iLounge

Company: Zofunk

Website: www.Zofunk.com

Model: Zozen

Price: $27

Compatible: iPod 5G

Zofunk Zozen iPod video Cases

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By Jeremy Horwitz

Editor-in-Chief, iLounge
Published: Monday, May 29, 2006
Category: Cases - iPod 5G (with Video)

This new series of silicone rubber cases for the fifth-generation iPod features a white Japanese brush stroke-style artistic rendition of the Click Wheel, and a matching German color label underneath. Black is listed as Schwarzes, blue as Blau, green as Grun, and red as Rot. Each of the cases comes with a cleaning cloth, adhesive screen protector, and color-matched silicone earbud caps.

The easiest way to de-commodify the commodity silicone rubber iPod case is six letters long: add art. And though Zofunk’s new Zozen case ($27) is basically nothing more than a painted rubber sheathe with a circular swipe of white paintbrush work at the 5G iPod’s Click Wheel, it’s eye-catching in a minimalist, zen way, available in four colors, and just substantial enough to be a good iPod cover. Each case’s color is labeled on the case’s front in German, a touch that was neither intrusive or necessary, and color-matched with a set of silicone rubber covers for Apple’s packed-in iPod earbuds. A cleaning cloth is also included in each package.

In addition to covering the iPod’s back, sides, and most of its front with rubber, Zofunk includes a clear screen protector that leaves only two small parts of a 5G exposed: top holes, and the bottom Dock Connector port. We’ve seen myriad rubber cases that cover more and better. Zozen’s rubber is on the thin side - at 1mm, it’s not easily rippable, but nowhere near the equal of cases such as iSkin’s eVo3 (iLounge rating: A-) or Speck’s SkinTights (iLounge rating: A-) - so don’t expect equivalent drop damage protection. The included earbud covers are mostly a novelty, adding a small bit of added comfort to Apple’s earphones, assuming you didn’t find them too large to begin with.

Given its simplicity, why did we bother to review Zozen? We liked its look enough that we felt it was worth pointing out again, if only in capsule review format, and though it hasn’t innovated much on the many other features we consider important in today’s rubber cases. We’re not especially impressed by its $27 price, which strikes us as high given its utter simiplicity, but if you like its looks, it won’t destroy your wallet.