Review: Otterbox iPod Case

[KnottedYet]

www.otterbox.com

I just got the Otterbox Defender case for my iPod Touch. http://www.otterbox.com/iPod-Touch-4...neration-cases

Expensive little booger. But I think totally worth it. I knew of Otterbox from the old days, when they made watertight containers we used for some very expensive scientific equipment. We abused those poor Otterboxes, but they survived with flying colors. I trust Otterbox.

Putting it on the iPod: This took some mental effort. The instructions are pictorial. I'm just not that smart. The Defender is really two cases. The inside case is the polycarbonate impact frame and the built-in screen films. That goes on first... but first you have to figure out how to OPEN it! Make sure your iPod is spotlessly clean before you put the case on, cuz you won't be fishing it out any time soon. (and probably not using an older iHome with it, either) You don't have to fuss with the screen films at all, they adhere instantly and perfectly with no bubbles. There is no film over the back camera, so your pictures are clear, but the camera is well protected by both the impact frame and the silicone outer case. Once you get the impact frame on, you massage the silicone case into place. It fits amazingly and immovably onto the impact frame.

How It Looks: It is beeeeoooootiful! The picture on the website doesn't do it justice! Clean, elegant, colorful! It's an engineering marvel. Every edge is exactly aligned, every piece is snug and stable.

How It Feels: It will not slip out of your hand, unless you really try to drop it. One thing I didn't like about the iPod 4 is that it is a bit smaller than the old iPod and was hard to handle. The Defender is *thick* and builds the iPod 4 up. Much easier to work with.

How it works: Every button is easy to find and press. The speaker is exposed, but well protected. There is no sound distortion. The back camera is exposed, but also well protected. The ports have silicone tabs/plugs. Took me a bit to figure out how to make them stay in the ports, but once you get it, it's easy. The plugs are completely out of the way when you use the ports, and seamlessly smooth when you figure out how to put them back in.

How Safe Is It: I don't have any astounding stories of iPod survival yet, but I do feel quite comfortable tossing my iPod around now.

Is it worth $40? Oh, yes. If you're spending hundreds of bucks on an iPod, buy a good case to protect it. This is a zillion times more fabulous than a $20 Marware case, and so far I have no complaints. (BTW, I have a clear Marware case that is free to a good home.)

[tulip]

Today I dropped my iPhone and shattered the glass. I would have much rather paid $40 for an Otterbox than the $200 I will have to pay for a new phone. I just kept putting it off. Later this week, I will have to get a new phone, and I will definitely get an Otterbox for it.

[surgtech1956]

Thanks Knot for the review. Where did you get the Otterbox? Does it come in colors?

[KnottedYet]

Click either of the links in my post, and you can navigate through the Otterbox website for whatever piece of technology you need to protect. (they've got cases for darn near everything!)

As you'll see on their website, they have several colors in each model of case. The cases have varying degrees of protection, and the price goes up as the levels of protection go up.

The most expensive, most protective, most bulky, and most intricate cases are the "Defenders."

I luuuuuv my Defender case for my iPod.

Ordered mine from Otterbox's website. Case arrived in 2 days.

[lawnchick22]

Got mine from Amazon.com

I too have been abusive to my smart phones...no issues with the Otterbox on my iPhone.

Love it, worth the money, for sure.
Mine is black with pink trim....easy to see.

[badgercat]

The next time I'm eligible for a discounted cell phone upgrade (August, I think), I'm probably going to make the jump to a smartphone. I haven't decided yet what "flavor" (I have Verizon, so iPhone is an option now--I am a Mac user, but I'm just not convinced I love the iPhone interface). It looks like Otterbox makes something for everyone, though. I'll definitely keep them in mind.