Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Wish it fit as well as it looks, October 14, 2009
I think the most useful reviews are written after you've owned the product for a considerable amount of time and have moved beyond the honeymoon phase that comes with the joy of a new acquisition. I've had the case for three months now and feel I'm now able to give an objective review.
The positives:
First off, the case looks as good in person as it does online - part of the reason why I was interested in it in the first place. I find myself flipping the phone over just to take a look at the back of the case. On occasion, I've noticed others staring at the case when I'm using my phone.
The case doesn't add a lot of bulk to the phone, which was very important for me since I carry it in my pocket, but still provides enough shock protection to save your phone from serious damage if it takes an unexpected tumble. Its textured back provides some grip allowing for confident handling of the phone, yet is smooth enough to easily slide in and out of my pocket.
The negatives:
The fit is poor. Now, when I initially received and installed the case the fit was better, though it still wasn't perfect. Over time I've noticed it has taken on more of a concave appearance, where it's squeezing the middle of the phone and bulging out at the top and bottom, almost to the point where you can see some chrome on the face of the iphone. This seems to be caused by the way the harder, exo-skeletal portion of the case `grabs' on to the softer, inner part around the sides.
Apart from looking a little off, the poor fit causes problems for those who use a screen protector. The way the sides of the case squeeze the middle of the phone can pinch the screen protector causing it to bubble up. If you have a screen protector that covers the entire glass portion of the phone or the protector is not perfectly centered - and I do mean perfectly - it will not stay in place with this case.
I have a ZAGG screen protector that I paid to have installed by Best Buy. When they installed it the first time, it wasn't dead center. After I put the case on, the screen began to come off at the sides and bottom. Fortunately, I was able to take the phone back to Best Buy and they replaced and installed the protector free of charge. It's now perfectly centered and hasn't bubbled up again, but the sides of the case are now touching the screen protector so I'm wondering how well my protector will hold up over long term.
Also, the bottom of the case is the soft plastic and is fairly flexible. This presents problems for screen protectors too since it can move up and down and rub against the screen. I've learned to handle my phone a little differently when placing it in my pocket (upside-down) to avoid bubbling up the bottom of the screen protector.
SwitchEasy played up how well the case preserves the feel of the phones volume and power controls ("tactile is key"), but it performs poorly in this area. The feel of the buttons is all but gone. Where I used to be able adjust the volume on lock the phone and know the task was completed by the satisfying feel of the button, I now have to look at the screen for visual cues - like the volume icon appearing with the slider going up or down - because I can't tell if I pressed hard enough to engage the control. Also, the cut out is fine for the stock iphone headphones, but doesn't accommodate ones with a larger plugs.
The bottom line:
It's a decent case that looks great and will do a good job of protecting the phone without adding excess heft. The fit issues are what hold me back from giving it a strong recommendation. If you don't have a screen protector and use the stock earphones that come with the iphone, you might be very happy with this case.
I'm not in the market for another case at the moment since Rebel Serpent does the job for the most part, but if I were I wouldn't buy it again.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The case you need, March 3, 2009
After watching my wife drop her iphone onto our stained concrete floor merely days after receiving it as her birthday gift, I realized that as soon as I decided to get one for myself, a good sturdy case was a must purchase on day one. I went to various brick and mortar stores to view their offerings, but I found most to be either lacking in the features department, or absurdly expensive for the product being offered. After turning my search over to Amazon.com, I came across one of the most unique looking and feature-rich cases in the SwitchEasy Rebel Serpent. The case provides a nice soft surround to cradle the phone and a hard cover to protect the back and edges in case of impact. The hybrid case provides everything one would need in order to protect their iphone investment and it looks damn good doing it. I have received numerous complements on my cover and proudly display it whenever my phone is out of my pocket. I have not had any problems with excessive lint attaching itself to the case. When applying the included protective screen, be sure that the surface of the phone is completely clean or problems with bubbles will arise. Other than that, there is nothing to complain about this case.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best iPhone 3G case available!, April 14, 2009
I own 4 Switcheasy iPhone 3G cases, and this is by far the best. Now, ALL Switcheasy cases are great, but this one is unique in the fact that the silicon seems stronger and thicker, but the real winning aspect of this case is in the rib construction. My other two Rebel cases have the slick rib shiny surface, it seems to scratch real easy, this one DOES NOT scratch. I have had it for a month now and no scratches at all. Great case, simply awesome. Don't hesitate to buy this case.
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