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August 02, 2012

Review: LifeProof iPhone case!

A funny thing happened when I put my iPhone in a Lifeproof case... I didn't take it out again! Considering how much I prefer my iPhone to be case-less and stark naked, that's a big compliment.

Lifeproof cases are the ultimate in water, dirt, shock, and snow protection. It would take forever to describe all the ways this case protects, so instead I will send you over to Lifeproof's website to check out the Four Proofs.

But first dig the Lifeproof video!

I love that Lifeproof protects your iPhone from spaghetti!

Does it protect against drops? Yes indeed. I bumped and dropped my iPhone several times over the last couple of weeks, and each time it emerged unscathed and unshattered. The great thing about Lifeproof's case is that you can use the phone exactly as you would normally do without the case; browse the web, answer and make calls, etc. You know what this means don't you... yes, you can listen to music and make phone calls underwater! :-D

Sure there's a difference in the tactile feel and size of the iPhone in the case, and the plastic covering the glass screen is weird at first, but it's a small difference, and you'll quickly get used to that, and grow to appreciate the extra grip this case gives you. You'll mainly notice some difficulty with small interface buttons on apps, but just press a little harder than normal and you're fine.

I also tried out the armband, which holds the Lifeproof case super securely to your upper arm. I'm not a huge fan of armbands, but this one does its job great. Using it, I took my phone out paddle boarding, something I would never, EVER consider doing before. It was cool to know I had my phone with me, just in case of emergency, or an insatiable desire to check my email. If you are around water a lot with your phone, check out the Floating LifeJacket accessory.

One downside, if you take a lot of pictures with your iPhone, you'll probably want to take it out of the case first so they are the best quality possible. The Lifeproof's lens is pretty invisible, but I found, like any additional lens, it takes away a little bit of the clarity from pictures. And the tiniest of nitpicks, the case reverses the direction your finger must push to mute the phone. No big deal, just takes a bit to get used to.

Final words: if you are like me, and find yourself out at the beach or on the water, or throwing your phone in a knapsack occasionally, or doing gardening, carpentry, construction, or other dirty work with your iPhone in your pocket, you will want, need, and must have a Lifeproof in your life.

Lifeproof case comes in black or white and retail for around $80, and perhaps even cheaper (55 bucks!) over at Amazon. Available in six different colors too!

Posted by Snaggy at August 2, 2012 04:42 PM