Take Your BlackBerry Underwater With the Aquapac Case

One thing we all love about our BlackBerry phones is that you can take them almost anywhere. Small, powerful and reliable these phones really have no limits and boundaries. There is just one place where taking your BlackBerry could be tricky and that is underwater. This is where the Aquapac BlackBerry case comes in. This one of kind waterproof case will keep your BlackBerry dry and safe while underwater and can go to depths of up to 15 feet. You may be asking yourself why exactly would I take my BlackBerry underwater? Well the first thing that comes to mind is for taking pictures and videos but the Aquapac will also keep it safe while you are at the beach. It is made to protect your phone from splashing water, dirt and sand.

The first thing you'll notice about the Aquapac case is that it can fit any size BlackBerry. In fact it really can be used for many types of gadgets like iPod's or cameras. As with any kind of waterproof case the material plays an important role. The Aquapac is made from strong plastic sheath material and they guarantee the case is 100% waterproof. You really can take it anywhere as it can handle salt water and is UV resistant. Sure keeping your BlackBerry safe from those sudden splashes of water is plus but for me I needed to find out how the case performs underwater.

Before I performed the underwater test I inspected every last inch of the case. As advertised the plastic material is very strong and sure seems like no water could get in. In my mind the most important part of the case is their patented Aquaclip that keeps the top closed. This is very easy to use and all you have to do is flip the clips up and down to open and close the case. The Aquapac also comes with a handy stylus carrying cord so you can easily transport the case to wherever you need to go. To me the best thing about this kind of case is that your BlackBerry can still be used while in it. The plastic material is nice and clear and your screen resolution really doesn't take that much of a hit.

Now that I inspected the case and everything seemed legit it was time for me to take it underwater. I could have done this a couple of ways but I decided it would be best to use the video player on my BlackBerry Tour. This way I could test what videos look like with the Aquapac and at the same test its 100% waterproof guarantee. Most of you already know I love my Tour despite some of the issues it has, so I was somewhat nervous when I took it under. Below is the actual video from the Tour while it's underwater in the Aquapac. Sadly I don't have a pool or live by a Caribbean ocean so I had to just use the kitchen sink. Sure it would've been nice to see this bad boy in action with some crystal blue water but the sink did just fine.

i amhappy to report the Aquapac passed with flying colors and no water got into the case. There is however some slight issues with the Aquaclip that needs to be addressed. As it states in the instructions it is important that you let the case dry before you take the phone out. I did exactly this as a waited about five minutes but I did notice some water got into the cracks of the Aquaclip. This could have been because I didn't wait long enough to take it out but either way I did get a small amount of water on the device when I removed it. Also the plastic around the Aquaclip seemed a little fragile and it is important that you handle your case with care.

All in all the Aquapac case is solid underwater case. As you can see from the video you can still take clear pictures and videos and your video quality won't suffer. Let me just say that the Aquapac certainly lives up to its 100% waterproof guarantee and once the clips are shut there is no way water is getting in.

OtterBox BlackBerry Bold Impact Series Case

Product: OtterBox BlackBerry Bold Impact Series Case

Available Colors: Black only

Manufacturer: OtterBox

Overall Rating: 6.5/10

Price: $19.95

Purchase Link: OtterBox.com

Image gallery at the bottom.

Overview/Description:

Alright I am back with another OtterBox product, this time we have the OtterBox BlackBerry Bold Impact Series case. Unlike the awesome Defender Series case, this does not offer a full 360 degrees of protection. This case is made from silicone and offers protection for basically everything but the face of the phone, excluding a small portion at the top and bottom of the face. Yes, you may say, well I have a rubberized case for my Bold and it only cost me 5 bucks. Well this is no run of the mill silicone skin cover. When you think of OtterBox, I want you to always assume that it offers you more than meets the eye.

First off, this case is an everyday case and is not meant to be thrashed and thrown like a Defender case (not "meant" to me thrown either). The Impact series case is thicker than most rubber cases that I have used or seen. OtterBox has also taken their protection expertise and applied it where it is needed; the case has thicker reinforced silicone in various areas where it is most needed. For example, in a smooth elongated x shape, from corner to corner, the back is double the thickness of the rest of the case. It also wraps around to the front corners for added protection there too. This makes sure that there is extra protection around the camera area and the corners of the phone where it has a tendency to hit if dropped.

To further the corner protection, OtterBox has added some impact absorbing features. If you notice in the picture above, that weird webbing on the inside corners of the case; that is called coring. What the coring does is absorbs some of the initial impact energy along the webbing support, so there is less impact energy that directly comes in contact with the device.

The rest of the device is pretty standard for a silicone case. It has cut outs for the charging and headphone inputs as well as cut outs for the speaker hole, LED indicator light, ear speaker, and microphone. It also has covering over the volume, the standby/mute key and both convenience buttons. One thing you may notice, is the interesting design of the case. The fact that it is only thicker on some parts. I believe that this is so eliminate excess weight as well as volume. If the whole case were as thick as the reinforcements, then it would be a lot bulkier and then people would just rather get a cheap case.

Pros:

The things that impressed me the most about this case are the design aspects. I like that fact that actual R&D went into the design and production aspects of the Impact series. OtterBox could have just as easily created a really thick case just like every other accessory company. The coring on the inside corners shows that they are still here to bring us products that function, as well as the reinforcing of only certain parts shows that ergonomics matters. This is an important part of OtterBox's goal and should be for any company.

Cons:

I do like this case; however, there are some problems with it. First, the most important part of a skin case is fitment. If the case does not fit right, it can compromise the rest of the case. I don't know if it is the case that I receive or if it is all the Impact cases, but the one that is on my Bold does not fit correctly. If you look at the images in the gallery or above, you will notice that it seems as if the sides are not all the way on or falling off. There is also a bowing effect at the top. As I said before fitment issues can compromise the rest of the case. Due to this, none of the cut outs match up how they should. The case should have been made to wrap around the face on the rail sides more. Also I am disappointed with the molding of the device. The casting lines are way too visible and cheapen up the product.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, I do ultimately like this case. The manufacturing and fitment design could have been better, but maybe I did in fact just get a bad case. If this is the case, then I would fully recommend the OtterBox BlackBerry Bold IMpact Series case for Bold owners. It doesn't look that bad on the phone and it will provide you with more protection than a $5 rubber case.

OtterBox Defender Case for BlackBerry Curve 8350i

*Note: This case only fits the BlackBerry Curve 8350i.

Okay, this case is going to be widely used, I know that for sure. All you Sprint/Nextel pust to talk people, this is for you. For everyone that has a new BlackBerry Curve 8350i, this is for you. I know that many of you 8350i users are constantly on your phones and constantly putting your device is imminent danger. Well, the solution you have been waiting for is here. Since Nextel doesn't have any pretty devices that are durable, you opted to get a BlackBerry (great choice). With the new OtterBox Defender case for the 8350i, you can now add protection and durability to your device. These cases enable you to have full functionality of your device as well as protecting it in full. Check out our other OtterBox reviews and see if its the right case for you.

Well the semi release of the new Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8350i has not been long and OtterBox is already on top of it. OtterBox's famous Defender cases are the ultimate protection for your BlackBerry, and I know for many of those on the iDEN network with the 8350i are going to be constantly endangering their phones. Many of you people are always on the go and many times in construction zones where you need the Direct Connect PTT. Well you don't want your brand new BlackBerry Curve 8350i to get beat up, so get an OtterBox! It has 3 layers of protectio; clear plastic over the face of the device, then around that is a high impact polycarbonate shell, with a silicone cover over that. You cannot beat OtterBox.

OtterBox Defender Case for Storm Available Now

Wow, this came out earlier than expected. I was told by OtterBox that this case would be available February. Well it is close, but who really cares, now all you Storm users can purchase one of these so you don't ruin your Storm. The price will be $49.95 for this beast which is standard for an OtterBox Defender case, plus it's cheaper than the $50 you will pay everytime you destroy your Storm without one.

Case Wars: Who Offers the Best BlackBerry Case? out of all latest models

When it comes to BlackBerry cases there are many different choices you can make. Before choosing which case to buy you have to ask yourself this, do I want style or durability? It would seem like most of us want a case that incorporates both of these aspects but is there any case out there that offers this? I chose to break down the three most popular BlackBerry cases the iSkin, Otterbox and Seidio and will narrow down for you who exactly offers the best BlackBerry case.

Otterbox: Durability (10/10) Style (5/10)

Otterbox has been making cases since 1996 and are best known for providing your phone with that extra layer of protection you need. Many would agree that when you buy an Otterbox case you will never have to worry about breaking your phone again. Otterbox makes cases for many different mobile phones but they specialize in the Blackberry. They offer three different series of cases the Impact, Commuter and Defender cases. All three are made to protect your phone against breakage and each version adds a different amount of protection.

Obviously these cases are extremely durable and they were given the highest rating of durability but does all this impact the look? One thing everyone knows about Otterbox cases is that they are bulky and aren't the most stylish. The holster that comes with their cases fits extremely well but isn't the best to look at. So when you buy an Otterbox case you have to determine whether you want durability, which they excel in, versus style, which isn't their best quality.

iSkin: Durability (6/10) Style (10/10)

Somewhat new to the case game, the iSkin focuses on one thing and one thing only, style. If you're in the market for an iSkin then you most likely want to upgrade the look of your BlackBerry. iSkin also offers cases for different kinds of phones and their cases really stand out from all the rest. The iSkin comes in two different styles, the Vibes and the Vibes FX. There isn't much of a difference between each version but the FX offers a unique almost Burberry like designer pattern and a unique mirror film.

You can see why the iSkin scored the highest in the style rating but it is somewhat lacking in durability. Their cases really fit well on your phone and almost offer no bulkiness what so ever. It is almost like each case is actually part of your phone. You may not know this but the iSkin also offers a clear film screen protector that helps protect your screen from scratches. This is certainly an added bonus when you think about the durability aspect but durability is really where this case is lacking. Although it does offer a nice amount of protection, it can't compare to some of the other cases out there.

Seidio: - Winner - Durability (9/10) Style (9/10)

Seidio has perhaps the most popular line of BlackBerry cases on the market. Along with cases they also sell different kinds of accessories for your BlackBerry like the well known Innocell extended battery. Seidio were the ones that revolutionized the soft rubberized texture you see on a lot of cases today. They spend a good amount of time perfecting their cases and it really shows. Seidio also offers cases for many different mobile brands and models. Their feature case is the Innocase series which comes in three different versions, the Surface, 360 and the new Snap series. Each case is designed so you can not only protect your BlackBerry but you can look good while doing it.

When rating Seidio cases it was hard to determine what rating I should give for each category. Durability is strong but so is the style of their cases. Each version comes in different colors and like the iSkin they fit comfortably around your phone. They are also very durable and even though they may not look as padded as the Otterbox they will certainly keep your BlackBerry protected for a long time.

All three of the companies offer some of the best BlackBerry cases around and it was not easy choosing which one I like the best. Some BlackBerry users may care more about durability than style and others may want an equal combination of both. That is exactly what I prefer and that is why I believe Seidio offers the best BlackBerry case.