Review of SharkEye Case for iPhone 4

I got a brand new case for my iPhone 4 from the very personable, customer-service oriented folks at SharkEye. So far, so good. Being my clumsy self, I've dropped my phone from standing a few times already (in the day and a half I've had it) and it has held up beautifully. The trickiest bits so far have been learning how to get the case on and off and remembering to slide the SharkEye screen protector back across when I'm done looking at my phone. That's the main difference between the OtterBox Defender I had before and the SharkEye. While the OtterBox had a built-in screen guard, the SharkEye's protector retracts. Both cases include a hard shell and a soft silicone. On the SharkEye, the silicone layer is beneath the hard layer, preventing the gapping and ripping that I experienced with the OtterBox.

Here are my thoughts on the Pros and Cons of the SharkEye:

CONS:

• Slick Surface- The hard outer shell of the case is a bit slick, meaning accident-prone folks like me may have a hard time holding on to it occasionally
• Hard Edges - When the screen protector is retracted, the edge around the screen is a bit harsh. When it is engaged, the small gap on the back side of the phone where you push it across is exposed, and those edges are a bit harsh as well.
• Screen Area - The hard shell encroaches on touch screen area, sometimes making it hard to type on the keyboard or click on things near the edges of the screen.
• Water - Because the case is not an enclosed piece, like the OtterBox was, the SharkEye seems a bit less water resistant. While all of the ports except for the speakers were covered on the OtterBox, the SharkEye exposes the lock button. The places where you'd worry about water damage, however, (headphone and line-out jacks) are covered very tightly and better than the OtterBox, since the silicone caps actually go into the jacks.
• Noise Factor - Since the case is a hard shell, it is a little noisier than the stealthy OtterBox. There's also a noise when you retract the screen protector (but it is a satisfying noise, akin to doing up a zipper.)
• Wiggly Piece - The separate plastic ring around the camera lens on the back of the phone (at least on the case I received) is a little wiggly.

PROS:

• Slick Surface - The slick outer shell means that the case is a lot easier to get in and out of bags, pockets, etc.
• Rugged - This is sure one tough case! From the videos the company has produced to my own experience dropping the phone a few times already, this case is definitely going to hold up.
• Buttons - With the defender, I was starting to experience button lag, perhaps because the silicone layer wasn't snug enough. The SharkEye buttons work great.
• Glare - The anti-glare screen protector sticker is great, especially after being used to tilting the phone to see in the right light with the old OtterBox.
• Design - I got the black and pink model and I love the peek-through pink. The design is less sleek than the OtterBox, with its rounded edges, but I like the rugged, chunky look.
• Weight - Something about the way the SharkEye is put together makes the full package of case plus phone feel lighter in the hand. I weighed the two cases for compairson's sake, and the SharkEye is 57grams compared to the OtterBox at 58grams, so the difference is mainly in perception. But when you have such a big case, it makes a big difference

Here are some photos of the two cases side by side, for comparison's sake.
For more information, visit the SharkEye website: http://www.sharkeye.com/iphone-4-rugged-cases.php