G2 Accessory to Avoid: T-mobile Body Glove Snap on Case

After kvetching about how my new G2 doesn't come with a case, I bit the bullet and paid way too for an authentic T-mobile case.

The one I bought isn't featured on the t-mobile site, but a similar one is: G2 Protective Cover. This model on eBay appears to be the exact model.

The case itself consisted of two hard plastic pieces that wrap the phone, and a knob to snap into a belt clip.

First off - I should say that the case had one advantage: the belt clip contained a kickstand which I found surprisingly helpful. Unfortunately, that was the only pro. The rest of the case was all cons. Specifically:

• The hard plastic shell made the heavy G2 even heavier, and turned it into a clunky device.
• Because of the way the top shell wrapped around the phone, it crowded the top row of the keyboard. The result was that when I typed on the top row I had to pay extra special attention to pressing the keys in just the right location.
• The hard plastic shell totally threw off the balance of the slide mechanism. The result was that the keyboard now slid out way too easily. When my Brother saw how easily the keyboard slid out, he honestly thought I had a defective model of phone.
• The phone snaps into a belt clip and can be positioned at any angle. Problem is, unless you position the phone just right, gravity will cause the keyboard to expand. The result is that I had to clip the phone in place then rotate it until the keyboard didn't slide out.

Bottom line - by adding this plastic shell, I took an elegantly designed phone and made it a clunky mess.

I guess there was one more advantage to the case: taking it off made me feel like I got a brand new, sleeker, phone.