# 5: OtterBox Defender case for iPhone (black) [Retail Packaging] [AT&T fits iPhone]

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285 of 291 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome case, but does add considerable bulk..., July 25, 2010 This review is from: OtterBox Defender Case for iPhone 4 (Black)[Retail Packaging][Fits AT&T iPhone] (Wireless Phone Accessory) I waited anxiously for Otterbox to release this case and ordered mine within minutes of receiving the "Defender Released" e-mail. I received the case on Friday and I must admit, it did not disappoint.

First impressions: The case is of great quality and a lot of detail went into making it compatible with all the OEM "accessories". The holster is among the best I've seen for a phone of this size and works perfectly with the case.

After carrying it for two days (and this is already my 3rd iPhone 4 case - I am rough on my phones): The case is without a doubt the most durable I've seen for the iPhone 4 and lives up to the reputation that Otterbox has built over the years.

Cons: The case does add considerable bulk to the phone and may not be perfect for pocket carriers. It does include a holster which works great and can rotate for vertical or parallel carrying of the phone.

Miscellaneous: I have no complaints really, but I am left to wonder if the silicone "flaps" that cover the earphone and USB plug-ins could have been a little more user-friendly. Sometimes they are frustrating to get back into their proper "closed" position.

Edited one month after using: I am still extremely happy with the case. I have dropped my phones a few times already and though the case is starting to show signs the abuse I have provided it the phone still looks pristine! I opened up the case this morning to clean the phone etc and to my surprise there wasn't much to clean. With cases I've owned in the past I would have a forest of lint, dust etc. that would trap itself between the case and the phone. The Otterbox has minimized that debris!

I am uploading several photos showing the difference between a "bare" iPhone 4 and an iPhone 4 in the Defender case so everyone can get an idea of how much "protection" and in turn "bulk" this case adds to the phone.

Edited to add: Amazon removed my pictures when the placed the phone back in a "pre-order" status, I will re-upload them again once they allow. I'm not sure why they state "pre-order" when it should state "Back-ordered, will deliver in xx to xx weeks", but I digress.

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122 of 127 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Beauty and Protection in one Package. An improvement on earlier designs of the Defender, July 24, 2010 I received my Otterbox Defender for my iPhone 4 and have been testing it in order to write this review. I used the Otterbox Defender for my iPhone 3G and loved it. It provided the kind of protection that I needed for my phone since I was kind of rough on them. But with the earlier Defender case, I found some issues related to the screen and some of the port covers (mainly the charger port). This new case resolves them all. I'm happy that the Otterbox company listened and responded with this new design. It's beautiful, functional, practical -- and for all of the protection it provides from lumps and bumps, it is well worth any extra bulk that you may perceive.

For the 3-layered protection that the Otterbox Defender provides for the new iPhone 4, one would expect a lot more bulk. Not so, it's one of the beautiful things about these cases. Each layer fits perfectly on top of the other one. The silicone is engineered to hug every bevel on the plastic inner case. Both layers give complete access to all of the new button and camera configurations. So well engineered that you can tell the case was made with thought and complete precision. You may see knock-offs (as I have), but the real deal is worth the money.

There are a couple of things I noticed comparing this new Defender to the former 3G / 3GS Defender case:

- the screen protector seems to have been fixed so that the "oil bubbles" won't appear. I had the bubbles right out of the box for the former version. Seems like they fixed something or changed a material or coating. I'll update if anything to the contrary happens. No fingerprints on the screen cover either! How do they do that?

- the holster (which I never really use, honestly) makes getting the phone in and out of it a snap (literally). The holster is good because it doubles as a dock or easel to watch videos, etc. This new design clips in from the side and can snap in facing front or back with no qualms. No hard fussing with this one.

- the iPhone and case fit easily in a pocket or purse and don't add extra bulk (not like you would imagine). The silicone is made in such a way where it is not the sticky kind of silicone (the cheaper stuff that smells and has a gripping quality to it). This has no odor and easily slips out of a pocket (I saw a comment on the other review so I thought I would answer it).

- the port for the charger on the new Otterbox Defender can now accommodate non-OEM chargers with wider connectors (the older one could not). This was a hassle with non-OEM car chargers. This is no longer a problem. FIXED.

- One potential issue is although I like the patterned back (little etched diamonds), I imagine that these could be a harbinger of dust or dirt. It's easily cleaned though (just wipe it with a cloth or on your shirt sleeve). Time will have to tell on this design decision.

I'm a fan of the Otterbox and bought one originally because of sheer clumsiness. For an expensive device like an iPhone, it's worth the protection. I was initially intimidated from the case thinking it was going to be far too clunky. Not so. Like the iPhone 4 the Otterbox Defender iPhone 4 case shares the same aesthetic lines. If you have never owned a case like this before, installing the iPhone into it might take one look at directions. If you've used them before, it's the same type of clamshell/snap and silicone slip-on design.

It's a tough little case in a nice looking package. I truly appreciate the precise engineering that goes into the creation of Otterbox products, this company does what they do very well!

5 stars!

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59 of 61 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Defender - Solid Feel, Great Protection, July 24, 2010 I pre-order the Otterbox Defender case and it is my first case from Otterbox; I love it. I have tried the Incipio Silicrylic Gel/Shell Combo, Griffin Reveal and the AGF Ballistic Rugged Shell but prefer the Otterbox over all of the others.
(A) INCIPIO SILICRYLIC - The Incipio is nice and provides a soft silicone core which feels very nice to the touch. It also comes with a hard acrylic shell which fits nicely over the silicone core. It is a great case but the Silicrylic does not come with screen protection and I experienced some reflection and flashback problems when taking pictures with the LED flash due to the hole size and tapering. The case itself is a little bit slippery but goes in-and-out of your pocket nicely
(B) GRIFFIN REVEAL - The Griffin Reveal is very basic. It is basically an Apple bumper with a polycarbonate backing. Again, no screen protection and had flashback issues. When I tried using my Invisible Shield with the Griffin, the edges kept peeling back due to the rubbers sides of the case not completely covering the edges of the screen protector. If you have the Invisible Shield, you may not want to use this case
(C) AGF BALLISTIC - The AGF Ballistic Rugged Shell provides the most protection of the 4 cases. It has built-in screen protection, an internal plastic shell with inner and outer rubber shock absorption and an additional, removable, outer silicone protective shell (case will work without the outer shell). It is HUGE but you can probably do anything you want with it and the drop would not impact the iPhone 4, nestled safely inside. I haven't tried the LED flash so I don't know if there are any flashback problems. The case is great for people who don't care about the extra size and want the ultimate protection for their iPhone.
(E) OTTERBOX DEFENDER - The Otterbox case is extraordinarily designed. It comes with built-in screen protection which does not stick to the face of the iPhone (I took off my Invisible Shield, which does not work well with this case due to the clear protective membrane sticking to the Invisible Shield). It has a high impact polycarbonate shell and a silicone outer layer. The case is fairly bulky and doubles the size of the iPhone but I love it. There is very, very minimal flashback from the LED flash. It has protective silicone plugs over the entire case leaving only the speaker and mic open (for obvious reasons). The various silicone plugs are attached to the case so you won't need to worry about losing them. They are easy to open when accessing the headphone port, 30-pin connector and the mute switch. It also comes with a holster clip for your belt. The only problem with this case is that it is not easy to take on-and-off the iPhone because the phone is so well protected inside. Also, due to the thickness of the case, it may not dock on some of your previous purchased accessories. However, if you want a superior designed case providing extraordinary protection with a very nice feel and without the bulk of the AGF Ballistic case then the Otterbox is for you. I give it 5 stars. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you? 
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# 6: Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth Headset

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

385 of 394 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Headset Thanks To Superior Dual Mics, but..., June 2, 2009 This review is from: Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth Headset (Wireless Phone Accessory) Customer review from the Amazon Vine? Program (What's this?) Dual mic technology is the newest breakthrough in cutting edge headsets and quality audio products. This Plantronics Voyager Pro is one of the best I've tried but does have minor flaws.

I keep giving these dual mic products 5 stars because they keep impressing me with their ability to improve audio quality. I gave this one 4 due to a minor flaw that's a bit annoying for those of us with facial hair - the wind screen on the boom mic catches my beard and rips out hairs at least a few times a day! Ouch!! I've since noticed another reviewer mention the same problem so it's not just me. If not for that, this headset probably would've gotten 5 stars. But I can't deny the fact that using this headset is literally painful!

The Voyager Pro indeed has superior audio quality. I tend to be a bit soft spoken and I also work in an office with barking dogs, so being heard on the phone can be challenging. No, this headset doesn't magically remove the barking dogs keeping only my voice for the caller to hear. But a friend that I speak to regularly often complains about the shrill barking in the background. It seems that headsets are so good at picking up audio that the dogs are amplified compared to what I hear live in person. Anyway, this Voyager Pro does a good job of suppressing the barking and blunting the edge to the point where my friend can hear me loud and clear while the barking dogs are more tolerable on his end. That's the advantage of dual mics.

Dual mic technology is really popping up everywhere. The results speak for themselves, literally!! Every dual mic product I have is superior to every product I've tried with only 1 mic. The comparison isn't even close. I've made the analogy before but it's worth repeating -- dual mics are similar to the mechanics behind having two eyes and two ears -- dual mics offer more dynamic range, depth, clarity and have the ability to drastically improve call quality in headsets. I'll never go back to single mic products again. The difference is that significant.

The boom mic on the Voyager Pro positions the dual mics closer to my mouth and callers say they can hear me loud and clear, as if I were in the next room. And call volume on my end is equally loud and clear. I credit that to Plantronics established reputation with headsets.

Buttons are responsive and the unit itself feels sturdy. I appreciated getting extra ear gels and foams too. Always helpful when trying to get a good fit. And the headset itself does fit comfortably. The boom makes it a bit larger than others but that's to be expected, but it's still light and I really don't notice I'm wearing it.

My only other quibble is that my phone supports voice activated calling but there's no way to access it from the headset controls. With other headsets, pressing the call answer button activates voice commands on my phone, but with the Voyager Pro, all I can do is answer a call or redial the last number dialed. A bit of a let down for a product with the "Pro" moniker. But I can't complain too much since voice dialing is problematic in itself. But still, it can be useful when driving and I'd rather have the option available to me.

UPDATE -- voice dialing does work. you just have to hold the call button a while for it to kick in.

The Voyager Pro is an excellent headset but I still have to give the edge to the BlueAnt V1 as my favorite dual mic headset. I like that the BlueAnt is voice controlled and also talks to you, giving verbal confirmation of everything that's happening, from connection status to incoming calls and the works. By contrast, this Voyager Pro only confirms battery and mute status. But for those who don't want more sensory overload in their lives, the BlueAnt might be overkill. This Voyager Pro is on par, if not slightly better at noise cancellation and the boom is a plus since it gets the mics closer to my mouth.

So if you don't have a beard, or scruffy 5 o'clock shadow for that matter, then you'll be happy with the Plantronics Voyager Pro. If not, you might consider shaving or the BlueAnt V1 instead. Otherwise, be prepared to lose a few facial follicles.

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240 of 246 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Plantronics Voyager PRO: truly flawless!, June 18, 2009 This review is from: Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth Headset (Wireless Phone Accessory) Customer review from the Amazon Vine? Program (What's this?) Was skeptical when I read the raves about this new Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth Headset when it was first announced. Am a heavy cell phone user, and spend quite a bit of time on the road and in environments where I need a good and reliable hands-free solution for communication. There have been a number of Bluetooth headsets released in many different price ranges over the past few years, and I've bought many of them, some of which now sit uselessly in the bottom of my electronics drawer.

But this time the raves were right, as in my opinion, it's tuned out to be the best one on the market to date. Read on and you'll see why I came to this conclusion.

First Impressions:

Upon arrival, opened it immediately, as I had a good test scenario in which to use it the following day: walking around a noisy outdoor flea market. The packaging was excellent, and found immediately that the instruction manual was written in a very clear and concise fashion, with easy-to-follow text and good illustrations. Followed the directions and charged the unit for the suggested 30 minutes before first use.

As it was charging, looked carefully at the new Bluetooth headset and immediately thought that it might be uncomfortable, as the battery pack portion which rests behind the ear appeared larger than many on the market. I also wear glasses, and didn't think that it would be at all comfortable. Found later that I was quite wrong in both cases.

After its initial charge, tried to see how easy it might pair with my often-stubborn cell phone, and exercise that has sometimes required a few tries. The Plantronics Voyager PRO paired up on the very first try, which was a first for this user. Found that the standard medium ear tips were a perfect fit, and then tried each of the additional ones that came with the unit, settling back to the original. I wear my Bluetooth headsets on the left side, and found it easy to change in seconds by rotating the boom mike. After all of this was done, finished charging the headset for the suggest 1.5 hours to full charge.

Trial Run:

The following day was a Saturday when I was going to be visiting a busy outdoor flea market with a friend, and it seemed to be the perfect time to test the unit. The noise levels were as expected, so I tried making a few calls using free weekend minutes. The first thing that people with whom I was talking noticed was that the sound was so clear, better than they had ever heard from my previous calls, and this was even with a moderate wind blowing at times. Most thought that I was still home.

Wore the headset into the early afternoon, a little over eight hours straight, and found it to be the most comfortable Bluetooth headset that I've yet to encounter... for the most part didn't even realize that it was there. Also found that it didn't interfere with wearing glasses at all, which is a strong plus for this user.

Pros:

* Great ergonomics, fits easily right out of the box.
* Superb sound quality, even in windy conditions.
* First-rate controls for power, volume and call control.
* Automatic voice prompts alert battery & mute status.
* Excellent and clearly written instructions.
* Non-proprietary charger port (micro USB).
* Up to six hours of continuous talk time, confirmed.
* Single charge standby of five days..

Cons:

* None. Can't find a single one so far... another first.

Regular Use:

The Plantronics Voyager PRO has become an item that I use daily, which I couldn't say about my old Bluetooth headsets, including my old basic Motorola H505 Bluetooth Headset, which had actually served me quite well for a couple of years. The Voyager PRO is far more comfortable and ergonomic than the photos might indicate, something that one can only find by actual extended use. Have worn mine for 12+ hours a day at a time, and it's been quite easy to adapt to over extended periods of time, with no discomfort whatsoever. I ride a mountain bike some distances over suburban streets and wooded trails on a regular basis each week, and the first thing that callers notice is that the sound quality is excellent, with no wind noise reported by anyone.

Suggestion:

Did some checking on the Plantronics site (just google Plantronics Voyager Pro) and found that if one registered the unit, the company would send out a free car charger. The site said: "Purchase a Plantronics Voyager PRO headset and register your new product to receive a FREE power charger for your car." So I registered mine, and within about a week received it and received another pleasant surprise in that the quality of the free car charger was as good as the Voyager Pro. So be sure to register your unit if you get one of these.

Summary:

Have had this unit for over a month now and have subjected it to more use than the average product that I might review here. Looked carefully to see if there were any flaws or omissions in the product or its performance and for once just couldn't find a single one.

Kudos to Plantronics for bringing such a product to market, for it satisfies the Bluetooth headset needs of the demanding user such as me. A true 5-star offering, without a doubt.

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103 of 105 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars After $400 and 5 other headsets - I chose this one, June 2, 2009 This review is from: Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth Headset (Wireless Phone Accessory) I LOVE this product and so do the people I call! I have an unusually soft voice as well as an extremely loud downtown urban environment for background noise. All of my life I've been plagued with people asking me to repeat myself on the phone (even wired landlines). I purchased and compared this headset along with the Jawbone 2 Noise Assassinator, and the more costly 9xx Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth headsets and two other headsets with stereo features, and Windsmart technology. I tested each of the 5 different headsets in the car with the A/C blowing on the microphone, on the loud and windy downtown streets near my office and in quiet areas with 3 different people (some of whom have mild hearing loss). Hands down with every caller agrees with me that the Voyager Pro is the best headset for me and my environments (not to be confused with the other Voyager headsets).

If you have a loud (or probably even normal volume) voice, and don't have windy environments the 9xx Plantronics Discovery 925 is smaller, more comfortable, and has a super convenient carrying case that recharges the battery. I invested in the snazzy Discovery 925 first; but, unfortunately for my special needs voice and environment, the lack of vocal volume and windy environments prevented the Discovery from getting the sound of my voice to others. For me, I'm more than willing to go with the somewhat larger, not as comfortable, not as convenient recharge of the Voyager Pro. It's still an amazing headset that far out works ALL the rest.

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Motorola RAZR V3 Unlocked Phone with Camera, and Video Player--International Version with No Warranty (Cosmic Blue)

The Moto Razr V3 is expertly crafted to deliver exceptional performance. Inside the ultra-thin design are advanced features like MPEG4 video playback, Bluetooth? wireless technology, a digital camera and more. And with the precision-cut keypad, minimalist styling and metal finish, the V3 looks just as beautiful as it performs. The real difference is in the details. See who’s calling, in color, without opening your phone — the large internal display is complemented by an impressive external display. The precision-cut metal keypad reacts to the lightest of touches. And the features you can't always see are equally impressive, like quad-band GSM — for global calls where GSM network coverage and roaming agreements are present.

Price: $199.99

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Motorola T-Mobile Sidekick Slide Q700 Cell Phone With 1.3 MP Camera, QVGA Display and QWERTY Keyboard

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Fisher-Price Elmo's World Talking Cell Phone

Elmo's World comes to life for your child with this adorable, interactive cell phone featuring moving eyes and an animated lenticular screen. Choose from two fun play modes. In Mode 1, Elmo identifies the numbers you press. In Mode 2, Elmo identifies popular icons from the show and makes silly sound effects. Flip the phone open and watch the phone's googly eyelids open. When playtime is over, flip the phone shut it and hear Elmo say, "Goodbye" as the cell phone closes its eyelids. Requires 2 "AA" alkaline batteries (included).

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Blackberry 8703e Sprint Cell Phone

This traditional-style BlackBerry merges the high-res display of the 8700 series with EVDO high-speed data on CDMA networks. Key features include Bluetooth 2.0, speakerphone, and BlackBerry's hallmark QWERTY keyboard and push email

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