iLounge

Company: Incipio Technologies

Website: www.MyIncipio.com

Model: Silicrylic

Price: $20

Compatible: iPod touch 2G

Incipio Silicrylic for iPod touch 2G

By Jeremy Horwitz

Editor-in-Chief, iLounge
Published: Friday, January 2, 2009
Category: Cases - iPod touch

As one of three new Incipio cases for the second-generation iPod touch, Silicrylic ($20) is a combination of a rubber case with an X-shaped rear plastic frame to hold it in place. Packaged with a clear screen protector and a video stand, it comes in your choice of five colors, and is based upon an earlier iPhone 3G case design.

Like Incipio’s DuroShot, the concept behind Silicrylic is to gain the benefits of using two types of material together—the rigidity of hard plastic, combined with the flexible button protection of a rubber case. As with most of Incipio’s past silicone designs, the rubber case here isn’t super-distinctive, only a step or so over commodity class in looks, and wouldn’t be anything special without the rear frame. The frame, however, adds to the case’s visual appeal and reduces the less than completely great touch sensation of handling smooth rubber; its matte finish also feels more stable in the hand than the touch’s glossy metal back.

The tradeoff versus the other Incipio designs is thickness. Silicrylic adds more bulk to the iPod touch than either Feather or DuroShot, and only offers two benefits over the latter case: bottom port flexibility, and a slightly lower price. From where we stand, this is a nice case design, but Incipio should seriously consider using the best features from this case and the conceptually similar DuroShot to create a single offering.