Works with
iPhone
The Good
Slim case protects iPhone without adding bulk
Made from reduced-carbon material
The Bad
Can interfere with some screen protectors
The Price
US$24.99
Consumer electronics are generally the bane of good environmental policy - after all those LCD screens and circuit boards produce a lot of toxic waste and are rarely disposed of safely. The Agent18 Eco iPhone Shield, though, gives you the chance to protect your iPhone with a smaller environmental impact.
The Agent18 Eco iPhone Shield does what you want an iPhone case to do: it protects your iPhone’s back and sides from scratches and dings, while allowing access to buttons and the dock connector. On top of that, though, the case itself is made from a reduced-carbon-foortprint material, according to Agent 18, thus reducing the case’s environmental footprint.
The case itself is actually two pieces of plastic, one design to fit on the top of the iPhone, the other on the bottom. Slides them onto the edges of the phone, snap them together at the center, and you’ve got a tight, tough case. The plastic thick and durable and hugs the edge of the phone, giving you full access to the screen, home button, and speaker. On the sides, openings allow access to the volume and ringer buttons, the lock button, and, on the bottom, the dock connector.
Perhaps the greatest stylistic and design benefit of the case is its slim profile. Some iPhone cases add substantial bulk to the phone, making it hard to easily store the phone in a pocket. No the Eco Shield. Because it’s so slim, an iPhone in the case isn’t much bigger than an iPhone out of the case, a real virtue.
Because the iPhone works on the basis of its touchscreen, most iPhone cases don’t offer screen protection. Some companies sell overlays that protect the screen and let you use the touchscreen at the same time. If you use these overlays with your iPhone and the Eco Shield, be careful. Sliding the Eco Shield on can sometimes get under the edge of the screen protector, removing it from the phone.
That’s a minor issue, though. On all other counts — protection, style, environmental responsibility — the Agent18 Eco iPhone Shield is a sure winner.
