Company: Speck
Product: CandyShell for iPhone 3G
Price: $34.95

Looks: 10/10
Durability: 9/10
Overall: 7.5/10

Those have been following me on Twitter, know that I never bought a case for my iPhone.  When I got my iPhone 3G, I quickly bought a Speck Pixel-Skin, which is a really nice silicon case.  Although I liked the soft case, I needed one with the strength of a hard case, with the grip and flexibility of a soft case. The Speck CandyShell fit that category perfectly.  It comes in 4 colors (Lemondrop Liquorice, Key Lime Jawbreaker, Cranberry White Truffle, and Watermelon Gumball), and costs  $34.95.The real magic of the CandyShell is it’s design.  The inside and corners of the case are rubberized and offers shock absorption while retaining the durability and sleekness of a hard shell.  The case can actually bend and twist!  It comes with a removable screen protector film and cleaning cloth!  But the best part of the case is that the Sleep/Wake and Volume buttons are protected by the soft material of the case.

I tested the CandyShell for 3 ½ weeks, and for a few days, I had some concerns.  First of all, it was really hard to insert and remove the iPhone out of the case.  On top, the sleep wake button took a lot of effort to press.  In fact, you can see some nail marks on the rubber portion of the case directly above the sleep/wake button.  These problems bugged me for the first 3-4 days, but on the fifth day, I was able to quickly remove the phone and I could easily press the sleep/wake button.

Other than that, the CandyShell was a delicious treat that looked attractive and protective, and iPhones everywhere should be honored to be protected and covered with one of these.

Pros: Lightweight, durable, and has the best parts of a soft case and a hard case blended in one.

Cons: Sleep/Wake rubber coating on case is a little hard to press, and it is a little hard taking off the case from the phone.  But you get used to it fairly quick.