Though everyone seems to be really tired of seeing more iPhone cases at this point, Speck’s CandyShell ($35) struck us as worth sharing. In addition to providing nearly comprehensive protection for the iPhone 3G, thanks to a combination of a front film protector and the case, CandyShell has been designed with a unique combination of hard glossy plastic on the outside and soft rubber on the inside. The result is integrated rubber button protection where it’s needed, holes for the ringer switch and camera, and a two-tone color scheme that’s just a hint flashy and hip.
Easy to put on and fairly easy to take off once you know what you’re doing, CandyShell is a real standout on elegant design at a time when cases have are becoming either too simple or too complex. Four color schemes are available. The only reasons CandyShell fell short of our high recommendation were two issues we experienced in our testing: first, the headphone port is not compatible with oversized plugs, and second, the rubber inner layer can, under stressful conditions, crack in a manner that is cosmetically invisible when the case is on.
This is otherwise an outstanding design.
Updated August 4, 2009 and October 7, 2009: Speck has subsequently released a new set of CandyShell colors, including white, black, and three new colors that are more neutrally mixed with rubber tones than before. The company has also improved the rubber material to stop cracking, and eliminated the plastic card previously used for screen protector smoothing.
Our rating has been updated to a high recommendation and A- for these cases, which are on the expensive side, but with their improved build quality and superior colors are now amongst our favorite iPhone 3G and 3GS cases. Over a two-month period, we’ve put the new models through extensive testing and really appreciate their combined protection and resilience.
