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Sick and tired of mobile cases, protective shields and what not...

R

robweg

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 1, 2008
27
0
I've got my 3G for a year now and of course i bought case for it. A nice, rather thin one (vaja), but not nearly as beautiful and thin as the phone itself. A month ago, i've had it. Since then i just keep it unprotected in my pants or jacket and put it down on every desk or whatever when i sit down. I loved it!
Of course, after four weeks, although i'm careful, the back of my phone has scratches all over it and even the surprisingly durable screen has some. Great! I'm really pissed. I mean, is it really that hard to make an Iphone (or any phone for that matter) that is scratch resistant? There are tons of cheap, durable plastics or other materials out there. Why do i have to choose between hiding this slim, beautiful piece of designwork in a thick case or even wrap it in plastic foil, and having it scratched? I really don't get it.
Even if it were a bit more expensive, i'm sure lots of people out there would pay a bit more for a scratch resistant version, or am i wrong? I mean we pay for extra cases and xyz-shields. So would you?

rob
 
no.

there's more to life than giving a toss about a scratch on a mass produced consumer product.
 
I know how you feel. I try to keep my Apple products in the most pristine condition, but I fail at it, cased or not.
I just got my iPhone replaced yesterday, so it's brand spankin' new. I hate putting cases on my phone with the passion, because I feel like it hides the iPhone's full beauty. But I'm currently looking for a stylish one that is thin and natural fitting enough for some decent protection.
I do wish that the iPhone wasn't so scratch prone too. Friends of mine have other phones. They can chuck it at a wall 5 million times and nothing would happen to it.
 
I fight this battle all the time. I hate cases. But, I also tend to drop my cell phone...

The best case I've found that maintains the integrity of the iphone's design is the Power Support Air Jacket. Very very slim. I waffle between using it and keeping my phone naked.

As for films, I put one on my 3GS a few days ago but I'm feeling a bit dissapointed- the new screen does an amazing job repelling grease, films, not so much.
 
andreab35 said:
I do wish that the iPhone wasn't so scratch prone too. Friends of mine have other phones. They can chuck it at a wall 5 million times and nothing would happen to it.
Click to expand...

mhm, well yeah, but these are mostly the ugly ones, right? :) Its not really an Apple problem, i had it with other mobiles too. The funny thing is, i have other cheap plastic thingies like usb-sticks for example, which i treat with no regard to scratches and they still look like new.
 
I just got a 3GS and have been using it without any case or shield at all. My touch though, has an Invisible Shield mainly due to the chrome back being so easily scratched.

I have thought about putting an IS on the iPhone but I just don't want to. I haven't put any form of protection on a mobile phone for over 10 years and all those phones were in good condition when I finished using them. I'm just going to be careful.
 
Incipio Feather

I also hate cases. I have owned the original iPhone, the 3G, and now the 3GS. For the 2G and 3G i never had a case on it and i loved it. Yes the back got a little scratched up but it wasn't that bad. Now i have the 3GS where i didn't have a case but since i see my growing trend of eBaying my iphones every year to get the new one, i figure this time i will try to keep the 3GS as scratch free as possible. I searched around a lot for a thin case and found the Incipio Feather. So far i like it a lot! Still I like the iPhone naked, but if i need to have a case on it, this was the one to get!

ca4f1b33-da09-403b-99e3-b7f9e8c73efc_m.jpg


899606e3-0e85-4b27-928f-df41ef54f771_m.jpg
 
I feel your pain - I would rather go without a case .. but ... think about it. To be scratch proof, it would have to be made of some material harder than anything it might get rubbed against - that would make the phone so expensive no one would buy it.
 
ScoobyMcDoo said:
To be scratch proof, it would have to be made of some material harder than anything it might get rubbed against - that would make the phone so expensive no one would buy it.
Click to expand...

You're right. Due to translation, i used the wrong term. What i meant was scratch resistant . And for that there are plenty of methods or materials out there. Especially when we talk about millions of units, i bet the production costs per phone would be just a few dollars more.
 
I've used my iPhone 2G for years now without a case, and I don't pay special attention to it (sometimes in my pocket with my keys etc). Sure there are some scratches on the back side, but the screen is still perfect and seems very scratch resistant. I would never want to put my iphone in a case.
 
just get a freaking invisible shield and stop complaining....it makes the phone completely scratch resistant, and it's like its not even there

i dont use a screen protector on my 3GS but i use the invisible shield on the backing.

if you want to protect the whole phone, I would suggest a power support crystal film for the screen, and an invisible shield for the back...you get no impact resistance from this solution, but you definitely wont have to worry about scratches
 
I flit between using my phone naked and with a power support air jacket too....

I think if you must have scratch protection, but like the phone naked then that case is your best bet.

The Powersupport crystal screen protectors are also the best in my opinion - almost invisible, perfectly smooth and slick surface to both the touch and to the eye, easy to apply without bubbles and cheap enough to replace once or twice a year if they pick up a few scratches of their own.
 
I've been naked since my 1st gen and never bought a case. Thankfully apple made the plastic back cheap and it cracks, so when I get too many scratches I take it to get replaced because of the cracks. Although somehow now the bottom water sensor got wet and it's pink so no more free replacements for me. And yes the black crack just as much as the white, the black are just harder to see.
 
actorkid said:
just get a freaking invisible shield and stop complaining....it makes the phone completely scratch resistant, and it's like its not even there

i dont use a screen protector on my 3GS but i use the invisible shield on the backing.
Click to expand...

that's what I do. I had a full body IS on my 2G iphone, but the 3GS screen is too nice to cover. Working out great so far...
 
Over the last 2 years, I have never put any of my iPhones in a case.
I've also never gotten a scratch on the screen.
 
I hate scratches. I hate cases. Solution? Well, none. Compromise? The Incipio Feather. Its a case (snaps on the back), but its so thin and small it is almost like its not there, except for the fact that it is there. Highly recommended.
 
I am of the no screen saver, no case school (for my other phones), but the iPhone is so thin I actually like it in "something". But as a new 3GS owner, that something is hard to figure out! I have an Incase Slider right now that I like OK, but it is almost too heavy. I am thinking about the Feather - just something to make it a tad thicker and to protect it a bit. It is really a catch 22, IMO. On the one hand, you want to see it/use it as is, on the other hand you want it to survive!
 
Naked iPhone better then cased.

When I got my first gen iPhone, I started using a screen protector. Not because I wanted to resist scratches, but for the anti-glare filmset's ability to reduce the appearance of fingerprints. Same held true when I got my 3G.

It wasn't until I got a Mophie Juicepack Air that I started using a case with the 3G. I loved the extended battery life but hated the fact that after a few months of use, I had cracks near the dock connector from being constantly connected within the case and being shoved in my pocket. Not that protective if you ask me.

My friends that use cases have also had cracking happening more frequently then without a case. Mainly where everyone else has it happen: The headphone jack and ringer switch areas.

Since upgrading to the 3GS, I have gone with a nude iPhone as the coating on the screen solved my fingerprint problem and I for one don't like cases after seeing what heppened to my 3G and the Juice Pack Air.
 
Naked 1st gen user here, just got a 3GS.

On the 1st gen, it went in my pocket and the screen faced inwards. Keys and coins would go into another pocket, but sometimes I'd forget and they would be in the pocket of the phone. The back of my 1st gen is scratched up, but nothing major, normal wear and tear. The front is actually clean.

So what's the best screen protector?

I'm leaning towards Zagg Invisible Shield sold at BB. Watching YouTube videos on it right now.
 
I use the incase cases only because the phone itself is pretty slippery and even though I don't have a habit of dropping my phone, i'd rather have some grip when talking on it...

only thing I dont like about the cases is that when you pull it out of your pocket (mostly in jeans) it pulls the pocket out with it
 
andreab35 said:
But I'm currently looking for a stylish one that is thin and natural fitting enough for some decent protection.
Click to expand...
If you want the Apple Logo to still be shown with the case on, get a Casemate Barely There case.

If you want the Apple Logo hidden, get the Incipio Feather.

I have a Red Casemate Barely There and absolutely Love it.
 
I had a 1st gen phone that was naked and I really didn't care about scratches on the back side. You get enough of them and it looks normal and you have the brushed metal look. I was up on a ladder once talking to somebody and I dropped it and it dented the corner. It was still usable but a case might have saved it.

I just got a iphone 3gs though and I put on a iSkin Solo case. It has enough "tacky" so I can put it on the dash of my car if I need to without it sliding around like a bar of soap. It does make it thicker, but I think it is worth it.

Without a case, you tend to only set it on stuff that should not scratch it. With the solo case, I can set it down anywhere like on a rock if I am hiking or geocaching.
 
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