Incase iPod Nano Protective Cover

By chris | Permalink |

1 comment | November 14th, 2007 | Trackback

incase iPod Nano Cover

The Incase iPod nano protective cover has been in my hands for a week or so to test out. Normally we’re pretty hard on our test gear, but since I’m the one contributing the iPod we’re using, I’ve been taking it a lot easier. Sorry folks - this means no 12-foot drops on this test.

The quick & dirty:

Where you can get one:
incase $24.95

Why it rocks:

Nice rubbery material could offer some shock protection

Feels like decent quality

Why it bites:

No cover for the face of the iPod

Can’t connect to accessories without removing from the case

Seat-of-the-pants rating:5 out of 10

Long-winded version:
There really isn’t a whole lot one can do to a rubber gadget case to test it out other than try to tear it in half or feed it to your dog. Sure, you could try to see how much protection it offers by throwing around your electronics but that’s out of the question for me.

In the real-life test I’ve put the Incase iPod Nano Protective Cover through in the last week, I’ve found that it could suit most people’s needs but also has room for improvement. For instance, there is no protection for the face of the iPod, which is very easy to scratch if it’s in your pocket with say, a set of keys. For a rubber cover costing 25 bones, I think this is a fairly large missing piece.

Another annoyance, although accepted more by me, is the fact that I can’t plug my iPod into any accessories that use a base instead of a cable to connect. For me, this is both my car and my speakers at home. While I understand that the case will add to the bulk of the iPod doing it on the bottom and making me remove the case every time I get in the car or back home is a significant frustration. I’ve either chosen to not use the case, or to not use the iPod because of this.

Having used the Incase protective cover for a week, I would not buy one for myself. But then again I’m usually just happy with a protective film on the front anyway as I’m not too harsh on my electronics in general.

Up next for testing is the Incase Sports Armband, which first impressions indicate will be better in my book.