Let me start off by saying that I'm not much of a case user, but after handling Griffin's three cases for the iPhone 3G even I'm impressed with how nice they feel! Think of the elan Form case as a hybrid between hard plastic and leather, while the Nu Form uses hard plastic and rubberized plastic and the Wave case is one big gel-style case - all covered with a separate clear plastic screen cover for the front of the iPhone 3G. These hard-shell cases should add peace of mind for anyone with slippery fingers; each should be strong enough to protect your precious iPhone 3G from a three to four foot drop. Assembling the Elan Form and Nu Form is easy as pie - they snap together and come apart vertically along the sides. From an aesthetic point of view the cases look smooth, and they add a nice, contoured feel to the handset. The Wave Case is a little trickier to assemble and take apart; make sure to watch the video below to see "how I do it". If both form and function is your thing, then the easy slide-off bottom section is perfect for when you need to dock the iPhone 3G. Unfortunately the Wave Case doesn't offer the same easy dock feature, so you'll need to take it apart if you want to sit your iPhone 3G in the actual Apple dock.
When it comes to the fundamentals, it doesn't matter which case you opt for: each is designed to give you full access to the microphone, speaker, and Dock Connector, hence the open bottom design. The top is fully open as well, freeing up the headphone port and Sleep/Wake button. There's a cut out on the back for the camera and the left side is fully cut open for access to the side controls.
As I mentioned above, all three cases come with a rigid, non-adhesive clear plastic screen protector, and there's a black cleaning cloth included in the package too. This is an excellent way for Griffin to add value to their cases. You may or may not like the screen protector. I usually don't use a screen protector at all and leave the glass opened; I'd be interested to know what you do, so leave what you think in the comments below.The bottom line: the elan Form, Nu Form and Wave cases for the iPhone 3G are well-made cases with a sleek design while also protecting your iPhone 3G from drops, dings and scratches.
