Review – Agent 18 EcoShield For iPhone 3G and iPod Touch Gen2

If you have a new iPhone or iPod Touch no doubt you’re looking for the best way to protect it. Fortunately, there are an endless number of options now available. You can choose an invisible skins that provides scratch protection. At the other extreme you might pick up an Otterbox case, some of which can actually be submerged underwater for a brief period of time. Or you might choose a case that falls somewhere in between the two.

One of the case manufacturers with whom I have become familiar is, at least in my circles, a lesser-known company that’s worth knowing. The Agent 18 company is, in their own words,

a bunch of nerdy engineers that spend a lot of time with our iPods, iPhones, Zunes and Computers, and…them being our babies, protection is important to us! All of our products are designed in sunny California, or on a plane, or sometime when we’re out running in the park! Our goal is to design products that we would use for products that we love.

I’ve owned a number of their products have been completely satisfied with each. I especially like the fact that the cases not only provide low profile, unassuming protection, but that their products are also created from recycled plastic bottles and. (Hence the name of their products.)

This week I want to take a quick look at one option they offer up to protect the iPhone 3G. and one for the second-generation iPod Touch.

Slim EcoShield for iPhone 3G
The iPhone 3G Slim EcoShield is a brand new design For the company. It’s incredibly thin yet still protects against bumps and scratches. It’s a sturdy case that leaves open the controls, camera, headphone plug, and charger/sync port. Because it’s an open faced case they include a protective film for the screen which will help with regard to scratching but not with regard to actually putting undue pressure on the iPhone’s face.
The case feels good in the hand. It mimics the curve of the back so that it sits nicely in the hand. The two pieces of the case snap together securely and don’t leave any rough edges which are too often found in the style of case. Along the site seems the case has been unobtrusive ridge pattern which helps you keep a grip on the phone but maintains the comfort one holding it for an extended period. To remove the device from the case you simply slip a coin into the upper corner of the case and give a gentle twist. This means the case won’t be coming off the iPhone unless you actually want it to come off.

One of the other things I like so much about the company’s cases is that they always include a dock adapter so that, if you use a universal dock, the device remains fully usable without having to remove it from the case to sync or charge.

Case an assortment of colors including black, purple, forest green, navy blue, and burgundy. It costs a reasonable $27.95 and can be purchased here.

Touch EcoShield (G2)
The Touch EcoShield is of a similar design to the previously described iPhone case. It’s a thin two-piece design that securely snaps around the device and can only be removed by inserting a coin in the "coin slot twist removal" gap in the upper right corner. Like the iPhone case, it includes a screen protector as well as an insert for a universal dock. And like the iPhone case, it feels incredibly comfortable in the hand. In fact, as cases go, this is one of the few second-generation iPod touch cases doesn’t feel as if it completely looses the point of the devices incredible thinness.
The case is available in black, pink, and purple and has a matte finish. It costs $24.95 and can be purchased here.

I’m a big fan of both of these cases and in fact there’s one on both my iPhone and my iPod Touch right now. For more information on all of Agent 18’s products visit the company website.
 

In addition, if you’d like to win either of these cases leave a comment over in our "tips and tricks" user forum. Indicate which case you would prefer at the end of your comment. Sunday evening, January 4, the authors of two comments in the forums between now and then receive the cases. (Please, shipping is only within the United States.)