I purchased the Otterbox Defender last week when it was released, got it in the mail yesterday and I'm disappointed with it. While it seems like a very durable case, the fact of how much more bulk it adds, the crappy holster, and how much of a PITA it is to remove the case from the phone... all negatives. The buttons are very difficult to press and while the built-in screen protector is great, it becomes obsessive if you go through all of the work to put the case back on and find something between the screen and the clear protector.
So, I'm back to the Verizon shell/holster combo I bought when I got the phone. I do like that setup, but I wish it offered full body protection, as I already have a bunch of scratches on the bottom from sitting the phone upright in my car. So I'm back on the market for a new case, but it HAS to have the option for a holster as well, I hate putting phones in my pocket. What other case/holster combos are out on the market for the Charge? What about a nice case that would fit into a separate top-loading holster?
I love everything about the Otterbox except the buttons. Like mentioned, wayyyyy too hard to press.
Trident Kraken is another alternative but it is also bulky. Not sure if there are any other shell/holster combos.
Have you looked at the seidio surface combo? That offers protection around all edges of the phone and comes with a nice holster.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
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I was at my local Best Buy today looking at phone accessories when I came across this case and holster for the Nexus One. As I looked closer at it, it looked very similar to the Seidio case and holster, only it was branded Platinum. Upon further inspection, I noticed on the bottom of the packaging in small letters that it was indeed a Seidio product. What really surprised me though was that it was only $10, instead of $35 like the other cases and holsters around it, so I snatched it up right then and there.
Since all the other Platinum brand case/holster were still full price, I can only assume that they are discontinuing this in the stores. I looked on their website and it's still listed for $35. So if you've been looking to get this case and holster, I'd suggest you hit your local Best Buy and hope they still have them in stock before their gone.
I got the same one from the local best buy by me. Solid case and holster for $10. Well made and has all the needed openings for microphones, ports, ect. Phone fits face in or face out in the holster.
Appears to be a rebranded Siedo Innocase™ II Surface Combo - Black which retails for $50 on the Siedo website.
Only problem is (like other cases) you have to remove it to fit it into the desk/car dock. Still a good value.
I picked one up yesterday and tried to put it on. First off, as I was sliding the top part in slowly, it took the screen protector off with it on the upper left side. Then the rubbery material on the inside of the case peeled off as well. I had to replace the screen protector. I took it back today to exchange it. I got it on this time, but again, the upper left side of my screen protector began bubbling really badly so I took it off immediately. Now, my screen protector has these scratch lines where the case overlaps the screen and glides on when sliding on the phone. I'm glad I had a screen protector on or else the case might've scratched my actual screen. I've always had a problem with the seidio case and I was hoping this one would be different, but its not.
bskim23 said:
I picked one up yesterday and tried to put it on. First off, as I was sliding the top part in slowly, it took the screen protector off with it on the upper left side. Then the rubbery material on the inside of the case peeled off as well. I had to replace the screen protector. I took it back today to exchange it. I got it on this time, but again, the upper left side of my screen protector began bubbling really badly so I took it off immediately. Now, my screen protector has these scratch lines where the case overlaps the screen and glides on when sliding on the phone. I'm glad I had a screen protector on or else the case might've scratched my actual screen. I've always had a problem with the seidio case and I was hoping this one would be different, but its not.
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I don't use a screen protector myself, I've had the case on and off a handful of times since I got it and it doesn't appear to be scratching the screen. I do agree though that the little rubber pieces on the inside do tend to move around a bit, but I've found that if you squeeze the case in as you slide it onto and off the phone, it minimizes the chances of the rubber moving.
Overall, I've always been very happy with Seidio's holster clips, but have to have a case on my phone cause I've very tough on phones, so I'd say the Innocase is perfect.
Now I just need to rig up a way to use the phone in the official car and home dock without having to remove the phone from the case. Gonna have to whip out the Dremel tool, soldering iron and some wood. If I get really ambitious, I may even cast some plastic molds of the phone.
Thanks for the heads up on the case. I went to my local best buy and they did not have it on display. I had to ask one of the cellphone associates to get it for me out of the back. Their SKU is: 9943421 for $9.99 regular price $34.99.
I've been using the Case-Mate tough case exclusively since I purchased the phone in March. All I can say is I'm amazed at how thin this case is. It feels as if there really is no cover on the phone. The addition of a secure belt clip is a HUGE plus in my book. My only gripe so far is I don't think this case will do much good in protecting the phone from a drop out of your pocket or coat.
Funny you should say that, I too just switched from the Tough Case as well. I did love the CM case for the combination of shock absorbing rubber and hard plastic shell, but it made the phone too bulky. As for the Seidio, it may be thin and not offer as much protection as the CM case, but take into account that the shell of the phone itself is metal and hard plastic and comes into direct contact with the screen. Any drop is going to transfer from the shell and into the screen most likely causing it to break. A case on the phone, even a thin one, is still more flexible than the phones shell and absorb most impacts. Even if the case itself breaks in a fall, better a $10/$35 case then a $579 phone.
garfnodie said:
Funny you should say that, I too just switched from the Tough Case as well. I did love the CM case for the combination of shock absorbing rubber and hard plastic shell, but it made the phone too bulky. As for the Seidio, it may be thin and not offer as much protection as the CM case, but take into account that the shell of the phone itself is metal and hard plastic and comes into direct contact with the screen. Any drop is going to transfer from the shell and into the screen most likely causing it to break. A case on the phone, even a thin one, is still more flexible than the phones shell and absorb most impacts. Even if the case itself breaks in a fall, better a $10/$35 case then a $579 phone.
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After a few hours of using it, I switched back to my tough case. I just can't get over how "under protected" the phone feels. I did however use the Seido case when I had to wear a suit earlier this week. I like having my phone on my belt in those cases. For 10$ its a nice option to have.
Now if there was only a way to get the Seido holder to hold the n1 with the tough case on it.....
No joy at my local best buy - but I found an open-package one on Ebay for $7.99 with free shipping - same item.
Open package is no big deal to me though...
Thanks for opening my eyes to this product!
just got this as my seido case was getting really messed up.
the only difference i see is that the inside is rubber rather than seido's felt interior
krazichinaman said:
After a few hours of using it, I switched back to my tough case. I just can't get over how "under protected" the phone feels. I did however use the Seido case when I had to wear a suit earlier this week. I like having my phone on my belt in those cases. For 10$ its a nice option to have.
Now if there was only a way to get the Seido holder to hold the n1 with the tough case on it.....
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Sound's to me like what you need is the Seidio rugged case. It's similar to the Tough case in that you get a thick rubber wrap with a plastic shell around it, and then that fit's into a special spring holster.
http://www.seidioonline.com/product-p/bd4-hkr4hnx1.htm
I'm sticking with the regular case/holster as that will more than protect the phone from even a tall drop.
what is the best epic 4g case? post yours...
I bought the Black Samsung one from the Sprint store for $19.99. It works great and does what I want.
Yeah, I know. I'm boring
TheCraigJ said:
I bought the Black Samsung one from the Sprint store for $19.99. It works great and does what I want.
Yeah, I know. I'm boring
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haha the sprint cases are fin & your not boring..
I'm using the Seidio Innocase Surface case/holster combo. Nice tactile feel on the case, and the secure spring-clip holster does really well, especially with my clumsy arse...
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Definition of the "best" case would be different for every person because it depends on personal preferences, how you use your phone, and how you carry it. Personally, I like the feeling of a naked phone and with my Touch Pro 2 I mostly used Forte leather case (although I tried Seidio Surface for a short period). The advantage of a leather pouch is that you don't have any permanent thickness added to your phone, but disadvantages are that you need to take the phone out of the case to see the screen and you can still drop the phone while out of the case - which is exactly what happened to me a few times. Now when I got Epic, it is thinner then TP2 so I wanted to get a snap-on case for it. Here is my mini-review of a few cases I tried:
1) Seidio Active - it is the case that (among other snap on cases) would definitely provide the best protection if the phone is dropped, it looks good, and made well. The soft gel provides a nice cushion and the plastic skeleton strategically positions hard coverage over areas that could be most impacted during the fall. It seems that the recently found Fishbone case on Amazon is very similar in the design so I would expect it to provide the same protection. Unfortunately, Seidio Active was a bit too thick to my liking and since I usualy take good care of my phones, I didn't feel that the extra protection would justify the added thickness for my needs.
2) Seidio Surface - this is probably the thinnest snap on case you can get. I really like the fact that it adds very little to the overall size of the phone and I thought that it would be the perfect case for me when I bought it and put it on. However, maybe the fact that it is so thin contributed to the fact that it feels a bit flimsy when on the phone. There is a tiny bit of play on both the top and bottom parts (when you squeeze them with your fingers on the sides) and sometimes when you push power button the phone tends to slide open a bit based on how I hold it in my hand. The case seems to fit like a glove but it is not as tight as I would like it to be and it is VERY easy to remove the top part with almost no effort whatsoever. Some may consider it a plus, but I consider it a minus because I am pretty sure that if the phone is dropped, the top part will most likely fall off after the first bump leaving the top unprotected (this actually did happen when I used Seidio Surface case on my Touch Pro 2 and dropped from about 3 feet onto hardwood floor).
3) Sprint Case with rubber back - to me this turned out to be the "best" case, at least for now. In terms of added thickness it is somewhere in between Seidio Active and Surface cases. It fits very snug and tight. I like the rubber backing a lot, it is not slippery, feels very nice in hand, and looks good (at least in black). Some people mentioned that the rubber has a tendency to peel off - I've had this case for a month now and it looks like new and I have no peeling issues; but even if I do, I am sure that a carefully placed drop of crazy glue will take care of this issue permanently. I have removed the case several times and I don't see any scratches left on the phone as was posted in one thread. The only drawback may be that the case is a bit harder to remove then Seidio, but to me it is not an issue and means that it will stay on during the fall. I rarely remove the top part, but I am a heavy phone user so I swap extra battery often and don't have any issues removing the bottom part after getting used to it. There were some reports of snaps breaking off - I have not experience that at all and I hope I won't since this is a perfect case for me at this point.
In terms of price - all three cases are around $20 bucks so price is not a factor. All three cases do not interfere with the sliding mechanism and make the phone feel a bit tighter with less screen play and no more squeaking from the battery door. I also tried one of those invisible shield things which is basically a screen protector over the entire phone. Two issues I found with those: a) no matter what brand you get, they will eventually start peeling and will attract dirt on the edges looking like crap after a while; b) although they provide scratch protection, they won't do much if the phone is dropped.
Hope you'll find your best case.
Cheers.
My sprint case has all the tab breaking off after about a month and a half of use. YMMV.
Geekybiker said:
My sprint case has all the tab breaking off after about a month and a half of use. YMMV.
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I wonder if this has to do with how different people remove/put it on. I usualy pick the two corner clips on the charger side with my nail and it removes pretty easily after that (just slide it off). When I put it back I do it in reverse order - I slide the bottom two clips on first and then snap the top ones on. So far it's been working well for me.
I'm using a black Seidio Innocase (regular not active) with the spring clip holster and I love it. I originally had the body glove case and it was just too big.. felt like I was carrying a brick in my pocket. The Innocase doesn't add much bulk and gives a bit of protection from random bumps and scratches. Has a pleasant lip around the screen too so laying the epic flat on its face keeps the screen from contacting a surface.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
My experience with case durability is completely different from gorby911's, so it's all YMMV. My Sprint case completely fell apart in 1.5 months of use, what with the clips breaking off, and 2 corners of the rubber backing peeling away. Even after Gorilla-gluing one of the corners, it peeled off again within a week! Just got a Seidio Surface and it fits very snugly and no play.
The downside of the Surface is that its rubberized texture is actually quite slippery, vs. the grippy texture on the Sprint case (especially with its rubber backing). It slightly twists and slips around in my hand that supports it while I'm swiping around with my other hand. But it's got a much thinner profile with what I feel appears to be the same amount of protection.
I hope it lasts more than 1.5 months long.
So the sedio active is the slimmest case? May have to check that out, thanks for the info.
ranchosteve said:
So the sedio active is the slimmest case? May have to check that out, thanks for the info.
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Seidio innocase should be the thinnest.
I've been using the BodyGlove that has a the smoked chrome. Stylish and strong. Dropped it a few times and everything's still fine. Sprint Direct/Indirect stores have them available.
gorby911 said:
I wonder if this has to do with how different people remove/put it on. I usualy pick the two corner clips on the charger side with my nail and it removes pretty easily after that (just slide it off). When I put it back I do it in reverse order - I slide the bottom two clips on first and then snap the top ones on. So far it's been working well for me.
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I have both the Innocase Surface and the black Sprint case and I too have had no problems with my Sprint case - I take off the back of the case exactly as you have described. Not a single scratch on my phone yet (knock on wood). I prefer the Sprint case over the Innocase as it seems to offer better protection.
For those who are curious, the black Sprint case fits in the Seidio Innocase Holster (the one designed for the Innocase Surface at least). I bought the $40 Innocase/holster combo at Best Buy, but am using the holster with my Sprint case.
I'm using this one. Got it off fleabay for $8.99. Really nice OEM leather case that fits great. I can't stand a phone in my pocket so I have mine on my belt.
I'm looking for case for my Epic and also a holster that will hold the phone with the case attached. I tried to do this with my HTC Arrive but the case made the phone so bulky that I could barely squeeze it into my belt holster and then the magnetic cover would hardly close.
Is there any case + holster combo that I can purchase or at least a holster with enough room to hold the Epic with a case attached?
I really liike the Seidio Active X case but I'm afraid it will make the phone too thick for most if not all holsters other than the Seidio snap on holster.
I was also looking at these two Amazon items but don't know if they really would go well together:
I can't post links but these two are from Amazon.
Premium-Crystal-Rubberized-Snap-Samsung
Horizontal-Leather-Samsung-Magnetic-Closing
Any suggestions?
Seidio has a combo that comes with a holster and case.
platinum case and clip
Best Buy has a case made by platinum. great case and holster as well. case does good job of protecting the phone.
Thank you for the responses. I saw both and for the holster, is there one that is not a phone clip-on holster, rather more like the leather holsters where the phone resides inside and there is a magnetic lock to hold the opening closed?
I might just go for the Seidio Active X case/holster combo if I can't find another option.
Try this maybe?
=]
nubecoder said:
Try this maybe?
=]
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Thanks. Looks like I was a little late to the party. Went to purchase the case this morning and it was officially sold out.
i use the Seidio case/holster combo. i have the.. i think its called "active" one now (belt clip with a plastic and rubberized case on the phone. holds phone face in against your body). I previously used the "surface case" and holster combo. Both GREAT items (i still have the surface case, but due to something that was totally my fault the holster broke. not a reflection of the product quality. i love it).
my phone has the Seidio screen protector and Seidio "Active" case/holster. its been dropped SO many times. banged around daily. screen and softkeys are still scratch free. screen protector barely scratched (thats how durable it is. even in a pocket with keys or coins its still perfectly clear). phone still working great. LOVE the case. its a little expensive but well worth the investment to protect your superphone.
CASE and SCREEN PROTECTOR
traumahawk said:
i use the Seidio case/holster combo. i have the.. i think its called "active" one now (belt clip with a plastic and rubberized case on the phone. holds phone face in against your body). I previously used the "surface case" and holster combo. Both GREAT items (i still have the surface case, but due to something that was totally my fault the holster broke. not a reflection of the product quality. i love it).
my phone has the Seidio screen protector and Seidio "Active" case/holster. its been dropped SO many times. banged around daily. screen and softkeys are still scratch free. screen protector barely scratched (thats how durable it is. even in a pocket with keys or coins its still perfectly clear). phone still working great. LOVE the case. its a little expensive but well worth the investment to protect your superphone.
CASE and SCREEN PROTECTOR
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I think I'll purchase the Active X case and holster combo. Hopefully the phone will stay in the holster while at the gym. I saw a great review of the product in this forum and even though the price is a lot higher than I would like to pay, it seems like it is worth it.
Just ordered and received the Seidio active case and figured I would do a quick review of it for you guys. Previously I was using the Casemate barely there case so that is all I really have to compare it to.
When I opened the box I was impressed by it. It looked nice, seemed to be well designed and have good construction. I liked the way it was built with the rubber inner case and the hard outer shell to go over it which seems to be a good combination of drop protection without being too hard to slip into a pocket if you choose to do that. I was looking for a case that would provide a bit more protection than the barely there I had on the phone. I don't find that it adds a lot of bulk to the phone either, which I like. It is bigger, but not that much bigger in my opinion.
All of the ports and buttons line up well and I don't have any problem using any of them. The holster is nice and well built too. Which brings me to my one complaint about this case. When holstering the phone the latch on the top has a tendency to catch onto the rubber part of the case on top and pull it up instead of just letting the phone go in. I think this could have easily been solved by having a piece of the plastic hard shell molded over the top of the case where the latch would be going. This makes it awkward to easily holster the phone sometimes. But that is really my only complaint. Debating returning it and getting the surface case just so I don't have to deal with that, but I like the added protection of the active case.
Posting a couple of pictures that I have now, I will add a couple of pictures of the phone in the case for you guys later. I apologize for the pictures that they aren't that great, all I have is my phone and webcam for taking pictures..
Looks like a work case.
Yeah, it's definitely not as heavy duty as an otterbox defender or a ballistic hc though.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using XDA App
I'm looking for a replacement for my Otterbox Defender, I'm not very happy with it at all. The outer silicone layer is falling off my case because its becoming too loose, and the hard inner part is cracked to hell and back. And I've only had the case since September and hasn't had any major falls!
So I'm looking into the Kraken case, and from what the website says, it has a built-in screen protector, but on the actual page where you buy it is a self-applicable screen protector. So I was just looking for some feedback and actual answers? Which is it? And is the case any good?
Or are there other suggestions for a rugged case?
I myself returned it. The case is very heavy, the plastic feels cheap, and its not smooth so you feel all these bumps etc in your hand. It doesnt lock into the belt clip easy enough to actually be useable. I have a belt on my pants and the thing was so heavy that it pulled my pants down a good 2 inches. The screen protector is also one you have to put on it there is no built in one. I would email otterbox, they have replaced my stuff several times, all they did was ask me for a about date i bought it, and asked me for a picture of the damaged case all i had to do was write the date on piece of paper and include it in the picture and they sent me new one within like maybe a week to two weeks at no cost.
I would really recommend the Ballistic SG. it's under 19$, but is superb. The best part is the buttons remain perfectly usable.
Do pair it with a wet application screen protector, but the design should generally prevent any part of the screen impacting any surface.
Sent from my One X using xda premium
I'll 2nd the Ballistic SG. Had it since June and still love it. The only car dock I liked was the ibolt, but the phone wouldn't fit with the case on, so I had to mod the ibolt with a Dremel to make it fit. This case would be perfect if it had a compatible car and desk dock accessory option.
i wouldnt really say ballastic is what this person is looking for to me its like mid range protection id assume they ment same level as otterbox and the ballastic gels lip is not anywheres as big as the one on the otterbox so , ans skin to me is kinda thin id just email otterbox ask for replacement.
I've gone through two replacements for my Defender since I first posted. Sure Otterbox has had no problem sending them to me free of charge. But this is ridiculous. Its just not sturdy enough. It feels like cheap plastic.
I've also looked into the Ballistic cases. But the one I really want they don't make for my phone. Sad day.
i honestly cant find anything i like for one x i wish i didnt get this thing im trying to trade it out. but im using generic ballastics case. it does job not as cheapy feeling but the rubber does leave some like smudges on back of my phone if u find anything let me know.
sandys1 said:
I would really recommend the Ballistic SG. it's under 19$, but is superb. The best part is the buttons remain perfectly usable.
Do pair it with a wet application screen protector, but the design should generally prevent any part of the screen impacting any surface.
Sent from my One X using xda premium
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Indeed. These things are great. They've gone up in price a bit, but are still really worth it. The rubber part never stretches out because of the plastic and ballistic that goes around it sort of keeps it nice and tight on your phone. Definitely worth getting.