Contour iSee for iPhone
Contour Design has earned honors among the DTT staff for years now beginning with their case for the 3rd generation iPod. The Contour Showcase for iPod was a marvel that protected every aspect of the iPod without sacrificing one feature. To top if all off, these cases were affordable and didn�t cover the beauty of the iPod. Contour hasn�t changed and we�re extremely happy! The iSee for iPhone is fantastic. Our iPhones go everywhere and it�s because of that we need a case that protects every aspect of our iPhones.
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The iPhone�s protection can only go so far compared to protecting a standard iPod. The iPhone is crippled because using the device requires the touch of your finger. The iPod�s screen was plastic and merely for visual output and not the primary input so Contour and other case manufacturers were able to make cases that covered the screen. With that said, Contour has included a screen protector with the iPhone but in the event that you drop the iPhone on the asphalt, the glass does have the potential to crack. I�m not blaming any case maker for the lack of screen protection because the iPhone just won�t allow it.
The iSee is a two-piece design. You slip the iPhone into the case and at this point, the front; side and lower back of the iPhone are completely covered. The second step of the case is to attach the back plate that seals the deal and protects the aluminum back from damage. iSee leaves the obvious uncovered. The headphone port, power button, camera, side volume controls, home button and the bottom is uncovered but not in a way that the iPhone can slip out the bottom with any amount of force. There are some manufacturers that have covered the ambient light sensor that controls contrast and turns off the screen when the iPhone is at your ear but since the iSee is completely clear, that�s not even an issue.
The clear plastic is great because you can still show off the beauty of the iPhone and not keep it encased in leather or a dark plastic. If you�re looking for a case that displays the beauty of the iPhone�s curves then you�re out of luck. There�s not one case that can do this because I�ve looked. The iPhone is so thin, the screen goes to the very edges and there�s just not a clear case that only adds a thin layer to the phone. The iSee comes pretty damn close but developing a plastic case that is thin and truly protects the iPhone from drops is hard to come by.
I�ve drop tested this case on an elevator, carpeted room and on concrete. The iSee does now have some scratches on it but the iPhone still looks great! The iSee does hold up well against those kinds of drops but each of those drops weren�t intentional. The iSee for iPhone comes with a �holster� that you can hook to your pocket or belt and they�ve done a great job engineering the unit but the clip that actually hooks onto your belt is not very strong so the whole thing just falls off your belt and the iPhone with holster hit the ground. The holster does continue to hold the iPhone in. With the belt clip option, you can hook the iPhone on vertically or horizontally with the Apple logo facing up or down. You can also have the iPod in the case with the logo out or screen out.
People don�t think about this until you get the iPhone but it�s hard to lie in bed, typing away with the iPhone. The glass and aluminum is slick and it�s difficult to get to keys using both thumbs and not have the iPhone slip out of your hands. The iSee has definitely taken care of that problem. I don�t have any more grip issues because the plastic is much more grippy. It�s like holding a plastic MacBook or an aluminum MacBook Pro. Both units have different slip factor. One thing I�ve seen that is universal with all iPhones that have been dropped or in a pocket with keys is the metal edges have scratched pretty bad. They�re all surface scratches and the reflective nature of these edges makes it difficult to see the scratches. Well, taking the iPhone in and out of the iSee accelerated that scratching and after one week, the iPhone has a lot of scratches just on the bottom of the device where it rubs as you put the phone in. It�s not a huge deal and is barely noticeable and it�s common for every case to scratch it a little bit. If you�re looking to keep your iPhone in perfect condition just use a sock and hold it in your hands at all times.
I�m pleased with the iSee for iPhone and its price, functionality and quality is great! If you�re looking for a case that protects the iPhone but doesn�t take away from the beauty or functionality of the phone. I give it a solid 4 out of 5 because the holster quality could improve and the case scratches the iPhone a bit. Like I said, I�m not blaming Contour for the lack of coverage on the screen and not making their plastic case thinner because those two aspects are impossible to achieve.
You can get your own iSee from Contour Design at http://contourdesign.com
