Durable iphone case

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I am thrilled to now be the proud owner if a Verizon iPhone 4. Just as I put my babies in a very protective car seats when they were younger, I want to protect my iPhone.

Through my searches, I've come across 3 cases that seem to offer the best protection. They are: Ballistic HC Series, Otterbox Defender, & Speck Tough Skin Rugged Case. The latter is available at Apple.com. They all have their pros & cons which makes this a very difficult decision. Can anyone offer any suggestions to help me make my decision?

Thank you,
Mel
 

cwa107


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It's really tough to find a good one - not all of them (the Otterbox in particular) are compatible with the Verizon version, so you need to be careful. Make doubly certain that it's VZW compatible before you commit.

So far, I've tried the InCase slider (from Verizon). Didn't like it because it made my screen protector bubble.

I've also tried the iFrogz Luxe Lean. It's OK and compatible with the screen protector, but it doesn't offer a whole lot of protection (it pops off the corners too easily).

I now have a Seidio Innocase II on order. Supposedly it is compatible with screen protectors - and if it's anything like my Seidio Innocase for my Droid Incredible, it should be very protective as well.
 
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Thank you for your reply. I spoke with a customer service rep from Otterbox & she said that their iPhone Defender case is compatible with both AT&T & Verizon. She was very nice & I've read that the customer service at Otterbox was superior to that of Ballistic. Something else to consider before purchasing.

Thanks again,
Mel
 

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Thank you for your reply. I spoke with a customer service rep from Otterbox & she said that their iPhone Defender case is compatible with both AT&T & Verizon. She was very nice & I've read that the customer service at Otterbox was superior to that of Ballistic. Something else to consider before purchasing.

Thanks again,
Mel

Interesting. The guy who sits in the cube next to me at work was looking at the Otterbox because he had one on his AT&T iPhone 3G and wanted the same for his new VZW iPhone. He told me that Otterbox hadn't made a version that was compatible with the VZW iPhone yet. I'll have to let him know he was mistaken.

Good luck and do let us know how you make out.
 
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I have been told that there are compatibility issues between ATT and VZW iPhone 4 with the Otter Box. But I also suppose the Otter Box rep would know more about it than I do :p That being said, if the defender is compatible with the VZW iPhone GO FOR IT. I have one for my ATT iPhone 4 and it's AMAZING. I could bludgeon you to death with my cell phone and still be able to use it to call the police afterward so they could come haul my crazy behind away. Seriously, go with Otter, all day long. I used an iFrog case back in the iPhone 3G days, and it was good quality, though I can't speak for their current iPhone 4 case lineup. DO NOT go with the Apple bumper case; I got one for free during antennagate and it doesn't offer any kind of real protection. It also messed up the finishing on the antenna band. I bought an Otter after someone did a jumping jack on my phone during Army Reserve drill...I had to take it to an Apple store to get the back fixed. The Otter is MOST CERTAINLY a worthwhile investment.
 
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I have the otter-box defender and i am hard on things. get the otter-box. my dad had the ballistic one and it is cheaply built and not very sturdy. I dropped mine from 10 feet screen first onto concrete and it only dented the case a little. My dad just got the otter-box defender and it fell off the belt clip into the toilet and it didn't get that wet at all. And mine also got stepped on at the gym by my friend. I love the case and otters warranty is amazing.I called otter the other day and it said if you were calling about the iphone 4 case that you should do something or that they had them i cant remember, it made it sound like it is different to the at&t one.
 
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I ordered the otterbox yesterday, now I'll keep my fingers crossed that there are no compatibility issues. If anyone decides to order one, I recommend doing a google search for a promo code (this was suggested to me by their customer service rep). Also, you can use multiple codes! I was able to save 20% & get free shipping; my total came to $39.95. I thought that was pretty good considering I ordered directly from the company.
~ Mel
 
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Otterbox

Walmart now has the Otterbox, at the Walmart I was in it was $44.
 
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The Otterbox will fit the Verizon phone. I accidentally bought one for my daughters iPod 4 at Christmas but kept it because we had planned on buying my wife an iPhone. When the Verizon phone came out it was too late because we already had it so she tried it and it fits.

I like the Otterbox, but its much too bulky for me. I like something that fits in my pocket easily and I'm not real thrilled by the rubber skin. Its very well made however and protects the phone from most anything, I've dropped it several times in the case and it survived intact. Right now I just switch between the Otterbox and the bumper because I do need the ruggedness of the Otterbox at work.

Off to the eternal search for the perfect case...
 
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Does anyone have any experience with these cases by lifeproof?
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I had the great opportunity to go to an Apple store this past weekend & a sales person mentioned the lifeproof cases to me. Of course, I got this information shortly after getting my Otterbox. I see pros & cons to both cases. I wonder if the lifeproof will develop the horrible oil / wet slicks between the screen protector & the phone. I've had to use the baby powder trick twice already. Not fun, in fact, I'm debating on whether or not to return the Otterbox. The lifeproof is more expensive so I'm hesitant to get another case unless I can be more certain it will be worth it.

Mel
 
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Griffin survivor, hands down. I own the otter box defender, and the griffin, the griffin is the best by far!
 
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Does anyone have any experience with these cases by lifeproof?
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I had the great opportunity to go to an Apple store this past weekend & a sales person mentioned the lifeproof cases to me. Of course, I got this information shortly after getting my Otterbox. I see pros & cons to both cases. I wonder if the lifeproof will develop the horrible oil / wet slicks between the screen protector & the phone. I've had to use the baby powder trick twice already. Not fun, in fact, I'm debating on whether or not to return the Otterbox. The lifeproof is more expensive so I'm hesitant to get another case unless I can be more certain it will be worth it.

Mel

i might get the lifeproof case. thanks for the info
 
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OtterBox rules ...I dropped my phone (with the look of horror on my face) a few times on the street ...no problem
 
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Personally, I'm a BIG fan of Incase. I've used them for my 3G and now my 4. I already dropped my iphone 4 a few times since I got it and it's been perfectly fine. To be honest though, I've never tried anyone else so I only have experience with Incase.

Either way...GET A CASE! :) I love my phone, but the 4 is pretty darn fragile. Already easily shattered one when dropping it.

Good luck!
 
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Yes, get something to protect it. I'm using the otterbox commuter and it's great, not bulky but provides protection.
 
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Between the Otterbox Defender and the Ballistic, get the Otterbox all day long. The Ballistic is not of comperable quality
 
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I just ordered the lifeproof, good reviews, not to bulky. If the screen sensitivity "problem" isn't too bad it seems like a great case.
 
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My simple bumper stopped my iPhone getting damaged when I dropped it.

I've had all sorts of wallets and cases and they all seemed to detract from the phone and make it harder to use.
 
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I've had the Defender, Ballistic, and now have the Lifeproof. I've had it since Christmas and only recently had
to take the phone out and wipe the screen off. The best thing about the lifeproof vs the other two is the size. It is much less bulky. especially the Ballistic. I've dropped the phone a few times and so far so good. Hope you enjoy it as well.
 

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