Do You Really Want To Touch Me?? Otterbox Offers Ultimate Protection For Your iPod Touch

Posted by: danc on Jul 05 2008

I was given an iPod Touch a few weeks ago and although I have an iPhone, I decided to keep it. I’m more than a little surprised by how much I am using and enjoying the Touch.

Sure, since it is basically an iPhone without the telephony or Edge connectivity one could argue that it is just a “stripped down” iPhone”, but there is something about it…

I love the fact that it is thinner and lighter than my iPhone and has double the capacity. I especially love how thin and light it is. At about half the thickness of the iPhone, the iPod Touch is an absolute pleasure to hold and use. It has become increasingly clear to me that it is, for all intents and purposes, the first mainstream successful MID (mobile internet device) on the market.

Because it is thinner and lighter than my iPhone it also feels even more delicate. The back scratches like "nobody’s business", and because it feels as slippery as a wet snake it can easily find its way from the hand to the floor. 

Clearly protecting a device as thin and expensive, not to mention delicate, as this is important. I put an InvisibleShield on my Touch immediately but “immediate” wasn’t quite immediate enough- it was already a bit scratched. While the InvisibleShield took care of preventing future scratches it didn’t do anything to prevent serious damage from “droppage”. Unfortunately I learned that the hard way too. I have never dropped my iPhone but within hours of getting the Touch it had a slight “mishap” with the floor.

I quickly learned my lesson. I would prefer to not use a case on the Touch but it spends most of its time in an Agent18 EcoShield.

While the InvisibleShield/EcoShield combination does a decent job protecting the device, there are times when I need even more protection. For example, I will be spending time this summer on a lake up in the mountains. If I drop the touch while out with my golden I want/need better drop protection than the EcoShield offers. And when I am sitting on the dock reading I want/need some degree of protection from the water. For while I love the lake water, my Touch doesn’t. I have no intention of tossing it into the lake but I have already learned the hard way that anything can happen.

Thank goodness OtterBox offers two excellent choices when it comes to keeping my iPod Touch truly safe. The OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone Touch gives tremendous protection. The OtterBox Armor Series for iPod Touch give OUTRAGEOUS protection.

Let’s take a quick look at both.

The OtterBox Defender Series for iPod Touch

I reviewed the OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone here and referred to it as the “SUV of iPhone Cases”. The Defender Series for iPod Touch is quite similar and offers the same excellent degree of protection and ease of use through a multi-level system that surrounds the Touch with protection.

First, there is a hard case that snaps over the Touch and completely surrounds it. Since I have the permanent skin on my Touch it was a tight fit, but it worked nonetheless. Like the iPhone case, it has what can only be called a “vanity window” on the back that shows off the Apple logo.

Second, there is a silicone skin surrounds the hard case.

This skin wraps the device in a soft material that is pleasant to hold and softens the harshness of the shell. In addition, it has covers for both the headphone and charge/sync ports to help keep out dust.

Unlike the iPhone case, the Defender Series for iPod Touch does not come with a swivel belt clip. Personally I don’t mind this as I do not use the belt clip/case with my iPhone.

The case looks good, fits perfectly and allows for complete control of the Touch while in it. It looks a bit large at first, but everything fits together so well that I quickly stopped noticing the additional size and weight.

The OtterBox Defender Series gives the Touch better protection than almost anything else. The operative word here, however, is “Almost” because there is something that gives even more protection-

The OtterBox Armor Series for iPod Touch

If the Defender Series is the “SUV of Cases”, the Armor Series is the "Merkava Tank of Cases". The Armor Series for iPod Touch is quite similar to the Armor Series for iPod Classic I reviewed back in February.

Yes, it is bulky and heavy, but with that heft comes an unmatched degree of protection. It completely surrounds the Touch and seals it from the outside world, providing the best protection from dust, dirt, drops and scratches available. In addition, The Armor Series protects the Touch from water and snow for up to a half hour.

The case is hard clear plastic and exceptionally well-built. The Touch iPod slips into it easily and a single clip on the bottom secures and seals it inside.

I should note that I initially had a problem with the Touch turning itself off while inside. This resolved itself once I began to ensure that I pushed the device firmly down into the case as possible.

The Armor Case comes with a removable belt clip and easily secures to the optional RAM mount for attaching it to a windshield.

The amazing thing about the case is that while it offers complete protection, it also allows almost complete control of the device. The sleep button is inaccessible, but the main control and the screen are fully usable.

All in all, the Armor Series is perfect if you want/need to provide the maximum degree of protection for your Touch.

So for me the bottom line is this-

My preference is a “naked Touch” since it maximizes the sleek lightness of the Touch. But…

When I am walking around the lake this summer I’ll have the Touch in the Defender Series just to make sure. And when I’m down by the dock the Touch won’t be in anything except the Armor Series.

Both are excellent choices for protecting your expensive and delicate iPod Touch.

Defender Series
Pros
–Real, complete protection from everything but submersion in water
–Well conceived and constructed
–Allows almost complete usability
–Good value for what you get

Cons
–Allows syncing and charging with cable but not the cradle

–Adds size and weight

Available directly from OtterBox for $29.95

Armor Series
Pros
-The highest degree of protection imaginable including submersion in up to 3 feet of water for 30 minutes
-Well conceived and constructed
-Ability to access nearly all functions with ease

Cons
-Adds a good deal of size and weight
-Not inexpensive
-No ability to sync while in the case

Available directy from OtterBox for $49.95

Tags: iPod Touch, OtterBox, cases, OtterBox Defender Series, OtterBox Armor Series

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