And the first bit of swag from CES 2011 goes to… Carly. Let me explain.
The other day Carly was asking for recommendations for iPhone cases to protect both Sarah and her new iPhones when they go on vacation next month. Yes, our own Carly Z is all grown up and has a real smartphone now. (That was a totally gratuitous iOS-fanboy comment… I apologize but I’m on CES sleep deprivation already. That’s my explanation and I’nm sticking to it.) 🙂 Carly got a lot of excellent suggestions that included OtterBox cases (the classics when it comes to tough protection) and the LifeProof case I recently reviewed. Well it turns out that at CES Unveiled last night the “Press Gift” came from Case-Mate and is, I suspect, just what Carly was looking for. The Case-Mate Phantom is a tough case that looks, and feels, great.
As Case-Mate explains:
Express your toughest style with the Phantom iPhone 4/4s case. The Phantom case sports a sleek design fit for any lifestyle. The two-piece iPhone case impresses with its clean, aesthetic lines and fresh, on-trend colors for good looks and convenient function.
An inner-core frame supports the front and sides of the iPhone, protecting the screen while the case lays facedown. The multi-layer outer piece is constructed from our revolutionary DuoFlex and PolyCore materials. The DuoFlex soft finish creates a natural cushion and an easy-to-hold grip, while also covering each of the iPhone ports. The solid PolyCore material covers the interior for snug, hard shell protection.
- Two-piece, tough iPhone case formed from DuoFlex and PolyCore materials
- Form fit feature covers back and corners
- Available in black/white with other color combinations coming soon
- Access to all ports and functions
- Screen protector included
The Phantom takes an unusual design approach. Instead of having two equal halves that click together or an inner shell with an outer bumper layer as we have seen on many “tough” cases recently, the Phantom has a screen protector that clips over the iPhone and protects the sides and upper and lower portions of the screen.
From the front it looks like a full protection case. It is not since the entire back is left open.
Then, however, the iPhone and screen protector slip inside the shock-proof outer shell. It is a simple but effective design that makes getting your iPhone into and out of the case simple while offering an excellent degree of protection.
The Phantom has an MSRP of $50 and is available commercially in white/black with more color options (including the one I think Carly will be happy to take on vacation with her… unless Sarah steals it) coming soon. Since we have not had a chance to actually use it yet we will leave the review to Carly (or Sarah). You can check it out here on the Case-Mate website.