OtterBox has been making protective 5s iphone cases otterbox commuter magnet since 1998, making the company the great-granddaddy of the entire huge smartphone/tablet case market. The company announced a new member of the family yesterday, introducing the Commuter Series Wallet (US$44.95) for the iPhone 5/5s.
We've been seeing a lot of different wallet cases lately, many of which are more wallet (think leather) than protective case. OtterBox has taken the protection of the Commuter Series cases and merged it with a slide-out drawer-like back that can hold up to three credit or ID cards and one folded bill.
Like the other members of the Commuter Series, the Wallet wraps your iPhone 5 or 5s in rubbery silicone that is then surrounded by a tough polycarbonate shell. The screen is covered with a stick-on screen protector (it leaves space for the Touch ID-enabled home button of the iPhone 5s), so your preciousss is going to be in good hands while living in the Commuter Series Wallet.
There's a silicone door that covers the Lightning port, another one that covers the headphone jack, and soft buttons that cover the volume toggle and power switch. Installing the case is a piece of cake, although it takes some muscle to take it back off.
Once the case is on your iPhone 5, you can rest assured that whatever you put into the wallet "drawer" is going to stay put. It makes an audible "click" when shut, and requires a bit of pressure to open. I can verify that two credit cards and a driver's license fit into the case snugly, but I had no cash with which to check out the "one folded bill" claim...
If there's one negative I can find with the Commuter Series Wallet, it's that it's somewhat difficult to get cards out -- a small ramp on the bottom edge of the drawer would have made it a bit easier to slide cards out. As it is, you have to kind of pick them out with your fingers.
The Commuter Series Wallet is available now from OtterBox in black and glacier (white hard shell with gray silicone), and will soon be available in primrose (pinkish hard shell with light gray silicone). The case weighs just 2.0 ounces (56.7 grams), not bad considering the level of protection it provides. Unsurprisingly, it's a little thick at .71 inches (1.8 cm), but when you consider that the case can eliminate the need to carry a separate wallet, that's not a real issue.
Check out the video below for a demonstration of the Commuter Series Wallet Case, and then read on for a chance to win one of these cases.
Conclusion
With the Commuter Series Wallet for iPhone 5/5s, OtterBox has entered the case wallet market with a bang. The case provides the excellent drop protection that the company's line is known for, and provides a convenient and secure way to carry an ID card and some credit cards.
Pros
- Reasonably priced for a high-quality protective product
- Very lightweight
- Positive feedback on the drawer mechanism insures that your cards remain safely stowed
- Excellent build quality
- It would be nice if the cards could just slide out with pressure from a thumb; as it is, they must be picked out of the drawer one by one.
- The iPhone 5/5s owner who is looking both for the protection of one of OtterBox's Commuter Series cases and the convenience of not having to carry a separate wallet
Giveaway
Here are the rules for the giveaway:
- Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
- To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button.
- The entry must be made before October 8, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time.
- You may enter only once.
- One winner will be selected and will receive an OtterBox Commuter Series Wallet valued at $44.95
- Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Source: Tuaw
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