Review: Proporta iPod Nano 3G Echo case

Posted by: Ragart on May 11 2008

So I recently picked up another little Apple trinket for about $50 and found myself in dire need of a case. The backs of iPods are more vulnerable than new-born babies and just like a caring mother I decided to wrap my pod in something protective. I present to you, ladies and gentlemen of the mobile loving world, the iPod Nano Echo case:  

Jump ye, if ye be brave enough for the review!

Unboxing

Inside the box you’ll find the two pieces of plastic that transform (like Voltron) into your cool mirror case. You’ll also find a lanyard that attaches to the top of the case so you can hang your device from your neck.

 

Putting it on

There aren’t any instructions as to how to put the case together, but I found that the best way (for me) was to start with the front panel. Just place your iPod into it and then turn the whole device over so that the back is now facing you. If you want to put the lanyard on, now is  the time. Just loop the string into the hole at the top of the front panel. From there, put the back panel on and then click it into place starting from the top of the device (shown below).

The connections don’t require much force, so don’t push to hard on anything. Be Zen about your clicking. Once the iPod is in it feels very snug — you won’t have to worry about it moving around inside the case.

 

Accessibility, Design, and Protection

All controls are accessible from outside the case, although the dock area of your iPod has a  panel that protects it. To open it, simply stick your nail in the opening and wedge it open.

The scroll wheel is always accessible from the front of the device, but it’s also the only part of the device that’s left "naked". I’ve personally never seen too much damage to my scroll wheels so I’m alright with this, but users can always get a screen protector of some sort if that kind of exposure sounds scary (eek!). The front panel is the "echo" part of the case, with its ultra-reflective surface. The face is quite prone to fingerprints, but they don’t get in the way of viewing the screen.

 

Ye olde pack panel is protected in its entirety so that it can live many more months and years scratch-free and silvery shiny. OK…so the second-hand iPod I got isn’t completely scratch-free The back panel is made of a clear plastic since the area it’s covering is also silver.

Overall, the case should provide much-needed scratch protection and a very basic layer protection (there’s no padding in the case, just plastic). That is to say that if you dropped the device on something hard, I wouldn’t expect the case to stay on after initial impact. The bottom panel would likely break, but this is really more for protection in your pocket or worn around your neck with the included lanyard.

 

Echo…echo….

Now here is the real reason for your buying this case. You could choose any other Joe Transparent case, but then you wouldn’t have the cool factor of magic on your side. That’s right, the echo case offers protection and one awesome magic trick:

Look, mah, no screen!

 

Just kidding!

The screen is viewable indoors in normal lighting, even with the backlight as low as 50%. There is always a slight glare factor when lights are around, but nothing to make reading or viewing difficult. What the echo case does hamper is outdoor viewing. It becomes a must to cup your hand over the iPod if you intend on reading anything aside from the reflections of the world around you. Here are some sample pictures at 100% backlight by my window:

 

Conclusion

"Bling-y" or shiny objects aren’t normally my style, but I have to admit the look of this case has grown on me. The shine of the case doesn’t look "cheap" and that went a long way towards establishing its charm. I think this will be the only case I’ll need for my Nano. I try to take good care of my devices so I don’t need shock protection, and I’m protecting the device from scratches while preserving access to all the necessary controls. Anyway, enough of this — it’s hammer time (a breakdown, get it?):

• Hard plastic shell protects from scratches, but no real shock protection.
• All controls accessible, dock panel protects bottom of iPod.
• Lanyard allows for wearing around neck.
• Screen quite difficult to view in direct sunlight; fine indoors; prone to fingerprints.
• Astonish friends with mirror that is actually your l337 iPod!

If you’ve had some time to reflect and found that normal transparent plastic cases just aren’t doing it for you anymore, it’s probably time for an Echo case!

 

Ultra Vital Information

Price: $19.95

Availability: Proporta website

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