Author: Devin

Recently I reviewed the Nokia Silicone Cover CC-1005 and while it looks extremely good it does take away from the design of the N8 in the sense that it  covers the entire device with the silicone material, hiding the beautiful design and metal body. The idea behind the CC-3000 is that offers some protection, while still allowing you to show of the N8’s striking exterior. Is this better than the CC-1005? Which of the two should you get? Let’s find out.

The CC-3000 is a hard cover case made out of a soft touch plastic. Nokia is offering it in Pink, Blue, White and Black, but strangely leaving out the original Grey, Orange and Green. The chosen colors for the CC-3000 are indeed attractive and colorful, but it’s a mystery as to why there not offering a matching case for all the original colors. I can’t think of a single reason why they weren’t able to manufacturer the case in these colors. Nokia’s design department should have known that someone with a Green N8 is likely to look for a matching Green case. They could always do some mixing and matching by going for other colors, but without any doubt some will be disappointed by the lack of a corresponding case. Not offering these colors is a missed opportunity.

Update: Nokia has now created the CC-3013, CC-3001 and CC-3002 which are available in Grey, Orange and Green, however these cases are either two-toned or have a glossy material. In my opinion, Nokia should still update the CC-3000 and include these missing colors, especially for the single color and soft-touch material.

The case mostly protects the back, but leaves a large opening for the entire camera module, as a result a large part of the metal is exposed.

To decrease the chances of this part getting scratched, the edges of this opening are slightly raised. This won’t protect the camera module from sharp objects like keys, but it will prevent scratches that occur when the N8 slightly slides as you put down or pick it from a hard flat surface. Many that use their N8 without a case have reported that their N8 had developed scratches around the edges of the camera module, this case will definitely prevent that. The sides of the N8 are left exposed with the exception of the corners where the case curves up to grip to the body of the N8. The top and bottom of the N8 are also exposed.

It may seem like you’re not getting much with the CC-3000 considering that a great part of the device is still left exposed and the fact that very little material is used, but it makes perfect sense. This case is all about using less material and using it at key locations where it matters. This makes for case that’s as light as possible, while still showcasing the N8’s design. One thing is for sure, the CC-3000 wasn’t made to protect the N8 from falls or a more active use. In situation were you’re likely to accidentally drop your N8 or use it in more demanding situations you’re better of with a silicone, leather or even rugged case. In other situations, the CC-3000 is simply perfect: It almost feels like you’re not using a case at all, it adds some extra grip and to me it evens seems to add to the overall design.

Considering the fact that when you put the N8 down, it’s the back that touches the surface, it’s no surprise that most of the CC-3000’s material was used to cover the back of the N8. Since the N8 can’t stand on it’s sides this area is left exposed. Even so, the corners don’t allow the sides to touch the surface adding some protection: When you hold the N8 on it’s side, you’ll notice that these raised edge also raise the body, never allowing it to touch the surface.

One small detail that you should be aware of and one that can clearly be seen from the pictures above is the fact that the case doesn’t match the N8’s tone of Blue, the same can be said Nokia’s CC-1005 silicone case. The difference is that the CC-3000 does comes closer to the N8’s Blue. A nice detail is the “Nseries” logo on the back of the case.

The CC-3000 is extremely easily to clean and the soft-touch material makes it very easy rub scratches out. One day I noticed that noticed that the case had a black scratch on the back. With a bit of rubbing I was able to remove 90% of this. Thinking that the rest was permanent it complete disappeared after about a week. Not only did it prevent this from scratching my N8, but the scratch was easily removed.

CC-3000 or CC-1005?

Choosing between the 3000 and the 1500  comes down to whether you prefer extra protection or a product that balances protection and design. Aesthetically speaking, the CC-1500 wins hand down: the N8 is a very attractive looking phone and the CC-3000 compliments this without adding any bulk or any features that are not in harmony with the overall theme. But if protecting N8 is your number one priority, the silicone-based CC-1500 is definitely the better choice and  covers a much higher percentage of the body. The soft material is also more likely to protect the device and absorb the energy in case of a fall.

Both of these cases offer some extra grip, a welcome addition to a device as slippery as the N8, but the 1500’s silicone material and the fact that it wraps completely around the N8 makes it the better choice. The CC-1500 also covers a great deal of the camera module, in contrast the CC-3000 leaves a good part of the camera module exposed. On the other hand, it’s very easy to change SIM/Memory cards with the CC-3000 on as it leaves this area unexposed. You’d have to completely remove the CC-1500 to access these features. As for the camera shutter button it works with both cases, but with the silicone you almost loose much of the tactile two-stage mechanism of the button.

In the end it really depends on your usage, but the silicone-based CC-1500 still looks good and offers the better protection, which makes it the overall winner. Do consider that the 3000 looks extremely look and doesn’t add any bulk to the N8, while still providing some protection. In the end I did find myself liking the CC-3000 a lot more, even though the CC-1500 might be the better case.  The CC-3000 gets a 9 out of 10.

Pros

-Offers protection while still showing the N8’s design

-Looks really good

-Soft touch material feel great and adds extra grip

-Scratches disappear after a while or are easy to rub out

-Doesn’t add bulk

Cons

-Not available in all colors of the N8.

-Doesn’t match the N8’s tone of Blue.

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I’ve got some great news to share, The Nokia Guide app is now on OVI Store and can be downloaded right here or you can simply search for “The Nokia Guide” in OVI Store. I’ve also included a handy link on the side bar on the right where you can also download the app. Any feedback about the app is welcome. I would also like to thanks my friends at Nokia for helping me out.

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