After reviewing tons of iPhone, iPad, & iPod Touch cases, I’ve run though a lot of cool company names, like Artwizz and Draco Designs. However, I recently got in contact with a company called the Snugg, a company that specializes in iDevice accessories. After running through a vast library of cases, I decided it would be pretty fun to take some of these cases out for a spin. Jack sent me out a couple of cases, and here we are. The Jibitz is a customizable soft silicone case for the iPhone 4 that offers a very unique way of spicing up your iPhone 4 (more on that later). Everybody here knows that I absolutely despise silicone cases for the iPhone 4, but will the Jibitz change my mind?

The Design
This is one of those cases (no pun intended) where the design is one of the most crucial elements in the case. The Jibitz, at a first glance, looks very reminiscent of something like the Incipio Dermashot, just in a lot simpler and more boring fashion. However, flip the case backside up and that’s where things change tremendously. There are 20 slits in the back of the case that allow for individual silicone buttons to be used for customization. The Jibitz comes with a variety of different buttons ranging from letters, to numbers, symbols, and so forth. While I can’t really see this as a masculine case, I can definitely see it being more along the lines of a feminine attraction, as the vast customization is sure to spark some attention. And did I ever mention it just looks plain cool?



As far as button cutouts go, the Jibitz has a pretty decent amount of access. The 3.5 mm headphone jack is slightly small, but since this is a silicone case, you can stretch it slightly to fit with most jacks. The sleep wake button & the volume rockers are very easy to press and have a good amount of tactile-ness, no surprise there. Vibrate switch is very easy to get to, even if you do have beefier hands. Also, the dock connector is pretty big, and since it’s just silicone, pretty much everything should work. Lastly, the camera seems to be a pretty big disappointment, as there are huge flash issues even with the white defuser on.

The Protection
This is a rather thick silicone case, and while it isn’t going to save you from a drop off of a bridge, the Jibitz will succeed in everyday tumbles and falls. The silicone on the sides are decently well made and while the build quality can sometimes leave something to be desired (there is a very noticeable amount of flash around all the case), you really can’t ask for anything better if you want good drop protection in a slim and unique looking design.

A Lint Catcher
If you haven’t been following me throughout the year, then you have probably been wondering why I don’t like silicone cases very much. Well, short and sweet, almost all silicone cases (with the exception of TPU) attract lint, dust, and debris, one way or the other. Wether it be pockets, carpet, or just anything that is fury, silicone always seem to love it’s good ‘ol linty friend by it’s side. Now, while the Jibitz isn’t actually the worst case when it comes to picking up lint, it still picks up lint, and boy a lot of it. Slip this into your jeans pocket, and once you go to pull it back out, you are sure to find some kind of fury mess, either on the back, sides, or all over the place, lint will be there.



The worst part? It takes forever to clean up. You can try to wipe it off with a microfiber cloth, but it always seems to stick to the surface of the silicone, and there really isn’t any best way to remove the lint once it’s already on the case itself. Th best way that works for me is to take a small dab of water which usually wipes away the lint from the surface. If that doesn’t work, you can always resort to plan B. Take a piece of tape, and stick it on to where the lint is attracted to the silicone and it should some off easily. Then again, that takes forever and is a waste of both tape and money.

Final Thoughts
Even though silicone case aren’t for me, I can actually see why people would want to use them. The Jibitz isn’t amazingly overpriced at $26, it offers good protection, comes in a sleek design, has a lot of customizable options, and is fairly simple to install. If someone can make some kind of anti-lint coating on the outside of these silicone cases, it would be a lot easier to recommend. The Jibitz does suffer from a few issues, and I can’t wholeheartedly recommend this case with the lint and flash issues.



The Snugg Jibitz @The Snugg