I copied this from the review that I submitted to the OtterBox web site:
I've never used an OtterBox before, so this was new to me - a case with a built-in screen protector? I was hesitant, but I was glad to see that the Verizon store had it in stock, so I could see it on the phone before buying it. Otherwise, I probably would not have bought it.
First off, there's a hard plastic case that goes around the phone. That has the screen protector built-in. Make sure the inside of that, and the outside of your phone are CLEAN. You don't want anything between them. Especially the screen. I even went so far as to put a screen protector on the phone first. Once that snaps on, you put the rubber outer case on. The trick that I've learned is that you have to put the side on with the buttons first, otherwise you WILL have trouble lining up the buttons of the case with the buttons of the phone, and you will end up missing that once-in-a-lifetime photo.
I wish they'd done a better job of design on the buttons. It is a pain getting the buttons of the case lined up with the buttons of the phone. Seems to me like all they needed to do was make the rubber of the inner side of the "button" wider so it won't slip off or miss the phone's button, as does seem to happen at times, and it can be quite frustrating. The question comes up, "Does my case need to be realigned, or did my phone freeze up?" (When you're an early adopter, and get a phone before that first update comes out for a new OS, this can happen!). Once you have it on, and the buttons lined up, the case is great. The buttons do occasionally become misaligned, but for the most part, they stay.
As for protection, Wow, it's great. My phone has hit the concrete and asphalt of my driveway and parking lots numerous times, as I've gotten in and out of my car, and there isn't even a mark on the case. Not a mark. You can't tell at all. This case is awesome when it comes to protection.
The downside of this scenario is that if it weren't for the design of the belt clip, my phone would have never hit those parking lots. I came from a smaller phone, with a smaller case on it, that I was able to drop into a vertical pouch-style belt case, and dropping my phone has never been a problem. But this case won't fit into one of those. It has a belt clip that came with it. It has taken me some getting used to, but rotating it the 360 degrees that it rotates, trying to figure out the best way to carry it, and the best way for ease of putting it on and off the clip as far as how I grab the phone, meant trying a number of positions. In most of those positions, getting in and out of the seat of my car caused the side bolster to knock the phone off the belt clip.
In my opinion, this is not acceptable. If it comes off this easily getting in and out of the car, how easy is it going to be for someone to steal my phone in the mall? Finally, I was able to find a way to hold it securely and still be able to easily grab it and replace it with my hand, and that is horizontally, with the curved hooks down. Not my favorite way to hold a phone, but it works. I think they can still use some work on this, but given how popular they are with the iSheeple, I doubt they're going to listen to a little old Windows Phone person like me..... But if they do, and want me to test new designs in real life, I'm willing.
Overall, I love the case, I'm getting used to the belt clip, but I still think the belt clip could use some improvement. If it's only going to hold the phone securely in one position, I think they should eliminate the 360 degree rotation on the belt clip, as that is just one more point of failure that could occur, and in the past, with other rotating belt clips, that has been a common point of failure. I've even been known to take the rotating belt clip off of a corduroy nylon belt case that I liked, and put on the Niteize heavy duty belt clip from a case that I didn't much care for, but loved the belt clip. Now if Niteize would make cases I liked, or others would start using their clips.....
Pros: Durable, protects like no other
Cons: easily removed from belt clip
I've never used an OtterBox before, so this was new to me - a case with a built-in screen protector? I was hesitant, but I was glad to see that the Verizon store had it in stock, so I could see it on the phone before buying it. Otherwise, I probably would not have bought it.
First off, there's a hard plastic case that goes around the phone. That has the screen protector built-in. Make sure the inside of that, and the outside of your phone are CLEAN. You don't want anything between them. Especially the screen. I even went so far as to put a screen protector on the phone first. Once that snaps on, you put the rubber outer case on. The trick that I've learned is that you have to put the side on with the buttons first, otherwise you WILL have trouble lining up the buttons of the case with the buttons of the phone, and you will end up missing that once-in-a-lifetime photo.
I wish they'd done a better job of design on the buttons. It is a pain getting the buttons of the case lined up with the buttons of the phone. Seems to me like all they needed to do was make the rubber of the inner side of the "button" wider so it won't slip off or miss the phone's button, as does seem to happen at times, and it can be quite frustrating. The question comes up, "Does my case need to be realigned, or did my phone freeze up?" (When you're an early adopter, and get a phone before that first update comes out for a new OS, this can happen!). Once you have it on, and the buttons lined up, the case is great. The buttons do occasionally become misaligned, but for the most part, they stay.
As for protection, Wow, it's great. My phone has hit the concrete and asphalt of my driveway and parking lots numerous times, as I've gotten in and out of my car, and there isn't even a mark on the case. Not a mark. You can't tell at all. This case is awesome when it comes to protection.
The downside of this scenario is that if it weren't for the design of the belt clip, my phone would have never hit those parking lots. I came from a smaller phone, with a smaller case on it, that I was able to drop into a vertical pouch-style belt case, and dropping my phone has never been a problem. But this case won't fit into one of those. It has a belt clip that came with it. It has taken me some getting used to, but rotating it the 360 degrees that it rotates, trying to figure out the best way to carry it, and the best way for ease of putting it on and off the clip as far as how I grab the phone, meant trying a number of positions. In most of those positions, getting in and out of the seat of my car caused the side bolster to knock the phone off the belt clip.
In my opinion, this is not acceptable. If it comes off this easily getting in and out of the car, how easy is it going to be for someone to steal my phone in the mall? Finally, I was able to find a way to hold it securely and still be able to easily grab it and replace it with my hand, and that is horizontally, with the curved hooks down. Not my favorite way to hold a phone, but it works. I think they can still use some work on this, but given how popular they are with the iSheeple, I doubt they're going to listen to a little old Windows Phone person like me..... But if they do, and want me to test new designs in real life, I'm willing.
Overall, I love the case, I'm getting used to the belt clip, but I still think the belt clip could use some improvement. If it's only going to hold the phone securely in one position, I think they should eliminate the 360 degree rotation on the belt clip, as that is just one more point of failure that could occur, and in the past, with other rotating belt clips, that has been a common point of failure. I've even been known to take the rotating belt clip off of a corduroy nylon belt case that I liked, and put on the Niteize heavy duty belt clip from a case that I didn't much care for, but loved the belt clip. Now if Niteize would make cases I liked, or others would start using their clips.....
Pros: Durable, protects like no other
Cons: easily removed from belt clip
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