SQUIB: a : a short humorous or satiric writing or speech; b : a short news item. (Merriam-Webster)
This Tech Squib sets your iPhone free — or at least keeps it looking like an iPhone while not allowing most tumbles to break its glass.
The AL13 from Bite Me…Sorry…BiteMyApple and Thinkbym.com is elegantly simple, yet essential. Basically, it’s an iPhone 5 shaped ring composed of aerospace aluminum and shock-resistant rubber that snaps snugly around your device. It protects the outlines and corners of the iPhone from drops, dings and moderate impacts.
The upside for the AL13 is it provides basic protection while allowing your iPhone to look like an iPhone. There are cases out there that will save your phone from a meteorite collision, but you lose the sleek, slim grace of your glass wonder box.
Maybe a little pricey at $79, the cost of that more refined aesthetic is more limited protection. The AL13 offers no direct screen padding. If something nicks that glass, the AL13 won’t stop the crack. But, drop the phone onto its sides or corners, and you should be safe.
So, it’s all a question of how you balance protection and appearance.
