One of the challenges of using the Samsung Focus is finding a decent case for the Windows Phone. The smartphone case industry seems to be hesitant to flood the market with cases but every now and then you run across something decent.
Case Mate has been in the smartphone case business for some time now and is offering the Pop case for the Samsung Focus. The Pop is part rubber case and part hard shell case. It get's its name because it "pops" into place but how much pop does the Pop have? Follow the break to find out.
Design
I stumbled upon the Case Mate Pop! while looking for an Otterbox Commuter for the Focus. I liked how the Otterbox combined a hard shell case with a rubber lining. The Pop follows this design concept really well.
The hard shell case is lined with rubber that extends to the sides of the case to give it a solid grip. Instead of cutouts side buttons are covered with the rubber portion of the case in a manner to maintain functionality. The back side does have cutouts for the camera and speaker.
The Pop comes in two color patterns. You have a red case with black sides and a black case with gray sides.
Fit and Feel
Once in place, the Pop adds noticeable thickness to the Samsung Focus. Not too much to make the Windows Phone feel like a cinder block but the Pop takes the thin, curved feel away from the Focus. It gives the Windows Phone a little bit of a boxy feel to it as well. The Pop fits the Focus like a glove but some may see it more along the lines of a ski glove than a tightly fitted driving glove.
With regards to protection, the Pop does a really good job of protecting the back and sides of the phone from dings and scratches. The case does wrap around the Focuse slightly to create a bumper around the screen. This bumper will offer some protection, mainly when laying the phone screen down.
With regards to durability, it didn't take long before the hard shell started to show hairline scratches and after a few weeks of use with a Ecolife belt case, the rubber sides started to show signs of wear.
Overall Impression
The Case Mate Pop case for the Samsung Focus is a nice case. If you're looking for something that will maintain the thin form factor of the Focus, you may want to consider the Mobi Hard Case instead. If you like the Commuter from Otterbox, you'll like the Pop. The Pop may be a little thicker but the feel is very similar.
The Case Mate Pop normally runs about $30 and you can find it at AT&T's Online and Retail Stores, through Case-Mate directly or online retailers such as Amazon.com. Amazon and Case Mate are offering the red case (black case as well directly through Case Mate) for $9.99. There's no indication if this is a sale or permanent price drop. Either way, it's a good deal on a decent case.
