The Problem With Settling - Reviews of some cheap/not-so-cheap iPhone 4 cases

There aren't many iPhone 4 cases on the market yet, but here's my informal review of 3 cases and 1 screen protector.

I snagged the aptly named Speck Black/Grey Candy Shell case on release day. Well padded for possible drops, but just too much lovehandle for My Lean Baby - it blocked the MP3 line-in on my stereo. It took 10 minutes of intense wiggling to squeeze my poor iPhone back out of its girdle, and I immediately vowed, "Never again!" As a stopgap measure, I've stuck on a pair of Zagg Invisible Shields. (My brilliant comment to the AT&T sales clerk: "$29.99? Really?!? That's a ridiculous price! Fine! Mumble, mumble, mumble.")  Verdict: improves grip-ability, but I suck at putting these on, and the two microscopic specks of dirt stuck under the plastic annoy me every time I run my finger across them (yes, that's about once every 30 seconds). 

I now handle my iPhone 4 like nitroglycerine.

My husband grabbed the Incipio Silicylic Yellow Gel/Shell Combo case. A self-diagnosed klutz, he assumed that acrylic plus gel was the perfect protection scheme.  (Even despite the fact that its dayglo shade of yellow - which shall henceforth be known as "Danger Will Robinson! Yellow!" - blinded all around him.) He took it home, put it on, and immediately decided it felt too flimsy. Back it went to the AT&T store.  He then stopped in at Best Buy and bought the plain Rocketfish Mobile case in red. Cheap, adequate protection until something better comes along. (Is this an inherent male attitude?)

All was well until we went on our cave tour this weekend, when he finally learned the dangers of "settling". (Hah!)  Guess what you need to use when taking photographs in a cave? That's right Class, a camera flash! Despite the cutout not covering the flash in any manner, it still reflected enough color to ruin his photos.

For comparison, here's a photo I took in the cave using flash without the Dread Red Case:

So, now he gets my (not yet returned) Speck, the Rocketfish hits the garbage can, and it's back on the search for decent cases. With 1.7 million iPhones sold, here's hoping the good case manufacturers manage to get their products to market soon!!  I miss my Seidio Innocase II and belt holster immensely.