$34.95
As promised in my Griffin Nu Form for 3G iPhone case review, I did get the latest Incase Slider case for my 3G iPhone. If anyone is interested in buying a gently-used Griffin Nu Form case for a reasonable price, don’t hesitate to contact me. ;)
Incase announced the 3G iPhone version of their Slider a few weeks ago, and my guess is that they’re flying off the shelves at every Apple store, and for good reason, too. I suspect this case will be my favorite for my 3G iPhone as its predecessor was for my first-generation iPhone - read on for the reasons why...
Materials
The Slider is made of plastic - more specifically, “lightweight plastic hardshell” with a “minimal wall thickness of 1mm” according to their site. I purchased the black matte version that has a soft-touch coating on it. The interior of the case does not have this soft-touch coating and is glossy and smooth instead. There are two thin strips of rubber that run along both portions of the inside of the case, and they are meant to cushion the iPhone so it doesn’t rub against the inside of the case directly.
In my Nu Form review, I mentioned that I had poo-poo’ed the usefulness and purpose of these rubber strips in the first version of this case, but I am now big fans of them. It doesn’t appear that the case scratches my iPhone at all during insertion or removal, so these strips are fulfilling their purpose.
The matte exterior has held up well in its first week of use - there are hardly any scuffs or marks on it yet after being shoved in my jeans pocket, my bag, and rubbed around on my desk. I definitely like this better than the glossy exterior of my last case. This finish was also available in the version for the first-generation iPhone, and I’d read reports that it would start to peel off after a while. This is my only concern with this finish at this point, and I will keep an eye on it and update this review if this starts to happen (and I’ll definitely go through the warranty process to get it replaced and report on how that goes).
The only adornment on this case is the Incase logo stamped along the edge on the bottom rear of the case. It’s not obnoxious at all and I don’t feel like I’m a walking billboard for the company when I use it. In fact, I’m right-handed and my hand usually covers this logo when I hold the phone up to my ear to talk.
Access
The Slider covers the bezel and no more all the way around the front of the iPhone. I have a Brando anti-glare screen protector installed and the Slider does not interfere with it at all. I do like cases that provide complete unhindered access to the screen - I do use the virtual keyboard a lot and cases that have high raised edges around the screen, like the Tunewear Icewear case that I hated, do nothing but get on my nerves. The Slider has pretty much the same profile as the last version in this respect, and I have no problems whatsoever using the virtual keyboard.
The Slider has cut-outs for the 3G iPhone’s ports and buttons. Unlike the Griffin Nu form, there are separate cut-outs for the headphone jack and sleep/wake button the top, and the SIM card slot is covered. The fact that the SIM card slot is covered doesn’t bother me at all - I rarely remove the SIM card from my iPhone and would much rather have it covered than exposed during regular use.
There is a single cut-out on the left side that leaves the silent/ring toggle and volume rocker free. There is a hole leaving the camera lens open on the back - it’s not perfectly centered, but it doesn’t interfere with taking pictures at all. The single cut-out on the bottom leaves the microphone, speaker, and dock connector open. None of these cut-outs hinder access to anything.
Using the case
Of course, one of the biggest selling points of this case is the ability to dock it easily simply by sliding off the bottom portion of the case. I’m weird in that I prefer to place my iPhone in its dock for charging since I like it to be at an angle I can see easily on my desk or nightstand. A case that lets me do this without needing to remove it entirely is perfect for me in this respect, and the Slider does just this. Unlike the Griffin Nu Form, the bottom portion slides off easily, though not so easily that it comes off on its own, and the top portion stays put.
The matte texture of the exterior does have a nice feel to it and offers a little more grip than a naked 3G iPhone but still slides easily into my jeans pocket. It attracts no lint. It adds very little bulk to my iPhone and I’m very glad to have an extra layer of protection should I ever (gasp!) drop it. These are absolute bonuses in my opinion given how I use my iPhone.
Summary
Picking the right case for your iPhone is not rocket science, of course, but it can be tricky if you don’t think carefully about how and when you use it most. Some people like to have their phone attached to their belt all the time, where others want their phone in a cushioned case that lives in their bag most of the time, and I am neither of these types. I use my iPhone frequently and I like to have it in my pocket most of the time, or it’s in my purse or on my desk charging in its dock. I want full access to the screen and all of the buttons. I don’t want a flashy case or a belt clip for everyday use. The Incase Slider is great for me, and I think it will be for you too if you use your 3G iPhone like I do.
It looks like Incase is still charging a lot for shipping and handling - I entered my information on their site to see how much they would charge, and it came to $9.62 for shipping and handling via UPS Ground to Boston, MA. This still feels like more than it should be for such a small item, so I suggest you buy it from a local store to avoid paying these shipping charges, if you can.
Related reviews:
Incase Slider for first-generation iPhone
Griffin Nu Form case for 3G iPhone
3G iPhone v. first-generation iPhone comparison review