Recently iSkin sent me a case for my BlackBerry Bold 9700, this is called the iSkin Vibes and not only does it protect your smartphone from physical damage but it also comes with a screen protector which also reduces screen glare.
The retail packaging is very professional and everything you need to know is written on the back, things which impressed me the most were its odorless design (a lot of cheap products have a very plasticy smell), also it features features embedded Microban antimicrobial protection which “inhibits the growth of stain and odor causing bacteria”.
When you open up the product the contents include the vibes case, the screen protector, a user guide, a couple of iSkin stickers and an antistatic wipe, you can see the entire contents below.
The first thing you must do is clean your phone’s screen, firstly use a lint-free cloth to remove most of the grime, then use the antistatic wipe to finish it off, then you must apply the screen protector to the screen, I recommend lining it up before applying it to make sure the positioning is correct. Once you are happy remove the film on the “A” side and apply it to the screen, once applied I found using circular motions whilst rubbing the screen pretty firmly removed any air bubbles, once you are happy remove the film from the “B” side, this stage is now complete.
You must now put the Vibes on your BlackBerry, firstly slot the bottom of your handset into the case and then stretch the case around the top of your device, this can be a little tricky, however if it was easy it would mean that the case would not have a snug fit, once complete ensure that he cut-outs for the camera, headphone jack and USB / power input align, if everything has gone to plan it should look something like the image below. (note the button missing has been like that for months)
Now you have your screen protector and vibes fitted you can use your BlackBerry with less fear of damaging it, also I instantly noticed that the screen is more visible in bright conditions, I tried to take a photo to show the change but it did not do it justice. iSkin’s attention to detail is great and all of the Bold 9700’s side buttons and top buttons are still easy to use, also the soft rubbery casing feels nice in the hand and it it doesn’t feel like it would slip out of your hand too easily.
Other nice touches include the translucent pane on the back of the casing which is patterned and protects the camera and flash, because it is clear it does not affect that flash’s performances, at the bottom of the casing there are holes cut-out for the microphone and at the top the casing does not cover the indicator LED, all of these features make the iSkin vibes a much better casing than the cheap and cheerful options currently available.
If you would like to purchase the vibes case for your BlackBerry Bold 9700 / 9780 check out this link, it is available in Blaze red, Cosmo pink, Rave purple, Carbon black and Reflex blue, all of which cost $34.99 each. Here are some more photos I took.
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