Review: Case-Mate Barely There for iPhone 3G/3GS

The new Barely There iPhone 3G/3GS case from makers Case-Mate combines a stylish protection solution with a functional 2-card wallet.

Barely There by Case-Mate

This new Barely There case from Case-Mate is a redesign of the existing Barely There product. The design is slightly thicker as compared to the previous generation but now includes a built-in card holder.

Features 2.5/2.5

The Barely There case is a hard plastic shell that covers the back, sides, and corners of your iPhone 3G/3GS. The plastic is very soft and velvet-like, so it feels great in the hand. The case allows full access to the iPhone display and features cutouts for the camera, volume controls, dock connector, speaker/mic, headphone jack, and sleep/wake button.

Along the back of the case is a small horizontal cutout that allows up to two cards to be slid in behind the iPhone (once the iPhone is in the case). The card holder is a standard size for credit cards, debit cards, business cards or any other card of similar dimensions. You could also bundle up some cash to put into the slot if you were so inclined.

Once the iPhone is in the case and the cards, either one or two, are inserted, the case holds on to the cards quite well to prevent them from falling out. When holding the case upside down or moving it around, the card(s) did not fall out, but after a marginally aggressive shake, one card did fall out.

The case includes an iPhone screen protector film, which when bundled with the plastic shell, provides a great protection package. The case also includes a cleaning cloth and soft-card for getting any air bubbles out from under the applied screen protector.

Value 2/2.5

For a case that includes a screen protector, the price of $29.99 is acceptable, but just barely. However, the case delivers a convenience that is not readily available from most case makers. Depending on the situation, sometimes all you need is a debit/credit card and maybe a piece of I.D. In that case, the Barely There eliminates a wallet that would normally have to be carried around. Why carry a wallet full of stuff if you do not have to?

With that in mind, the Barely There provides an innovative and convenient solution for reducing the amount of stuff that you need to carry around with you. With that convenience mixed with a good protection shell and included screen protector, the Barely There case provides a great value for iPhone 3G/3GS owners.

The Barely There is scored a 4.5 out of 5.

The Case-Mate Barely There is available in eight different colors from the the Case-Mate online store for $29.99. You can also check local retailers such as Apple Stores and Rogers/Fido locations.

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