One of my big frustrations with mobile devices is finding a way to keep them safe.  All too often, these days, devices come with a terribly inadequate case or even no case at all.  Just drop your unprotected device (which probably cost several hundred dollars) in your pocket along with all that loose change, and away you go.  See how long your device lasts.  So, one of the first things I do when I buy a new device is start scouring the web for a new case.

Not just any case, mind you, I am pretty particular.  I am not a fan of pouch style cases, which require me to remove my device from the case every time the phone rings.  Additionally, while I like to protect the screen on my device, I do not like having a flap hanging off one end, getting in my way.  Like I said, I am pretty particular, and finding a case that meets my needs can be tricky.

This all came into play over the last few months, when I fairly publicly dropped the Palm Pre and picked up an HTC Hero.  The Hero I bought came with two cases, neither of which worked very well.  Thus began my search for a new case. Fortunately, at about that same time, Otterbox emailed with news that they had just announced a new case in their Commuter series for the HTC Hero.  I took a look and found that this case would not require removal every time the phone rings, and could protect the screen without an unsightly flap hanging off the end.  Sounds good so far, and I was ready for a closer look.  Fortunately, our friends at Otterbox were kind enough to send a sample for me to review.

The cool thing about the Otterbox Commuter case is the three layers of protection, all of which add up to almost no additional girth on your device.  This is perfect for dropping your device into your pocket (my normal practice) without fear of scratching or damaging your device.

The first layer of protection will help ensure that no scratches, scuffs, fingerprints, or dust mar your screen.  Yup, it is a screen protector.  Now, most of you know the drill.  Clean your screen using the included microfiber cloth, carefully align the protector (without touching the screen side), and then use the cardboard to smooth out the bubbles.  Sounds easy enough, though if you are like me, then you know this is never as easy as it seems.

The first thing I found was that the cloth is entirely too small.  Even spread out, it was hard to use it to wipe the screen because it was too small to comfortably hold.  This really has little to do with the effectiveness of the case, but a larger cloth would have been helpful in preparing the device for the screen protector.

The screen protector itself worked very well, certainly living up to the standard I have come to expect from Otterbox.  Sure, I had some trouble getting all of the air bubbles out from under there, but I have never met a screen protector that did not give me this problem.  The nice thing here, though, is that you can use the other parts of the case to cover any bubbles near the edges.  Once applied, the screen protector performed exactly as expected.  It kept the screen free from dust, fingerprints, scratches, and all of the other hazards of every day life.  At the same time, it did not interfere with the touch screen controls.  In other words, it created the perfect invisible barrier over your screen.  So far, so good.

The second layer of protection is a rubberized silicone shell, which wraps around your device.  I love this kind of rubberized case.  In fact, before the Otterbox case arrived, I had been using a similar kind of rubberized sleeve with my Hero.  That one was much more flimsy, however, and quickly stretched out of shape, reducing its effectiveness. 

The one which is included as part of the Commuter series case is fairly substantial, and wraps not just around the edges, but over the top and sides as well, hugging your device in an eternal rubbery embrace.  This is perfect for protecting the device from any number of hazards. 

One of the really nice things about this kind of case is that the face of the device is left open, meaning none of the primary controls (including access to the touch screen) will be affected by this case. 

While some of the connections and controls on the sides and back of the device could be covered, Otterbox does  a great job of proving access to the controls, without sacrificing protection.  Cutouts in the rubber provide access to the camera and phone speakers/microphones.  There is even a cover to keep dirt and dust out of the headphone jack and mini USB charging cable jack.  Though, I will say that these covers tended to get in the way frequently enough that they became a bit of a nuisance.  Still, the case does a great job of balancing control with protection.

Finally, there is a hard plastic outer shell, which squeezes over the rubberized case.  This shell holds everything together, which is great.  It is also hard enough to provide an additional level of protection against bumps, knocks, drops, and many other hazards. 

I love the fact that the plastic shell includes cutouts, leaving the camera and speaker fully accessible.  The only problem I had here was that the hard plastic made my phone feel slick like a bar of soap.  Squeeze it a little too hard and it would slide right out of my hand.  It would have been nice if there had been some rubberized texture built into this shell, in order to offer a  better surface to grip.

I have always been a pretty big fan of Otterbox cases, as have many of the other writers around here.  My impression in the past, however, had been that while they offered fantastic protection, they also added significant girth to my device.  That impression changed with the Commuter series, which managed to offer the superior protection from all hazards which we have come to expect from Otterbox, without adding any bulk to your device. 

The Commuter Series case is available from Otterbox for $34.95.

What I Liked:

• Three layers of protection
• Rubberized silicone sleeve with access to all controls
• Screen and face of device left accessible
• Hard plastic shell offers additional protection
• Size of the device is not significantly impacted

What needs Improvement:

• Microfiber cloth was too small
• Hard plastic outer layer was slick, leaving the potential for it to slip