The Tough-Skin for iPod from Speck has been around for a little while now, so it was pleasing to see they recently brought to market a similar item for the iPod mini – for those lucky few who got their hands on one before it was replaced by the leaner (in every respect) iPod nano.
Speck not only made this product tough, but also the packaging tough as well! Armed with a pair of Leonardo's most useful invention (scissors) the case was easily breached. The Tough-Skin is obviously a simple unit. One case and one clip. So simple in fact that you don't need instructions – a Kiwi bloke's dream. The funny thing was, I hadn't anticipated this either and spent a good 60 seconds studying the packaging and the Tough-Skin for instructions or even a hint as to how to insert the iPod mini into the skin. No dice. There really was only one possibility – remove the clear plastic screen protector and slide the iPod through it. Thankfully this was undertaken without incident.
The material of the Tough-Skin stretches over the top of the iPod securely encasing it. Phew. Reattach the clear plastic screen protector, as well as the clear plastic click-pad cover and you're done. I know, I know you're going to call me a sissy, but I really would have preferred some sort of guide as to how to get the iPod in there – my heart was in my mouth as I squeezed the iPod through the screen hole.
With the iPod securely ensconced within the Tough-Skin, felt incredibly, well… non-slip. The tactile feel of the rubber was superb. You felt as if you had all the grip you could ever want. The translucent rubber is not only ribbed, but of a type that clings to the skin of your hand in a sort of "you'll never drop me" kind of way. It's reminiscent of the rubber used in those solid super-bouncy-balls. The thickness of the Tough-Skin, especially at the corners certainly gives the iPod mini a considerable degree of impact absorption missing without it.
Now I'll admit up front that the only time our iPod mini has been dropped was by yours-truly. Thankfully it fell flat so there was no external damage, and it's been fine for many months since then, so I guess the internals survived okay too – but having the Tough-Skin is just so much better. The reason the iPod fell was because the Apple provided clip slipped off my belt. Well the clip that attaches to the rear of the Tough-Skin won't be coming off my belt by accident anytime soon. You get the feeling that Speck got their inspiration from the jaws of a crocodile. Once attached, this baby won't let go – unless you want it to of course. The 'belt' clip attaches via it's own clip system to the rear of the Tough-Skin. It requires the press of a button like mechanism to separate from the spindle, so really, it's not going anywhere. The mounting clip itself can be spun around to any angle so the clip should be able to hang onto a fair range of objects.
As good as the case clearly is for toughening the iPod, protection is not my primary reason for wanting it. Slightly more important to me was as a mounting mechanism for the car. There's a dearth of iPod mini car mounting options available, so the Tough-Skin is going to moonlight as a car mount. All I have to do now is locate something around the dashboard for the jaws of the clip to attach to and we'll be right.
The use of the iPod within the Tough-Skin is so straightforward I almost forgot to make mention of it in this review. The touch sensitive click-pad is protected in the same manner as the screen. A cover of hard clear plastic keeps the controls from being bumped (there's not so much need to use the 'Hold' switch at the top of the iPod). When you need to use the iPod controls, the clear cover hinges down and when you're done, is held closed by a simple, if slightly flimsy looking clip. I should add that the clip keeping the clear cover closed hasn't yet failed, so appearances may be deceiving – it surely worked fine for me. Like the clear screen cover, the hinged click-pad cover can be easily removed as well, if you don't feel you need the extra protection. The hold button at the top of the iPod is still accessible as are the jacks for headphones and remote.
There are a few things that need to be considered when weighing the pros and cons for the Tough-Skin. I've highlighted the pros in that it clearly does exactly what it is sold to do. No complaints, it is good at its job. Just be aware that removing the iPod from the Tough-Skin is a little on the difficult side. Why would you want to remove your iPod from its full rubber jacket? Well, our iPod is also half our stereo (the other half is a cool TDK Tremor R80 amp & speakers, with remote control). Sitting in the tough skin, there's no way it can fit into a Dock. Yes you can plug the wire from the amplifier into the headphone socket, but you've still got to charge the player. This means disconnecting the USB cable (in our case connected to an Apple USB power block) from the Dock and connecting it to the iPod mini through the well-sized slot in the base of the Tough Skin.
Also be aware that the Tough-Skin is not an all weather cover nor will it keep out sand or dirt any more than before. As is clear from the name and its shape, it toughens the iPod from knocks and significantly lessens the chance of it slipping from your hand.
So you need to think, how do I use my iPod mini? If it's more as a stereo component utilising an iPod mini with Dock, you'll really have to learn to master the sliding in and out the iPod mini of the Tough-Skin (good luck). If it's as a portable music player, clipped to your belt or in your handbag, then the Speck Tough-Skin for iPod mini is a really great accessory.
I was initially apprehensive when opening the package of the iPod Shuffle Metal case because visually it was considerably larger than I had anticipated. Side by side it dwarfs the diminutive Shuffle but the case's solid construction adds to the protection it gives its valuable cargo.
After testing out the case for a week I couldn't imagine a more sturdy housing for the iPod Shuffle. I had no problem throwing the Shuffle in my bag or in my pocket while running.
Using metal, makes this case very sturdy and creates a protective and (in part) anti-shock layer around the pod. Although the case is very sturdy, the USB cover attachment fits quite loosely and is not secure, at times means that it is likely to fall off if bumped.
I put myself forward as a reviewer because I thought I had a good way to stress test it. The Auckland Marathon was how I put the Speck SkinTight Armband (touted as providing you with "the freedom to run, bike, walk or work-out") to the test.
There's a hole in the back so it's easy to slide the large button up and down and a thicker part to make sure the battery check button is pressed. It was the front that caused me some trouble though. I can't be sure if it was the iPod acting up or if the soft case had shifted sideways with several hours worth of pounding the pavement, but when I tried to skip to the next song it just wouldn't. Then I held the button in and eventually found it fast-forwarding instead. I've since tested it at home and haven't noticed the same problem.
Set up was very straightforward, which is fortunate because in a typical gadget-crazed frenzy I cut through the heat-sealed plastic and anything that could have been instructions. Your iPod is pushed through an opening at the iGuy's waist. After a small amount of cajoling it became apparent a plastic support should also be inserted (fits between the skin and the back of the iPod). There is a plastic screen protector, which can be removed if you wish, but as this is a feature lacking in other skins I saw it as a great benefit.
The design of the skin has been well thought out, with extra beveling around the hold switch to let you reach it easily. The only area for improvement was the click wheel cut out which was a bit rough around the edges. I like that the iPod is very well protected and the rubber is very tactile to handle. The flip-side is that the snug fitting, rubber skin does not allow you to get the iPod in and out very easily – something I do every day to plug in my iTrip.
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