E200 Krussel Case Review.

[Guest Will]

For the past 2 weeks i've been 'roadtesting' an e200 krussel case kindly provided by smartphoneAccessories (10% discount for MoDaCo Plus members).

This is NOT one of your 'they sent me something so i'll say it's great!' reviews.

On recieving the case, I was a little worried, it really did not look like it would fit the phone, I pulled it on, and nothing seemed to line up! Really worried because I wanted to be positive about the case, I emailed SmartphoneAccessories and asked them for advice.

The reply from SPA was superb, saying it should fit, but any problems they would swap the case (a bonus of a supplier who actually replies to emails!). Determinded not to 'give up' I looked again at the case and the leather looked a little 'tight' so I decided to push the phone about in the case, and allow it to warm up a little. 20 minutes later the joystick cutout lined up, but i was still unsure if everything was really going to fit perfectly.

Sent a couple of blurry pictures to explain the problem to SPA, who again were great, and passed on the info to krussel.

1 day into the 'roadtest' I'm happy the case will 'mould' to the phone, and remember that my original e100 case was similar, so decided to take it out with me on a stag weekend.

Dropped the phone 3 times from varying heights, and decided the case was a really good idea, the phone would probably be dented, cracked or dead if it was 'naked' :D

After the stag weekend SPA emailed me to enquire how the case was going, and then i realised that nearly all the cutouts were perfectly lined up.

So I can confirm it does fit, looks great and protects the phone!

The main differences between this case and the e100 version is that there is a plasic cover over the IR lens, and the velcro flap on the back used to expose the camera.

This flap is also where the 'multidapt clip' is fixed, which gives it a 'positive feel' when open, and when closed is VERY secure, using velcro and 2 press clips to hold it in place. If you have not seen the multidapt system, it's GREAT, I have a permanent holder in my car (a Smart car - what else!), which the phone fits over, you can buy a special belt clip, neck sling, bike clip and numerous other things in this system, the beauty of them is that it means any device in a krussel case can sit in my car, and keep the policemen happy as it's secure.

Supplied with the case is a small belt clip, which kept the phone secure even when in 'dark and dodgy' pubs, nightclubs and walking about in a slight daze after MSE2004!

So now 2 weeks and several heart-stopping-phone-dropping moments later, i'm looking at the case, everything lines up, and the velcro flap is as secure as the first day i had it.

The only issue I have with this (and the e100 case) is that they will not allow the phone to dock using the cradle, but using a sync and charge cable is fine, so the only time I actually remove the case is to store the phone on the cradle overnight, and pulling the case back on is a joy now, not as tight fitting as the e100, and I feel that i've had less 'accidental' accepting calls via the joystick as I did with the original horizontal spv case or the e100 case.

In Conclusion :

BUY THIS if you have an e200 for the following reasons:

IT fits really well when the leather has softened, 10 hours was plenty to get a 90% fit, 1week and it's 100%.

Camera flap means that even places that 'don't allow photo phones' cannot see the exposed lens, and keeps the camera lens clean when not in use.

The case is not much more bulky than the e100 version.

MULTIDAPT is great, buy the car fixing kit to be safe!

IR lens cover finishes the case nicely and looks the business.

Without a case you'll be crying if you scratch the screen.

Overall Score :

8/10 for design

10/10 for price £12.99 (including free mini-clip) and a 10% discount on this price for Plus memebers.

9/10 for fit and ease of use (after a running in period)

Overall

9/10.

Look out for 'Will's adventures with GPS' in the next couple of days.

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[Guest Vector]

nice review Will, i think i'll buy one with my plus discount... :D

[Guest capt_janeway]

Just £9.99 at the moment plus £3 delivery :D

[Guest cactusbob]

A hair dryer on the final helps a lot to make it fit. Just don't go overboard when softening the plastic :-)

CB

[Guest Jon_]

I brought one of ebay, from fonejunkie i think it was, and am 100% satisfied, for £10 you cant go wrong, espcially considdering the cost of reparing the screen if the phone gets scratched by a set of keys in the same pocket as the phones in!!

Jon

p.s i had to give it a bit of force to get the phone to fit in the case, but once in and a bif of fine tuning everything lined up

[Guest Vector]

hmm, i ordered the case from smartphoneaccessories.com yesterday, but haven't heard anything from them since :?

anyone else bought from there?...

[Guest Vector]

nevermind, i sorted it (with help from Will :D)

Didn't complete the order process last tie, done it again this evening, and i got a confirmation email ;)

[Guest jmrodriguez]

Have you had any problems with the plastic from the case sticking to the phone screen ? Is there any way around this ?

Thanks.

[Guest Vector]

It sticks to the screen on the E100 case so i would think this one does too... ;)

i've not seen anyway around it...would be interesting to hea if anybody has tho :D

[Guest nickcornaglia]

Just received mine yesterday. It took a bit of work to get it on the first time, but now it fits like a glove and is easy to take off and put back on.

I normally hate cases, but thought I needed something to clip the phone onto my pocket or belt as the e200 isn't always the best IN your pocket. Plus I get the extra protection as my phone has previously vibrated off of my TV onto a glass table.

I have been converted and am now a case-man....when it fits and works as well as this one.

Excellent review Will.

[Guest M@rkC]

I've had my case - bought off eBay from the FoneJunkie (best £11.49 I've spent in a long while :D ) - for just over a month. As everyone else has said, it's a bit of a fight to get the phone in the case - and the case on the phone - but it fits like a glove!! Will mentioned he has to un-case his E200 in order to get it into the cradle....I don't have to...it requires a bit of juggling to get the angle right (arf arf!), but it does sit on there quite happily charging and ActiveSync'ing with no problems.

Mine now lives clipped to the waistband of my jeans and flatly refuses to fall off even when getting in and out of the car - the Krusell MultiDapt clip thingy is strong as hell....not like the clip on the case for my Nok6310i....I kept losing that!!!

My only gripes with the case are that the plastic sticks to the screen and it seems to pick up a fair bit of dust under the plastic around the speaker and the joystick.....both are easy to solve....just unzip the case which unsticks the plastic from the screen and then wipe the dust out wid ya finger....sorted!

[Guest Vector]

Mine just arrived, took a bit of a struggle to get the phone in the case first time, but it's getting looser now :)

Like the hole for the camera, i now have protection for the lens while being able to take pictures with the case on :lol:/