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Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
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Release Date: March 27, 2009
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iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
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Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

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Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
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Release Date: April 05, 2009
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Discover New Music

  • Gimme Fiction

    • 10 out of 10
    • Spoon
    • Gimme Fiction by Spoon is a terrific album by an Austin band that I was lucky enough to catch on an Austin radio station during a Christmas visit.

  • Supernature

    • 10 out of 10
    • Goldfrapp
    • On their latest CD, Supernature, Goldfrapp has put together a successful mix of 1980-era New Romanticism, German cabaret, and T. Rex glam that leaves you riveted even through the album's lulls. It's a great amalgam that sounds current without sounding at all dated.

  • 2112

    • 10 out of 10
    • Rush
    • We all know it, right? Well, ya just gotta have it. 2112 finally showed Rush out on their own, doing their own thing, and doing it well, IMHO.
  • Every Day: The Best of the Verve Years

    • 8 out of 10
    • Joe Williams
    • Joe Williams was Figure Two in my three-man education in singing. A brilliant vocalist, scatter, and interpreter of jazz and blues, Williams produces music that's totally unique, yet sounds so effortl
  • Aretha Sings the Blues

    • 6 out of 10
    • Aretha Franklin
    • While she didn't always have the best taste in song selection, Aretha Franklin is a must-study for anyone with interest in the human voice. She has the kind of powerful, recklessly passionate deliv

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In-Depth Review

Belkin Micro Grip case (for iPhone 3G)

Most of the cases I review do what they're supposed to do. Some do it better than others. Some are a better value than others. But most of the iPod and iPhone cases I've tested pretty much do what they're designed to do -- provide protection for your handheld device.

The Belkin Micro Grip case does what it's designed to do. It's mostly a well-designed and well-made case. The textured rubber exterior it's named for does indeed make it easier to grip than some cases. It's easy to put on and take off, is thin and lightweight, and allows docking without removing it. Available in black and pink, it's even kind of handsome if you go for that spider-webby look.

Unfortunately, in spite of all that's right about this case it has a flaw so annoying I can't possibly recommend it. That flaw is that there is rubber over the iPhone's Home button, and that rubber makes it significantly more difficult to press the button. It rarely worked the first time I pressed it. It sometimes took three, four, or even five presses to get the iPhone to recognize that it's Home button had been pressed. It was so bad sometimes that I lifted the front of the case and stuck my finger under it to press the Home button.

The Bottom Line

I've tested many cases that cover the Home button but this is the only one that made it significantly more difficult to press. And so, gentle reader, for that reason I don't recommend this case in spite of its otherwise appealing features.

Just The Facts

Pros:Rubberized exterior does provide for a better grip than some cases.

Cons:Covering the Home button with rubber makes it significantly more difficult to press.

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