Looking for a 4S case recommendation

[loudguitars]

I just ordered my 4S, and I was looking for some good case recommendations since it seems to be compatible with a lot of iPhone 4 cases, and I'd like to have the case on hand before the 4S shows up.

Here are my requirements:

1) Must be protective, because I drop my phone constantly. Will sacrifice some thinness for protection, though I don't think I'm willing to go quite as thick as, say, the Otterbox Defender. Ideally, I'd get a Speck Candyshell except I've heard it doesn't comply with...

2) Must be able to take a dock connector cord for charging/line out to my car stereo without being removed from the case.

3) Must be able to use more than just the super-skinny Apple headphones with it without removing it from the case.

4) Must be relatively easy to pry out of a jeans pocket, therefore fairly smooth. Again, I would go for the Speck Candyshell if I hadn't read so many complaints about not being able to charge it in the case with a standard iPhone cable.

Any suggestions? And if you do have a Candyshell, are the reviews I've read wrong about being able to put in the dock connector cord?

 

[jrodsep]

Go for the Candyshell or Flip variant. The updated Candyshell has a wider opening for the dock connector and if that doesn't work you can always use the Candyshell Flip which has a "hinge" on the bottom part of the case so you can put it in a dock. I for one have tried both cases and they work perfectly and offer great protection for the phone.

 

[loudguitars]

I'd prefer to avoid the Flip variant because I just know I'll wind up absent-mindedly flipping it back and forth until it breaks (I am a serious fidgeter). But definitely good to know that newer versions are better about being able to fit a dock connector cord without issue.

 

[jrodsep]

Actually I have never had a problem with any of the Candyshell versions with the original dock connector. But I know that Speck made the dock connector hole a little bit bigger in later versions.