9to5Mac Reviews

Griffin Technology is a company that has been in the accessory business for a long time. They can even be considered one of the pioneers of iPod cases, releasing a case soon after the first iPod’s launch. Since then everything followed logically with their popular iTrip, and now cases for the iPhone and iPad. In this review we will be covering five of Griffin’s most popular cases for iPhone 4 and iPad. For the iPad we review the Elan Passport, Elan Sleeve, and the Jumper. For iPhone 4 we cover the Outfit Ice and Elan Passport Wallet case.

Griffin’s Elan Passport is a fantastic iPad case which leverages the Folio style. The case opens just like book, as you can see above, and features a microsuede interior. This interior is soft, and ensures protection from scratches for the iPad. The iPad clips in via 4 strong high-quality straps. These straps keep the iPad in place, and do a phenomenal job at it. We took the the case, and shook it all we could and the iPad didn’t even seem to move at all. If you drop you iPad in this case you are completely covered. The edges of the iPad do not creep out of the case at all which means they won’t touch what they are impacted against.

The back and front of the folio-case is tough, so you should not have any issues such as dents or nicks occur. To keep the case closed, a big strap is present. The strap won’t become undone by itself and is fairly easy to remove and put back into place. The case even has spots to store business and credit cards. This case can make your iPad a great organizer. If you like folio-style cases that offer great protection for a great price, this is the case for you. You can get one here in black or in beige for under $50.

The Jumper is Griffin’s take on a quick and easy iPad sleeve case. The case is thin, yet offers full protection from scratches, dents, nicks, and the other usual suspects. It’s compact enough to throw in a backpack, and the iPad easily slips in and out with force by a human hand. You can put the iPad in the case and no matter how hard you shake it, it won’t fall out. Unless you’re Mike Tyson or Shaq that is. The interior is made from a ridiculously soft, “furry” material that surely prevents scratches, it may even clean your screen when you take the iPad in and out.

We recommend the Jumper iPad case for anyone who likes the sleeve style. Griffin’s take on this style is one of the best on the market and you can get one here over 40% off for under $18. — This is the best deal we found.

Griffin’s Elan Sleeve is similar to the Jumper as they are both sleeves, but the design is drastically different. The Elan Sleeve is made from synthetic leather and has a very soft, suede interior. The case has a strap latch on top that you can easily pull in and out. The case offers great protection all around the device, and the only features accessible when closed are the sleep/wake/power button and earphone jack.

We recommend this case for those who like leather-designs and sleeve cases. This is the perfect case to put in your backpack, as well as a good iPad protector. You can get one here for over 50% off at under $25. — That’s the best deal we could find.

The Outfit Ice case for iPhone 4 offers great protection in a great amount of colors. The case ships in red, blue, black, and pink, and they each look uniquely “cool as ice.” The case covers all aspects of the iPhone 4, and anywhere the phone is hit, there is protection. The case goes beyond the edges, top, and bottom of the iPhone which means the case will be hit on impact, not the phone. The case provides easy access to the all the ports and buttons including the volume rocker, silent switch, power button, earphone jack, both microphones, the speaker, and dock connection port.

The case is fairly thin and is no bother to have in your bag or your pocket. The case is two parts and they easily snap together and won’t easily come apart if dropped. There is a hole for the camera and LED flash, and the case will not distort the flash like some other cases on the market. We highly recommend this case for it’s versatility, design, thinness, protection, and choice of colors. You can get one here for under $30.

The Griffin Elan Wallet case saves your pockets or bags some room, as it combines an iPhone case and a card holder. I’m not one to review wallets, but the case only has room for a few cards. You can try to squeeze in some more by stacking and there’s a little fold under to keep some cash. As a case it offers great protection for the front of the iPhone, and even protects the home button. Although this is true, some users may have a difficult time typing in some orientation. — Overall this is a “non-issue”

The ringer controls are only accessible when the wallet flap is open, but the other controls are always accessible, besides the screen of course.  The overall protection is substantial and we recommend this for anyone who is interested in the interesting concept of having a wallet/iPhone case hybrid.

You can get one here for 46% off at under $19. — That is the best deal we could find.

As a person who goes through plenty of iPhone 4 cases, I’ve become pretty picky. I review many cases, as readers know, and I usually have plenty good things to say about them. Just because the cases may be great and do what they say they do, doesn’t mean I can stand wearing them after the usual review period. This has nothing to do with the case’s abilities and design, but just personal preference. Vaja’s iVolution Top is very different, I can’t seem to want to take this off my iPhone 4.

First of all, the case is very convenient. It’s thin, and it offers protection that many cases don’t. That flap you see above that covers the screen is the best way to protect the screen while not in use. Simply flip it up, throw it in your pocket or bag and done. Screen protected. There is also open access to the speaker, microphones, volume rocker, silent switch, earphone jack, and power/sleep/wake button. The bottom is fully protected for drops but the top is a different story.

Depending on the angle of the fall, the top edges of the phone will either receive impact on the stainless steel antenna band or on the edge of the case. It seems to be a 50/50 shot at this point. The camera and flash are completely open so you won’t need to worry about that. To be honest the openness at the top is a bit of a protection issue, but in the long run a Vaja case is for style and is built for design, not mainly for protection. If you want the best protection on the planet go for the Otterbox Defender.

The case has incredible design. The leather it’s made out of is 100% genuine and is manufactured in Argentina. The materials are strong, long lasting, and it does not seem like a case that will ever rip. Flipping the flap is easy to do, and it easily stations to the top of the iPhone 4 when closed. When in use, it’s no bother to have the flip down.

We recommend this case to anyone who enjoys premium-build quality, excellent design, and the function of having the flip to cover the screen while not in use. You can find one here for around $80-$85. Also be sure to check out the iPad version here.

The Marware C.E.O. Premiere and SportGrip are two completely different types of cases, but when put together they offer great protection. The C.E.O. Premiere is a folio style case while the SportGrip is a thin and well-designed silicon sleeve type accessory.

Marware C.E.O Premiere:

Pictured above is the case and it is made out of premium genuine-leather and is a great offering for anyone who enjoys the versatility of having a folio iPhone case. You slide your phone into the pouch compartment and then pull the leather top over which sticks via velcro. The velcro is made from a special material so it won’t rip and it’s also sewed into the case so it won’t come apart like some other products. The case is very-well stitched and this creates a very durable and long lasting design. The speaker, microphone, headset jack, and sleep/wake/power buttons are all accessible from the top or bottom of the case.

The dock connector and volume keys are not accessible and this seems obvious as there are straps to prevent the case from falling out. The case’s design prevents dents and nicks as there is room between all sides of the phone and the tip of the case. The sides of the case are open for access to the aforementioned buttons but there are straps to prevent the iPhone 4 from falling. The bottom of the case has a small opening where the micro-sim slot is, but the hole is not large enough for the phone to fall through.

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I’ve personally ran while using this case clipped to my shorts and I had absolutely no issues. There was not even a sense of the iPhone 4 falling out of the case. The clip is well built and clips to your clothes in a way that it won’t fall off.

We highly recommend the Marware C.E.O Premiere as it is one of the best designed and protective folio-cases on the market currently. It comes in either black or brown, both with a white stripe, and they are both very stylish The case has a suggested retail price of $34.99 and you find one here.

Marware SportGrip:

The Marware SportGrip for iPhone 4 is a good silicon sleeve that offers decent protection. The back is a fairly thin silicon layer while the sides are made out of thick silicon. There are holes for the camera, LED flash, speaker, dock connection port, both microphones, and the headset jack. When the case is out by itself without a phone in place don’t be fooled by it’s weak appearance. When you place the iPhone 4 in the SportGrip you immediately get the well-protected feeling.

The case will prevent scuffs, and light to fairly medium dents on the sides. The case is taller than the top of the screen which helps to prevent screen shatters. This goes for the front and the back. The back’s thin silicon layer will prevent scratches more than damage but that is where the thick sides come into play. This case is not perfect on its own but it’s a fantastic compliment to the C.E.O. Premiere Folio cases. It’s the perfect case to put your iPhone 4 in then put in the folio. It fits perfectly and is easy enough to take in and out with no worries.

The SportGrip ships in six colors: black, blue, white, pink, red, and frosted. You can get one here for a suggested retail price of $19.99.

How can a simple stand for the iPad be so great? Well it all comes down to Just Mobile’s company motto, “form and function.” It’s almost like Apple’s take on product creation, and Just Mobile nearly seems like the Apple of accessories. To start off, the packaging. Apple is known for their stunning packaging that is well-designed and provides protection for the product it’s shipping. Apple stays away from the poorly designed cardboard boxes other companies use, and so does Just Mobile.

Getting to the actual UpStand, it’s one gorgeous and “super-precise” accessory. It’s crafted from high-grade aluminum to create its very solid construction. It ships put together so all you have to do is find where you want to put it, and set your iPad down. The place where you set the iPad down is bolted to two super-strong aluminum poles that are fused to the stand’s base. The base is in the shape of a circle so no matter what it will not tip. The stand has non-slip rubber lining along the sides so the back of the iPad does not scratch as well as to prevent the iPad from slipping.

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The base of the stand is also non-slip to provide the same security for your device. You can see in the photographs how nice of an addition the stand really is. It also fits the industrial-design of Apple’s products. If Apple were to make an iPad stand it would surely look like this. Furthermore, it all fits together when setup with an Apple wireless keyboard. It makes an awesome stand when you want to do typing with they keyboard. This experience can get even cooler if you setup a mouse for your iPad via some sort of jailbreak-only application.

We highly recommend Just Mobile’s UpStand iPad stand for anyone looking for the best designed and constructed stand on the market. It helps with typing, watching videos, and just about anything. You can even put the iPad in portrait to use the photo-frame functions. The stand sells for $49.99 and you can purchase one here.

Speck PixelSkin for iPad:

The Speck PixelSkin for iPad is an excellent case for those who enjoy the silicon slip-on case styles. It offers good protection for the sides of the device, as well as all the buttons. The case is nice as it comes in multiple colors and it fully covers the back and sides. The screen is always something for you to worry about and this case is no exception. — There’re always screen protectors!

There are cutouts for the bottom dock connection port, the three speaker grills, headphone jack and noise suppression microphone, and for the ambient light sensor. Additionally, the volume rocker and orientation lock are easily accessibly as well as the sleep/wake control.

The case was engineered to wrap around your device precisely and it doesn

Otterbox Defender Series for iPhone 4:

The Otterbox Defender for the iPhone 4 isn’t just a mini version of the iPad version, it’s packed with the best protection on the planet for your iPhone 4. The case brings three-layers of protection. An inner plastic cover which protects dings, drops and the other usuals, and a silicon sleeve to go over it. On top of that you have a tough plastic membrane to keep everything in place as well as a belt clip.

All ports are covered so you are good to go on all ends. The case comes with a thickish plastic sheet that goes over the screen. This acts as a screen protector but is actually fused to the case so you don

We’re back with another awesome case review, and today we have a very special one, the Vaja “Limited Edition.” The case is not only a luxury item, but it offers some great protection for the iPad. The case is separated into two high-quality leather pieces that offer great protection for the back and front of the iPad. During use, your iPad will sit on the back leather-piece and this offers protection for the back of the device.

While you’re carrying it, you get to use the front piece as well which sports the shiny chrome-metal Vaja logo. When the device is sandwiched between the two pieces you have great protection, with great style. With the front cover on you get access to the the sleep/wake/power button, headset jack, speaker, and volume rocker. The only downside is the lack of access to the dock-connector port when the front cover is on. Not to worry, the cover easily slips off.

You’re probably thinking… ‘what If i’m carrying my iPad around with the front cover, but want to take off to use the device, where do I put it?” Well, Vaja implemented an easy solution and that is the ability to attach the front cover to the back cover. It works pretty neat, and you won’t even notice it while in use.

The Vaja “Limited Edition” is a bit pricy at $150-200 but in the end this is a luxury item made with luxury materials, by a luxurious company. The case comes in three colors: Brown/Mamut ($200), White ($150), and Olive Grey ($150). The protection alone is not really worth the price, but the style, brand, and manufacturing process truly is. You can purchase one here.

Speck was awesome enough to send along one of their flashy new PixelSkin cases for review, and in short, it’s one of the best iPhone 4 cases I ever used. The Speck PixelSkin is not one of those simple cases you used for a few days then take it off, it’s something very different. It’s durable, stylish, compact and extremely protective.

View our full written and video review here.

The case is made out of durable silicon and covers the entire body of the phone. Surrounding every element of the iPhone 4 is a good amount of room between the top of the phone and the top of the case. For example the bottom/dock of the phone will never touch another item, or the the camera will never touch the table it is laying on. The same goes for the front of the iPhone/case. If the iPhone 4 is dropped facedown, the glass should not crack as there is room in between the case and the screen. You will see this in more detail in the video review below.

You have easy access to the silent/ringer switch on the side, as well as the headphone jack, dock connector, volume rocker, power button, and home button. In addition, the speaker system and front facing camera is not obstructed by the case. This means there is no case covering them, but the aforementioned gap between the case and face of the phone makes up for that.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxd4kX-Of8&w=640&h=385]

While wearing the case, the phone obviously gets a little thicker. In our non-scientific measurements, we’ve determined the PixelSkin adds a thickness of 30-40% of the iPhone 4 itself. So imagine the iPhone 4 + 30-40% of an iPhone 4 stacked. To be honest, in numbers that may seem like a lot but in everyday use you will not notice it. It still fits in my jeans and short pockets just fine, and I do not need to alter how I carry my iPhone with me at all.

Overall the Speck PixelSkin is a fantastic case, and we highly recommend it due to its protection features, material, portability, excellent build quality, and price. The case comes in three colors: black, purple, and pink and retails for about $25.

You can get the Black Speck PixelSkin here on Amazon, or choose from the other colors here.

Incipio was kind enough to send us along three of their iPhone 4 cases. When Apple releases new products, case manufactures scramble to make the best protection devices, and Incipio is a company we consider to be a “pro” at this. Their cases range from mild protection, to medium protection, to almost Tank/OtterBox Defender like protection.

In this article we review the Incipio Feather, Incio NGP, and Incipio Silicrylic cases.

Click here to read our entire review coupled with video.

Incipio Feather – $24.99:

The Incipio feather is a great case for those who really do not require or want much protection. It’s sleek, thin, and it’s a case you really won’t feel you are sporting. It’s tough design protects against scratches and minor/medium drops on the back, and that’s about it. You don’t really get any protection on the side and back, but hey… if you’re buying the feather you should have realized that already. Also, the name, feather. They aren’t joking, this thing is the lightest case we’ve tested.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SmZOpuTLmE&w=640&h=385]

Incipio Silicrylic – $29.99:

The Silicrylic can be compared to a lighter version of the Otterbox Defender. It’s tough with two layers of protection. You get an inner soft layer, and an outer tough layer. The outer layer is the first line of protection defending drops on the back, sides, and a bit on the front. The second layer, protects the phone from major drops, and is essentially a backup to the first layer. You cannot wear the thin inner layer by itself as that won’t look good and you wont get much protection.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AiiHBDc6m0&w=640&h=385]

Incipio NGP – $24.99

The Incipio NGP is a tough case. It has one silicon layer that offers a great deal of protection. It can be compared to the tougher layer of the dual-layer case above. It’s tough against back and side drops. The case is also thin and stylish enough to fit in your pockets. For the average user, this is Incipio’s best iPhone 4 case.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYDimTnjSp4&w=640&h=385]

Vanity Kit: All Incipio cases come with a free vanity kit. This kit comes with two screen shields, a squeegee, and a cloth. The kit is great to take around with you, and really completes the iPhone protection package.

Conclusion:

All of Incipio’s cases iPhone 4 cases are great in their own respects. The feather is a case for those who don’t like cases. It adds a touch of style, a matte finish, and some protection for the phone’s glass back. The dual-layer case offers great protection for those who work dirty jobs. It’s something construction workers should use, or people in similar industries.

The NGP case is a combination of the two. It offers a slick and light design, with some protection for the entire phone. Let us know in the comments which case you think is the best and which one you’re going to get!

Grab one at Amazon.