I bought this case as recommended by a friend, and I am pleased with my purchase. The case is protective yet unrestrictive, with enough access to the side buttons, and uncomprimising use of the touch screen. The minor details for this case are pretty well thought out, such as the Gear4 logo, embossed in the back of the case, just below where the Apple logo would go. Installation of the case was pretty easy. The hardest part was making sure that no dust got in between the iPod screen and the protective screen, which would undoubtedly annoy anyone who’s a neat freak such as myself. As wierd as this sounds, I think that the case adds some much needed bulk to the iPod. That’s not to say that it’s bulky, but 2nd Gen owners know that it seems a lot thinner than the 1st Gen, due to the curvature on the back. Most will also understand that even though a unit seems thin and flimsy, it’s actually quite robust. However there’s nothing wrong with some peace of mind when it comes to spending ~£200 for something like this.
Installation is just a case of lowering your iPod into the rear fascia, and then pushing the front fascia on top, making sure that it’s sealed properly… Simple.
OK so looking good so far, but every product has its negatives. Fortunately for Gear4, I don’t see any of these to be much of a problem, and don’t really affect functionality, which is why I maintain my 5-Star rating.
First off then, the front cover is prone to catching a little moisture between itself and the iPod screen, resulting in a damp patch, usually near the centre of the screen. This can simply be removed by lifting the case slightly to seperate the layers, and then using a dry cloth to remove any moisture. I don’t think this is a manufacturing/design fault on Gear4’s part, because I think that most clear plastic cases have the same problem (I had similar cases for my Sony Ericsson D750i and W850i, both of which had the same issue). Having said that, there is a thin black seal around the edge of the front plate, probably to prevent such moisture from getting in, but the hole in the plate for the home button isn’t sealed, so moisture can still get in.
The 3.5mm plug in the bottom of the unit has easy enough access for the standard iPod earphones, however there isn’t enough clearence for jacks with thicker bodies, such as most line-in cables, and they tend to lift the front plate up if you try to plug one in. I guess that’s nothing a small needle-file couldn’t fix. One more thing: If you use the docking station adapter that came with your iPod, then prepare to use it no more, cause naturally it won’t fit with the case on (something I found out while trying to cram it into the station to charge in the dark after a long night shift while everyone around me was asleep). The data cable that came with your iPod fits fine though.
good product but leaves air bubble which you cant get rid of but well worth it considering rrp. just bare in mind the touch screen part sticks to the ipod screen meaning there is air bubbles each time you put it on apart from that its fine you can reach all posts how ever pressing hold and volume rocker buttons are hard
Rating: 4 / 5
July 21, 2010 at 2:24 pm
I bought this case as recommended by a friend, and I am pleased with my purchase. The case is protective yet unrestrictive, with enough access to the side buttons, and uncomprimising use of the touch screen. The minor details for this case are pretty well thought out, such as the Gear4 logo, embossed in the back of the case, just below where the Apple logo would go. Installation of the case was pretty easy. The hardest part was making sure that no dust got in between the iPod screen and the protective screen, which would undoubtedly annoy anyone who’s a neat freak such as myself. As wierd as this sounds, I think that the case adds some much needed bulk to the iPod. That’s not to say that it’s bulky, but 2nd Gen owners know that it seems a lot thinner than the 1st Gen, due to the curvature on the back. Most will also understand that even though a unit seems thin and flimsy, it’s actually quite robust. However there’s nothing wrong with some peace of mind when it comes to spending ~£200 for something like this.
Installation is just a case of lowering your iPod into the rear fascia, and then pushing the front fascia on top, making sure that it’s sealed properly… Simple.
OK so looking good so far, but every product has its negatives. Fortunately for Gear4, I don’t see any of these to be much of a problem, and don’t really affect functionality, which is why I maintain my 5-Star rating.
First off then, the front cover is prone to catching a little moisture between itself and the iPod screen, resulting in a damp patch, usually near the centre of the screen. This can simply be removed by lifting the case slightly to seperate the layers, and then using a dry cloth to remove any moisture. I don’t think this is a manufacturing/design fault on Gear4’s part, because I think that most clear plastic cases have the same problem (I had similar cases for my Sony Ericsson D750i and W850i, both of which had the same issue). Having said that, there is a thin black seal around the edge of the front plate, probably to prevent such moisture from getting in, but the hole in the plate for the home button isn’t sealed, so moisture can still get in.
The 3.5mm plug in the bottom of the unit has easy enough access for the standard iPod earphones, however there isn’t enough clearence for jacks with thicker bodies, such as most line-in cables, and they tend to lift the front plate up if you try to plug one in. I guess that’s nothing a small needle-file couldn’t fix. One more thing: If you use the docking station adapter that came with your iPod, then prepare to use it no more, cause naturally it won’t fit with the case on (something I found out while trying to cram it into the station to charge in the dark after a long night shift while everyone around me was asleep). The data cable that came with your iPod fits fine though.
Conclusion:
Buy it.
Rating: 5 / 5
July 21, 2010 at 4:55 pm
good product but leaves air bubble which you cant get rid of but well worth it considering rrp. just bare in mind the touch screen part sticks to the ipod screen meaning there is air bubbles each time you put it on apart from that its fine you can reach all posts how ever pressing hold and volume rocker buttons are hard
Rating: 4 / 5