Casing the Joint

Ever since I bought my iPhone 4 (a little over a month ago) I have been searching for the perfect case in which to enclose it. My first attempt was a failure, and my second, despite being the paragon of nerd construction, was only slightly better. It took an act of chance to give me a case that I absolutely love.

My iPhone 3G was housed inside of a Griffin Clarifi.

It was a terrific case, made in two parts, that ruggedly secured my phone for over two years. Showing definite genius, the Clarifi also had a lens that could slide in front of the iPhone’s camera, yielding a degree of focus for up close picture taking that was not available otherwise. Unfortunately, when Apple redesigned the iPhone into something sleeker and more beautiful, the old case no longer fit (and the focusing lens was unnecessary). I purchased the case via ThinkGeek, but it was designed by the craftsmen over at Griffin Technology, a top of the line manufacturer of Apple accessories. I have a dual iPod/iPhone dock made by them, and if ever I was going to have the money to afford some really cool Apple compatible gadgets, Griffin is one place I would look. So, I naturally looked there first for a new iPhone case.

I really wanted a two part case, like the old one I had, and one that I thought would fit the bill was Griffin’s Elan Form in Graphite.

It really looks great, but that isn’t enough. The case itself is somewhat flimsy, and is designed with front and back sides that are supposed to snap together around the iPhone, but I discovered that the two sides parted company at the slightest opportunity after just a few days of use. If I were a business executive or someone a bit more high class that carried my iPhone around in my suit pocket or attache case or whatever, the Elan Form would be stylish and more than adequate, but my preferred method of iPhone transportation is the carpenter pocket on my blue jeans, and I need something a bit more rugged.

Purely by accident, I came across a review for a case designed by a brand new company called Small Works who dreamed up an iPhone case that is pure geek win.

The Brick Case is for the Lego lover. Overcoming multiple design and manufacturing obstacles, Small Works was able to fashion a case that resembles an iPhone-shaped Lego brick. The studs on the back conform exactly to Lego standards, meaning that any existing Lego bricks will snap onto the case, yielding endless decorative possibilities. I absolutely love the hard, rugged plastic that Small Works used for their case, and as an ardent Lego lover, the case is practically an embodiment of the nerd slogan For the Win! I do, however, have one complaint with the Brick Case: it is very rigid, meaning that the iPhone snaps into the case and never moves, but extraction from the case can be an arduous task. Nevertheless, I think I will keep the Brick Case for times when I need to have the iPhone in a case for a long period of time.

My modus operandi with my iPhone is to have it au natural when around the house. Apple’s design is too stunning to cover when the device doesn’t need protecting. Even when using the iPhone to take pictures, or control my  TV, I find myself examining the design with wonder. (I don’t mean to gush, but I do think the iPhone 4 is one of the pinnacles of Apple engineering.) That being said, I want a case that offers protection when out and about, but that is also easily removable. Enter the dues ex machina of this story: Small Dog Electronics. Small Dog is an Apple Specialist company headquartered in Vermont that is the epitome of small, local business (sadly, their only physical store outside of VT is in New Hampshire, but I would be happy to work in their first Wisconsin location). Their employees are friendly, helpful, and awesome. And, they are the only company that I know of that is crazy about their dogs. Seriously, there is an entire section of their website devoted to the dogs they love. I love Apple and I love dogs, and the intersection of those two is Small Dog. I had the opportunity to shop in their South Burlington store when I was attending college in up state New York in 2006 and I have been a fan of their company ever since. The long and short of this story is that a few days ago, while following Small Dog’s twitter account (@hellosmalldog), I noticed that they tweeted a contest whereby one could win one of ten iPhone 4 cases. (The other part of this story is that I have never, in my life, won any sort of raffle or contest. Ever.) The contest required a re-tweet and I figured that, even if I didn’t win, I didn’t mind giving Small Dog a little free publicity, so I re-tweeted. To my shock, the next day I got an email from Small Dog telling me that I won. I gave them my address, and yesterday I received my prize: a Marware MicroShell.

The MicroShell is the perfect blend of function and protection, offering a hard plastic shell that also flexes, allowing for easy removal of the iPhone. The case is a smooth, soft feeling plastic, cool blue color, and showcases the etched logo for Small Dog. In short: I love it. (Thanks, Small Dog!)

Added Bonus: Included in the box from Small Dog were two “small dogs” that are part of a collectible set, all species owned by Small Dog employees. In lieu of a dog of my own, they sit just beneath my iMac and keep me company.