14 DAY TRIAL // Kickstarter is a great place to find an original iPhone case that not only protects your precious iDevice but also stands out. However, some developers / designers go a little too far, either with the looks or with the functionality. Or both.
The following is a rundown of the current selling cases on Kickstarter that may or may not be available anymore by the time you read this article. We’ll start with the ones that have the least days to go before their time frame ends, which means they’re either on their way to materializing or have reached their goal funding already.
ArmorGrip – the one-handed iPhone Case
The ArmorGrip is a case that basically reinforces everyone’s beliefs that the iPhone 6 is too big for one-handed use. For those who wouldn’t take a hint when they decided to get the bigger version, the ArmorGrip is as redundant as it is truly useful. It’s not exactly a strange accessory, but it’s bound to raise some eyebrows. Frankly, I wouldn’t want to be seen carrying my phone in that.
It’s got this handy strap around the back of the case that lets you hold on tight to the phone as you struggle to type with one hand. This is basically so that you don’t drop it during the process. The case has reached its funding goal and you can pick one up for $25, or roughly €20.
Mous Musicase – carries your headphones, looks like a toy
The Mous Musicase is another highly practical iPhone case. It can hold your earphones in a nice contraption on the back and it looks like a cartoon face from afar. It’s also childish and ugly in some configurations. Plus, it forces you to rest your phone with its face downwards.
Overall, it’s a pretty odd choice for a case, but the number of backers has us convinced that there’s a market for this as well. The project reached its funding last week and is now on its way to materializing. Go figure!
Kornez lets you keep the iPhone, ditch the case
The Kornez is an ingenious solution for keeping your iPhone from getting bumps, dings, and scratches, while also leaving most of the chassis open to view. It’s not the ugliest thing we’ve seen in its category, but it’s certainly one of the weirdest choices to keep the iPhone protected from falls.
It’s marketed as a simple solution that lets you enjoy the design of your phone: “Kornez protects your iPhone without hiding it behind a cumbersome case, FINALLY! For iPhone 5/5s and iPhone 6,” reads the promo. In reality, the best way to protect your iPhone without hiding it is to get one of those thin silicone cases that wraps around it completely. It’s also having a difficult time finding backers. We’re not surprised, though.
The bottlocase is for drinkers
As the world's first bottle opener case that allows you to personalize and print your own design online, the bottlocase is as strange as it is awesome. We’ve seen bottle opener cases before, but this one actually comes with the craziest writings on the back. And we assume there’s no shortage of crazy among the groups of people who consider this a must have.
It makes the perfect gift for any beer drinker who owns an iPhone, but be aware that it bulges out quite a bit and won’t let you rest your phone evenly on its back. Funding has just started, with 39 days to go (at the time of this writing).
Lucidream eXo-Skeleton
Perhaps the strangest iPhone case you’ll find on Kickstarter today is the eXo. An X-shaped contraption that straps on the back of the phone protecting its most exposed areas. It looks like something out of Terminator, and it appears to be the most efficient iPhone protector of the lot.
That being said, it’s also the weirdest thing we’ve ever seen to be called a “case.” Even crab cases make more sense than this. One question: why heavy steel? Honestly, if the phone is that precious, you might as well spring for a full body cast.
The goal is $50,000 (€40,000) and there are 59 days to go at this time.
