Artwizz SeeJacket Mini Review

[keyser_soze]

I just got my Artwizz SeeJacket case from J & R Music World and I thought I'd post a few of my initial impressions.

I bought this case based on the glowing review it received from ilounge.


1. The aesthetics of this case are top notch. It detracts from the iPhone very little, if at all. The fact that the screen protection is a thin piece of plastic that is integrated with and molded in to the front shell makes a nice clean look. The front of the case is completely flat. There also no strange or out of place molding lines on the shell. One thing I should point out is that the shell has a black border to match the top and bottom of the iphone, but also black borders on the sides, which cover up the chrome trim. So you won't see the chrome trim with this cover installed.

2. Touch screen sensitivity is still quite usable and sensitive to light pressure. Maybe it's my fat fingers, but I don't sense much difference in the amount of finger pressure I need to apply.

3. The case itself is a two piece design with a back piece that slides on to connect to a one piece front. The case seems to be cut to very tight tolerances and holds the iphone very snug with no noticeable 'play'. I hope it stays this way and doesn't loosen up over time. The cutouts for the buttons, speaker, sensors, etc are lined up exactly and not off center at all. The back of the case has 4 slightly raised 'nibs' molded into it to protect the case when you have it laying on its back.

4. At this point the only fault I have with the case is that it lacks a belt clip or holster option, which I was aware of when I purchased it, but would still be nice to have.

More to follow after I've had it for a while!

If any of you are contemplating this case and have some questions I'll try to answer them. When I was looking for a case there didn't seem to be many postings about this one.

[MrMoonFire]

I own the same things and have for a few months now (unfortunately, it's kind of difficult to register with iLounge forums if you are using Firefox...). I was just like you in that I loved everything about it at the start. Here's what happened to mine:

-The bottom dock opening starting collecting dust and dirt. It reached the point where, when I would touch the screen, it would make a crackling/crunching noise like I was smashing sand between the screen and my iPhone. Kind of annoying, but a good cleaning would fix that.

-The screen started getting scratches. This is where I started getting annoyed. From doing nothing more than putting it in and pulling it out of my pocket, some serious scratch marks (enough to distort part of the screen) began showing up, and there was no way to buff them out. It wasn't enough to stop me from seeing the screen, but it was enough to be annoying when I could see the marks in daylight.

-The screen stopped responding to or would work very poorly with the case. This is when I stopped using it. I'm not sure why, but i would try to push on my icons, and nothing would happen. Removing the case fixed this problem. I don't know what happened, but I think that some problems developed with the distribution on the screen. But, I was unable to choose anything until I removed the case. Obviously, this was too much.

So, two months after doing like you did (loving the case and ordering one), I've come to the realization that it just wasn't meant to work. If you want coverage for the face of your iPhone, it's better to have a film that sinks beneath the plastic case than attempting to cover the face with plastic. I loved the look, which is why I decided to go with a Gizmac Titan Clear iPhone case. Haven't received it yet, but I'm looking forward to it's arrival.

Let me know how your case holds up. Maybe I was particularly hard on my case, but normally it was just in and out of a pocket. I'd be interested to see if you (and anyone else) has had as hard of time as I have with this case.

[keyser_soze]

Yeah, I've noticed little bits of cruft between the case and the iPhone. I think it's a problem with all of the hard plastic cases, but with the seejacket since it covers the screen as well little bits of cruft get between the iphone screen and the screen cover.

I'm going to keep this around for now, but prolly end up getting a film for the screen and a holster of some sort.

[MrMoonFire]

OK, I'll let you know how the Gizmac turns out.

Has anyone else had the problems I'm having with the ArtWizz? Is there a fix?

Also, I guess I'm a little concerned that iLounge's rating might be a little misleading. Do you think they used it for more than, say, a week? Any thoughts?

[aciafard]

I too was impressed with the ilounge review of the SeeJacket. I ordered the contour showcase and the SeeJacket because I was uncertain about the sensitivity of the plastic shield. I received the showcase today and SeeJacket tomorrow. I was going to choose one and send the other back but based on your review I might just hold on to both just in case. I will post my opinion of the SeeJacket in a month.

Also, does anyone know if the showcase scratches the chrome as bad as some of the reviews say? And if so any thoughts on how to remedy this.

Thanks for your thoughts

[aciafard]

I cannot emphasize this enough. I can't believe ilounge gave this case an A-. Yes, it completely protects the face. And Yes, the clear case doesn't cover up the ever so important look of the iPhone. However, where it is somewhat flattering to the iPhone, it lacks in comfort and protection.

When I left my previous post yesterday I was confused about which case to choose. Less than 24 hours later I have made my decision.

First, when I opened the box I looked at the case with much confusion. I said to my friend: "Wow! If I were to accidently drop my phone the case would easily crack open on impact. It doesn't look durable AT ALL."

Second, when I talked with it on I lasted just 3 minutes before I had to take it away from my ear b/c it started to physically hurt. The two oval holes that allow you to hear the person on the other end are really sharp. The oval speaker holes should be rounded-off in future models of this case. As most iPhone users know the speaker volume is low, so the iPhone must be pressed harder against the ear to hear the person on the other end. When this is done I lasted 3-5 minutes. When pulled away from the ear slightly (like when using other cell phones that do not have iPhone's problem) I lasted 8-10 minutes.

Third, you do have to press the icons noticeably harder than normal. This is tolerable but I think takes away from the iphone.

Fourth, --this should be mentioned, even though it is somewhat tolerable--the flatness of the case also adds to the discomfort when using the iPhone as a phone.

I plan to keep the contour showcase. I love the look and to be honest I think it adds to the iPhone. No, it doesn't have the protective plastic to protect the face but I don't mind dropping $15 on the crystal protective film if it allows me easier icon access. Unlike the seejacket the openings of the showcase are rounded-off so it isn't uncomfortable on the ear. And most importantly it looks like it could take a few drops

I am returning the seejacket tomorrow. SeeJacket ratings: iLounge A- My rating B-

[NutterButter9]

I'm trying to find a case for my iphone but biggest fear is that I'll end up with one that does more harm to the phone (scratching or sticky residue) than good. Has anyone heard anything about the Matias Armor aluminum cases? It says that the inside is made with neoprene but doesn't have any type of screen protection. I would be fine to simply put a film on it, like the Power Support Crystal Film Set. The other one that I've heard good reviews from is the signature case-mate case. I don't know how speaker phone would work with that though, which would be a must. Didn't know if anyone had these or has heard anything about them! Thanks!! :)