BlackBerry Pearl
InvisibleSHIELD by ZAGG Review
CaseandCover.com reviews ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
Everyone who owns expensive devices is always looking for a way to protect them. There is no shortage of cases, films and other protecting products out there, and each has its own benefits and downfalls. When Invisible Skinz reached out to me to take a look at the invisibleSHIELD
, I was happy take another look. I say another, because I have used these products in the past, as I had one for my Motorola Q back in 2006. At the time, I ended up having to send my phone back to Verizon, and forgot to remove the shield before sending. Fortunately, I am able to take another look.
In the Box
Invisible Shield
Install Squeegee
Shieldspray
Installation/Thoughts
Installing the invisibleSHIELD on your device takes about 30 minutes, but it’s worth the time. The secret for Zagg is the shield spray that they include with the shields. The formula interacts with the adhesive on the shield to make the installation process easier, and more effective. The actual installation process is simple; peel off the shield from the paper backing, spray, apply and squeegee. Each invisibleSHIELD is created specifically for the device its sold for, so the longest part of the installation is getting each little piece lined up perfectly. The result is full device coverage that looks incredibly professional. Out of all the devices I have, I thought the iPhone 3G would be a great representation as a test device for the product. The capacitive touch screen was my biggest concern, as I wondered if the screen would still be sensitive to my fingers. Good news, there is no noticeable difference in user experience on the screen.
I’ve had the invisibleSHIELD on my iPhone for the past week and have been happy with the results. The full body coverage gives me the peace of mind that I my phone is protected. The texture of the shield gives it a “grippy” feel, which makes it less prone to being dropped, and overall is a very unobtrusive solution to keeping your device protected.
About the Invisible Shield
ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD™ is a thin polyurethane film originally created for the military to protect the leading edge of helicopter blades. What’s unique about this military-grade, patented film is how tough it is – it doesn’t scratch. What makes ZAGG’s exclusive invisibleSHIELD™ so strong, flexible and scratch-proof? Its Nano-Memory technology™. With this technology, it also allows it to curve and contour around an entire device (not just the screen) and adhere to the device unless you want to remove it (without leaving adhesive).
The invisibleSHIELD has been designed to protect over 2,500 handheld electronics, including the Apple iPod touch, the Apple iPhone 3G, the BlackBerry Curve and more.
from Mickey Papillion, 3/14/2009
Everyone who owns expensive devices is always looking for a way to protect them. There is no shortage of cases, films and other protecting products out there, and each has its own benefits and downfalls. When Invisible Skinz reached out to me to take a look at the invisibleSHIELD
In the Box
Invisible Shield
Install Squeegee
Shieldspray
Installation/Thoughts
Installing the invisibleSHIELD
I’ve had the invisibleSHIELD
About the Invisible Shield
ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD
The invisibleSHIELD
from Mickey Papillion, 3/14/2009
Speck TechStyle Classic w/ Holster for BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Review
CaseandCover.com reviews Speck cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
The Ultimate in Style and Protection for your Pearl
Did you get a shiny, new BlackBerry Pearl for the Holidays? There are few feelings like holding that new BlackBerry Pearl in your hands when it first comes out of the box. It is shiny, smooth, scratch free and truly beautiful to look at.
Unfortunately, most of us are pretty tough on our phones – especially our Blackberries. They get so much use and so much in and out of pockets and purses and jackets that they start to scratch and look worn.
Because of this, a good, protective case is almost a must have. There are lots of options and many to choose from in the CrackBerry Store. Today, we will take a good look at the Speck Products TechStyle Classic w/Holster Case and see if this is the one you should invest in to protect your new Pearl.
As you can see from looking in the CrackBerry Store, cases come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and styles. Holsters are particularly attractive to BlackBerry users because of the nature of BlackBerry devices as business devices – often on our belt.
The problem with holsters is that once you take the BlackBerry out of the holster, it is unprotected – and vulnerable if we were to drop it while using it (a fate that has happened to most of us.)
The problem with “skin” type form-fitting leather cases is that they don’t stay well on our belts.
Enter Speck Products with a unique solution that provides the style of a leather form fitting case with the protection and convenience of a holster.
The “Official” line from Speck products is the following:
“Enhance your BlackBerry Pearl with a premium, hand-crafted Classic leather case. These beautiful, textured cases are adorned with fine stitching, a removable swivel holster, and touch-thru screen protector. Offers secure protection and classic style for your BlackBerry Pearl.
Made from premium leather
Soft, plaid interior lining
Sewn-in screen protector
Removable swivel holster (belt clip)”
Design and Function:
The Speck case is really a brilliant design. Too many leather form-fitting cases either don’t have a belt clip, or, if they do, it protrudes from the case making it uncomfortable to also use in your pocket.
Speck offers the best of both worlds – a form-fitting leather case and a leather holster. The beauty of this design is that when in the holster – you have a nice looking, safe way to transport your BlackBerry. The holster is made of strong leather over a harder material that gives it a very secure feeling.
The holster is also “magnetized” so that the “holster” features available in your BlackBerry Profile settings can be used (like “vibrate in holster.”)
The “Skin” part of the case is also made of a nice, durable feeling leather. Pretty much every part of the BlackBerry Pearl is protected – with openings for the convenience keys, standby button and charging port.
The “Skin” case has a snap on the back to keep the Pearl in place once it is loaded (from the top) into the case.
The “Skin” case also has a plastic screen protector in place which protects the BlackBerry screen. Now, I am generally not a fan of plastic screen protectors for BlackBerries since none have a touch screen which gets poked on continually. Some people like the added protection and this case certainly offers that.
Fit and Finish/Aesthetics:
My sample case came in nice, dark brown leather. The holster had a nice plaid design on the inside which was certainly fashionable.
The leather seems “protective” and durable. This is not soft, supple calf skin which you find on many very expensive cases – this is hard, protective leather – function over aesthetics here.
The cutouts were all fine – there was easy access to all the main buttons and keys. Stitching was also nicely done – functional and sturdy.
Protection:
The Speck case offers good protection for the BlackBerry. When in the holster, it was secure and tight. I never had to worry about the BlackBerry falling out of the holster.
When out of the holster, the BlackBerry seemed pretty well protected by the leather skin and the screen protector. The leather was hard, but pliable – which made me think it would hold up well if dropped.
Areas of Concern:
One small area of concern was that the edging was not smooth – when I put the BlackBerry into the case, I did worry that it might get scratched on the way in – or on the way out. Since we all have to do the occasional “battery pull” every so often, this was a concern for me.
Overall Conclusions:
This is a well made and protective case. The solution to have both a leather holster and a leather skin really does make a lot of sense. The BlackBerry was always protected – both in and out of the holster.
01 Jan 2008 22:24 by Gary Mazo
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The Ultimate in Style and Protection for your Pearl
Did you get a shiny, new BlackBerry Pearl for the Holidays? There are few feelings like holding that new BlackBerry Pearl in your hands when it first comes out of the box. It is shiny, smooth, scratch free and truly beautiful to look at.
Unfortunately, most of us are pretty tough on our phones – especially our Blackberries. They get so much use and so much in and out of pockets and purses and jackets that they start to scratch and look worn.
Because of this, a good, protective case is almost a must have. There are lots of options and many to choose from in the CrackBerry Store. Today, we will take a good look at the Speck Products TechStyle Classic w/Holster Case and see if this is the one you should invest in to protect your new Pearl.
As you can see from looking in the CrackBerry Store, cases come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and styles. Holsters are particularly attractive to BlackBerry users because of the nature of BlackBerry devices as business devices – often on our belt.
The problem with holsters is that once you take the BlackBerry out of the holster, it is unprotected – and vulnerable if we were to drop it while using it (a fate that has happened to most of us.)
The problem with “skin” type form-fitting leather cases is that they don’t stay well on our belts.
Enter Speck Products with a unique solution that provides the style of a leather form fitting case with the protection and convenience of a holster.
The “Official” line from Speck products is the following:
“Enhance your BlackBerry Pearl with a premium, hand-crafted Classic leather case. These beautiful, textured cases are adorned with fine stitching, a removable swivel holster, and touch-thru screen protector. Offers secure protection and classic style for your BlackBerry Pearl.
Made from premium leather
Soft, plaid interior lining
Sewn-in screen protector
Removable swivel holster (belt clip)”
Design and Function:
The Speck case is really a brilliant design. Too many leather form-fitting cases either don’t have a belt clip, or, if they do, it protrudes from the case making it uncomfortable to also use in your pocket.
Speck offers the best of both worlds – a form-fitting leather case and a leather holster. The beauty of this design is that when in the holster – you have a nice looking, safe way to transport your BlackBerry. The holster is made of strong leather over a harder material that gives it a very secure feeling.
The holster is also “magnetized” so that the “holster” features available in your BlackBerry Profile settings can be used (like “vibrate in holster.”)
The “Skin” part of the case is also made of a nice, durable feeling leather. Pretty much every part of the BlackBerry Pearl is protected – with openings for the convenience keys, standby button and charging port.
The “Skin” case has a snap on the back to keep the Pearl in place once it is loaded (from the top) into the case.
The “Skin” case also has a plastic screen protector in place which protects the BlackBerry screen. Now, I am generally not a fan of plastic screen protectors for BlackBerries since none have a touch screen which gets poked on continually. Some people like the added protection and this case certainly offers that.
Fit and Finish/Aesthetics:
My sample case came in nice, dark brown leather. The holster had a nice plaid design on the inside which was certainly fashionable.
The leather seems “protective” and durable. This is not soft, supple calf skin which you find on many very expensive cases – this is hard, protective leather – function over aesthetics here.
The cutouts were all fine – there was easy access to all the main buttons and keys. Stitching was also nicely done – functional and sturdy.
Protection:
The Speck case offers good protection for the BlackBerry. When in the holster, it was secure and tight. I never had to worry about the BlackBerry falling out of the holster.
When out of the holster, the BlackBerry seemed pretty well protected by the leather skin and the screen protector. The leather was hard, but pliable – which made me think it would hold up well if dropped.
Areas of Concern:
One small area of concern was that the edging was not smooth – when I put the BlackBerry into the case, I did worry that it might get scratched on the way in – or on the way out. Since we all have to do the occasional “battery pull” every so often, this was a concern for me.
Overall Conclusions:
This is a well made and protective case. The solution to have both a leather holster and a leather skin really does make a lot of sense. The BlackBerry was always protected – both in and out of the holster.
01 Jan 2008 22:24 by Gary Mazo
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OtterBox Defender Series Case for the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Review
CaseandCover.com reviews OtterBox cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
BlackBerry Users and Abusers Rejoice! Following the success of their Defender Series case for the BlackBerry 8800, Otterbox
has released the Defender Case for the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 (one for the Curve will be available at the end of this month). Rugged and durable, no other case on the market offers BlackBerry protection like an Otterbox does.
The Defender case is offered in two colors, a yellow and black combo which is featured in this review, as well as an all-black version. You can pick either up from ShopCrackBerry.com for $49.95. Regardless of the color you choose, you willl sleep well at night knowing your beloved BlackBerry Pearl 8100 is well-protected.
For the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 - Not the 8130/8120
Now I know that the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 is out in North America (and the 8120 in other parts of the world), and no sadly this case does not support the new Pearls. I did actually try putting my new 8130 into this case, and although it fits, a few of the side buttons on the new Pearl have been moved and the Otterbox triggers them inadvertently. Nevertheless, I'm sure there are plenty of you still sporting the 8100 and are looking for a solid rugged case like this. And if you are the lucky owner of a new 8130 or 8120 for that matter, I checked with Otterbox and they plan to have a Defender case for the 8120/8130 out in the first quarter of 2008. You won't have to wait too long.
The Assembled Unit - No BlackBerry Inside
The case/holster will add some bulk to your Pearl. 
Several Layers of Protection
The Otterbox Defender comes with a several layers of protection for your Pearl. The first step to getting your BlackBerry protected is to put on the thermal formed protective clear membrane which acts as a safeguard for the screen and keyboard against scratches, dust and dirt. It somewhat tricky to get the layer on, but just line up the trackball first, and try to apply the screen smoothly to avoid air bubbles. The clear membrane is optional, so if you’re more worried about dropping your BlackBerry than it getting dirty, you can leave it off.
Next Step is to apply the lower portion of the hi-impact polycarbonate shell, and then snap on the top cover. This cover provides the bulk of the protection for your BlackBerry in the case that it accidentally gets dropped or stepped on.
Next, there is the silicon skin that goes over top of the shell. The Silicon acts as a bumper to absorb bumps and shocks. It will also hold the two pieces of your shell together, as well as provide extra grip when handling the case.
Using the Otterbox
The Defender case feels sturdy in ones hand, and the silicon skin offers a nice solid grip to the package. The case does not interfere with controls and still made typing on the Pearl’s SureType keyboard easy. It allows full use of the Camera, and has access plugs for charging/syncing so you don't need to take your BlackBerry out of the case to charge it.
The Defender also comes with a belt clip holster. The proper way to use that would be to have your BlackBerry screen facing towards you, thus protecting the screen. As always, Otterbox's BlackBerry holster does contain that all-important magnet, so it puts your BlackBerry into standby/sleep mode when inserted.
The Otterbox case only weights 1.6oz and provides an extreme level of protection most common jobs would throw at it. I was so confident in the protection it provided, as a test I threw my 8100 in the OtterBox down a set of stairs (see video), and of course no harm was done. I was actually more worried about the OtterBox doing damage to the floor than the floor to the BlackBerry. ** note: don’t try this with your BlackBerry – OtterBox doesn’t guarantee the safety of your BlackBerry for that level of abuse and won't replace your device if you call them and say you saw it on CrackBerry.com! :-)
Lastly, I just wanted to note, that this case is not meant as an underwater case. It will offer some protection against water and dust, but I wouldn't count on it for protecting your Berry if it falls in water.
Conclusion
It's not waterproof and it's not indestructable, but it's damn tough and provides awesome protection and good looks (in that rugged sort of way) while maintaining ease of use. Pricing for the Otterbox comes in at $49.95 per unit, which is reasonable considering it is the only case on the market that will offer this kind of durable protection for your BlackBerry Pearl 8100.
Pros:
Protection for your BlackBerry like no other Case Available
Pearl's controls still easy to access and use
Looks Cool
Holster magent included for Standby/Sleep Mode
Did I mention it's tough?
Cons:
Little tricky to get the clear membrane seated properly, but not too difficult
I wish it was available for my 8130 Pearl today!!
13 Nov 2007 by Remik Szul from CrackBerry.com
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
BlackBerry Users and Abusers Rejoice! Following the success of their Defender Series case for the BlackBerry 8800, Otterbox
has released the Defender Case for the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 (one for the Curve will be available at the end of this month). Rugged and durable, no other case on the market offers BlackBerry protection like an Otterbox does. The Defender case is offered in two colors, a yellow and black combo which is featured in this review, as well as an all-black version. You can pick either up from ShopCrackBerry.com for $49.95. Regardless of the color you choose, you willl sleep well at night knowing your beloved BlackBerry Pearl 8100 is well-protected.
For the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 - Not the 8130/8120
Now I know that the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 is out in North America (and the 8120 in other parts of the world), and no sadly this case does not support the new Pearls. I did actually try putting my new 8130 into this case, and although it fits, a few of the side buttons on the new Pearl have been moved and the Otterbox
triggers them inadvertently. Nevertheless, I'm sure there are plenty of you still sporting the 8100 and are looking for a solid rugged case like this. And if you are the lucky owner of a new 8130 or 8120 for that matter, I checked with Otterbox and they plan to have a Defender case for the 8120/8130 out in the first quarter of 2008. You won't have to wait too long.
The Assembled Unit - No BlackBerry Inside
The case/holster will add some bulk to your Pearl. Several Layers of Protection
The Otterbox
Defender comes with a several layers of protection for your Pearl. The first step to getting your BlackBerry protected is to put on the thermal formed protective clear membrane which acts as a safeguard for the screen and keyboard against scratches, dust and dirt. It somewhat tricky to get the layer on, but just line up the trackball first, and try to apply the screen smoothly to avoid air bubbles. The clear membrane is optional, so if you’re more worried about dropping your BlackBerry than it getting dirty, you can leave it off.Next Step is to apply the lower portion of the hi-impact polycarbonate shell, and then snap on the top cover. This cover provides the bulk of the protection for your BlackBerry in the case that it accidentally gets dropped or stepped on.
Next, there is the silicon skin that goes over top of the shell. The Silicon acts as a bumper to absorb bumps and shocks. It will also hold the two pieces of your shell together, as well as provide extra grip when handling the case.
Using the Otterbox
The Defender case feels sturdy in ones hand, and the silicon skin offers a nice solid grip to the package. The case does not interfere with controls and still made typing on the Pearl’s SureType keyboard easy. It allows full use of the Camera, and has access plugs for charging/syncing so you don't need to take your BlackBerry out of the case to charge it.
The Defender also comes with a belt clip holster. The proper way to use that would be to have your BlackBerry screen facing towards you, thus protecting the screen. As always, Otterbox
's BlackBerry holster does contain that all-important magnet, so it puts your BlackBerry into standby/sleep mode when inserted.The Otterbox
case only weights 1.6oz and provides an extreme level of protection most common jobs would throw at it. I was so confident in the protection it provided, as a test I threw my 8100 in the OtterBox down a set of stairs (see video), and of course no harm was done. I was actually more worried about the OtterBox doing damage to the floor than the floor to the BlackBerry. ** note: don’t try this with your BlackBerry – OtterBox doesn’t guarantee the safety of your BlackBerry for that level of abuse and won't replace your device if you call them and say you saw it on CrackBerry.com! :-)Lastly, I just wanted to note, that this case is not meant as an underwater case. It will offer some protection against water and dust, but I wouldn't count on it for protecting your Berry if it falls in water.
Conclusion
It's not waterproof and it's not indestructable, but it's damn tough and provides awesome protection and good looks (in that rugged sort of way) while maintaining ease of use. Pricing for the Otterbox
comes in at $49.95 per unit, which is reasonable considering it is the only case on the market that will offer this kind of durable protection for your BlackBerry Pearl 8100.| Review Summary: OtterBox Defender Series Case for the BlackBerry Pearl 8100  |
Pros:
Protection for your BlackBerry like no other Case Available
Pearl's controls still easy to access and use
Looks Cool
Holster magent included for Standby/Sleep Mode
Did I mention it's tough?
Cons:
Little tricky to get the clear membrane seated properly, but not too difficult
I wish it was available for my 8130 Pearl today!!
13 Nov 2007 by Remik Szul from CrackBerry.com
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