Speck Fitted Hard Shell Custom Case for iPhone 4 By Zazzle
Speck's Fitted case has been with us since the iPhone 3G combining fabric with hard plastic. Zazzle is one of the biggest custom printing service on the web. Zazzle has partnered with Speck to let users customize and make their very own unique Fitted case compatible with both the AT&T and Verizon iPhone 4 as well as the iPhone 3G/S. The Fitted's fabric acts as a canvas which Zazzle then prints on using your uploaded artwork. We took Zazzle's do-it-yourself process for a drive and came up with a unique looking iPhone 4 case that I'm sure very few have. Don't miss the full review right after the break as I dig deeper into the custom print quality.
So obviously this Fitted hard shell case for the iPhone 4 was made by Speck in partnership with Zazzle, the guys who print and send you the case straight to your door, or mailbox. Overall the Speck Fitted case feels like a solid quality case and its got a matte soft-touch rubberized coating on the inside as well as on the rest of the outside of the case. I love the matte texture as it provides a good amount of grip. The Fitted is a two-piece case consisting of a front frame the snaps on top of the iPhone 4 and secures on.
The Fitted's top frame snaps onto the rest of the case leaving nearly no visible gaps in between the two parts. It's a tight and secure fit. I think the Fitted case is one of the more comfortable cases for the iPhone 4 to hold in the hand, much like Apple's Bumper case because of the smooth and roundedness of the case.
I wouldn't go and say that the Fitted adds bulk to the iPhone 4 as it's a fairly slim case with a very generous front screen edge that provides a great deal of a lay-on-the-table design. You would be able to use any front and back screen and film protectors with the Fitted case.
I simply love the top openings for the sleep/wake button and headphone port. You will be able to fit most medium to slim 3.5mm jacks with that wide cutout, especially L shaped 3.5mm jacks. Well done Speck on that one.
The side opening for the volume buttons and silent/vibrate switch is just as wide and easily accessible. Again, very well done Speck. These are one of the better cutouts I've seen on iPhone 4 cases. Very generous and easy to work with. On the other hand though, the bottom cutout for the dock connector port isn't as wide and will not fit most 3rd party cables and accessories.
So, how about probably the most important part of the case, the print quality? Well, I gotta hand it to Zazzle for such an amazing quality print. It's super sharp and vivid. I was given a code to custom make this case myself and to test out Zazzle's DIY process. I was impressed by how easy and fast it was to create one of these custom cases. All you need is to upload you own artwork or picture that should be big enough to cover the whole back side of the Fitted's fabric canvas in order to get a good quality result. I used GelaSkins' artwork from their gallery of designs, this one is called "Mountain View", which I also reviewed for the iPad 2.
I've had no issues taking pictures using the LED flash because Speck has colored the inside of the Fitted's camera cutout in black outline and that helps eliminate and picture wash outs when using the LED flash. Zazzle's custom print process combine with Speck's Fitted case for the iPhone 4 is the best way anyone can create a truly unique case. Both the print and case qualities go hand in hand this time. Price $39.95.