Cool Yule Rating: 2.5 stars
Price: $20 (Amazon.com); Reflect: $14.49 (Amazon.com)
Product Web sites: Elan | Reflect
Description: The Griffin élan Form hard-shell leather case for iPhone 3G is made of real leather and comes with shatter-proof edging (I didn’t test that feature) to give your iPhone good protection. There’s also a plastic screen protector to give the iPhone’s face a little extra protection. I wasn’t able to get the screen seated properly with the case, so I went without it. One bonus: The case does come with an extra cleaning cloth to keep that iPhone grime free. Overall, while I think this case would do a good job of protecting the iPhone and the leather looks nice, I just didn’t like the feel of the case. I prefer more of a rubber backing so when I place my phone on a surface I know it won’t slip easily. The Griffin élan Form for the iPhone 3G came in second of the three that I tested.
The Griffin Reflect case for iPhone 3G is a hard-shell design that blends well with the original iPhone design – making it almost unnoticeable to a casual glance. It’s made of a polycarbonate material to prevent breakage and has a mirrored front finish (hence the name). The is two pieces – front and back – that must be sandwiched around the iPhone. If you’re putting the case on and leaving it there for good, it’s fine. But if you’re the type to remove the case a lot, find a different case. This one is tough to pry off.
The Griffin Reflect came in last of the three iPhone 3G cases I tested for the gift guide.
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