The Good: Easy to use, Relatively inexpensive, Can make color choice for iPod less problematic.
The Bad: Still leaves back partially exposed, Not the strongest protection in the world.
The Basics: Apple’s blue silicon sleeve is a stylish way to protect an iPod Shuffle from wear and limited catastrophes.
As some of my readers might know, I recently found myself in possession of an iPod Shuffle (click here for that review!). Because sometimes it’s the thought that counts and because I am paranoid about scratching the screen on my iPod Touch (click here for that review!), I have been taking my new iPod Shuffle with me more on the go to listen to music as I walk to and from the library. As a result, I found myself in the market for a silicone sleeve for my iPod Shuffle.
For that, I went directly to Apple, despite the fact that things there tend to be a little pricier than they ought to be. The 1" wide x 1 1/2" long x 1/4" thick silicone sleeve I picked up was blue. The reason for this was simple: first, the blue was a better color for me than the purple of the actual iPod. Second, the silicon sleeve from Apple is somewhat translucent and the yellow and white were not opaque enough to be those colors on the purple Shuffle. The lilac of the iPod Shuffle’s body was effectively overshadowed by the bright blue of this silicon sleeve.
The silicon sleeve is essentially a rubber, much like a pair of galoshes, which one wraps around the face of the Shuffle the way one would put the bottom of the foot into the galoshes. Because the Shuffle has no screen, the purpose of the silicon sleeve is to keep the Shuffle clean and protected. The face of the sleeve has raised harder silicon nodules over the buttons on the Shuffle’s face, so it has the same clockface pattern as the Shuffle itself. Because this was specifically designed by Apple for their iPod Shuffles, these nodules line up perfectly with the “play,” “stop,” “track forward,” and “track back” buttons on the face of the Shuffle.
This silicon sleeve effectively keeps dirt and dust from getting into the controls and I’ve found it also effectively cushions the Shuffle from falls from a moderate height, like when I was running and the clip detached from my coat and my Shuffle went skittering into the street. That the Shuffle was intact and perfectly usable afterward, I attribute to the fact that the silicone sleeve was on it (and the fact that some of the momentum was broken by my earbuds being wrenched out of my ears and slowing the Shuffle’s descent down).
Because it is specifically designed for the Shuffle, there are two holes in the top of this silicon sleeve where the jack for the headphones may be plugged in as well as an opening for the power on and off button. This helps the user figure out what the top and bottom of the sleeve are as well.
After a few weeks of use, the silicon sleeve has proved itself adequate in protecting and recoloring my iPod Shuffle!
For other i-products or devices designed to protect them, please check out my reviews of:
Griffin iPad Screen Care Kit
Jwin Silicone protector for iPad
OrionGadgets Synch and Charge USB Cable For iPad
6/10
For other electronic device reviews, please check out my index page for a coherent listing of them by clicking here!
© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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