Posts Tagged ipod case
PodFlexPro for Watching Video on Small Screens
Want to watch video on your small media player in multiple places and positions?
Sure, there are already all kinds of accessories out there that will hold your iPod, iPhone, or Touch on a little stand, but this new PodFlexPro holder is a different animal. The “flex” part has a double meaning here: the case itself is flexible, plus the way you can use it is quite flexible.
Basically this is a holder at the top with a plastic cover, then a snaking covered skeleton that can be bent and shaped to fit the place where you’re resting it. So you can set it on a table by forming an S shape or a V. You can hang it on an airplane seat back by making a hook at the top. You can use it on a machine at the gym by wrapping it over the top of the control panel.
The covering is a stretchy synthetic membrane and it’s a bit of a tight squeeze getting your device in there the first time—if you’ve attached a hard case or extra battery pack it’s a no-go. Plus your ability to pinch and spread your fingers for controlling it is limited through the clear plastic. The best way to use this is to get the video going, hit pause, insert it, plug in the headphones, and then watch your video or movie. You also have to play with the PodFlexPro a bit to figure out the physics. With a bit of time it gets easier. 
I’m not normally the type to watch a whole movie on a tiny screen, but for the sake of research on my last flight I watched an episode of Ren & Stimpy I’d downloaded for my daughter. (What can I say, she has a warped sense of humor already.) It was nice not to have to sit there holding the thing in my hand and I could act like it was my own seat-back entertainment system, just smaller.
And hey, it’s not just for the Apple crowd: 8 different Android phones will fit in it as well.
This accessory lists for $25, which is not too painful, plus it stores flat, easily jammed into any kind of bag between layers of clothing or in a laptop case. Retail distribution is just rolling out right now, but you can get it immediately at the company website or at AccessoryGeeks.com.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Kids and Family on November 24th, 2010
Update: OtterBox Cases Protect Valuable Gear
I’m pretty fanatical about protecting my gear on the road. After all, I’ve spent so much I’m afraid to add it up made a considerable investment in travel gear and want to protect that investment.
The folks at OtterBox get it right with the best protection I’ve found for my iPod Touch. The company is rolling out updates for its popular Defender series and also previewed a new Tandem Series at 2010 International CES.
I used an earlier version of the Defender case on my Touch, but had a little trouble with what looked like an oil slick while using the touchscreen. There were workarounds, but the latest version performs perfectly right out of the box.
Before trying OtterBox, I was using a leather case that looked nice but didn’t provide much protection, along with a separate screen protector. The Defender case does it all with three layers of protection. There’s a hard plastic case that snaps around the device, a built-in screen protector and a silicone case that fits around the outside.
It’s all designed to protect the Touch from drops, scratches, dust, shocks and bumps—but not water. And it does that without adding a lot of bulk. The Defender case is actually about the same size as the leather case I was using before, with little protection from the knocks on the road. And the silicone cover gives your hand a secure grip when holding it.
The touchscreen on the Defender case works just as it should—responsive like the screen protector isn’t even there. There are silicone plugs to protect all the ports on the Touch, such as the docking plug and earphones. And, to show the thoughtfulness in the design, there’s a hole in the back of the silicone portion of the case so it doesn’t hide the familiar Apple logo.
The Defender Series for the iPod is compatible with the second- and third-generation Touch. OtterBox also offers other cases for the iPod Nano and Classic, iPhone and other phones, smartphones and PDAs.
The Defender case for the iPod Touch retails for $29.95, a reasonable price compared to the cost of breaking an iPod or scratching the screen. It comes in black only and is available directly from the manufacturer or from Amazon.
Meeting and corresponding with some of the folks from OtterBox, it’s easy to tell they have a commitment to quality. I’ll give the latest Defender case five out of five stars for protecting my gear from the many bumps in the road while traveling.
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, General Gear on May 17th, 2010
idox Accessories for iPod nano, iPod touch & iPhone
Here’s a product that pulls double duty for Apple products: it’s a hard case that fully encloses your valuable electronic device that also flips open to serve as a stand so you can watch movies on your iPod nano, iPhone or iPod touch. I sampled the idox for the 4G nano and found that my iPod slides securely into the case. I like that the case snaps closed to keep it safe when I toss the iPod in my carry-on bag. (You do need to store earphones separately, otherwise they just hang loose if they’re plugged in while it’s in the case.)
As a stand, the angle is great for watching movies, say, when it’s perched on the tray table on an airplane; a rubber bottom helps it stay in place — even during mild turbulence. Not that I used the idox on my recent plane flight to Nevada: I don’t have any movies stored on mine. But my 7-year-old (who has now decided the idox belongs to him) has used the stand to watch the lone video on his playlist — Michael Jackson’s Thriller – over and over and over again. (Usually at the kitchen table before he needs to do his daily after-school math worksheets.)
At $24.95, the idox case for the iPod nano definitely isn’t the cheapest on the market. But it is sturdy and functional. And if you typically download new movies to watch while you travel, whether it’s on an iPod nano, iPod touch ($34.95) or iPhone ($34.95), you might get more use out of it than I have.
Related gear reviews:
Otterbox cases
iHome mini travel speakers
X-mini portable speakers
Posted by Kara in Kids and Family, Travel Light on January 29th, 2010
Protecting Your Gear: OtterBox Cases
Because travel gear can involve a sizable investment, I like to protect mine from unexpected bumps, scratches and grime. Finding the right case has always been a challenge, with many hours spent in store aisles and searching online.
So when a friend told me how well an Otterbox protected her smartphone, I had to find out more. The folks at Otterbox sent me a case to try on my iPod Touch and I quickly became a believer. This is one serious and well-made case.
I chose the Defender case, which has a three-layer design. There’s a patented, thin membrane that covers the screen, but doesn’t get in the way. You can still use all the touch gestures, but the screen is protected from scratches, fingerprints and dust.
But OtterBox goes beyond just protecting the screen. There’s a high-impact polycarbonate shell, or skeleton, that snaps around the entire player. Then the third layer is a silicone skin that wraps around to cushion any bumps and shock.
The silicone skin also gives me a better grip on the Touch, making it less likely to slip out of my hand.
And OtterBox does an excellent job of staying out of the way. Besides not interfering with use of the screen, there’s a hole near the top for the speaker and silicone plugs that allow easy access to the charge and sync port and the headphone jack.
The only thing that doesn’t work on the iPod Touch with the Defender case is auto brightness. No great loss, though. I turned off auto brightness soon after getting the player because I didn’t like the feature.
Don’t expect it to protect your iPod from a swim in the lake, though. The Touch Defender case does not protect against water, though OtterBox does offer a line of waterproof boxes. But for other types of abuse and hazards, it should stand up well.
The one annoying thing about this case is what appear to be air bubbles—some describe it as looking like an oil slick—that can form between the protective cover and the screen. The company’s Knowledgebase suggests one way to get rid of the problem is to also use an anti-glare, matte-finish screen protector, which involves additional cost. I tried a non-matte screen cover and it didn’t help.
Otterbox also suggests, with a link to a YouTube video, a way to get rid of the “oil slick” using baby powder. It sounds simple. But any solution that takes a 10-minute video to explain isn’t all that simple.
The company recently upgraded its Defender case for the iPhone, so the “oil slick” appearance should not be an issue for that model.
The Touch Defender case retails for $29.95. OtterBox cases are available direct from the manufacturer and at many online stores.
My colleague, Kara, recently tried a different model from the OtterBox line for her new Blackberry. The company also unveiled its new Tandem line recently at 2010 International CES and we’ll check out and review those cases in the weeks to come.
OtterBox makes cases for dozens of popular music players, iPhones and other smartphones, PDAs and GPS units, in colors ranging from black to pink. If you can work around the “oil slick” effect on the Defender iPod and iPhone cases, it’s a wise choice to protect your valuable gear and keep it working longer.
Rocking iPhone/iPod Devices for your Home, Office & More at iHome!
Posted by JohnG in General Gear, Travel Light on January 19th, 2010
