This is a guest post by Spencer Sands. He was raised in Austin and is a second year student at The University of Texas studying chemical engineering. You can contact him at spencerpsands AT gmail.com

As technology advances, new waves of smarter, more expensive, and more fragile gadgets are released. These irresistible phones and laptops go around wherever you do, rain or shine, and they most likely take abuse just from daily use around campus. How do you stop your precious iphone from crumbling when just one slip out of the hand could crack the screen? Take these useful words of advice: always use protection.

You may think it’s easy to just stroll on into best buy or the apple store and just pick out the coolest looking case, but that’s not always the best product. There are probably 100 or more companies producing cases, so I’m here to help you focus your choices on a few products I like.

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Otter Box Defender Series

If you’re the kind of person who constantly drops their phone or spills a drink on it, believe it or not you can still own an iphone. The Otter Box Defender Series is quite the tank, sealing out dirt and offering solid protection that can take a punch. It’s not too ugly, but definitely doesn’t come in pink or purple. It may be a little bulky for some people and does come at a higher cost that most other cases, but the Otter Box is going to be the closest thing to giving you an indestructible iphone.
Buy Now:Otterbox 1942-20.4/1942-20.5 iPhone 3G & 3Gs Defender Case

Barely There case by Case-Mate

Having a brick in your pocket is not appealing to all, and so I introduce the barely there case by Case-Mate. This baby is going to make your phone sleek and sexy. Another plus is this case is made for many different phones, so the other half of the population using blackberry can be satisfied. The case may not have the best protection when the phone begins free-falling, but it will protect from scratches on the covered areas and it is also easy to transfer in and out of the pocket. A good buy if you frequent carpeted areas and are gentle with your belongings.
Buy Now:Case-Mate Barely There Acrylic Case for iPhone 3G, 3G S (Black)

Feather case by Incipio

Don’t panic, there are cases in between the two extremes, quite a few actually. Incipio makes some great products, my favorites being the feather and silicrylic cases. As suggested in the name, the feather is another lightweight case, but offers a step up in protection from the barely there case. It comes in many cool colors, but its main flaw is its composition. The rubbery silicone makes for a good grip in your hand, but is very frustrating when pulling out of a pant pocket, as it tends to stick inside your pocket. By the time you get it out, you’ve probably missed your call and your pocket is inside out. I would actually recommend this case for people who prefer to keep their phone in a bag or purse, where the stickiness of the case causes minimal problems.
Buy Now:Incipio Feather Case for iPhone 3G, 3G S (Black)

Silicrylic Case by Incipio

I saved the best for last- the silicrylic case, my personal favorite and a happy medium to the broad spectrum of products. This case by Incipio combines the soft, flexible silicone case with a hard plastic covering to provide well-rounded protection. It gets a decent grade in the style department with several colors, but doesn’t make any boundary-pushing fashion statements. The back of the case is hard plastic and only the sides of the phone or ipod have exposed silicone, so it works much better than the feather in terms of going in and out of the pocket. There is a downside however, the case can take wear and tear, and the silicone can rip up around the corners. If you go with this case, I would avoid taking it on and off a lot and playing around with the silicone part. Incipio makes good all around products and the silicrylic is a tough one to beat.
Buy Now:Incipio SILICRYLIC V3 Case for iPhone 3G, 3G S (Classic Black)

Now you have been exposed to what I consider the best products, and I am confident you will be happy with one of these choices. Feel free to suggest any other products you like in the comments below.