In-Depth Review: Seidio Innocase II & Holster for the 8900
 

The BlackBerry 8900 has come a long way. I was one of the first to get one, hunting it down from the moment I heard of its release.

One of the biggest downfalls of the 8900 was the lack of support for the device. Not technically, but in terms of personalizing it. It took RIM months to come out with a leather holster, skins and a docking station for it. Because of lack of third-party software support, themes for the 8900 are just coming out now.

But arguably the most important accessory for any BlackBerry user is the holster. Seidio is a very popular brand with any phone. They custom make accessories for each phone and generally have a higher quality fit and finish than most others. It is why i trust them with my 8300, my iPhone and now my 8900.

So, here we go... my COMPLETE experience (to date) the Seidio Innocase II and Holster Combo for the 8900.

First off, Ordering and Delivery. Ordering was simple as usual on their website. Since I am Canadian, I elected to go with the cheaper USPS shipping than the FedEx option that costs nearly $15 more. I already had the OEM Holster, so I wasn't in a rush. I placed my order on February 15, and the order arrive March 2nd. Not the shortest delivery time, but just outside of Seidio's 7-10 business day promise.

Now to the real deal. How well does it work?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0258.jpg

The Innocase itself is pretty close to perfect. Any button or port that needs to be accessed has an unobstructed opening. Unlike previous models, there is no longer a "keyboard side" and a "back side" but rather a "top portion" and a "bottom portion". As you can see in the pictures, the case splits right around the "alt" and "enter" keys on the keyboard. This allows you to remove the bottom of the case to dock it to the OEM BlackBerry dock (see pictures below).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0256.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0257.jpg

The only downside (or upside depending on how you want to look at it) is that the bottom half is really difficult to remove. One could say this is good, since the bottom will not fall off, but at the same time, if you charge using a dock, it is quite the chore to remove that bottom portion every time.

All in all the Innocase II provides great protection for the device. it has stopped a lot of minor scratches and the rubberized texture feels good in your hands.

Now the holster. Unfortunately, Seidio decided to cut some costs and use the same holster as the 8330. The model number on the back even shows an 8330 case (see pictures below). The holster does still do the job that it is meant to do, but it is not as snug as you'd want it to be. By this I mean that it still securely holds the phone in place, but the holster doesn't "wrap around" the phone as well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0261.jpg

For starters the biggest gripe is the clip on the top. It leaves a very predominant gap between the phone and the clip (see picture below). Granted it does hold the phone in well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0267.jpg

Also at the bottom of the phone, the "holding feet" (I don't know what else to call them) doesn't quite line up with the phone. I would say this is because the 8900 is thinner than the 8330 the holster was designed for, but it does leave space for things to get snagged on (see pictures below).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0270.jpg

To address some of the questions I have seen elsewhere on the forum...
The camera opening does not have any kind of covering over it. The camera has an unobstructed view, as does the flash.

The clip is very firm. Although it does leave a gap, it grips the phone well. The fact that the Innocase has a strip that protects the phone along the path of the clip means that the phone can be snapped into the holster without lifting the clip, and without worry that it will damage the phone.

I have not seen any damage to my phone because of this case.

The "sleeper" function of the BlackBerry is preserved 100% with their design.

Although the charging ports are exposed at the back of the phone through the Innocase, you do have to remove the bottom portion in order to charge on the OEM dock.

Unlike the OEM skin, there is no cutaway to make some extra space around the keyboard. Sometimes you will find that annoying, but you get used to it really fast.

Lanyard users will be happy to know that the lanyard hole is uncovered, so you can use a lanyard with the Innocase.

SUMMARY:
Innocase II for 8900: 9/10
Innocase Holster for 8900: 7/10
OVERALL: 8/10

I hope this review helps people make an informed decision when considering this product.

Below are additional pictures that I took, but didn't find a good spot to put in the review.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0259.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0262.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0263.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0264.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0265.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0266.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0268.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0269.jpg

Any comments or questions are welcome. Just reply in this thread =)

good review should be cheaper if there using the same clip holster for the 8330 imo

Not a fan
 

I have just not been that happy with Sedio cases.

This new two-part (upper/lower) design seems like a big improvement over the current two-part (top/bottom) design for other models as the "lips" that hold the two sides together breaks too easily.

As for the Holster, they hold and protect the phone really well. The problem I have with them is that they ride very high on your belt. More than half of your phone sticks up above your belt. Seemed like it was always in the way. If Sedio would put the rotation point higher so that the Holster rode lower, it would be much improved.

This is true. Seidio does charge you full price, dispite the holster not being custom made for the 8900. If I am paying full price to have this combo, I expect to have the same amount of research, development and quality as any other phone accessory they make.

It is true the rotation point is in the middle, but maybe its the way I wear my pants (or maybe my belt is starting to form a crease for where I always hang my phone :razz:) but only the top clip is above my pant line when wearing the phone. I personally haven't had any issue with the phone being too high.

Any chance you can take a few pics of the phone in the holster with the keyboard facing out?

According to Seidio, this is possible.

Thanks for the review.

Very good write-up. And very good pictures. Anyone looking for a review, this is the thread to look for.

Hello and thank you all for your interests in our products!

Great review and nice photos! We hope that you enjoy the products very much!

To answer 2wheel's question, while it is possible to holster your 8900 facing out, the device itself will remain inactive because of the sleeper function. And although it is possible, we have designed the holster to be facing-in and DO NOT recommend or support any other configuration.

Thank You!

If you designed the holster to be facing in it didn't seem like you did much since its the 8330 holster and not the 8900. I find this kinda a rip off saying your charging full price for a rehashed product I guess thats the way to put it.

I can do that. I'm a little busy, but I'll try to get the pictures up in the next 24-48 hours.

Thank you :)

Got that and I understand the sleep function. I can work around that.

I'd just like to see the fit.

Thanks

Thanks! Appreciate it!

As requested, here are photos of the phone facing out. Note that the clip does not clasp around the top of the phone, but is propped up by the top of the phone.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0272.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0273.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0274.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_0276.jpg

looks nice... how does that piece of rubber feel on your ear when your talkin on the phone.. does it bug you?

Thanks so much for taking the time to shoot and post the images. Greatly appreciated.

The rubberized feel is not as "grippy" as say, a silicon case, but is far from slippery. For me, it feels good. I love the fact that the 8900 is so thin, but at the same time, I think the Innocase makes it the perfect size for your hands.

As for talking on it, it feels just fine. you don't really notice it. The case does make it harder to clean oil from the screen tho.

Seidio Holster Could Use Improvement
 

I've had a Seidio holster for my 8310 and didn't like it much for one reason: the attachment point on the belt clip is too high on the holster (essentially in the center) making the holster sit too high on the belt. I found a much better alternative than Seidio for my 8310 -- an open leather holster by Speck Products.

However, the Spark holster does not fit my new 8900, so had to go back to the Seidio one. I hope they change the design in the future; if the clip attachment point were lower, the holster would not stick out so much, and would hug the hip better.

I used the case for my 8320 for a while and eventually stopped using it because it made typing too awkward on the outer keys. I'm assuming it's the same on the 8900 so I won't be getting it this time around.

Aside from that, everything else about it was awesome. The fitment was perfect and it felt great.

Wow, thanks for the review. Very well done. I'm also from Canada and have been looking for a deal on the Innocase II and Holster for my 8900. Anybody have any ideas of where to find a deal?

The best I've found so far is directly from their website: seidioonline. I saw an article on BerryReview today that offered the combo for $39.99 with free shipping, but sadly, they were only offering free shipping to the States. And their shipping is more expensive than Seidio's.

I was also wondering about the best screen protector out there. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the information. I was just wondering about that same holster since it was listed as working for the 8320 and 8900. Didn't like the idea of doing that but since you say it fits ok, I will go with it.

Thanks again...

i just got the case today. top notch fit. makes the phone feel more solid too. highly recommended.