BodyGuardz Clear Protective Skin
So, you want to protect your phone. There is certainly no shortage of cell phone cases and holsters on the market today. You could take the route of a leather holster, a silicone sleeve, a plastic hard case, or any number of alternative options, but there is one thing that all of these options have in common: they add bulk.
One of the reasons why I opted for a Nokia E71 smartphone in the first place was its sleek and thin profile. At the same time, I wanted some form of proper protection for the phone and the clear protective skin from BodyGuardz seems to be just the ticket.
Available for a wide range of cell phones and other mobile devices, including the Nintendo DSi and Apple MacBook Pro, the BodyGuardz clear skin really has “got it covered.” This thin plastic film is completely removable and will protect your treasured smartphone against random scratches, bumps, and bruises. It won’t offer much help if you happen to drop your phone on the hard concrete, but that’s the trade off you get for having seamless protection.
Unlike one of its direct competitors, the BodyGuardz transparent protective film comes in a two-pack. This offers two complete sets for both the front and the back. Each two-pack sells for about $24.99.
Joby Gorillamobile Device Holder
When it comes to most car mounts and other similar devices for cell phones, they offer just one possible installation style. They may be designed to clip to the air vent, clip to the sun visor, or attach via a suction cup to the windshield. For a little more versatility, you might want to take a look at the Joby Gorillamobile.
The Gorillamobile offers exactly the same idea as the original Gorillapod, also from Joby. Instead of having straight tripod legs, you get a set of flexible, wrappable legs. Each leg is comprised of ten rubberized ring and foot grips. By using these wrappable legs, you can have your phone close at hand when you are riding your bike (wrap it around your handlebars), sitting at your desk (use it as a desktop stand), or anywhere else life’s road may take you.
The version shown here is designed for mobile phones and other devices. It comes with a universal camera adapter (1/4″ tripod screw), a custom engineered suction cup, and a pair of high-bond adhesive clips. The camera mount is straightforward enough, but you’ll really need to use the adhesive clip for about anything else.
I tried using the suction cup for a temporary hold on the back of my Nokia E71, but it didn’t do a great job of hanging on. In this way, the adhesive clip would constantly have to sit in the back of my phone if I wanted to use the Gorillamobile. If you happen to have an iPhone 3G/3GS, you can opt for the version from Gorillamobile that comes with a specialized case instead.
The Gorillamobile for handheld devices is $29.95, whereas the iPhone version rings in at $39.95.