By 
Most iPhone 3G/3GS owners are usually motivated to purchase a case for their gadget. And if they are not, they should be. The iPhone is quite an expensive investment and spending a fraction of the cost to purchase some sort of protection is well worth it. A case I recently came across was the Griffin Wave, which is compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS. I also purchased it since I found it at an affordable price and I had used the “Griffin Wave” line of products previously for my 4th generation iPod Nano, which was a great case. Unfortunately the same can’t be said entirely about the Griffin Wave.
Griffin Wave package is composed of a few pieces: back and front pieces which snap together and a screen protector. The first thing I did was attempt to install the screen protector. Immediate reaction: horrible. It was a bit too thick of a plastic which reduced sensitivity, made the screen more difficult to see, and wouldn’t even stay on properly. I hilariously found that the thin sheet of plastic that protects the screen protector while in the packaging to function better.
The next issue that hit was actually getting the case on. The design is a bit flawed due to the way the rear and front piece latch together. Getting them to snap is difficult and I found myself slightly fearful of either breaking the case or scratching my iPhone with the sharp edges of the Wave Case. Once you manage to get it on, it stays on fairly well. The main concern I had then was the overly unprotected area near the volume keys, where a large portion of the iPhone’s body was left exposed.
Finally the case wears too quickly and poorly. When purchased the plastic has a “smoked” or “frosted” look. However after just a week or so of use, that opaque look started to literally shed off. The case scratched too easily making it look like it had gone through years of use.
I find it a bit difficult recommending this for the price tag of $25. There are plenty of other cases available for a similar price, some of which we’ll be reviewing in the coming weeks, which will function a whole lot better. On the other hand if you manage to grab the case for $7.99 including tax and shipping as I managed to from Griffin’s own website, I think that might be an acceptable price. Use the code GRIFFINRTMN09 on “Step 2: Billing & Payment” of Check Out, not any earlier.
Links: Griffin Technology – Wave Case (use code mentioned above)
Buy on Amazon: Griffin Wave for $16
