I'm a naked iPhone user.
Meaning, sometimes we both are, but usually only my iPhone is. I've enjoyed feeling the glassy, metallic sleekness of the iPhones I've owned without a screen protector or case coming between me and my beloved bit of technology.
But after dropping my naked phone several times onto the (thankfully) carpeted floor of an athletic club, I decided to look into protection options.
And came upon DiffCase, an aptly named different sort of case.
You should look into it if you're an iPhone user who is into tripod-necessary photography, seeks full protection for your phone, and/or needs a way to prop up the phone in either a horizontal or vertical freestanding position.
That said, after buying a DiffCase and pondering its pros and cons for a few days, I ended up returning it. (The DiffCase folks were easy to deal with via email; I appreciated the prompt and courteous customer service).
It was "close, but not quite" for me. Other iPhone users with different needs would find DiffCase to be just what they're looking for. The case is cleverly designed. It's well made, with parts that fit together precisely.
Even though I've been a minimalist in regards to dressing up my iPhone, I enjoyed how the DiffCase provided a, well, different feel when I held the phone. The curved portions of the case allow thumbs and fingers to curl around the phone in a more secure fashion. I didn't mind the extra heft of the DiffCase encased phone. It felt more substantial, yet not awkwardly bulky.
What did bother me was the lid. This was the main factor that made me return the DiffCase.
I wanted to be able to easily flip up the lid when I used the phone, and just as easily flip it down when I was finished with whatever vital iPhone activity I was doing (like checking Facebook posts from "friends" who I accepted into my Facebook life early on when I didn't have many, and now have no idea who they are, or why I should care about their kid's birthday party).
The lid is designed to come apart from the case when it is opened into a horizontal position.
When I made a phone call, the lid fell on the floor in a moment of excessive opening. Since I'm 63 and need an iPhone to bolster what little aura of "coolness" I have left, unpredictably dropping pieces of my case in public places didn't seem like a plus for my fragile ego.
Also, when the lid is fully pushed down, it's kind of difficult to loosen the four pins that enable it to move in either a vertical or horizontal direction.
I'm used to pulling my naked iPhone out of a slip case and getting it going immediately. Fiddling with the lid was another non-plus for me. I toyed with leaving two of the pins loose, which helped with quick opening, but this made the DiffCase look half-closed. Which, of course, it was.
Responding to my return request, a DiffCase rep said they'd be working to improve the design. Good for them. DiffCase is an innovative product which deserves a place in the iPhone case marketplace.
I like the notion of a lid for my iPhone, given that I live in Oregon where it rains occasionally (the Tourist Bureau makes us Oregonians use that word, "occasionally"). Having a built-in umbrella for either the sun or raindrops is a great case feature.
Improve the functioning of the lid, DiffCase folks, and you'll sell me on your product -- this time for keeps.
well, you were lucky, I broke one of the hinges after a few cycles of opening and closing the lid. The case certainly needs redesigning, not only the way the lid is attached, but the hinges too ! They need to be metal, otherwise, they break. And customer service is non-existant in my case - they refused to refund the purchase ! Is it because they had to ship it to Europe ? I have no clue.
Posted by: przemek | May 01, 2012 at 01:07 PM