OtterBox Defender Series for BlackBerry Storm Review

Presentation

At first glance, the OtterBox 9500S looks pretty much the same as any other in the Defender Series, but there are a few key differences when compared to the Bold case I looked at in the fall. For one, the volume keys are no longer textured according to being up or down. It seems like a small thing, especially when anyone with half a brain can figure out which way is up, but I was surprised at how much I had relied on touch alone to adjust volume or tracks.

In terms of feel, the rubber skin still adds a lot of grip that the device alone wouldn’t enjoy otherwise, although it doesn’t match the Impact Series, which is textured up like nobody’s business. You’ll also have to deal with considerable extra bulk on your BlackBerry when it comes to any Defender Series; you certainly get used to it after awhile, but without a doubt, but it’s a huge relief to take it all off after awhile. The aforementioned Impact Series is a fine compromise if size is an issue for you.

One of the big changes in the Bold case were hooks in the hard plastic to hold the rubber skin in place; before that, the hooks were built into the skin and latched into the frame, which didn’t work so well. The Storm case refines the idea a bunch by adding an extra anchor on the bottom and right side, as well as making them bigger to provider a deeper overhang in which the skin can be secured. Two smaller pegs by the earpiece further ensure that the rubber outer layer won’t move anywhere once it’s on.