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Two of a Kind: Ultraminimal iPhone 5 Cases
Here we go again: with this September's release of the iPhone 5, third parties have yet another excuse to revisit the iPhone case. We've passed on a lot of the usual suspects, but a pair of independently-developed Kickstarter cases are noteworthy for their ultraminimal approach. Alex Karp's "Bummpies" and mod-3's "Radius" case kicked off their campaigns within 24 hours of one another last week, and although they're different enough that they're not outright competitors, both cases abide by the less-is-more approach to design.
First of all, I should clarify that Bummpies will work with the three most current models of iPhone: seeing as Karp's been working on the adhesive bumpers for 16 months, he must have started designing them for the 4/4S and simply tweaked them for the new model. This gives him a significant edge in terms of potential customers.
The mod-3, on the other hand, has the ambiguous advantage of a Harvard-educated designer and CAD-geeky backstory: Hendra Bong holds a graduate degree in Architecture the Ivy League school. (A bit of digging reveals that Karp actually studied mechanical engineering but has since shifted his professional focus at HP.)
Bummpies are made of polyurethane rubber and are attached with a semi-permanent (but removable) adhesive from the materials experts at 3M. The corners for the Radius are made of 6061 aluminum with a non-slip lining; they're held in place by an X-shaped brace, which is secured with a tiny screw (as is the case with many of Apple's offerings).
Videos after the jump...
Check out their respective Kickstarter pages for more details (linked above and below), but here's a quick rundown of the differences between the two campaigns... besides, of course, the discrepancies between the products themselves:
- Bummpies will work with iPhone 4 & 4S; the Radius is iPhone 5 only
- Bummpies purportedly cover only 4% of the phone (Karp doesn't specify if this is based on the iPhone 4/4S or 5); the Radius weighs only 0.155 oz (4.4g).
- Bummpies are $25, half the price of the $59 Radius, which has an early bird price of $49 and projected retail of $69. (Karp is offering 'beta' products with earlier delivery dates for $40 and $60.)
- mod-3 has more time to raise less money: they're seeking $25,000, ten grand less than Karp's $35,000 goal, and their January 19 deadline gives them about two weeks longer to do so.
- Both have expected delivery dates of March 2013 (though beta Bummpies will be available as early as January)
- ....and, for what it's worth, Karp's video is slightly better (more product shots would have been nice), but Radius has better photos
iPhone 4/4S compatibility aside, which one would you go for? Bummpies or the Radius case?
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Comments
Sugru was actually used for some of the early concept testing, However, a few minor and major issues were uncovered:
Minor:
1: Aesthetics...it looked like someone molded clay to my phone.
2: Sugru take 24 hours to cure.
Major:
1: A laser cut cardboard template improved the asthetics...but sugru is too soft to provide protection with a small profile.
2: After about 3-4 weeks the Sugru showed signs of wear and no longer provided complete protection.
3: After about 5 weeks some of the Sugru fell off.
Mean while, I have placed Bummpies on several test phones...4 months and still going strong. Not to mention 3M rates their VHB adhesive for 10+ years!
Cheers,
Alex
I do like the Bummpies idea; most of the screens that I see are cracked at a corner. Also a good move to use 3M adhesive to stand out from cheap dollar store hacks.
Both this and the Camera button can both be done with SUGRU, the silicon rubber that you can mold with your hand.
Why not MAKE your case with Sugru? Its easy and CHEAP.
Time to think outside the box.
Cases serve their purpose because they are replaceable. The iPhone does not "need" a case. It can survive falls without structural damage as can most phones. I use mine without a case. I have dropped it and it has a dent and some scratches. I prefer these blemishes to any case that's out there.