Jivo Ice Case for iPhone 4 review

What every iPhone owner wants is to show off their stylish smartphone, while simultaneously protecting it from the keys, coins and clumsy drops that would otherwise harm those good looks.

Until a manufacturer creates an invisible iPhone case, we’ll have to settle for those that let you see your device in all its glory and Jivo’s Ice Case certainly scores highly in that area.

This solid plastic case locks into place in three positions to firmly grasp your iPhone 4, while still showing off the handsome handset within it. In fact, the case is so transparent that any little bubbles trapped on the front of the iPhone from a poorly applied screen protector will suddenly be a slight embarrassment.

The Jivo Ice also delivers when it comes to accessing all of those necessary controls and docking points. The ringer control and volume buttons are very easy to use thanks to that whole section being exposed. However, the tough plastic placed around it means they’re recessed into the case and still effectively protected.

Docking is similarly easy and the only access issue you might encounter is if you’re using a fatter or right-angled 3.5mm headphone jack.

You’ll actually be glad that the Ice Case does allow such full access to the controls, because it’s when you do finally choose to remove it that you discover its major flaw: it doesn’t want to come off. When we said it “firmly” holds the iPhone, that’s no understatement.

The most obvious point of extraction is at the bottom of the screen, near the docking port, but even the hardest tug of the two sides couldn’t pop the case open.

The first time we tried this we were straining so hard people moved cups off a nearby table in case it suddenly sprang open and we sent them flying. The case was eventually removed by prising apart the less obvious and still-not-that-easy-to-budge connecting point at the top of the screen.

Thankfully, it should be some time before you need to change such a good looking case. Yes, the back of the Jivo Ice will hold onto your fingerprints and, yes, when you take the time to rub those fingerprints off and hold it up to the light you’ll find micro scratches.

Sadly, that’s a feature of a tough plastic case over its silicon counterpart, but even though the scratches will gradually grow more prominent, it’ll be some time before you think about making this case disappear completely.