[Omnimaxus]

I got myself a plastic hard-cover shell enclosure for my Blackberry Curve the other day. It's made by a company called "Speck," and as I understand it, this company has experience making shells for other devices, like laptops and such. So far, it seems like a smart investment, given that it protects the screen and body of the Curve (screen protection is big for me). Does anyone else own any of these protective shells for their Blackberrys (i.e. Curve, Pearl, et cetera), and if so, what do you think of them? Folks who don't own one of these shells are welcome to respond, too.

[ricpac]

The Seidio hybrid case would make any Curve look like a Ford (built tough). More info: Seidio Super Slim Hybrid Case for BlackBerry 8300 Series - BBerry

The Speck products are good, too; I had a clear variant for my MacBook before. I trust them.

[MI_Jester]

While I love the Seidio product, it doesn't cover the screen like the OP requested. It leaves the screen open (at least it does per the product information and pictures).

MI_Jester

[ubizmo]

I have a Speck shell for my Curve. It works well, and the covered screen is a plus, but I've gone back to the OEM leather case, because it's better at keeping dust out.

[DallasFlier]

Well, let me be a contrarian on this. Does anyone remember those thick, embossed, clear vinyl seat covers that were popular back in probably the 70s? (Showing my age here.) They were sold, of course, to protect your upholstery, and they most certainly did that. Of course, to do that, they were hot in the summer, cold and stiff in the winter, and pretty much hid the upholstery and looked pretty hideous while doing so. I don't think they're even sold anymore, and its been years, maybe decades since I've seen any.

I view all these hard cases like the Speck and even the Seidio as very similar things. They're ugly, they inhibit the functionality of the BlackBerry (pressing the side buttons is next to impossible, they're recessed so deep on that Speck!) but they most definitely DO protect the BlackBerry from any scratches. Personally, I put an unobtrusive, almost invisible shield on the screen only, keep it holstered when I'm carrying it, and go on about my business.

What's the point of these things after all - to have a prettier BlackBerry, right? Well, sorry, but it looks downright UGLY encased in those things, not prettier at all. So I guess you know in your heart that it looks pretty under that ugly enclosure, but in the meantime it just looks ugly 24/7! Mine looks a whole lot better all the time. Sure, eventually it will end up with a few scratches and dings, just like any car does. But in the meantime it looks like its supposed to look like. I end up trading up every year or so anyway, and it doesn't get THAT beat up in a year's time. No thick vinyl aftermarket seatcovers for me, and no ugly hard shell plastic cases for my BlackBerry either!

[toni219]

I have the same shell for my Curve & I do like that it makes the device seem more durable, which is nice considering my last device was an 8700 & I kind of got used to having a device that I can be a little more tough on & not worry about whether or not it's going to fall apart! The only downside to the case which someone else mentioned too is that I do have to take it apart usually every other day to clean dust & stuff out of it, but it's just routine now for me to do that while I'm doing my daily restart so it's not even that much of an inconvenience.

[crisambo]

I concur with DallasFlier... bareback is the way I go... OEM leather holster with flap keeps BB ready for action at every vibe. . . It's not too difficult to keep a BB near mint with enough common sense... to me minor scratches add character

[takeshi]

These cases seem like a good idea but they do limit your ability to use accessories such as the Proclip device/vehicle mounts and holsters. I personally just use the Invisible Shield full body protector (there are other cheaper and similar options out there as well).

Originally Posted by crisambo

It's not too difficult to keep a BB near mint with enough common sense...

No amount of common sense can prevent all accidents.