A rim (200; 200A; 200B) for protecting a handheld computing device, the rim (200; 200A; 200B) comprising: a left edge sized and dimensioned to engage a left edge of the handheld computing device; a right edge sized and dimensioned to engage a right edge of the handheld computing device; a top edge sized and dimensioned to engage a top edge of the handheld computing device; a bottom edge sized and dimensioned to engage a bottom edge of the handheld computing device; a first connector included within at least one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) for connecting to the handheld computing device; and an electronic processor disposed within at least one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B), the processor communicatively connectable to the handheld computing device via the first connector when the handheld computing device is engaged by the rim (200; 200A; 200B); a removable backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) positionable between the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) and behind the handheld computing device when the handheld computing device is engaged by the rim (200; 200A; 200B); the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) including a connector; one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) including a third connector mateable with the connector of the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) to enable communication between the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) and said one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) including the third connector; and the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) including a resilient material, wherein the electronic processor is configured to execute software stored on non-transitory media and to communicate with the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) via the backplate connector and the third connector and determine if the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) is authenticated for use with one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B), said determination of authentication being based on a unique serial number communicated by the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370). a left edge sized and dimensioned to engage a left edge of the handheld computing device; a right edge sized and dimensioned to engage a right edge of the handheld computing device; a top edge sized and dimensioned to engage a top edge of the handheld computing device; a bottom edge sized and dimensioned to engage a bottom edge of the handheld computing device; a first connector included within at least one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) for connecting to the handheld computing device; and an electronic processor disposed within at least one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B), the processor communicatively connectable to the handheld computing device via the first connector when the handheld computing device is engaged by the rim (200; 200A; 200B); a removable backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) positionable between the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) and behind the handheld computing device when the handheld computing device is engaged by the rim (200; 200A; 200B); the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) including a connector; one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) including a third connector mateable with the connector of the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) to enable communication between the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) and said one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) including the third connector; and the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B) including a resilient material, wherein the electronic processor is configured to execute software stored on non-transitory media and to communicate with the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) via the backplate connector and the third connector and determine if the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370) is authenticated for use with one of the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the rim (200; 200A; 200B), said determination of authentication being based on a unique serial number communicated by the backplate (300; 364; 368; 370).