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Another big iPhone 6 case review roundup and giveaway
This is getting bad. So many iPhone 6 cases have come into my office lately that it's beginning to look like a case warehouse. Rather than treat you to a never-ending series of individual reviews, I thought it would be a better idea to just go through the pile of cases one by one, rate 'em, and then give them away. On the sad side, I've received a whopping ONE iPhone 6 Plus case since just before the devices shipped, so we don't have any of those to review. BoxWave Dual+ Holster Case (US$14.95) I can't say that I'm a real fan of holster cases, simply because they make people look like nerds (not that that's a bad thing...). In this case, you have a jet black polycarbonate holster with a weave pattern on it into which a rather nondescript black polycarbonate case slides. It also comes in white. The case has a little sliding stand on the back of it, or you can actually use the holster as a stand as well. This holster case is listed with a regular price of $29.95, but selling now for just $14.95. I give it points for being inexpensive (at least right now), for offering protection, and for having not one, but two stands. On the negative side, it's kinda ugly. Rating: 2-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible BoxWave Classic Book Case ($34.95) Now this is much better: a genuine leather wallet case in the classic book style made famous by DODOcase, Pad & Quill, and Twelve South. There are slots for an ID as well as a couple of credit cards, a "hidden" pocket for cash and the entire thing folds into a stand for watching your iPhone 6 in landscape orientation. The interior "holder" for the iPhone 6 is made of polycarbonate, which should give it some extra protection in case of a drop. Being made of leather, it looks good and will get a nice patina with age. The price is right, and it's definitely useful. Rating: 3 stars out of 4 stars possible BoxWave Almost Nothing Case ($9.95) When BoxWave named this case, I'm not sure if they had the price or the transparency of the plastic in mind. It's a simple crystal clear transparent shell for your iPhone 6. Nothing more to say about it than that. It's pretty minimal. The usual price is listed as $29.95, which I would not spend on this. $9.95? Heck yes. Rating: 2 stars out of 4 stars possible Hard Candy Candy Clip Case ($29.95) The Candy Clip Case is kind of a cross between one of those minimalistic bumper sets that you can get for most iPhones and a regular cheap polycarbonate case. I frankly don't like the design, which looks lopsided. There's an "integrated card stand slot", meaning that you can take a business or credit card and stick it into the slot to prop the iPhone 6 up. What, for $30 you can't include a flip-out stand? Oh, by the way, it comes in transparent red and blue, as well as clear. Rating: 1-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible Urban Armor Gear Outland ($34.95) Ahhh, here we go, with the first case I've seen today that actually looks like it can protect your iPhone 6. The Outland meets MIL-STD 810G 516.6 for drop protection, has an HD screen protector to guard against screen scratches, and uses an armor shell around an impact-resistant soft core to keep your device totally safe. Buttons are covered by oversized tactile buttons, making it simple to touch 'em without looking. This case comes in orange with black and dark gray highlights; the same case is also available in a dark blue (Aero), clear (Maverick), or white (Navigator) finish. A very impressive looking case, and the price is right - but they're out of stock online right now. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible And that's it for this week. I'm sure we'll be seeing a new pile of cases soon, hopefully with a sprinkling of iPhone 6 Plus models thrown in for good measure. Now, it's time for the giveaway! Giveaway To enter our giveaway for an iPhone 6 case, just fill out the form below. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before September 30 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Six winners will be selected in a random drawing and will receive one of the cases listed above (note, there are two of the Hard Candy Candy Clip Cases available) Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Boxwave Keyboard Buddy Case for iPhone: Backlit BT slide-out keyboard
Even though the iPhone 5 is quickly becoming the iPhone of choice these days, there are still plenty of good cases for the iPhone 4 and 4S -- including those with keyboards. The Boxwave Keyboard Buddy Case has been out for nearly two years, and they've added a US$79.99 (on sale from $89.99) version that includes a backlit keyboard for use in low-lit areas. I tried it on my 4S for a couple of days, and while it's a solid case, it's not one I'd use unless I absolutely needed to have a keyboard. Design The case is made of molded plastic and is quite a bit thicker than the normal iPhone case to accommodate the keyboard, but not as bulky as one would think. It's only slightly thicker to me than when I had an Otterbox case on my iPhone. It features a sliding keyboard that allows you to type in landscape mode and includes a micro-USB cable for charging. Here's where the design flaws start to come in. To keep the overall case as thin as possible, the keyboard is so thin that it makes the entire case top-heavy when you're trying to use it. When the case is closed, you can still wiggle the keyboard instead of having it locked in place. If you've got your phone tossed in a bag, I can see the keyboard slider coming out without you realizing it. The case has a secure fit on the phone -- a little too secure, I found out, when I tried removing it after the review. It required excessive force on the back of the iPhone right over the camera lens and it took a good five minutes of pushing from the back and prying the sides away before the case came off. %Gallery-168393% Functionality Once you get the case on and synced, the keyboard works pretty well. The chiclet-style keys are raised, and there's an on/off switch so you're not draining the keyboard's power when it's not in use. There are several iPhone-specific keys and function commands that allow you to access the home screen, re-activate the on-screen keyboard for iOS, adjust brightness and lock the screen. The backlight is handy for using the keyboard in a darkened room. I wasn't fumbling too much with the keyboard, but those with larger hands might have a hard time typing. Conclusion While using the keyboard, I was reminded why I don't tend to use my iPhone in landscape mode beyond watching video or using the camera -- the lack of screen real estate. At the most, I could see a couple of lines while typing in Mail, though you can see more when you go into Notes. Whenever I've had to do any prolonged typing on the iPhone, I tend to do it in portrait mode. Typing on the keyboard for a long period tended to be a pain because of poor weight distribution, and I felt like I would break the keyboard if I used it for too long. This is one of those cases where you really need to get your hands on it to see if it's something you want for yourself. Pros As thin as a keyboard case can possibly get for the iPhone Has a backlight for viewing keys in the dark, but an unlit version is available Has a number of iOS shortcut keys and functions Cons Case feels top-heavy when you're using the keyboard Keyboard slider doesn't fully lock when not in use, causing it to slide around Extremely difficult to remove, requiring excessive force on the exposed parts of the iPhone Who is it for? iPhone 4/4S owners who crave the feel of a tactile keyboard
BoxWave Keyboard Buddy iPhone case review
Ever since Apple added Bluetooth keyboard support to iOS, manufacturers have been working to deliver products that add a hard keyboard to the iPhone with at least a little bit of style. We've checked out a number of these before -- namely the Nuu Minikey and the TK-421 -- but we've yet to find anything that actually makes it worth the extra bulk (not to mention battery consumption). BoxWave's Keyboard Buddy is yet another sliding keyboard case built for the iPhone, but is it better than the rest? Read on past the break to find out. %Gallery-112731%
BoxWave's Keyboard Buddy turns your iPhone 4 into the Droid it always wanted to be
Suffering from a little bit of Droid envy? It happens to even the most loyal of iPhone users, and now BoxWave is stepping in to make your life almost complete (we say "almost" because there's still no native Gmail client for the iPhone, and all your tears aren't going to solve that). The BoxWave Keyboard Buddy Case is just what it sounds like, a Bluetooth keyboard embedded in an iPhone 4 case, only instead of flipping out like the TK-421 or slide-tilting like the ultra-bulky Nuu Mini Key, BoxWave's solution is a simple sliding affair that adds very little to the iPhone 4's profile and hardly anything to its footprint. Also, it's your buddy. It'll start shipping next month, and it's a little spendy at $70, but can you really put a price on the flattery of imitation?
Peripheral vision
While we are still waiting for the iPhone's killer accessories to show up, this week sees a few items worth mentioning drop on our desks. We look at a stylish Bluetooth headset, a couple cases, and a couple cabling / connectivity adapters to round it all out. Belkin, Griffin or some clone outfit really has to kick an FM transmitter out into retail land -- unless you've see one working, and if so, please let us know! -- for our favorite iPhone, but until then, enjoy this week's goodies right after the break.
