The Bandshell is a new iPhone case with a unique sliding back that curves outward when deployed and acoustically amplifies sound from the iPhone’s speaker. As the rear slides out, it also works as a stand.
It’s available for $20, and comes in 12 colors: silver, black, white, copper, steel blue, purple, blue, green, yellow, red, pink, and orange. For extra customizability, the sliding sound door is interchangeable, so can be swapped with another case for two-tone colors.
Full press release:
Accessory maker Griffin has teamed up with textile makers Chilewich to make a co-branded line of iPhone accessories called Griffin+Chilewich. Their first creation is the Elan Form Chilewich ($40), which covers a polycarbonate Griffin case with a vinyl-fabric basketweave cover from Chilewich to give it a distinctive visual flair.
The cases are available in light grey and gravel and can be purchased online, through Apple, Griffin or the MoMA design store.
The cases are compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS, and its vinyl yarn outer layer means it can be washed off without any problem (sans iPhone, of course).
Quirky, the community based design company, have come up with an interesting iPhone case with a built-in LED. Powered by a watch battery (so it doesn’t drain your iPhone), the case would give you up to 10 hours of illumination, which you could use as a sort of flash for the iPhone’s camera or a general light.
Of course, there’s a catch. Quirky is a community design company that develops ideas submitted by the public, and submitters get something back for their work. They need to hit 500 pre-orders on the $32.00 case before they can start a production run. So, if this strikes you as an interesting case that you might want for your phone, think about putting yourself down for one.
SwitchEasy has quickly become a premiere case maker for the iPhone, and we found their RebelSerpent ($27) for the iPhone 3G/3GS to be another successful design for the company. It’s a two-part case made from a combination of a “soft” inner case that snugly fits around the iPhone with a hard polycarbonate spine that adds protection. It’s a rugged case that covers up Apple’s gloss-and-chrome design and replaces it with a monochromatic, masculine look. Overall, the case feels solid and well put together, if a bit heavy, in the hand. It’s a highly functional case with a few minor flaws, and we give it a rating of 8.8 out of 10, highly recommended.
The RebelSerpent is composed of two separate pieces. The inner part is a a soft and snug-fitting plastic that SwitchEasy labels Adaptive Dynamic Soft Polymer (ADSP). Don’t be fooled by the fancy marketing term though, it’s really just a semi-soft but cheap-feeling plastic. This soft inner lining tightly grips the iPhone, preventing the case from slipping off while taking it out of pockets. The soft lining also prevents the hard part of the case from scratching the iPhone, a common problem with hard-shell cases.
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Vers is known for their handcrafted wooden iPhone and iPod accessories, including the Vers iPhone Infocase ($39.99). While the Infocase is very aesthetically pleasing, you have to remove your iPhone from the case before you can use it. Yesterday, Vers launched the Vers iPhone Shellcase ($39.99), which continues the same design but allows full access to the iPhone’s screen.
The Vers iPhone Shellcase is available in cherry (above), walnut or bamboo versions, and it’s compatible with all generations of the iPhone. According to the product press release, each iPhone case is slightly different due to variations in the wood. I’m drooling over the bamboo and walnut versions just from the product pictures — they’re sleek, polished and just look cool. This is the Vers Shellcase in bamboo:
The only potential downside I can see is the weight, as a wooden iPhone case (reinforced with steel pins) will naturally be heavier than most plastic cases. The Shellcases weigh 1.7 ounces and the iPhone 3GS weighs 4.8 ounces, so the Shellcase will add a good amount of heft to the phone for a total weight of 6.5 ounces.
The iPhone Shellcase is a $39.99 purchase at VersAudio.com, but the cases are not expected to ship until the week of November 23rd.
SwitchEasy Colors ($15) are slick, affordable cases, and one of the best basic all-around cases in terms of looks, fit, and protection. They have a sleek, form-fitting style, and come with two screen protectors, covers for the dock connector and headphone port, a cleaning cloth, and squeegee for applying the screen protector. Not bad for $15.
Helpful links:
Official SwitchEasy Colors website
Amazon.com: SwitchEasy Colors2. SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel for iPhone 3G
The SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel ($25) offers solid protection and good looks in a case that mixes a silicon inner casing with a hard plastic outer casing. Included in the package are two screen protectors, covers for headphone and dock ports, a cleaning cloth, a squeegee for applying the screen protector, and an a mini-stand for propping the iPhone up for video watching.
Helpful links:
Official SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel website
Amazon.com: SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel
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iLounge.com, our favorite site for iPhone case reviews, has given the Switcheasy Colors ($14.99) iPhone 3G case an A rating. This makes it the top-rated iPhone 3G case. Two other cases have a slightly lower A- rating, they are the SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel ($25.00) and the Artwizz SeeJacket Crystal ($30.00).
The Switcheasy Colors is a silicone rubber case that comes with two screen protectors, dock and headphone port covers, cleaning cloth, and a film application squeegee. There are 10 different colors you can choose from. Not bad for only $15.
iLounge had this to say about the case:
For $15, this case offers clean design, superb protection, and a strong array of color options—at a point in time when similarly simple cases are being sold at ridiculously high prices, these are all reasons that this case merits our flat A rating and high recommendation. Unless you’re looking for a video stand, belt clip, or other frills, this should be your go-to iPhone 3G case if you’re budget-conscious and like silicone rubber.
Check out iLounge’s full review of the SwitchEasy Colors iPhone 3G case.
iLounge’s iPhone 3G case reviews by rating.
SwitchEasy Colors official site.
(Image via Egotastic.)
I admit, I’ve never used a case on my first-gen iPhone. And it definitely shows the wear and tear of the past year. I know many out there love their cases, including Megan Fox, star of Transformers. Just check out that beautiful white case covering her first-gen iPhone. That is one gorgeous casing. You did notice she was holding an iPhone, right?
I highly recommend iLounge.com for case reviews and all iPod and iPhone third-party accessory reviews in general. If you’ve never heard of the site before, iLounge has been writing up reviews for iPod earphones, cases, and everything else iPod for many years now. They literally have thousands of reviews on third-party accessories for iPods and iPhones.
Links:
iPhone 3G case reviews by rating.