After writing about this, I decided to do some research into the official Nexus 4 bumper. Youtube reviews seemed favorable and noted that the rim around the bumper isn't rubberized like the Apple bumper. I really dislike the Apple bumper due to that rubbery material along the edge. It makes the phone very difficult to slide out of a pocket while sitting down.

So, now I'm sitting here now with an official Nexus 4 bumper on my phone, and it's fantastic. Much better than the TPU case I was using before. There is a metallic ring around the circumference of the bumper. It might actually be plastic, but it looks very good. The material that keeps the phone off the table isn't rubberized and it's not the TPU material I'm familiar with. It's quite rigid and easily slides out of my pocket. The back of the phone is now exposed, but the bumper keeps it from sliding around hard surfaces. I think it will provide good protection while not getting in the way as much as my old case.

Overall, I can highly recommend the Nexus 4 bumper if you must put protection on your phone.