Works with
iPhone 3G
The Good
Hard shell offers good protection
Eco-friendly
The Bad
Adds bulk to iPhone
Lets dirt in
The Price
US$29.95
Agent 18’s EcoShield for iPhone 3G case updates the company’s line of cases for the first-generation iPhone, and while it offers most of the benefits of that line, it also introduces a new drawback.
The EcoShield case, which is made from recycled plastic bottles (thus the name), is a two-piece case: a tray that the iPhone sits in protects the back and sides, while a thin piece snaps over the front to seal the case. As with other iPhone cases, the screen is not protected, though the rest of the phone is.
The case allows access to the dock connector, volume and hold buttons, and the camera. Its sides sport ridges designed to make the phone easier to grip.
The case’s hard plastic shell provides good protection and comes in black, white, pink, blue, and green.
If that’s all there was to the case, it would be a top-notch product. But it’s not – two drawbacks keep me from being able to recommend it enthusiastically.
First, the case adds too much bulk to the iPhone. While the plastic provides protection, one of the big benefits of the iPhone 3G is how sleek it is. With the EcoShield case, that sleekness is lost. The phone feels almost as bulky as the original iPhone.
Secondly, because the front plate of the case snaps on (as opposed to the previous version, which slid together), it allows dirt and lint to gather around and under the edges of the case. While this isn’t terrible, it’s messy and a bit gross.
The Agent 18 EcoShield for iPhone 3G isn’t a bad case. Its protection is solid, but its drawbacks undermine it. I’d suggest spending a little time with this case, if you can, before you make a buying decision.
