A Very Average Case: Apple's Clear Plastic Case For The Nano – Insecure Security.

The Good: Fits the Nano perfectly, Seems durable, Decent protection
The Bad: Expensive
The Basics: A wonderfully durable, but very expensive plastic case, the iPod Nano may be protected without losing the fun of one’s Nano color choice!


With the influx of iPod products into my house in the last few months, there has been an appropriate amount of time, energy and money spent on protecting the various devices. In the case of our new iPod Nano (click here for my review!), protecting it was (literally) a snap with Apple’s Clear Plastic Case. Because it is made by Apple, the Crystal Clear Case is designed to fit onto any iPod 4th Generation Nano device.

The clear plastic case comes in two parts, a front piece and a back piece. As the name suggests, the pieces are made of clear plastic and Apple seems to go out of its way with protection, as the plastic case is 1/8” thick! This does not make the overall iPod Nano terribly bulky as it fits the device like a skin and one ends up carrying around an MP3 player which is 3 ¾” tall, 1 ¾” wide and just over ½” thick. Because it is made by Apple, who makes the Nano, the specific holes needed to make this case work and allow access are perfectly positioned. On the front of the case, there is a 1” in diameter hole cut out so one may access the Nano’s primary control. At the top, there is a ½” opening so one may turn the Nano on and off. The bottom is almost completely open, which allows one to connect their iBuds and powers supply connection without removing the case.

Use is ridiculously simple: snap it around your iPod Nano and forget about it. The clear plastic case allows one to see the Nano screen perfectly; there are no conditions under which I have found glare to be a problem. As well, because the controls are completely exposed, one will have no problem using the wheel or pressing the central button or turning the iPod on or off. This takes the most vulnerable parts of the iPod Nano and protects them from impact, spills, weather and wear. In fact, the clear plastic case seems to also resist scratches and seems generally to be crack resistant as well.

Outside of daily use, I did a few tests for the Crystal Clear Case and I was pleasantly surprised to find it resisted cracking and scratching with minimal drops. I dropped the iPod Nano in the Case from a height of three feet about ten times and not once did the case crack, scratch or even break open. However, this did make me realize one thing; anything that is likely to break this case is also likely to shatter the iPod Nano screen.

Given that my testing was more rigorous than most people will be, this is a great case to protect one’s iPod Nano, which makes one wonder why Apple doesn't just coat their Nano in this from the start!

For other iPod products and ways to protect them, please check out my reviews at:
Griffin iPad Screen Care Kit
Apple Silicone Sleeve For iPod Shuffle
iPad (64 GB)

6/10

For other electronics reviews, please be sure to check my index page by clicking here!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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