Fanboy is not a term I use lightly. I don’t consider myself a fanboy of Apple – maybe of the iPhone, and I usually don’t consider myself to be a fanboy of any particular brand of accessory. But, in this case I’m going to come right out and just tell you – I am a fanboy when it comes to OtterBox. This is now the second Defender series case I’ve owned (had one for the original iPhone) and like a fine wine this new version has only gotten better with age. The design changes are quite significant in the latest version and while it hasn’t been all roses (see the part where I hurt myself) – overall I’m still very impressed.
Like the first iPhone version – the package content for the OtterBox is fairly thin. There isn’t a whole lot of documentation and there really doesn’t need to be since really this is a case and its fairly self explanatory on how you use it. Other than that you’re going to get an OtterBox sticker (love this) and the Defender itself.
If you’ve seen the first version of the iPhone Defender this picture might have you noticing one of the first changes – that being OtterBox has altered the holster to allow for the iPhone’s home button to be used while the phone is in the holster. This change while small is very significant because not only does it allow for you to use the phone in the holster – it will allow you to take advantage of another wonderful change I’ll point to in a minute.
You’ll also notice they’ve modified the backside of the case (not only to be curved) but to allow for the fact that the holster has the button modification.
The front side of the case has also undergone some changes to adjust for the holster modification as well has hardware changes to the iPhone itself. There is now two areas near the top which are opened up for the earpiece as well as the GPS and other sensors. Initially this was something I wasn’t thrilled about but I’ve gotten used to it now and the way its been designed makes sense because you can’t cover the earpiece with plastic and a cloth covering over the sensors wouldn’t work out too well.
Rubber flaps allow for access to the silence switch (YAY!) and to the headphone jack. If you recall on the first gen case there was no access to the silence switch so for some folks this is a very welcome change.
The bottom docking port is also covered by a rubber flap which lets the case remain on for charging/syncing – however don’t plan on using a dock because there hasn’t been on designed yet to support this bad boy.
Quick look at the layers of protection – 3 to be exact. From the OtterBox website:
First, a clear Polycarbonate sheet with high performance hard coating that offers chemical and abrasion protection Second, a hi-impact Polycarbonate skeleton Lastly, a Silicone skin to absorb bump and shock
One last look at the Defender before we get to one of the most significant changes of all – the belt clip. But before we go there – I wanted to mention one of the biggest issues that seems to pop up from new owners. The holster holds the phone extremely tightly. By extremely I mean I bent back a fingernail once trying to get the thing out. But, this is not a fault of the Defender … this was my own personal FAIL for not following the advice given by the folks at OtterBox. So – before you end up yelling obscenities at the case one day, here’s the best advice I can find – direct from the OtterBox blog:
… there is a trick. Put your thumb on the back of the holster, and your fingers on the back of the OtterBox. Push down with your thumb and pull up with your fingers, and voila! Also, remember that the fit will loosen up with time and usage. We made the fit very secure because we want your device to be safe and sound in the holster.
Alright folks – time for the biggest improvement of them all – the belt clip now also acts as a stand! (I’ll allow you a second to cheer.)
Done cheering? Ok – let’s move on then. The clip holster is quite similar to the original in that you can still swivel the phone around when its on your belt, but now it also “clips” into place when you put it down on your desk so you can prop the phone up and watch a movie or whatever. Very cool addition and one I’ve used an untold number of times while using the Defender. Next to the silence switch being accessible this is my favorite design change since watching a movie on my iPhone is now a lot easier becauseI don’t have to figure out how to prop up my phone.
For those of you who may be wondering about screen protection and clarity of that protection – here you go. The screen cover is the same as before (a little better with the oil slick) but overall about the same. You’re able to slide your fingers over the screen with fairly little resistance (although there is still some) and I didn’t find gaming or anything else too impeded. The following pictures should give you a fairly good idea of how the glare factor is, and what watching a video looks like.
Alright, let’s wrap this one up.
I started off a fanboy. I’m ending a fanboy. Overall for protection of the iPhone 3G you’re going to be hard pressed to find a case that looks as good at the Defender and protects as well as the Defender. I don’t know if I’d recommend it for daily use (unless you’re a careless or somewhat clumsy person) but if you find yourself on construction sites, camping areas, or some other area where the risk to your iPhone is fairly high – you simply can’t go wrong with this case.
Disclaimer: I was given this case as a review unit. But also note I have plans to buy one of my own when the new colors some out … I believe in the case that much.
INFO:
Price: $49.95
Where to buy: http://www.otterbox.com/iphone-cases/iphone-3g-defender-case/
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