Product: Hypercel Rubberized Hard Shell Cases for 8700
Price: Currently Unknown - Call 1-800-30-HYPER for info on products.
URL: http://www.hypercel.com
Review:
These are a completely new take on hard shell cases for the BlackBerry. They are hard plastic, and the grey and black ones are lightly covered with a thin layer of rubberized material, giving the outer shell a soft, felt-like feel (the clear one has no rubberized covering). They snap together around the device, with puzzle-like snap parts. When on, they fit perfectly, leaving all ports/buttons/earpieces exposed, and allow easy use of the trackwheel and escape button.
They come with a ratchet belt clip, and the part on the back of the shell is removeable, making this a good pocketing solution as well. The shell has about the same thickness as the Seidio skins, so the pocket carry is really viable.
The screen and keyboard are fully exposed for ease of typing use and your choice of screen protection.
I did feel as if the small snap pieces may be prone to breaking off when handling them, but once I got the two pieces securely together on the device, they merge into each other really well, leaving no tips or edges exposed to cause breakage. So be careful putting them together, but after that they are fine.
Click to enlarge:
Rating: I give this case 5 out of 5 Berries.
Conclusion: This is a great solution for those looking for a hard shell without the bulk of a metal case, and for those looking for a pocketable shell.
Pros: Nice protective covering of the device, soft feel on the rubberized models.
Cons: Plastic core may break on impact, unknown pricing as of yet, puzzle-tabs may break when assembling.