Elana and the Four Speck Cases for iPhone 4S

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With sincerest apologies to “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”.

Once upon a time there were four Speck iPhone cases that arrived for review. One was a FabShell Burton, one was a FabShell, one was a CandyShell and the other was CandyShell Grip. Each had its own style and form. The timing was right, as Elana had finally broken down and made the move to the iPhone.

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The FabShell Burton was there with “fresh fabrics and hard-shell protection combine in a form-fitting one-piece case.”

Gear Diary Speck iPhone 015

Fabulous fabric-backed Burton designs on a fiercely protective co-molded one-piece case from Speck! Custom patterns, extra protection and a super-slim fit are what make this case so “fab”. FabShell provides the right kind of protection in all the right places. It features a hard shell back and sides, press-thru button covers, raised screen bezel, and shock-absorbing rubbery edges. The fresh fabric patterns let you personalize the look of your phone and give it a fabulous textile gripDetails here.

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At just $39.95 it was nice, and it even came in ten different fabrics. But while it gave some grip, it was still too slippery for the picky new iPhone 4S owner. Elana moved on.

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The FabShell offered “Fresh fabrics and hard-shell protection combine in a form-fitting one-piece case”.

Gear Diary Speck iPhone 4s 015

Custom patterns, extra protection and a super-slim fit are what make this iPhone 4S case so “fab.” The fresh fabric patterns let you personalize the look of your phone and give it a fabulous tactile grip in-hand. But it’s not just a fashion accessory; it’s unexpectedly protective! It’s got a hard-shell back and reinforced sides, with shock-absorbing rubbery edges, press-thru button covers, and raised screen bezel, so you’re totally covered if your phone takes a fall. 

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At just $34.95, it too was nice, but it was a bit too slick and a bit too angular for the choosiest iPhone-owner around. Elana moved on.

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The CandyShell offered a “Sweet dual-layer protection: a hard outer shell and a soft, rubbery, shock-absorbent center”.

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The award-winning CandyShell® for iPhone 4S/4 combines a glossy outer shell with a shock-absorbent rubberized center for seriously sweet protection. The sleek, hard shell protects against drops, scratches and impacts—and it slides easily in and out of your pockets. The rubbery inner lining extends to a bezel, which protects your screen if it falls screen-first, and gives it no-slip stability when you place it face down. Available in a variety of tasty two-toned color options. Details here.

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At $34.95 it was a great option, and since it came in so many different colors that there MUST be one for the picky, picky woman; alas there was not. The CandyShell was deemed “far to slick” by little miss choosey. Elana moved on.

Gear Diary Speck iPhone 4s 012

Just one case was left. The CandyShell Grip brought with it a “hard-shell, soft-center design with fingerpads for grip and thumb-bumps for control”.

CandyShell Grip for iPhone 4S is perfect for hardcore gamers, serious texters, or anyone who wants a better grip on their phone. It offers the same sweet dual-layer protection as our popular CandyShell–soft, shock-absorbent rubber on the inside, and hard plastic on the outside. The rubbery lining absorbs shock and also extends to a bezel, which protects your screen if it falls screen-first, and gives it no-slip stability when you place it face down. Ridged rubbery fingerpads on the back are designed to give you a winning grip. And the four thumb-bumps on the edge bezel lock in your thumb placement so you won’t lose track of your virtual buttons when you’re going for high score! Details here.

Gear Diary Speck iPhone 005

At just $34.95 and available in six different colors, it looked to be a good option. But the review sample was in purple and Elana had NEVER used a purple cases.

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She slipped it on the phone. She looked, she held, she smiled, she liked… “This is it!! This is it!!” she cried out. “It has grip… it literally has a grip. It’s not like it is subjective – it has special material that lets me grip it more easily. Got Grip??? My new case does!!”

Gear Diary Speck iPhone 007

She continued, “It is thin. It fits snugly around the iPhone. It doesn’t have extra bulk. It is soft but not too soft, and it is hard but not too hard. It hugs my phone. It isn’t bulky but it isn’t flimsy. And it is a bit curvy… I don’t like the squareness of the iPhone and this rounds it out. And the purple isn’t too purple and the black is a nice mix with it.”

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“And the cutouts… the cutouts are clean and the buttons are distinct and obvious. THIS is the case. This is the case!!! This is the case that is just right for me.”

And they lived happily every after …

The end.

You can see these and all the other Speck products by clicking, here.

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.