Case-Mate
Case-Mate Vroom for iPhone 3G Review
Search Brand/Device: Case-Mate | iPhone Reviews
CaseandCover.com reviews Case-Mate cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
The iPhone 3G certainly has a ton of case options. Everyone has their own take on what constitutes a good iPhone case—some prefer silicone, others want a hard plastic, some prefer loud cases, others search for more subtle options. We take a look at a lot of cases here at TiPb and there’s a different qualification for the case we’re about to take a look at—this falls under the ‘fun’ category.
The Case-Mate Vroom for iPhone 3G
is a subtly-fun designed rubber case. From afar the Vroom case looks like a basic, black silicone case that protects the back of the iPhone 3G. Upon closer inspection, whoa what?! The back has tire tread!
Is this merely a gimmick? How cool is it?
Design
Come on. Laugh a little. Ease up. The Vroom case for the iPhone 3G is funny and a definite conversation starter. I mean, it’s a tire on your iPhone 3G! You could even come up with a far-fetched story on how you custom made the case with your old car tire’s or even say its a special edition made by Goodyear or Michelin. I mean, a tire on your iPhone? What other crazy designs can we get?
Jokes aside, the Vroom case is a basic black rubber case that protects the full back of the iPhone 3G while leaving room open for all of the iPhone 3G’s functions. It even comes equipped with a plastic screen to protect the iPhone 3G’s touchscreen. We’re not fans of those plastic touchscreens preferring to go with Bodyguardz or Invisibleshield for cases like these.
But in all, I think it looks great and adds a ton of character to the iPhone 3G.
Usability
The rubber is a lot different from other silicone cases I’ve encountered. Instead of a soft, grippy feel the Vroom case is harder and slicker. I don’t prefer this finish because it doesn’t offer the same amount of grip as other silicone options but I think that’s just a matter of preference.
What’s great about the Vroom case, other than the design of course, is that it doesn’t add much thickness to the iPhone. I found that the case was really easy to hold and didn’t change the contours of the iPhone 3G. And though the rubber is a bit different than most cases, I feel like it’s a stronger grade. Instead of being just a sleeve or a skin, this feels like true tire rubber. I guess it succeeded in its intended effect, right?
But this case does have its fair share of limitations—more thought was put into its design than its actual construction. It attracts lint and dust very easily, I could never really manage to keep the case clean. This may be more of a color issue than anything since dust simply shines on a black case.
Also, this is personal preference but I don’t like it when a case ever-so-slightly exposes the chrome rim around the iPhone. I feel as if you’re going to cover the back of the iPhone you might as well go the extra millimeter to cover the chrome rim.
But in all, the Vroom case offers just enough protection. It’s not going to be mistaken as an OtterBox but it definitely does a good job in preventing nicks and scratches from daily routine.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for pure protection, this case probably isn’t for you. I won’t lie, there are better options for you if protection is your biggest concern. For starters, take a look at the TiPb store.
But if you like quirky designs and/or conversations revolving your iPhone 3G case—hey, this is as good as it gets. Let me tell you, when I was testing out this case, I got numerous compliments and questions about its origins. I found that I personally LIKED the case enough to ignore its limitations.
Though it only offers middling protection—this is the case I reach for most for my iPhone 3G.
PROS
Posted on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 by Casey Chan
The iPhone 3G certainly has a ton of case options. Everyone has their own take on what constitutes a good iPhone case—some prefer silicone, others want a hard plastic, some prefer loud cases, others search for more subtle options. We take a look at a lot of cases here at TiPb and there’s a different qualification for the case we’re about to take a look at—this falls under the ‘fun’ category.
The Case-Mate Vroom for iPhone 3G
is a subtly-fun designed rubber case. From afar the Vroom case looks like a basic, black silicone case that protects the back of the iPhone 3G. Upon closer inspection, whoa what?! The back has tire tread!Is this merely a gimmick? How cool is it?
Design
Come on. Laugh a little. Ease up. The Vroom case for the iPhone 3G is funny and a definite conversation starter. I mean, it’s a tire on your iPhone 3G! You could even come up with a far-fetched story on how you custom made the case with your old car tire’s or even say its a special edition made by Goodyear or Michelin. I mean, a tire on your iPhone? What other crazy designs can we get?
Jokes aside, the Vroom case is a basic black rubber case that protects the full back of the iPhone 3G while leaving room open for all of the iPhone 3G’s functions. It even comes equipped with a plastic screen to protect the iPhone 3G’s touchscreen. We’re not fans of those plastic touchscreens preferring to go with Bodyguardz or Invisibleshield for cases like these.
But in all, I think it looks great and adds a ton of character to the iPhone 3G.
Usability
The rubber is a lot different from other silicone cases I’ve encountered. Instead of a soft, grippy feel the Vroom case is harder and slicker. I don’t prefer this finish because it doesn’t offer the same amount of grip as other silicone options but I think that’s just a matter of preference.
What’s great about the Vroom case, other than the design of course, is that it doesn’t add much thickness to the iPhone. I found that the case was really easy to hold and didn’t change the contours of the iPhone 3G. And though the rubber is a bit different than most cases, I feel like it’s a stronger grade. Instead of being just a sleeve or a skin, this feels like true tire rubber. I guess it succeeded in its intended effect, right?
But this case does have its fair share of limitations—more thought was put into its design than its actual construction. It attracts lint and dust very easily, I could never really manage to keep the case clean. This may be more of a color issue than anything since dust simply shines on a black case.
Also, this is personal preference but I don’t like it when a case ever-so-slightly exposes the chrome rim around the iPhone. I feel as if you’re going to cover the back of the iPhone you might as well go the extra millimeter to cover the chrome rim.
But in all, the Vroom case offers just enough protection. It’s not going to be mistaken as an OtterBox but it definitely does a good job in preventing nicks and scratches from daily routine.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for pure protection, this case probably isn’t for you. I won’t lie, there are better options for you if protection is your biggest concern. For starters, take a look at the TiPb store.
But if you like quirky designs and/or conversations revolving your iPhone 3G case—hey, this is as good as it gets. Let me tell you, when I was testing out this case, I got numerous compliments and questions about its origins. I found that I personally LIKED the case enough to ignore its limitations.
Though it only offers middling protection—this is the case I reach for most for my iPhone 3G.
PROS
- Great, Fun Design
- High Quality Rubber
- Adds Minimal Thickness
- Offers Average Protection
- Attracts Dust
Posted on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 by Casey Chan
Case-Mate "Barely There" BlackBerry Storm Case
Search Brand/Device: BlackBerry Storm | Case-Mate
CaseandCover.com reviews Case-Mate cases and covers for the iPhone, iPod, and BlackBerry. Trusted reviews, from trusted sources throughout the internet.
Last weekend I was in the market for a new Case for my Blackberry Storm. I've been using the Seidio Innocase II which has served me quite well. However, there were a few issues I had with it: 1) I received a unit that didn't fit together quite right (the casing is made of two pieces, which fit together at the bottom 5th of the phone), so there has always been a slight give on the right side of the case. Not a big deal at all, but it always kind of annoyed me that it didn't fit more seamlessly. 2) Even though the case is very thin (something like 1mm I believe), it adds more bulk than I like. Every time I'd remove my Storm from the case, I admired it for it's very thin profile and wished I could preserve its pristine-ness without a case, which is impossible for me to do.
With that said, I must say that the Innocase has without a doubt saved my phone several times. I've dropped it from 4-5 feet on a few occasions, both times onto sidewalk concrete. Not only did my phone have no damage, but the Innocase didn't even have scratches on it. With the slightly off-fit and the desire to have an even slimmer profile case (not to mention the accumulation of dust and other small particles on the inside of the case on the felt area), I set out to find something that was a) cheap b) more sleek and c) visually appealing. It didn't take long to reach Case-Mate. Several popular Blackberry sites/forums had reviews of various cases, Case-Mate being one of those.
They have four color combinations available for the "Barely There" case. They have a Green, Orange, Royal Silver (which is black at the top that blends to silver at the bottom), and Royal Blue (which is black at the top that blends to a royal blue at the bottom). I chose the Green one.
When the package arrived today, it came with the case (obviously) as well as a screen protector (and directions for its application). I tried to put on the screen protector first. It was a massive failure. Not to fault Case-Mate, it was simply difficult to keep the adhesive side of the film clean whilst applying it. So, if you pick up one of these, apply the protector in a room that has little to no air movement and one that's relatively dust-free. I kept getting dust particles trapped on it and could never get them cleared off. After some hassle trying to remedy the situation, I ended up just throwing it away. Something to note about the protector before I move on: the film isn't actually sticky adhesive, so don't worry about it leaving any sort of residue on the screen or anything like that.
The case itself is very sleek and has an insignificant profile, which achieves my desire for a case that keeps truer to the thinness of the Storm itself. Comparing the overall thickness (or thinness if you will) to the Innocase II, the Case-Mate is at most a millimeter thinner (I didn't measure but I compared it to the relative thickness of the Innocase II shell, which is rated at 1mm according to Seidio), give or take a few tenths of a millimeter. The durability of the material itself seems to be on-par with the Innocase, which was pretty much indestructable in most drop scenarios. The material is flexible and rugged, yet has an almost rubberized feel to it which is nice for a slightly better grip (probably even more so for those who have sweaty palms). Putting the case in the phone is a very simple process: just put one side of the phone in the case and snap the other side into the case (from left-to-right or right-to-left if you're holding the phone as a portrait). I've been using it for the entirety of today (approx. 10hr) and it's great! It feels just that much thinner than my Seidio Innocase II, and the lime-y green adds a great bit of style and uniqueness to my Storm.
There is one caveat to this entire review and any sensible recommendation I could offer regarding this case: this case is not as protective as the Innocase line of cases. The top part of the phone is still quite exposed, so I myself will have to be slightly more careful. The corners as well as the entire backside of the phone are completely protected, however, and in my case that means about 90% of my drops would have been protected in the past. That to me is a very fair trade-off.
My verdict: Ringing in at $25.99 plus some change for shipping, this is a solid buy. The Innocase and Innocase II by Seidio are slightly more expensive, but obviously the added protection is worth it if that's what you want. Case-Mate does offer a few more cases for the Storm that can also provide more protection than their Barely There case, but this is by far the most sleek protective case for the Storm.
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and I'll be happy to answer them!
I'll leave you with some pictures I took of the case 'in action' but please forgive the horrible photo quality.. I had two sources of lighting of different color and that caused grainy photos even using a lower ISO setting. Hopefully I can get some clearer photos taken in a better-lit environment.
by Ryn on April 16th, 2009
Last weekend I was in the market for a new Case for my Blackberry Storm. I've been using the Seidio Innocase II which has served me quite well. However, there were a few issues I had with it: 1) I received a unit that didn't fit together quite right (the casing is made of two pieces, which fit together at the bottom 5th of the phone), so there has always been a slight give on the right side of the case. Not a big deal at all, but it always kind of annoyed me that it didn't fit more seamlessly. 2) Even though the case is very thin (something like 1mm I believe), it adds more bulk than I like. Every time I'd remove my Storm from the case, I admired it for it's very thin profile and wished I could preserve its pristine-ness without a case, which is impossible for me to do.
With that said, I must say that the Innocase has without a doubt saved my phone several times. I've dropped it from 4-5 feet on a few occasions, both times onto sidewalk concrete. Not only did my phone have no damage, but the Innocase didn't even have scratches on it. With the slightly off-fit and the desire to have an even slimmer profile case (not to mention the accumulation of dust and other small particles on the inside of the case on the felt area), I set out to find something that was a) cheap b) more sleek and c) visually appealing. It didn't take long to reach Case-Mate. Several popular Blackberry sites/forums had reviews of various cases, Case-Mate being one of those.
They have four color combinations available for the "Barely There" case. They have a Green, Orange, Royal Silver (which is black at the top that blends to silver at the bottom), and Royal Blue (which is black at the top that blends to a royal blue at the bottom). I chose the Green one.
When the package arrived today, it came with the case (obviously) as well as a screen protector (and directions for its application). I tried to put on the screen protector first. It was a massive failure. Not to fault Case-Mate, it was simply difficult to keep the adhesive side of the film clean whilst applying it. So, if you pick up one of these, apply the protector in a room that has little to no air movement and one that's relatively dust-free. I kept getting dust particles trapped on it and could never get them cleared off. After some hassle trying to remedy the situation, I ended up just throwing it away. Something to note about the protector before I move on: the film isn't actually sticky adhesive, so don't worry about it leaving any sort of residue on the screen or anything like that.
The case itself is very sleek and has an insignificant profile, which achieves my desire for a case that keeps truer to the thinness of the Storm itself. Comparing the overall thickness (or thinness if you will) to the Innocase II, the Case-Mate is at most a millimeter thinner (I didn't measure but I compared it to the relative thickness of the Innocase II shell, which is rated at 1mm according to Seidio), give or take a few tenths of a millimeter. The durability of the material itself seems to be on-par with the Innocase, which was pretty much indestructable in most drop scenarios. The material is flexible and rugged, yet has an almost rubberized feel to it which is nice for a slightly better grip (probably even more so for those who have sweaty palms). Putting the case in the phone is a very simple process: just put one side of the phone in the case and snap the other side into the case (from left-to-right or right-to-left if you're holding the phone as a portrait). I've been using it for the entirety of today (approx. 10hr) and it's great! It feels just that much thinner than my Seidio Innocase II, and the lime-y green adds a great bit of style and uniqueness to my Storm.
There is one caveat to this entire review and any sensible recommendation I could offer regarding this case: this case is not as protective as the Innocase line of cases. The top part of the phone is still quite exposed, so I myself will have to be slightly more careful. The corners as well as the entire backside of the phone are completely protected, however, and in my case that means about 90% of my drops would have been protected in the past. That to me is a very fair trade-off.
My verdict: Ringing in at $25.99 plus some change for shipping, this is a solid buy. The Innocase and Innocase II by Seidio are slightly more expensive, but obviously the added protection is worth it if that's what you want. Case-Mate does offer a few more cases for the Storm that can also provide more protection than their Barely There case, but this is by far the most sleek protective case for the Storm.
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and I'll be happy to answer them!
I'll leave you with some pictures I took of the case 'in action' but please forgive the horrible photo quality.. I had two sources of lighting of different color and that caused grainy photos even using a lower ISO setting. Hopefully I can get some clearer photos taken in a better-lit environment.
by Ryn on April 16th, 2009