The BlackBerry Bold 9000 comes with a case, but it adds a bit of bulk to the phone. BlackBerry (RIM) makes skin cases specifically for the Bold. The BlackBerry Bold Skin Case comes in a variety of colors (Black, Grey, White, Red, Blue) and it's priced competitively at just $9.95. Read on for our full review.

Design and Usability

The BlackBerry Bold Skin Case is not a heavy duty case, but will offer a decent level of protection for the Bold. Those who will consider this case are looking for easy access to the keyboard and basic protection against scratches from daily use. With the skin on, the only expose areas are your ports, the keyboard and of course the screen. The various buttons on the Bold are also covered, but you can feel the rubberized buttons that allow you to control the Bold. Overall, the BlackBerry Bold Skin Case allows you complete access to your BlackBerry. One caveat, if you have a BlackBerry Bold charging pod, it will not charge with the case on. This case is easily removed and you could simply flip the bottom off before docking. Not exactly an elegant scenario, but it does get the job done. Some cases affect your ability to type, but this was not the case. My typing was not affected at all and not once did I come in contact with the bottom part of the case.

Fit and Finish

Overall, the fit and finish is pretty good for a case that’s under $10. It doesn’t have a gummy feel, but rather a rubberized feel. I’d assume this might help some to achieve a better grip on their Bold. The BlackBerry Bold Skin Case has also got a smooth feel to it.

The sides of the case do not have a tight grip on the bezel. I’m probably being picky, but at times, I could see parts of the silver bezel. In addition, the bottom of the case doesn’t fully cover the AT&T logo. Not that I have anything against AT&T, but I’d rather see no logo or the complete logo. Again, this is just me being very picky.

On the back of the case, you’ve got complete camera access and there is a recessed BlackBerry logo at the bottom. It’s barely noticeable, but does look good. It’s nice to see a BlackBerry logo on the case, as a sort of affirmation that you’re carrying a BlackBerry. In some ways, the case is natural extension of the phone.

Pros:

• Great fit
• Access to all ports
• Low cost
• Assortment of colors (red, black, white, gray, blue)
  
• Rubberized grip

• Not the best case if you drop your Bold
• Could collect dust
• Very slight exposure of chrome on side
• Does not work with BlackBerry charging pod
  

Overall

 The BlackBerry Skin Case for the Bold 9000 offers excellent protection against scratches and doesn’t add much if anything to the size of the Bold. If you are the type who drops your phone often, then perhaps you’d be better off a more durable case. The fit is close to perfect, but that’s probably more to do with the style of case and material than anything else. As you'll see in the photos, it's very close. As the manufacturer of both the hardware and case, you know that RIM has done everything to meet the size and design specs of the Bold. If you are in the market for a skin case, it's hard to go wrong with this case.


The BlackBerry Bold Skin case retails for $9.95 and is available at the Everything Berry Store.