Should I get a rubber case or a snap on shell? (whatever that is)
A personal decision, but I like the hard case because I carry the phone in my pocket, and it
- slides in and out of the pocket more easily
- attracts no lint like the the silicon one.
Also screen protectors - what's a good one for the Optimus?
I'm thrilled with
this case and protector. You can find them on eBay in various configurations (case, added screen protector, added car charger, and added home charger) and a few colors for $5 to $10 (but sometimes $6 to $12) if you search for "hard case Optimus S". (I even found a case alone for $3, but am still waiting for its delivery--eBay seller zydistro ships quickly from California).
I don't recommend Zaggs Invisible Shield or equivalent, because of the slight added drag. The "regular" screen protector as you would get in the eBay package with case seems to have no drag in comparison to the bare screen. It has front and back removable thin plastic covers with tabs, so you can put this on with no bubbles, provided you are careful not to touch the sticky side, and you clean the screen very well beforehand. I.e., follow the great video instructions for application by Clarivue linked to in
this post.
The screen protector even has a cutaway for the proximity sensor. The protector is a tiny bit smaller than the Optimus V's glass, but that's a good thing IMO, as it's slightly easier to apply, and what it doesn't cover is just some screen that contains no display (just black screen).