As smothered with leather case options as we’ve been over the past few months, the best new iPod cases we’ve seen tend to be ones made from plastics — either hard plastic or rubber. Today, we’re looking at a variety of new rubber designs from DLO, PDO, Power Support, and SwitchEasy, ranging in price from $10 to $30, and varying widely in pack-ins. This review covers PDO’s TopSkin for the third-generation iPod nano ($15).
PDO’s TopSkin is once again, and by design, a highly value-focused pick. In addition to black, PDO offers TopSkin in blue, red, and clear frosted versions, each packed with a ratcheting rear belt clip that can be left on or detached as you prefer, and a similarly detachable wrist strap. Neither of these parts is beautiful, but they both do their jobs if you decide that you want them. Microscopic dots on the sides of the case provide a little extra grip, while an integrated rubber Click Wheel cover and clear film screen protector ensure that the only exposed part of the nano is its bottom. Accessories of all kinds, including Universal Docks, work flawlessly with TopSkin’s open bottom surface.
Unless you’re looking for bottom coverage, which is rare in iPod nano cases, TopSkin’s only flaw is its lack of sex appeal. It’s the most generic of the designs here—even moreso than the Power Support Silicone Jackets, which revel in clean lines—but that’s totally fine for the price, particularly in the clear version that lets much of the nano’s body peek through. If you prefer one of the colored versions, just note that they don’t match Apple’s late 2007 iPod nano colors, and are instead the same as the colors offered across all of PDO’s TopSkins for other iPod models. As plain jane as the cases might be, we consider this to be just about as good as a $15 case should get, and highly recommendable.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Portable Device Outfitters (PDO)
Website: www.PDOstore.com
Models: TopSkin
Price: $15
Compatible: iPod nano (video)
