The cases features include:
• Made from durable and flexible, high quality Gel-Polymer
• Easily accessible and ultra-convenient slit pockets to hold your cash and cards
• Bulk-free design for superior pocket-ability
• iPhone models include: iPhone 3G/3GS and iPhone 4
• BlackBerry models include: Curve 8300/8500/8900/9300 series and Bold/Tour: 9600/9700 series
The cases can be purchased over at the following link for $19.95 each.
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Web Site: http://www.goballisticcase.com/products/blackberry-playbook-ballistic-tj-series-case
Pricing: $69.99
Rating:
BlackBerry Playbook Ballistic Tough Jacket Series Case provides excellent protection for your Playbook. However, the protection comes with a sacrifice – the weight. The case provides three layers of protection.
Also the case has thicker Ballistic Corners for drop protection and a removable cover that can also be used on the back as a kickstand.
First you wrap your Playbook with the silicone layer, once it is in there, the hard plastic part snaps onto the silicone all around the unit. This combination provides a very tough protection. Let’s take a look at couple of pictures.
The Empty Unit, without the front cover:
With the Playbook inserted:
Back of the unit:
The front cover easily snaps onto the front, completing the protection (your Playbook will feel like a tank, literally thanks to weight). I liked the design of the front cover though, as it can be quickly removed and attached to the back of the unit. There you can push out the kickstand and voila. This will be a great way to interact with your Playbook on your desktop, for example to read news or watch movies. There is only one angle available with the kickstand. Also, unlike the Otterbox Defender, there is no screen protector included. To me, this is better, as I prefer to use my own screen protector, instead of being forced to use what comes with the case.
The ports on the device are accessible easily both on the top and bottom. The silicone covering the power/volume keys makes it easier to push these buttons, especially the power button. I wish there was a L shaped MicroUSB cable/adapter. This would definitely come handy when you are working on it extensively and using the kickstand. The kickstand was initially a bit hard to open, it secures itself pretty tight. However, after a week or two, I managed to open it without any need for a tool.
Overall I like the design and the protection the case provides. My biggest gripe is the added weight, as I love my Playbook being so lightweight. It feels like a feather compared to my Android 10″ G-tablet from Viewsonic. The case nearly doubles the weight of the Playbook (15 oz. Playbook vs 11 oz. case). However, if I am traveling I will most definitely store my Playbook in this case.
Pros:
Cons:
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I always have the urge to protect my new devices, and the one case that I always revert to is the OtterBox Defender Series cases. I love them for their full protection, its exactly what someone who suffers from mild OCD needs to make sure their new investment stays in perfect condition. Mine just arrived for my BlackBerry Bold 9900 this week and here are my thoughts so far.
I ordered it 10 days ago, and it arrived this morning. Upon unboxing, one of the immediate things I noticed was the improved holster from the 97xx series. I ended up giving my Defender to a friend because every time I knocked in to something, I would have it unlatch. Doesn’t sound too bad when you notice it, but I had a bad experience Christmas shopping, where thank goodness I had my ringer on loud when in a large department store.
The case design is the classic Defender standard, screen protector, hard plastic shell and a nice rubber overlay for a little bump protection. Another design change is that the hard plastic shell does not have the line of plastic across the screen like it has in the past. As well as they put a shield over the camera and flash, where as in the past it was left open, or the membrane would cover it and get grimy.
My first impressions were that it doesn’t feel like a defender, coming from past series’ of Defenders, they felt clunky, and too big for some of the smaller BlackBerry’s. This one feels like it matches the size and feel of the 9900 perfect. The width and depth of the 9900 really helps. With the 9900 having a bigger physical keyboard, the indent from the plastic to the keypad isn’t nearly as visible to touch as it has in the past. One more thing I really liked is how the volume +/- and mute key now all feel like their own buttons, and on the naked device I always found myself muting when changing the volume.
The holster clips nicely to a variety of belts and on to my laptop bag strap. As stated above, the actual fit of the device in to the holster is superb, and I have had to use force to remove it from the holster twice this morning. The flaps over the side ports feels very tight, and close nicely. And the grip of the case in my hand feels a lot better than the slick feel of the naked 9900.
Overall I would say it is a great fit for anyone looking to protect their 99xx phone the best they can, without feeling like they are over doing it. The case does not feel clunky and really works well with the new slim design of the 99xx phones.
You can get more information and purchase info directly by visiting the OtterBox website
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I am always amazed with the lengths users go to create custom cases and paraphernalia for their gadgets. The latest example of an awesome custom case is a cover Graeme created for his BlackBerry PlayBook made out of a notebook with a faux crocodile-skin like cover. They simply used one they found for $8.50 at a stationary shop and glued the edges of most of the pages with wood glue and cut out a PlayBook sized hole with a craft knife and then glued the inside of the pages.
Its truly ingenious because it is both protective and nobody will assume it is anything worth stealing. Its also kind of slick to carry it around like a notebook. It took Graeme two tries to get it right (he didn’t glue the pages the first time) but even then its one of the cheapest cases for the PlayBook if you have an hour to spend building it.
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Rating:
Web Site: Rivet
Price: $79.90
Rivet has recently released their Leather Folio for Blackberry Playbook and they were very kind to send us a review unit. The black leather case fits snuggly to the Playbook and provides decent protection with access to all the buttons.
Packaging:
The unit comes in a cardboard box that is nearly twice the size of the unit, with no instructions. When I pointed this to Rivet acknowledged both issues and they are working on it. To get the unit to the market quickly, they used their existing boxes for iPad folio. It is a good thing their shipping company is not charging by volume, rather by weight.
Usage:
The Playbook fits in snugly into the case. It is very lightweight and does not add too much to bulk to the unit. Initially the lid was bending slightly upwards, at the line where you fold it to make it a stand. The lid takes around a week to stretch and fit perfectly. So when you get the case and use it for the first time just give it some time.
While the case protects most of the Playbook, there is weak spots I found. First one would be at the back of the unit, where there is an opening for the camera:
The opening is great for using the camera while Playbook is still in the case, but I believe it is too big and makes the back/camera vulnerable to drops/spills.
The second part is the top of the Playbook. This really is tough spot to cover though, as the case has to leave spots open for microphones, headset jack and other buttons. At least the corners are fully covered. The corners are most prone to damages.
Other than these minor issues, the case works great. The lid stays in place with the aid of a red elastic band. You can quickly slide the band, fold the lid to the back and your Playbook is ready to use. The lid also can be folded near half ways to convert into a useful stand. This can be quite handy when you are watching your favorite show.
The ports on the bottom of the Playbook are accessible only when the lid is folded back. For my daily use, this never presented an issue.
The case is bit pricier than some others. However, Rivet has used high quality leather for their case, it feels great, it is built to last and it will keep your Playbook protected. There’s a soft interior lining and the outer shell is made using rigid plastic. When all these are combined, it gives a great protection against shock and other types of damage, while keeping the bulk to minimum. The Playbook looks great and stylish in Rivet Leather Folio as well.
Overall, I love the Rivet Leather Folio for Playbook. It is stylish, lightweight and offers great protection. Highly recommended.
Pros:
Lightweight
High quality leather
Case doubles as a stand
Cons:
Camera can be susceptible to damage.
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