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iSkin Solo

R

rstark18

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Sep 18, 2009
1,145
397
I received my iSkin Solo for my iPhone 4. I was really looking forward to this case and bought one even though I had found another case (Belikn Grip Vue) that I really liked. I am very disappointed. I thought it would be like the Solo 3G that I absolutely loved.

-The power button becomes way too sensitive! The internal cut out in the case is too shallow and is always in contact with the iP4's button. the slightest pressure turns the phone on. I am very sure the case is on correctly. This is very bad for battery life when in the pocket. I had this same problem when I first got my Belikn Grip Vue. I shaved a hair of material from the inside of that case (in the button area) and it is perfect. On the Grip Vue there was plenty of material to to play with. On the Solo there is very minimal material so shaving would not work (I did not try).
-The iP4 Solo is much tackier (sticky) than the 3G Solo.
-The die cuts for the speaker/mic area are not clean. There is excess material around the edges.

The biggest issue for me is the power button problem. This is a deal breaker and I have gone back to my Grip Vue.
 
I order 2 cases...one Quartz (clear) for my wife and one Carbon (black) for myself. I actually like the look and feel the case itself. It certainly is better quality then the cheap eBay cases. But I am experiencing the power button issue. The case is fairly tight fitting and flush on the inside, which doesn't allow for the protruding power button on the iPhone 4. This causes pressure on the button, making it turn on and off constantly. I have found that if you follow the "dressing" instructions on iSkin's website, it does help a little...stretching the area will stop forcing the button down. But eventually the case shifts back...especially when inserting or removing the case from a pocket or purse.

Now in fairness iSkin has been great at Customer Support for this issue (constant communication on thier website blog and through email)...and it does not seem to be an issue for every customer. I wonder if there was an initial bad batch from the manufacturing facility which produced some cases without enough of a recess or indent on the inside of the case to allow for the power button? I recommend you contact iSkin through the customer support email and see what thier response is. This is what I am doing....
 
Had the power button issue initially. Haven't tried to stick it in a purse or my backpack yet but I had to hit the top of the phone pretty hard on the counter to get it to ask me if I wanted to shut off my phone after I went through the "dressing and stretching" procedure on the site. I guess we'll see how it does tomorrow out in the real world.

What I like about it - I have a gelaskin on the back, a PS crystal on the front and on top of the crystal, I have the 2 gelaskin front pieces and because the front lips extend further onto the face of the phone, it does a much better job at not lifting the edges of the gelaskin than the grip vue...so far!
 
at the moment, I have no plans to do so. We'll have to see how things go out in the real world. When it does go to that screen to turn off the phone, I just push cancel and it doesn't seem to constantly do that. I didn't have to "reset" the case. I don't find it annoying yet...
 
caralck said:
What I like about it - I have a gelaskin on the back, a PS crystal on the front and on top of the crystal, I have the 2 gelaskin front pieces and because the front lips extend further onto the face of the phone, it does a much better job at not lifting the edges of the gelaskin than the grip vue...so far!
Click to expand...

I definitely agree. It does not bubble the screen protector. This is one of the few TPU cases I've had luck with in this regard.
 
SpaceKitty said:
Allot of people have mentioned the power button problem. Are you going to ask for a refund?
Click to expand...

Curiously, the case gets better over time. I still have the occasional issue with the power button though. I emailed iSkin and they responded by offering me 2 new cases of different colours free of charge. The thing is I really only like the black or clear colours. They also stated there is no need to return the case. I wonder if there has been an initial bad batch from the factory with the Carbon and Quartz coloured cases? I have asked for them to send me replacements when/if they correct the power button issue in a future batch.
 
Shield said:
Curiously, the case gets better over time. I still have the occasional issue with the power button though. I emailed iSkin and they responded by offering me 2 new cases of different colours free of charge. The thing is I really only like the black or clear colours. They also stated there is no need to return the case. I wonder if there has been an initial bad batch from the factory with the Carbon and Quartz coloured cases? I have asked for them to send me replacements when/if they correct the power button issue in a future batch.
Click to expand...

Did they tell you if you would have to send the old ones back?
 
Hey guys....

Big Iskin fan here. I had the revo for my 5th gen video and for the Ipod Classic but I just received my Solo for Iphone 4 and what a disappointment.

I have the same issue with the power button and it really pissed me off.

I just wrote their customer service. Hope they come up with some kind of solution.

In the meantime, here is a quick and cheap fix I found:

I got one of those slim brown or colorful rubber bands and I cut a piece the width of the power button.
I inserted the piece of rubber band in the corner in between the back camera hole and the actual power button nodge in the case.

While holding the case tilted down so the rubber band does not move, I inserted the Iphone, thus trapping the rubber band behind the power button. The rubber band act as a spacer but still as the flexibility to allow the button to be pressed.

It makes a small bump but it's barely noticeable and I figure the rubber band should not harm the IPhone nor the case.

Et voila !
 
well, after a day in my real world use of the phone with the solo I had no issues whatsoever with the power button issue. Maybe it's just some cases that were bad. I toss my phone into my backpack to come home and go to work and then had it in my sweater pocket while at work and not once did I have that message about turning off the phone. I also like the grippy sides. Yep, it's a keeper! :D

Now what will I do with the grip vue and then my free case (the speck hd) when it finally arrives...
 
just stretch it out a bit - it is a pretty tight fitting case isn't it?

what I found was to just stretch out the top a bit every so often
 
I wonder if it may be a defective/different batch issue.

No matter how much I stretch it, the power button problem remains.

Even to the touch, when I slide my finger on the inside of the case, I see the power button section is leveled with the rest of the case.

How could it not press on the button since the button is definitely extruding compared to the top of the Ipod ?
 
because there's a cut out within the power button area that allows the button to rest inside that space. I did the "dressing and adjusting" thing 3 or 4 times to get it to set in there. If you look at your case and it doesn't seem to have a good "nesting spot" for the power button, email them and sounds like they're pretty good at just sending over a replacement.
 
Already did e-mail them.

No, the "nesting spot" has no play at all.

Even with my finger inside the case I can't push it out. No wonder the little button spring can't.
 
On top of all, the Solo case is now lifting the edges of my Phantom Skinz screen protector.

I ordered a SGP Olephobic screen protector because I did not like the orange peel effect of the Phantom.

Will the Oleophobic also be damaged by the solo ?

What about the Pixel HD free case ?

Thanks !
 
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