “soft-touch” on my iPhone 3G right now, and my original iPhone is protected by the Griffin Reflect Case available in TiPb Store for $24.95. If you still have the iPhone 2G and want an attractive yet functional case, read on for the full review!

Out Of The Box

The Griffin Reflect Case is packaged with a premium cleaning cloth and a static peel screen protector, some welcome additions and added value to your case purchase. Whenever I’m suiting up my iPhone with a new case, I like to thoroughly clean it first to reduce the chance of scratching, so the cleaning cloth is very handy. The screen protector is also a plus — although the iPhone’s glass screen is extremely scratch-resistant, I’ve found that the use of screen protectors have minimal impact on screen touch sensitivity, yet perform quite well in reducing finger smudges that are inevitable on the glass surface.

Form

As pictured above, you will see the front and back halves of the case and the plastic packaging containing the premium cleaning cloth and the static peel screen protector. The case is constructed of durable polycarbonate to protect your iPhone. The front half is reflective in a chrome-like fashion, adding both protection and style to the front of your iPhone. The back half has a matte black rubberized surface for better gripping, reducing the chance of your iPhone slipping from your hand like a bar of soap.

This Griffin Reflect Case offers full access to your iPhone’s multi-touch display, the dock connector on the bottom, as well as the speaker and microphone. The volume rocker, sound switch, headphone jack and power button are also fully accessible. On the front of the iPhone, the earpiece speaker and “home” button are exposed for easy access while the case protectively covers the rest of the phone, again without obstructing the screen in any way. There is also a cutout on the back for your iPhone’s camera lens.

Function

The two halves of the case snap together around your iPhone, encasing it in the polycarbonate protection while still offering accessibility to all controls, camera lens and screen. A benefit of this kind of case is that once the halves are snapped together, the case fits snug around the phone and allows no movement. My pet peeve about other cases, particularly rubber, is that softer cases can stretch over time and move ever-so-slightly against your phone, causing small scratches as dust and dirt get between the case and phone. The Griffin Reflect case is hard and inflexible, so once snapped into place, it won’t budge a millimeter.

A downside to hard cases is related to their installation – they snap together, leaving an almost imperceptible seam around the phone. This is not a problem until you accidentally drop your phone. Although your Griffin case will offer some protection from the immediate impact, it’s inevitable that the case will separate from your iPhone in the event of an extremely hard impact (like concrete, for instance) and your iPhone will be bare-naked and likely scratched and scuffed. For me, the assurance my case will not scratch my phone due to subtle case-slippage is worth the risk of what may happen if I drop my iPhone.

Added thickness is another downside to a case of this kind. The polycarbonate material is protective, but a little on the thick side. Your iPhone will appear less svelte, but it will be well-protected.

Conclusion

The Griffin Reflect Case for iPhone, available now for purchase at TiPb Store for $24.95, is literally a snap to put together around your iPhone 2G and offers great protection while still allowing full access to the screen, camera lens, headphone jack and other controls. The reflective, chrome-like front surface is attractive and the matte black rubberized surface on the back offers protection and a more secure grip. Although there is risk of case separation if you drop your iPhone on a hard surface, the protection benefits far outweigh this risk.

Pros:

• Hard polycarbonate material offering maximum protection
• Full access to screen, camera lens and all controls
• Rubberized back is “grippy”

Cons:

• Hard case can separate if dropped on hard surface
• Case adds thickness to iPhone

Rating: 4.5/5

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

Review: Griffin Reflect Case for iPhone

The Seidio Slim Rubberized Hard Case for iPhone is available here at the Phone different Store for $29.95.  With so many choices to protect and stylize your iPhone, how does this case measure up?  Read on for the full review!

Case Design

When choosing a case for your iPhone, there are numerous options out there.  For me, protection and appearance are paramount.  I’ve had cases that protect against impact but, due to a slight amount of movement between the case and phone, scratching occurs (because you and I both know that dust ALWAYS manages to get under the case!).

The Seidio Slim Rubberized Hard Case for iPhone is a hard plastic case with a rubberized paint finish.  The back half of the case is lined with soft velvet, providing a non-scratch cushion between the case and the back of the iPhone.  The case is available in three colors: black, burgundy, and blue.

The case snaps easily together between front and back.  The seam between halves is fairly smooth around the perimeter of the iPhone.  There are cutouts for the ear speaker, Home button, connector port and speaker/mic, camera, headphone jack, power switch, and for the volume rocker and mute switch.  The touchscreen is fully accessible on the front.

Performance

Although I love the design of the iPhone, one of the things I decry is it’s “bar of soap” feel in the hand.  The Seidio Slim Rubberized Hard Case does a fantastic job of protecting the iPhone while the rubberized finish makes it more “grippy” without adding much bulk.

One concern I had about a hard, snap-together case was how well it would hold together — I didn’t want the case coming apart at the slightest bump or twist in my hand.  

Fortunately, I have had no problems with this Seidio case.  Once it snaps together, it takes a little effort to separate the two pieces.  Although I haven’t tried it myself, I suspect a drop on a hard surface will result in separation (and possibly a scratched iPhone), but few cases will protect well against a drop on a hard surface anyway.  You must ultimately sacrifice a bit of protection a leather or nylon case may provide in exchange for the rubberized paint and slender profile of the Seidio case.

I previously mentioned my concern about my iPhone getting scratched by dust and dirt trapped between the iPhone and case.  I’m happy to report that after weeks of use, I have yet to find any scratches on my iPhone as a result of using this case. The rubberized paint has also held up remarkably well with daily use.

Summing It Up

In spite of the stratospheric rise in gas and food prices, I’m happy to report that your money is well-spent on the Seidio Slim Rubberized Hard Case for iPhone, available here at the Phonedifferent store for $29.95.  With full access to the iPhone, “grippy” feel, and minimal added bulk, it’s a great case to complement the sleekness of your iPhone!

Pros

• Full access to iPhone
• “Grippy” rubberized coating
• Once snapped together, it stays put

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

Review: Seidio Slim Rubberized Hard Case for the Original iPhone

The Seidio Inno Case for the iPhone ($32.95) is a very subtle case that manages to increase the functionality of the phone and enhance the user experience. The design is simple and understated and comes in colors such as blue, black, and burgundy. The case adds some flair but little to no bulk to your iPhone.

Read on for the full review!

Set Up

To put the case on, you simply just slide on the larger, top portion of the case and then slide on the smaller, bottom portion until the two click in place. There is a pseudo-button on the back of the case that allows you to verify that the case is secure and also allows you to un-click the mechanism to disassemble the case. The iPhone fits quite snugly under the case, so a slight push might be needed to get the fit right.

Design and Construction

The case’s structure is a hard plastic that serves as the backbone for the case. On the outer layer of the case, a rubber-like material provides better grip for the user. There are also cutouts for the iPhone’s buttons, camera, docking port, and headphone jack. The iPhone feels very secure in the case and the case feels great in your hands.

The unique nature of the Seidio Inno Case is that it is mindful of Apple’s dock for the iPhone. Many cases on the market today require you to remove the entire case for docking purposes, which create a clumsy user experience. With the Inno Case, all you have to do is slide off the bottom portion of the case and you are free to dock.

The only design flaws that I’ve noticed when using the case is that it exposes a bit of the outer-rim of the chrome bezel of the iPhone. Also, the bottom corners on the face of the iPhone are a little awkwardly designed. Unlike the top corners that follow the trim of the iPhone, the bottom corners jut out on a different slope.

Even with those slight annoyances in mind, the Seidio Inno Case is still a well-constructed case that looks streamline with the iPhone.

Usability

The great feature of having a hard shell with a rubber outer layer is that it provides the user a great tactile feel while not compromising the strength of the case. The material used inside the case is a very firm plastic with a soft felt liner that the back of the iPhone can lay quite comfortably on.

The only potential worry from using this case is the possibility of scratches it can create from using the sliding mechanism to dock the iPhone. Because of the snug fit inside the case, the chrome rim of the iPhone will sometimes rub against the case’s plastic interior. I would have imagined the same felt material that protects the back of the iPhone to be placed under the rim, but this was not the case.

Though to be noted, in my usage of the case, I have slid the bottom portion off numerous times and have experienced no such scratches.

Conclusion

With the Seidio Inno Case, the user gets the best of both worlds. The slightly rubber outer layer provides a great tactile feel that prevents the iPhone from slipping out of your hands and the hard shell of the case allows it to maintain its shape without growing loose over time. Also, sliding only a small part of the case for docking purposes enhances the usability of the case.

I can fully recommend this case to anyone who is looking for a case that doesn’t deter from any of the iPhones features. It combines a clean and minimal look with a clever way to use the dock. Also, it uses great materials that will more than adequately protect your iPhone. Compounding all those facts along with its great feel, it should be a BUY for any iPhone user looking for a rubberized hard case.

Pros

• Great Feel
• Easy to Dock
• High Quality Materials
• Subtle Style
• Not Bulky

Cons

• Doesn’t protect the iPhone’s chrome bezel
• Awkward bottom-corner design
• Plastic interior can be unforgiving on the iPhone

Overall: 4/5

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

Review: Seidio Inno Case for iPhone

The Pacific Rim Leather Jacket is a simple flip-lid style case for the iPhone. It has a clean, elegant look, but is it clean and elegant to use? Read on for our review.

Buy: Pacific Rim Leather Jacket – $39.95

Build Quality

The PacRim Leather Jacket case is a very simple and clean-looking case. It’s essentially made of a single piece of leather wrapped around two firmer pieces on the inside of the case. The leather itself is of decent enough quality, but it’s not luxury-Italian leather, either. The inside of the case is felt to protect against scratches. The iPhone slides into the bottom and is held relatively snugly by the “tabs” on either side.

The best part about the PacRim Leather Jacket case is that, when closed, the iPhone is sealed up tight and clean. There are no gee-gaws sticking out – the entire package is as tidy as the iPhone itself. I also appreciate how little bulk the case adds to the iPhone, it’s really a sexy little case.

Functionality

When sealed up, the volume buttons and ringer switch are exposed, as are the headphone jack and main power button. On the bottom are some holes for the iPhone’s speaker and mic — though that latter isn’t strictly useful and you have to open up the flip to answer a call anyway.

Opening the case is fairly easy with two hands, you just pull it open and flip the lid around to the back. To open it with one hand you just push out next to the volume buttons — the rest of the case is actually fitted so well to the iPhone that it’s tough to get a finger in there to pop it open. Very nice. Most will want to flip the lid around to the back rather than having it flop around on the bottom — though that’s a problem that’s common to bottom-flip cases.

The iPhone will fit into its dock without having to fully remove the case — though you do have to slide it up a bit in order to make it fit.

Belt Clip

The PacRim Leather Jacket case comes with a belt clip – it’s the standard “button and separate clip” variety. The clip operates well enough – the case locks into the clip securely and then rotates freely on it (no ratchet here). Unfortunately, the case is a tad wobbly on the clip, but not enough to worry me — some relatively strongly yanking didn’t separate the case from its clip. The clip itself is very sturdy – it’s “weighty,” has a strong spring, and doesn’t seem likely to separate from either a belt or (as I usually wear it) a pocket.

Like most iPhone cases with clips, you can rest the iPhone horizontally on the clip for desktop movie viewing. Clipless, you can manage to position the flip lid for the same purpose, but it’s awkward.

Nevertheless, I prefer to use the case without the clip at all – I just unscrewed the button. The case does an excellent job protecting the iPhone and without the clip feels just as sleek and slim as the iPhone itself.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a simple flip lid case to protect the iPhone, the Pacific Rim Leather Jacket ($39.95) is probably the case for you. Though I’m not a fan of the belt clip, I am a fan of its simple, protective design. I don’t usually use flip-lid cases myself, but this one is better than most, it’s on my iPhone now and will likely stay for awhile.

Pros

• Clean, simple design
• Protects iPhone nearly 100%
• Not Bulky at all

Cons

• Belt clip feels a little wobbly (but is secure)

Overall: 4/5

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

Review: Pacific Rim Leather Jacket for Apple iPhone