Ever since I got my 4S and Twelve South’s BookBook case, I fell in love with the idea of having my phone and wallet inseparable. While I have never lost my wallet and have seldom misplaced it, knowing that Find My iPhone now applies to the contents of my wallet is very appealing.
After spending a couple of months with the BookBook, I decided to take a break from it after lusting over Speck’s CandyShell Card. I ended up taking the plunge and for the past month and a half, my iPhone has been snug and content in the CandyShell Cardholder. Comparing it to the BookBook in some ways isn’t fair. The BookBook is more of a straightforward wallet as the stitched leather is elegant and truly gives you the feel of reading a small, leather bound book. The downside is that the BookBook hinders a few of the iPhone features—namely the lack of a hole for the rear-facing camera and typing in portrait mode feels a bit awkward.
The CandyShell Cardholder provides a less impaired experience as I am not restricted to typing in landscape mode and I can quickly snap pictures without having to maneuver the case. Both cases feel very protective—the BookBook’s front cover provides screen protection and the CandyShell Cardholder has a protective rubber lip on the front of the case and the back is hard plastic reinforced by rubber.
Both cases, however, hardly have any space for carrying cash which I personally don’t mind too much, but I can certainly see where that would be a drawback for many customers. (50 Cent, for example.)
Perhaps one day, I’ll go back to using a standard wallet, but in the meantime, I would highly recommend the CandyShell Cardholder ($39.99), which is available in five colors, and the BookBook ($59.99) for those who don’t mind the features I outlined above and who like the look and feel of leather.
Save $5 on any in-stock CandyShell Cardholder with code “candyme”!
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