It’s been a long time since I last posted and I thought I might start posting again with a short review on a product I just got in the mail. I purchased my iPod Touch (second generation) about two months ago when it debuted and have been searching for a suitable case ever since it got its first scratch. Fortunately, the glass facade does not scratch easily but the aluminum backing scratches like a chicken. I spent some time on forums and review sites and decided to bite the bullet and purchase a case. I decided on the Rebel Touch from a company called Switch Easy. You can find the product page here. It took about a week to get to my house from the West Coast but it was definitely worth the wait. The case shipped in a small blister pack (the type of packaging that will ruin your hands) inside a medium sized envelope via USPS.
In the package you get: the case, two screen protectors, a headphone adapter, a docking station insert, a screen cleaner and a stand to hold up the iPod for easy viewing- all for $30.00. After following the instructions for applying the screen protector, I decided to peel it off and not use it. In reality, I didn’t like the tiny air bubbles between the screen and the plastic overlay, clearly a direct consequence of my application. The instructions for putting the case on the iPod make the process seem daunting, but it really isn’t that bad. The case is in two parts: a silicon underlay that sits next to the iPod and a hard plastic skeleton that holds the primary skin onto the device. What results is an incredibly functional and well-fitting case. It adds very little bulk or heft to the device, making it easily pocketable. What sets the Rebel Touch case apart from its peers is that it slides easily into a pocket. Those of you who have ever owned a traditional silicone skin/case knows that the normal person has a moderate to difficult time trying to insert or extract the device from a standard pants pocket.
Switch Easy includes a headphone adapter in case the headphones you use don’t fit the contours of the case quite right. I have used simple Sony earbuds and large Bose can-style headphones and the plugs fit without the help of the adapter. The included dock cover fits snugly and nulls most of the worries I had about foreign objects entering the dock port. What’s even better about this case is that it provides perfect (and I believe improved) access to the volume rocker and the sleep/wake button. I always found the volume rocker on the side of the device difficult to use and this case provides the perfect amount of tactile contact to use it without having to utilize both hands. The sleep/wake button on the top of the device remains just as usable as before, which is always a good thing. Some people have shared concern about quality control standards with this case and the sleep/wake button not being very accessible. Apparently, those problems have been fixed and all cases that are now shipping are free of defects. Switch Easy is working with affected customers to replace their defective cases.
If you have a iPod Touch, this is the case for you. For around $30.00 shipped, you get the best case that I’ve ever come across. If you have questions, leave them in the comments and I’ll get back to you.
