The ones I'm looking at are the Otterbox commuter TL, Iskin solo, Speck Candyshell or See thru. I don't want something super "flashy" but I would like something with a bit of style.
I can give a strong recommendation for the Candyshell. I've been using it and I wouldn't consider any other case.
I have always liked the feel of hardshell cases better, but good soft cases obviously provide better protection.
As you probably know the candyshell is a combination of both with a hardshell exterior around a complete layer of soft material. So it has that going for it, but what really makes it a great case is the design concept and build quality. The thing is perfectly conceived. Its a single "unibody" piece that holds your phone in extremely tightly. There is no risk of the shell falling apart (its one piece) and there's no way that your phone will ever inadvertently come out of it no matter what you do. I haven't used every case, but in my opinion the candyshell seems stronger where other cases are often weak:
(1)at the bottom lip near the dock connector the case has an especially thick lip of hard plastic around the soft material which hugs the phone.
(2) around the perimeter of the front face, both the hard shell and the soft material rise a little bit in front of the face to prevent it from getting nicked at the corner.
Its a great case. They sell them at Apple Stores in the black/grey and white/grey color combos. They will have no problem with you trying them out on your phone, the box they come in is fastened with metal buttons and meant to be opened and closed. If you want to save money or want a different color combo, Amazon sells them for $19 in maybe 6 or 8 different colors.
I would say that the weaknesses of the candyshell are:
-It's a task to get the case off of the phone
-the cutout in the case to access the volume mute switch is deep and narrow so I can't just flick it with my thumb anymore, I have to take it out and do it with a finger
-the rubber button extensions for power button and volume rocker are pretty thick and heavy, there's no sensory feedback that you are actually activating those physical buttons. You have to learn how much pressure you have to apply.
Even of these criticisms I have, though, I would say that every single one of them is a result of a design decision which overall produced the best case. For example, the case is ***** hard to take off because of the build quality and tolerances of the case and because of how tightly it holds the phone. The cutout for the mute switch being narrow means that the switch is less exposed. The heaviness of the rubber button extensions is the result of them being physically a part of the rubber interior: by being a single piece you get a more durable case, the buttons aren't going to fall off; by being a heavier rubber, the case absorbs shock better. So you are left with relatively heavy buttons, but it seems to me to be the best design compromise.
Yeah I'm pretty enthusiastic about the case.
