iLounge

Company: Vaja

Website: www.VajaCases.com

Model: i-Vod

Price: $65.90

Compatible: iPod 1G, 2G

Note: Custom built cases also available. See site for more details.

Vaja i-Vod

By Russ Rocca

Contributing Editor
Published: Friday, March 7, 2003
Category: Cases - iPod 1G & 2G (without Dock Connector)

Pros: Good overall protection. High-quality leather built with class and craftsmanship. Over 14 colors to choose from!

Cons: No LCD display protection.

Vaja’s new iPod case, dubbed the “i-Vod,” is truly a work to behold. Imagine wrapping your iPod in a dapper leather jacket for a night on the town and you’ll begin to get a sense of the quality of this case.

The Good

The i-Vod is a semirigid leather case where the leather is wrapped around a ABS (plastic) skeleton that is very precisely measured against your iPod’s form factor. The surface of the case is a beautiful smooth cushioned leather. When your iPod is in the Vaja case it looks as if it were wrapped in a leather pillow. There are no visible seams on the exterior of the case. The two pieces that make up the case come together at a cushioned crease that runs along the length of the case. The case also allows you full access to the scroll wheel and the top of the iPod at all times.

The iPod slips in, through the top of the case. It slides in nicely and is held snugly in place by its tight fit. The interior of the case is lined with a thin layer of what seems to be a finely textured vinyl. This allows for the easy insertion and removal of the iPod. In some cases, the only way to remove your iPod is to treat it as if it were a toothpaste tube, squeezing it from the bottom and shimmying it up and out of the case. Not so with the i-Vod. At the top of the case are notches cut into the leather, made for easy iPod removal. Nice touch.

On the Vaja website, you are offered options to customize your i-Vod. You are given the choice of 14 different solid colors. You can opt to have an “Ultra Clip” which is a belt clip that your i-Vod attaches to via metal post on the back of the case. What is ultra about the “Ultra Clip” is a quick release button that lets you disengage your i-Vod from your hip in a flash during those quick draw situations. You can also choose to have your name tattooed to the back of your i-Vod. Another great touch is the beautiful leather bag with a draw string closure that your i-Vod is shipped with. The whole package bespeaks class and craftsmanship.

The Not So Good

The i-Vod is a semirigid case, meaning that although it holds its structure on its own, if you sit on it you’re going to break it. Don’t sit on it. It’s not a sports case and probably won’t take much of a pounding if you crash while biking 25 mph down a hill.

The case has an open face design, allowing you to access all the functions on the iPod at all times. The square cut for the display is uncovered, meaning that it’s open to the elements, dust and scratches. The FireWire port, headphone port and “Hold” switch are also exposed at all times.

Conclusion

All things considered; the i-Vod is an awesome case that I would highly recommend with some caveats. Just as you don’t take your Prada shoes jogging through the mud, neither should you take this case doing anything extreme. It is a great classy case for a night out on the town or a day in the conference room, but not to be used in situations where your iPod may take a severe beating.