The Sena MagnetFlipper is an attractive and refined case for the iPhone (and iPod touch) with several thoughtful features that make it a pleasure to carry.

It's called a MagnetFlipper because its rigid protective front cover is secured with a tiny magnet and can be flipped open with a flick of the wrist. (View a short Flash movie of wrist-flicking action here.)

Features I found thoughtful included a removable belt clip and the fact that when the clip was removed the back of the case was flat with no post or screw sticking out like many cases. The inside of the front panel is designed to comfortably hold a few thin items such as your driver's license, credit card, or currency. Although it won't fit in a dock for charging (like most cases), all of the ports and controls are accessible and you can easily recharge it using a cable without removing the phone from the case.

Another nice touch is that the MagnetFlipper is available in a variety of colors and textures. Smooth Napa leather color options include Black, Tan, Red, Royal Blue, Baby Blue, Green, Orange, Brown, White, and Pink. Or choose simulated crocodile Napa leather, which is slightly glossier and is available in Black, Red, Burgundy, and Tan.

Initially I was concerned about having a magnet in such close proximity to my iPhone. But the magnet is small and not very powerful; in over a month of use I've experienced no problems with it.

The Bottom Line

Both the black smooth leather iPhone case and the tan crocodile iPod touch case we received looked elegant and felt great in our hands. Protection is very good and the one-handed flip open feature is slick. About the only thing I can criticize is the price--$52 seems a bit high even for a case of this quality.