On the other hand, drop that slick device (slick as in a polished design and also as in slippery and easily fumbled) and you could be looking at a loss of a few hundred bucks, so a case is cheap insurance.

After beating up many iPhone cases I've come up with a set of criteria you should consider when choosing your next groovy iPhone case:

1. Make sure that the edge of the case around the screen is higher than the screen. This, of course, won't save your screen if you drop it face down on a pebble, but it will protect against everyday landings on hard floors.

2. Make sure your case has impact absorbing corners ... this is where the first impact usually occurs when dropped and anything that can reduce the shock transferred to the iPhone is what you want.

3. Don't choose a case that is made of a hard or brittle material. Not only might it crack, it will also tend to transfer impact forces better than a more pliant material, unless it's wrapped around a more resilient, inner, rubbery layer. Even then, one drop and, while the phone might still work, the case will probably not be as cool as it once was.