Review: iSkin Vibes for iPod Nano (4th Generation)

Review: iSkin Vibes for iPod Nano (4th Generation)
Page content

The iSkin Vibe

The iSkin Vibes for the iPod Nano (4th generation) are protective cases that are stylish and fashionable, without losing the protectiveness.

Design (5 out of 5)

The iSkin Vibes are made of a soft, gel-like material. This material provides lots of grip and support for your iPod, because when you hold the iSkin Vibes in your hand for a while, it leaves an indent in the shape of your fingers (sort of like one of those memory-foam mattresses). I liked this a lot because, unlike hard shell cases, the iPod won’t slip out of your fingers when you have a loose grip on it.

The iPod slides right in through a slit in the back. This is something else I liked very much about these cases: that they didn’t make you stuff the iPod in through the top of the case. A lot of other cases have a slit on the top, and you have to somehow jimmy your iPod in carefully (which is actually really hard to do, because the inside of the material is usually very grip-y). Not only is this difficult, this is also dangerous for your iPod; if you’re using a hard case and have even a tiny speck of dirt or sand in your case, it will completely scratch up the back of your iPod, even through the hard aluminum backing. These types of cases also leave the ports and buttons at the top of the iPod vulnerable, which is something I really don’t like. With the iSkin Vibes, though, you can slip the iPod in through the back, and you have full protection.

I really loved the designs they had for the iSkin Vibes. Most iPod cases have just a plain, solid color, or some simple etching. The iSkin Vibes, on the other hand, have a wide selection of designs you can choose from. They have an argyle print, a butterfly print, an ivy print, a retro-looking box print, a crocodile print, a camouflage print, and a 70’s style disco ball print. These prints aren’t etched on to the case, either; instead, they’re frosted on to the inside of each case, so you can’t feel it on the outside.

Functionality (4 out of 5)

I really loved the iSkin Vibe’s performance. The cases are really skinny, so they add almost no girth to your iPod Nano’s sleek design. Also, the manufacturers have given the case a tabletop design, meaning that if you had your iPod in an iSkin Vibe, and you set it on the tabletop face down, the screen of your iPod wouldn’t touch the table. This is great, because you won’t get as many scratches, dirt, and things like that on your screen.

A few days ago, I was walking out in the snow, with my iPod Nano in an iSkin Vibe. Me being the clumsy thing I am, I dropped my iPod in the snow, and almost had a heart attack. I picked it up, and it was covered with snow, salt, and nasty slush residue. I hurried it home, and ripped off the iSkin Vibe that was covering the iPod. I was very surprised when I found that my iPod was absolutely dry, and had no dirt on it. I have to say. I was impressed, because the iSkin Vibe was dripping with dirty snow, yet the iPod was completely unharmed. I did a quick rinse of the iSkin and wiped it down, and it was good as new. If you drop your iPod while it’s in an iSkin Vine, you will definitely be protected.

The Bottom Line

The iSkin Vibe is a sleek, protective case with a fashion-forward design. It’s mostly waterproof, and has a convenient tabletop design to keep you protected. It’ll protect you iPod from everyday spills and scratches, and will definitely turn heads when you pull it out of your pocket.