iPod Showcase

Review:
iPod owners are a little obsessive about their devices - and rightly so. They've spent hours upon hours getting their player stocked with all their favorite tunes and playlists, not to mention the hundreds of dollars they plunked down to get the MP3 player in the first place.

The last thing they want is their iPod scratched, dinged or damaged. And, unfortunately, it's easy to do. The iPod is a simple, elegant device, but it's easy to mar if it's on the go with its owner. The 10G-byte and up models come with a protective carrying case, but you can't manipulate the touch wheel or buttons while it's in the case, making it somewhat useless.

Contour Design has released a solution to this problem with its Showcase carrying case. The hard plastic case has a soft-rubber exterior to keep the iPod from skidding or slipping on a surface - a frequent cause of scratches. The front of the case is clear plastic, so you can see everything on the display screen. The front also has openings so you can work the buttons or touch wheel with ease without opening the case. Openings on the top and bottom of the form-fitting case allow for sync or headphone cords. The Showcase is a perfect product for worrywart iPod owners - but only if you have the latest iPod models (the ones with the touchwheel and the four buttons). The case is molded specifically for the new models and sadly won't fit older iPods.

Reviewed by Melissa Shaw