Some people like to people-watch. I, on the other hand, like to gadget-watch. Taking the bus every day gives me the opportunity to indulge this admittedly peculiar predilection. For a while, I’d entertain myself by attempting to guess whether someone was a "BlackBerry type" or an "iPhone type."
Occasionally, I’d stumble across a real gem: someone who owned an old-school clunker—resembling, loosely (the phone that is, not the owner) one of those "car phones" that used to reside in a cup holder in my parents’ early ’90s mini van, and required the use of two hands to properly operate.
But I digress. Lately, I’ve been less concerned about delineating the iPhoners from the BlackBerry-ites.
Now, I’m just curious to see what kind of cases (or "skins") people are choosing. While I’ll never latch on to the trend of attaching trinkets or baubles to my phone (why? Because it’s a phone.), I might be persuaded to add a bit of "flair" to my otherwise sad-and-sorry looking portable horn. After an afternoon of searching, I’ve narrowed down my selection.
Without further ado: the Good, the Rad, and the Fugly of iPhone cases — plus a peak at Toronto’s most expensive.
The Good: Incase Monochrome Slider Case for iPhone
Incase’s "Slider Case" is smooth, sleek, and… plastic. That’s right. Plastic. No wiggly silicone iPhone skin here, folks. I like this particular case for a number of reasons. For starters, I’ve always enjoyed Incase’s products. I’ve housed an elderly Macbook in an Incase sheath for years—and the cover has held up far better than the actual computer.
Also on this case’s list of "pros" is the design. It’s nothing flashy—and that’s why I like it. Perhaps most importantly, the hard plastic cover (with interior "rubber guard rails") offers shock protection. So you’re actually getting far more than the usual iPhone scratch protection.
$39.95; available at Mac stores across the GTA
The Rad: GelaSkins Custom Designed iPhone Skin
Hey, remember the time I kinda sorta knocked iPhone skins… and then proceeded to recommend one? Right. So. GelaSkins. The company is based right here in Toronto, and a simple click of the mouse will lead you to a veritable gallery of iPhone-intended artwork. A one-of-a-kind iPhone skin? Yes, please. I really like the cute-albeit-slightly-creepy "I See" design by Simon Oakley, as well as the nerdy/lovely "Bookshelf" creation by Colin Thompson. And if you don’t like any of the designs they’ve got on offer, you can upload your own artwork and create your own skin.
$14.95; available online at www.gelaskins.com
The Fugly: Juicy Couture Crest Case for iPhone
Juicy Couture sweat pants are bad enough. (C’mon ladies, bust out those old varsity or Roots sweats—and leave those JC loungers where they belong: on a shelf, in a drawer, in a bag labeled "to give away"—somewhere far, far away from an actual human being.)
And if you even had to ask, no, we can’t get behind this Juicy Couture iPhone cover. Why? Because the only interesting detail on the darn thing is the Juicy Couture logo. And the logo itself reminds us of those sweat pants. It’s a vicious cycle, all right.
$39.95; available online at the Mac store.
Most Expensive: Louis Vuitton Alligator iPhone Skin
Last but certainly not least expensive, I found the Louis Vuitton Alligator iPhone Skin. This bad boy will set you back $1260 at LV’s Bloor Street store in Yorkville. Day-um. I mean, it’s pretty and all—but $1260-dollars’-worth of pretty? Who’s to say.
$1260; available at the Louis Vuitton flagship store in Yorkville.
