I’ve discovered that when it comes to the iPhone 5, I prefer slim minimal style cases. With that begin said the new Naked Tough Case from Case-Mate’s Olo brand interests me. At only 2.5mm thin and two layers of protection, the case looks perfect to me. The two layers start with a black or white bumper, then you get the clear hard plastic layer that snaps the case together.

The Olo Tough Naked by Case-Mate is available in white bumper/clear back or black bumper/transparent black back for $35 each. You can check out these cases on the new Olo website here.

Recently we had the chance to review OtterBox’s tough Defender Series case for the iPhone 5. Today we’re taking a look at the OtterBox Commuter Series case, the protective yet less bulky brother.

The OtterBox Commuter Series consists of two layers of protection, the first being a tough silicon skin to wrap your device in, followed by a hard plastic shell to securely fit over the skin. This bring style and hard protection to your new iPhone. The Commuter Series does not have a built-in screen protector, however OtterBox does include a self-adhering film in the box, which is custom fitted for your iPhone 5.

The Commuter Series for the iPhone 5 is available in eight color options currently, including the one seen in this review called Glacier, which is a dark grey silicon skin and white plastic shell. In previous iPhone models, the Commuter Series was not available in this color option, instead OtterBox used a white silicon skin, which became very annoying due to how dirty it got. So with a new iPhone bring new upgrades from OtterBox.

The OtterBox Commuter Series balances that right amount of protection with style. OtterBox designed this case to cover all important ports, like the Lighting port, headphone jack, and volume buttons. The case is designed with a lip around the iPhone screen, which brings extra protection when laid flat or even if dropped. One thing we’ve really noticed with most iPhone 5 cases is that the manufactures have covered the Apple logo on the back, however OtterBox has designed a nice little cut out for that — For some people this a big deal, believe it or not.

Speaking of color options. We mentioned that OtterBox offers the Commuter Series in eight color options, one thing that we would love to see is the ability to mix-and-match your case colors when placing and order. While this doesn’t really reflect the review of the case, I thought I would throw it in here.

One downside to the Commuter Series is that OtterBox doesn’t offer any sort of holster solution for it. In order to get a case to put on your belt, you would need to go with the more protective Defender Series case (see our review here). This isn’t the best option for everyone.

Pros:

• Case fits great on device
• Screen protector included
• Great color options
• Protective, but not super bulky
• OtterBox warranty

Cons:

• Case could be a little thinner
• $34.99 price tag may be high for some
• No holster available for this case
• Can’t mix and match case colors when ordering

The Warranty:

All OtterBox cases include a standard one-year manufacture warranty. This warranty does not cover physical damage, however it does cover manufacturing related issues.

Where to Buy and Pricing:

The OtterBox Commuter for the iPhone 5 retails for $34.99 at most major retailers, as well on OtterBox’s website at OtterBox.com.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts:

I usually say this every time, but it’s hard to find something wrong with OtterBox cases. OtterBox has built a high-quality case  with a ton of protection for your $600+ smartphone. There is some great color options available for the iPhone, and you really won’t beat the protection and warranty found with the case. While this case might not be for everyone, I dare say that OtterBox will have some sort of case for nearly every customer out there. The Commuter Series is easily one of the most recognizable and protective cases in the price range.

The Accessory Blog Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Need more protection? Check out our review of the OtterBox Defender Series for the iPhone 5.

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The moment BlackBerry unveiled their new Z10 smartphone, we knew the accessories would start arriving. OtterBox recently announced their popular Defender Series for the Z10, The Defender Series is the case designed for the rough and tough people out there. It consists of three layers and a durable belt holster. The Defender Series for the BlackBerry Z10 is in stock and available now at OtterBox.com for $49.95.

Sadly, OtterBox hasn’t confirmed if they plan to offer their Commuter Series case for the BlackBerry Z10, as of yet. But keep it locked to TheAccessoryBlog.com, as we’ll let you know if they do.

Last week at CES 2013, OtterBox announced their much anticipated Armor Series case for the iPhone 5, iPhone 4/4S, and Galaxy S III. The Armor Series basically surrounds your smartphone in an insane amount of protection which protects your device from:

• 6.6 feet underwater for 30 minutes
• a 10 feet drop onto concrete
• 0 entry of dust and debris
• 2 tons of crushing force.

The OtterBox Armor Series will be available for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4/4S on February 22, 2013, with the Galaxy S III model following shortly after. OtterBox was also nice enough to offer three color combinations to choose from. The Armor Series will cost you $99, but it’s pretty much guaranteed to protect you from any accidents. You can check out the Armor Series from OtterBox on their website here.

Press Release:

OtterBox announced upcoming availability of the Armor Series at CES on Tuesday morning. Thomas announced Armor Series cases available for the iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5 on Feb. 22, with versions for the Samsung Galaxy S III also in the works, at the OtterBox iLounge booth #4406. The cases will be initially available at AT&T retail locations in the U.S., ATT.com and OtterBox.com. The specs it has been tested to:

• 6.6 ft. underwater for 30 minutes
• 10 ft. drop onto concrete
• 0 entry of dust and debris
• 2 tons of crushing force.

OtterBox also debuted prototypes of its intelligent battery case, the Defender Series with iON Intelligence. This case will be available soon for the iPhone 4/4S and feature the industry-leading protection of the Defender Series with a built-in 1450 mAh lithium ion battery to provide as much as twice the normal battery life of the device. It will charge up to three times faster than other products available on the market, provide LED indicators to display battery life and have a native app for iOS to intelligently charge the phone without the need to monitor power levels and turn it on or off.

Both of these products won CES Innovation Awards this year, and they’ll both be on display at the OtterBox booths.

Ballistic, designer of advanced mobile accessories, unveils Aspira, its latest collection of ultra-thin, protective cases.  Aspira’s sleek profile creates minimal bulk and delivers maximum protection for your mobile phone.  It offers repeated drop protection by combining a soft rubber interior and corner bumpers with a hard plastic exterior. Aspira also sports a high polish finish in a range of patterns and colors, offering the best in style as well as protection.

The Ballistic Aspira series will be unveiled for the first time ever at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 8, 2013 – Booth #6411 North Hall.  Aspira for iPhone 5 goes on sale in January for $35 at www.goballisticcase.com and a variety of retail outlets nationwide. Additional models will be available Spring 2013.

Aspira series cases include an attractive, one piece shell that moves unabated in and out of your pocket. Reinforced corners allow it to survive drops.  The lay on the table feature provides extra support to keep your screen safe.  Designed with dual layer protection, Aspira series cases defend your phone against whatever violent shock or heavy impact it encounters.

“They’re sleek.  They’re trendy.  They’re strong enough to handle daily life,” says Adam Stubin, VP of Business Development at Ballistic.  “Why sacrifice looks for protection?  The new Aspira series offers the protection you desire in a style that will take your breath away.”

Feature List: 

• Slim, one piece shell design
• High-polish finish in a range of colors and patterns
• Patterns are molded, not printed
• Reinforced corner protection and dual layer protection

Seidio, a leading manufacturer of premium mobile technology accessories, adds the OBEX case to their expansive line of iPhone 5 accessories. Using advanced technology and durable materials, the OBEX, (Latin for “barrier”) offers unbeatable, extreme protection against everyday drops, liquids, and dust. Seidio unveils this unique case at Booth #4522 (North Hall) at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

“The iPhone 5 is the biggest thing in the mobile industry right now, and consumers want to feel confident that their investment is protected,” says David Chang, CEO of Seidio. “That’s where the OBEX comes in. It has undergone a series of rigorous tests, and has come out strong and durable against any encounters that could damage the device.”

The OBEX protects against water, snow, mud and other liquids. This impressive case passed the IP68 rating which means it is both dust-tight and protected against total submersion in water. The two-stage protection system ensures all critical points of entry are sealed tight and safe. However, the specially designed case and top-quality materials guarantee protection does not obstruct functionality. Anti-reflection glass causes no interference with the camera lens, and the screen protector sits flush with the screen so it does not leave behind any watermark effects and retains the screen’s clarity.

Seidio ran the OBEX through some serious drop tests, too. It has passed the U.S. Military Standards test, MIL-STD-810G, which evaluates the case from 4-feet drops from a variety of angles. This is due to the unique combination of Polycarbonate and Thermoplastic Polyurethane materials. Additionally, the screen protector is stamped with a 4H hardness rating to protect the device’s glass from external elements.

The case will not impede radio signals or Bluetooth. Rubber stoppers are used in the important ports, and can be easily removed for access. A patent pending design case with custom padding and grids allow sound to travel through without distortion. Additionally, the OBEX will also be available as a case and locking holster combo.

The OBEX retails for $79.95, and the OBEX Combo retails for $89.95. For more information, please check out www.seidio.com/obex/.

LG Nexus 4 owners know that cases are pretty hard to come by, but some good news have arrived from Ballistic. Ballistic has announced their popular Shell Gel (SG) Series Case is coming soon for the Nexus 4. The Shell Gel case brings two layers of protection, plus Ballistic Corners to offer the best possible drop protection. They haven’t said when the case will be available for purchase, however you can register to be notified when it’s ready. The Ballistic SG Series retails for $35 at goballisticcase.com.

Since getting my iPhone 5 nearly a month ago, I’ve been on the search for some of the best cases for it. Today I’m starting off with the OtterBox Defender Series for the iPhone 5. The Defender Series is OtterBox’s most popular case, which sports three layers of heavy-duty protection and a side belt clip for your new iPhone.

In the past I’ve used many OtterBox Defender Series cases for iPhone, BlackBerry, and even some Samsung smartphones. But I’ve always found the iPhone Defender Series have the best quailty, the best fit, and the best color options. This time around OtterBox sent us their new Glacier colored case, which features a Gunmetal Grey silicon skin and white hard shell. At the time of writing this review, OtterBox currently offers their Defender Series for the iPhone 5 in eight color options, including the standard all black version.

When it comes to the Defender Series, I always like to say this case isn’t for everyone, but it’ll work for almost everyone. For those who love the thin and light design of their new iPhone 5, you won’t like this case. The Defender Series adds quite a bit of protection to your device, and with the protection comes the added bulk. I will say OtterBox has done a great job at rounding the backside of this case off to make it feel slimmer than previous models. But lets take a closer look at the case…

Like all Defender Series cases, the one for the iPhone 5 covers all ports with silicon plugs. This allows the dirt and dust to keep out (maybe even the accidental water splash as well). The case also has the opening to show off the Apple logo, which is very important to some people. All buttons are also covered by the silicon skin, including the volume keys, power button, home button, and mute switch. To protect the display, each Defender Series includes a built-in screen protector, which doesn’t interfere with the usage of the device too much. I was suprirsed to notice that OtterBox has not included some sort of protective mesh over the bottom speaker ports, this would have been nice to see to protect from dirt and dust particals.

I always like to point out that the Defender Series is NOT waterproof. It may protect from light rain, but OtterBox does not market it as a waterproof solution. Up until recently OtterBox had been working on a total waterproof solution, called the Armor Series for the iPhone 4/4S, however we weren’t able to confirm if the Armor Series will be coming out, or if it’ll make its way to the iPhone 5.

I also want to quickly talk about the new belt clip holster included with the Defender Series. It’s great! The new holster is slimmer and make its easier to secure your iPhone on the belt, without the huge bulk of previous holsters offered by OtterBox. Also the holster still acts as a multimedia kickstand by swiveling and snapping it into place. In case you manage to break one of the holsters, the clips can be ordered directly from OtterBox.

Where to Buy:

You can pick up the OtterBox Defender Series for the iPhone 5 from various big box retailers. It is also available for purchase from OtterBox.com directly for $49.95 USD.

The Warranty: 

Something that you’re going to see in all reviews going forward is the warranty. All OtterBox cases includes a standard one-year warranty against all manifacture defects.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts:

I’ve never really been able to find anything bad to say about the iPhone Defender Series from OtterBox. The iPhone 5 case has been designed to the highest detail and really offers great protection. While I personally can’t use the Defender Series every single day, I do use it when I’m going into tougher enviroments. I would suggest that anyone who is rough on electronics to strongly take a look at this case, I think you will love how much protection it has to offer. The Defender Series is also the case I would recommend for anyone looking to secure their iPhone on the belt, as there isn’t a ton of protection and holsterable options on the market currently.

Pros:

• Awesome protection from rough enviroments
• Great color options available
• All ports are covered
• Redesigned belt clip is great

Cons:

• Not waterproof
• No mesh over speakers on bottom
• $50 price tag might not be for everyone

The Accessory Blog Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Element Case has long been known for their premium iPhone cases, but recently they introduced their a new case called Atom, designed for the Samsung Galaxy S III. Element Case Atom brings ergonomic shape and pairs it with a genuine aerospace grade Carbon Fiber backing. With this case you get the slim feeling of your Galaxy S III with the Element Case protection many expect. The Carbon Fiber adds a beautiful touch of style to the back of your device as well.

The Element Case Atom for Galaxy S III is available now for $44.95 from their website (elementcase.com).

HTC 8X Defender Series from OtterBox

If you’re an HTC 8X Windows Phone owner and looking for the solid protection, our friends at OtterBox have a couple solutions for you. OtterBox has just announced their popular Commuter and Defender Series cases for the 8X smartphone. Both OtterBox cases will be available in all black, or grey/white combination and will provide your HTC 8X with tons of protection. The OtterBox Commuter Series will run you $34.95 and the Defender Series $49.95.

HTC 8X Commuter Series from OtterBox

All of the cases, except the Black Defender Series are listed as coming soon, but we expect you will be able to purchase them any day now, so head over to OtterBox.com to check them out.