Logitech case+ review

Every now and then a new variation on something we use every day comes out and you wonder – why didn't they think of that earlier?  This is one of those cases! 

Logitech has just released some brilliant new iPhone 5/5S cases that do a lot more than just protect your phone.  Case+ is a smart slim case that will give your iPhone moderate protection from drops and side impacts.  It has soft-touch polycarbonate ends and sides and a metal back shield, with cut outs for all the buttons, switches and ports.  But it’s not just the case that you’ll want, it’s what you can add-on to the case, because the case is just the base for some very useful gadgets….

Case+tilt

The Case+ tilt is a thin panel that attaches to the back of your Case+ and lets you attach your smartphone magnetically to any metal surface – why haven’t I seen anything like this before?  I used it in the kitchen to watch cooking videos with it mounted to my fridge. I've also found a great way of not losing my phone under the papers on my desk – I now stick it to my magnetic whiteboard or the metal filing cabinet next to my desk. 

If you've ever propped your phone up against something to stand it up you’ll love what else you can do with the +tilt panel.  The edges of the panel can click together to form a little kickstand that allows you to stand your iPhone up.  

This was very handy at my father-in-law’s birthday dinner on Saturday night – rather than having to pass the phone around the table to look at the latest family pics we could stand it up in front of a few at a time and they could view a slideshow of the photos.   It would also be perfect for a group Skype call; for positioning your phone if you are recording sound, and watching videos.  It’s meant to form a stand with your phone horizontal, but you can pop the kickstand off and if you position it about half way up your phone it will support it vertically as well.   The stand also makes a handy earphone holder!

Case+drive

Now that it is illegal to hold your phone while driving; and our phones often now replace a separate GPS – a hands free mount in the car is essential.  The Case+drive magnetically mounts your phone to your car’s dashboard or windshield.  There are no clips to hold your phone – with the Case+ on your phone you just place it against the +drive mount and it is securely magnetically attached – in whatever position you prefer.  No clips also means that getting your phone off the mount is just a matter of pulling it straight off.  The +drive mount separates to allow it to be positioned at whatever angle you need.

That yellow lever you can just see in the picture above is used to attach the +drive to your dashboard or windscreen – twist it until it clicks to lock, and untwist to unlock.  Which means it is really easy to change the position of your Case+drive mount.  Transfer it from the dashboard to the windscreen – or back again – great for suiting different driver preferences.   If you want to make your +drive even more secure and you've got just the one spot where you always use it on your dashboard, you can first attach the included ‘dashboard mounting adaptor’ (adhesive on one side) which you can then attach the +drive to.  You don’t need to use the adaptor if you attach to your windscreen.

Whilst you want the convenience of being able to use your phone in your car if you have to, you don’t want it obstructing your vision.  The Case+drive is so much smaller and neater than any other car mount I've seen – it's about a third of the size of my old phone mount.

The clever Logitech people also include a metallic universal phone adaptor, which means any smartphone can be used with the Case+drive – not just an iPhone.  The thin plate is placed either inside a slim phone case or directly onto the back of a phone. 

With Case+ you can buy exactly what you need - just the case or with the accessories you want:

You can find out more about the case+ products, including the case+energy, a battery pack, that I haven’t reviewed here.

These products are available online from the Logitech site, and at retailers around Australia, including JB Hi-Fi and Dick Smith.

Guess what lovely readers... I have a case+tilt to give away!  All you have to do to have a chance of winning is to make sure you have liked Techie Mum on Facebook, and leave me a comment below telling me where you'd most likely stick your case+tilt and why.  The most creative entry will win.  You've got until Sunday 23 March to enter.  Entry is only open to Australian residents.

Disclosure:  I was given the Case+tilt and Case+drive to trial and review.  All opinions are my own.

Giveaway Terms & Conditions

• This competition is a game of skill.
• Submit your entry in a comment at the bottom of this post.  
• Follow Techie Mum on Facebook here – if you don’t already.
• This competition is open to Australian Residents only.  
• The competition is open for one week – from 17 March to 23 March 2014
• The winner will be announced on Monday 24 March 2014 on the Techie Mum blog, Facebook page, and Twitter. 
• The winner will be contacted via the blog or by email address where one has been provided.  The winner has four days to reply, otherwise the prize will be redrawn.

This competition has now closed

The winning entry from Jennifer B creatively added some poetry too....

That Logitech case on my filing cabinet in plain field of view. No office handbag scrambles when calls come through.  And watching never-ending You-tube makeup how-to's... on the frame of my mirror! I'd stick it there too!!!