Peripherals for the
iPhone started with a trickle at Apple and AT&T bricks and mortar stores, but are now building to a deluge as the handsets find there way into pockets across the nation. We thought in this "case" it would be somehow "fitting" (see what we did there? two puns in a row, we are off to an illustrious start) that the inaugural Peripheral Vision features what most users will likely grab first: cases, cases and more cases. Of course, we had to pitch in at least one non case-related item and found a sweet adapter that's "Shure" to fit the bill.
Case-mate flip for iPhoneThe Case-mate flip is a practical leather case for your iPhone, providing decent protection for the face, bottom corners of the device, and easy access to all the phone's features. If you are willing to dish out a few more beans than the $35 this'll cost you, an add-on holster can be picked up to make quick retrieval a simple thing
We love thoughtful touches and the Case-mate folks designed this case with the ability for the base to swing far enough back to let it be plopped into the dock without having to take the iPhone out. While the flip case has a
belt clip, it – we can't stress thankfully enough here – can be
completely removed, leaving nary a bump on the back to bother you while in-pocket. A nice effort, a nice case, though we would've like to have seen a spot for a credit card or two under the flip, but hey, you can't have it all. Hit up the Case-mate site to peek at some of the other cases they have to offer.
Sport Grip Backwinder for iPhone Marware has been in the cover game for ages and have been protecting
iPods from just about day one. They offer a slew of cases for the iPhone after only a couple weeks – including a pretty sharp SportSuit Sleeve we aren't covering here – but picking out the Sport Grip Backwinder at $25 was a no-brainer.
What makes this silicone case a bit unique is the cord winding mechanism on the back, so when you're done listening to your iPhone, the cord and
earbuds can be quickly spun away. While the rubber protects the sides, top, and bottom, the face and all function buttons are easily accessible. To be completely candid, we aren't too fond of silicone cases -- as they tend to turn your pocket inside out -- but we're definitely digging the headset management idea they have here. Perhaps they'll migrate this feature into another case in the future.
Vaja cases i-volution HolsterVaja cases are the
Ferraris of the case world; made from otherworldly-soft leathers and sculpted rather than just pitched together, they're almost always worth the cost of admission. The i-volution Holster for the iPhone is no exception and can be had in just about any color your little heart desires.
The case starts at $55 and the costs slowly add up if you include some personalization or one of two different types of clips. The i-volution case is a solid effort but the top of the iPhone is completely exposed, so if it slips out of hand, you're just gonna have to hope it lands on a cushioned bit.
Sure, it might be hard to justify spending that much on a case that only covers part of your device, but if you are all about the aesthetic -- and come on, this is the
iPhone we're talking about here -- then this is where you need to be.
Shure Music Phone AdapterWe've heard – and
written – about the
design flaw concession Apple had to make with the headset port to keep the iPhone as thin as can be. Sadly, that just doesn't cut it with many, and thankfully Shure is stepping in to clear the water with it's very welcome Music Phone Adapter.
One end of the adapter plugs into your iPhone and the other side sports a female adapter for your own headset to plug into. Once coupled together, the Shure MPA can handle calls with its built in low-profile VoicePort microphone and your ears can relax and enjoy the sounds on your own set. Shure even one-ups Apple with a shirt clip and Send / End button on the adapter. No complaints here, we're definitely gonna run out to pick one of these up the minute we can get at them. Retail pricing is set at $50 and here's hoping a white version appears in the near future.
A pretty decent showing from the usual suspects, we're expecting to have more to cover off next week, so if you see something of interest in your wanders, drop us a line!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Graham @ Jul 16th 2007 8:20PM
Yeah, about the puns... Please don't do that again. Ever.
kashif @ Jul 16th 2007 8:57PM
I don't mind the puns. You might want to go over some capitalization and punctuation rules though.
Iain @ Jul 16th 2007 9:00PM
So, are we to presume that you'll be doing such a round-up for every model of mobile phone on the market?
Sean Cooper @ Jul 16th 2007 9:05PM
Not every model ... just whatever people are chattering about and for the short term, that is the iPhone
Iain @ Jul 16th 2007 10:32PM
Brilliant, that'd be really useful.
I mean, it's a shame not every model can be covered (that would, obviously, just be impossible) but it's nice to know this isn't going to be limited to just the iPhone.
J.Bauer @ Mar 24th 2008 7:45PM
They didn't one-up Apple with the send-end button - Apple's headset has this, as does every other headset of this form factor (for example, the one included with the BB Curve, which, ironically, works perfectly with the iPhone). Having said that, this is a MUST HAVE for me, especially because my headphones have a detachable cable at ear-leval
Sean Cooper @ Jul 17th 2007 2:20PM
Apple's is a "squash" button, the Sure kit has a real button.