Tech-Reviews

Unsolicited review of the Survivor Extreme-Duty Case for iPhone 4 from Griffin Technologies.
The opinions below are mine and mine alone.
I purchased this case and have been using it for about 3 weeks and find that it actually makes using the iPhone more enjoyable. One of the reasons I bought this case is because it advertises to be dust proof. As a hobby, I operate a woodshop and the saw dust gets into everything including the electronics in the shop. So far it seems to be holding up fine with the sanding that I have done.

Just holding the phone is easier because of the rubber case. I do not feel like I am going to drop it. Hearing callers seems to be clearer which I attribute to the fact that there is distance between my ear and the speaker. The raised home button is a perfect fit with the case making it faster to activate than the recessed button on the actual phone. Once I figured out how to access the power slot on the phone by pressing the center of the bottom flap the phone plugs in easily for charging.

Professional reviewers tell us that the camera is hard to access because the flap will not stay open while taking a picture without holing it open. While I agree with this point, I also agree that this is a phone and not a camera.

The button to turn the ringer on and off is a bit small to access but I have adjusted to and learned how to activate the button.

I think one item that needs to be addressed in future improvements would be the belt holder. While this is a very secure piece, it can be hard to get the phone to rest into the small piece that attaches over the home button and onto the base of the case.
A longer/wider base would be nice making it faster to attach when you are in a hurry. It would mean slight redesign by removing the ears on the bottom and extending the base to be equal to the width of the phone, but I think it would be worth it.

A positive point concerning the belt-clip is the stand feature. I love being able to set it on my desk to watch a show or to use the speaker on the phone without laying the phone down.

With that said I love the case and will not be replacing it any time soon. It’s not balky or obtrusive when holding or wearing it on my belt. It doesn’t get in the way when I am in the office, out in the yard or in the workshop.