Product review – OtterBox gear protection cases

by Scott Carmichael on

In this product review I’m going to introduce you to OtterBox. OtterBox has been producing cases for gadgets for quite some time, and I remember purchasing my first OtterBox case back in Europe almost 10 years ago. Their products are different from most cases you are used to, because they provide a level of protection that goes way beyond just keeping some minor scratches off your precious gadget.

The OtterBox lineup consists of several levels of protection, varying from basic scratch and bump protection, all the way up to full waterproof protection, with enough strength to survive a drop on a concrete floor. All OtterBox cases come with a no hassle lifetime warranty.

To help introduce you to their cases, I’ll give you a closer look at three different styles of OtterBox case, each with a different level of protection. First up will be an OtterBox defender series case for the iPod Nano, second is an OtterBox Defender case for the Blackberry Curve, and finally I’ll show you my 160GB iPod Classic underwater in the sink in an OtterBox Armor case.

OtterBox Defender series case for the 3rd generation iPod Nano

The OtterBox defender series cases are designed to protect your device from the kind of mishaps that happen when you carry your device. The case consists of three parts; 2 form the shell around the iPod, and the third is a rubber “jacket” that slips over the shell. The rubber protects the device, plus it guards the ports from letting any dust in.

Unlike most cases, the Defender case does not leave the scroll wheel unprotected; OtterBox has developed a patented “thin film membrane” to keep dirt and dust out, but still allow you full control of your player.

OtterBox Defender cases for the iPod are available for the 3rd generation Nano, the iPhone, the iPhone 3G, the iPod Touch and the iPod Classic. The cases cost $29.95 for the iPod, and $49.95 for the iPhone. OtterBox also make 2 iPod Defender cases in pink, to benefit the Avon breast cancer crusade.


OtterBox Defender series case for the Blackberry Curve

The OtterBox Defender series case for the Blackberry Curve consists of 5 separate pieces; the first piece is a plastic film that wraps around your Blackberry, 2 parts form a hard plastic shell for around the device, a rubber bumper fits around the entire case, and finally, the whole thing fits in a holster with rotating belt clip. This case turns your fragile little Berry into what can only be described as “a tank”.

Despite being encased in layers of plastic and rubber, you can still access the keyboard, trackball, USB and headphone ports and there are even special dust filters protecting the earpiece and speakerphone from the elements.

The phone slides into the included holster with a reassuring “click”, and the holster even has a magnet embedded to activate the Blackberry sleep mode.

Defender series Blackberry cases are available for the Curve, 8800, Pearl and Bold smartphone lineup. They cost $49.95 each.

OtterBox Armor series case for the iPod Classic

The final case in my review is also the toughest. The Armor series cases provide the most protection in the OtterBox lineup, and have been rated waterproof up to 3 feet/1 meter. Of course, this review would be worthless if I didn’t put that to the test! I put my faith in the designers at OtterBox and submerged my $350 iPod Classic in the sink. Thankfully they were not lying, because my iPod came out of the case bone dry.

The Armor series case has a similar thin membrane as on the Defender series, so you still have full control over the device, but in order to plug your headphone in, they have included a headphone pass-through jack inside the case. When you slide your iPod into the Armor case, the iPod plugs into a headphone jack, and on the outside of the case is another headphone jack, ready to be used with suitable waterproof headphones.

On the back of the case is a removable belt clip, which doubles as a headphone cord wrap.

The Armor case has a silicone seal and a pretty sturdy clip to hold the hinged portions together. With this kind of protection, you’ll be able to take your music to the beach, and not have to worry about sand, the ocean or sun block getting anywhere near your iPod.

The Otterbox Armor series cases are available for the 3rd generation iPod Nano ($29.95) and the iPod Classic ($39.95).

Product review – iStik iPod Nano case

by Scott Carmichael on

In this product review, I’ll be offering you a closer look at the iStik iPod Nano case. It takes a lot to get me interested in an iPod case nowadays, so rest assured that this case is different from anything you’ve ever seen.

The iStik case consists of three pieces; 2 parts form the case for the iPod itself, and the third part is a magnetic plate that holds the case in place on your jacket, shirt or pants or any other fairly thin object.

The case and back plate each have 4 extremely strong “neodymium” magnets, there is no clip on the case, so to attach it to yourself, you simply put the back of the case behind your garment, and the magnets hold the case in place. It’s a brilliant concept, and in the world of iPod cases, the first time I’ve seen this method used.

As I mentioned earlier, the magnets are extremely strong, and I had no problem keeping the case stuck in place on a shirt, or even a thin jacket.

The magnets themselves are very smooth, so there is no risk of damaging your garment. I’m not much of a runner, so I had to jump around like a maniac to mimic jogging, and no amount of action could dislodge the case. The back plate is also quite smooth, so when I attached it to my t-shirt, having it on the inside did not bother me that much. It would have been nicer if they had made it out of a softer plastic.

The advantage of being able to stick your case where you want, is that you actually can stick it anywhere you want. You can stick it on your sleeve, or even on your collar if you want it at eye height.

The case itself covers the screen, and leaves an opening for the scroll wheel, the bottom is also open for access to the headphone jack and docking port.

The maker of the case warns against using it if you have a pacemaker or ICD, and with magnets this strong I’d also suggest keeping it far away from your wallet or hard drive, the magnets can not damage flash media, so your iPod Nano is perfectly safe.

The iStik case is currently available for the 2nd and 3rd generation iPod Nano. The 2nd generation Nano case costs $19.95 and the 3rd generation case is $26.95. Both models ship for free, including orders to international destinations.

The iStik cases are available from the manufacturers website.

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Daily deal – Kensington MP3 car accessories up to 25% off

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is an assortment of Kensington MP3 car stereo accessories. These products come with a double whammy of discounts; Amazon has them on sale for up to 25% off, and Kensington will throw in a $10 or $15 rebate.

None of the products in this list have an integrated FM transmitter, so be sure to check whether your car stereo has a line-in jack. If you are looking for an affordable FM transmitter for your iPod, then check out this Kensington device, on sale for just $22 (was $64.97).

The rebates are valid until August 11th, and you can find the rebate form here.

As always, purchases over $25 ship for free, and no tax is charged in most states.

There are four different products included in this promotion:

Product review – Kensington Mini battery pack and charger for iPod and iPhone

by Scott Carmichael on

Today’s product review will take a quick look at a kind of product that has suddenly become quite popular.

Many owners of the new iPhone 3G have been rudely awakened by its poor battery life. In some cases, the phone won’t even last till the end of the afternoon. Since an outlet and charger are not always available, Kensington have developed a portable power source to help get you through the day.

The Kensington “mini battery pack and charger for iPod and iPhone” is a 1.5oz/42g pocket battery pack with an iPod dock connector.

The battery pack contains a Lithium-Polymer battery with enough capacity to fully recharge most iPod and iPhone models. On most devices, you’ll add up to 30 hours of music playback or 6 hours of video. On the iPhone, you’ll add up to 3 hours of talk time.

The battery pack can be charged using your computer or any other power source with a USB connector, including the AC adapter included with some iPods.

Using the battery pack couldn’t be easier, you simply plug it into the bottom of your device, and let it charge. On the front of the battery pack are 4 lights. Three of these lights show the charging status of the iPod or iPhone, and one turns on when the battery pack itself is being charged. One of the other big advantages of the Kensington battery pack is that you can charge your phone using USB, which means you can leave the Apple charging cable at home (of course, you can’t synchronize your device through the battery pack).

Included in the package is a handy retractable USB cable and a plastic cover to protect the dock connector when you are not using it. The only minor complaint I have is that the battery pack adds close to 2 inches to the total length of your iPod when it is plugged in. An alternative product is the Kensington ultra portable battery pack, which I reviewed last week. Of course, with that product you will lose some of the convenience of having such a light battery pack, and you will need to carry your iPod charging cable.

The Kensington “mini battery pack and charger for iPod and iPhone” costs $49.95 ($47 from Amazon).