Best Case Scenario

Expected to arrive next Tuesday, I was delighted to find a FedEx package from Speck at my front door yesterday. Inside were two SeeThru cases from Speck, which we’ll be taking a look at. I would like to take a moment and thank Speck, especially Jennifer, for the generous donation. It’s appreciated.

Hack the iPod touch encourages you to leave a comment, as these reviews are not possible without your reader feedback. Continue reading for the full in-depth review of the SeeThru case for the 1st-generation iPod touch, across the jump.

The SeeThru case by Speck is made of clear hard plastic, and is available in 9 colors. That’s black, blue, grey, orange, green, pink, red, aqua and clear. This is good initiative on Speck’s part, because most case companies don’t offer the wide selection of colors that this case is available in.

This case is available online at Speck’s website, for the price of $14.97 USD. The price has recently been slashed 50%, from a regular price of $29.95.

Included with the case is a holster, that is made out of black plastic. You can use this holster to turn the iPod touch 360 degrees, as the back clip on the holster rotates. What I like about this holster is that it clips on to the top of the case, and can be used as a stand that works with both portrait and landscape mode. The holster can also be used as a removable belt clip, which is another pro.

The holster is very easy to put onto the iPod, as well as taking it off. You simply place the bottom of the iPod touch into the holster first, and then the top of the holster clips to the top of the case. Including a holster with the case is a great idea and can be very useful when watching a video or movie on your iPod.

The hard plastic that this case is designed with is durable and protects the iPod against scratches, dents and drops. A good design to this case is that the hard plastic has two little hairline cracks on each side of the case, which relieves tension when you are putting the case on to your iPod touch. If these little divets weren’t there, the case might crack in the middle because it bends slightly when putting it on.

One flaw that this case has is that although it leaves openings for all ports such as the home button, there is no opening for the iPod’s ambient light sensor. This throws off the auto-brightness feature on the iPod, and your screen can start flickering because the ambient light sensor can’t determine the lighting around it. But, Speck may have purposely not provided an opening for this sensor because a clear case may not have any affect on it. Otherwise, all other ports are at ease of use.

Also included along with this case is a screen protector, but not a typical one. This screen protector is merely a clear sheet of plastic with a cut-out for the home button, and has no adhesive backing. You simply place it onto the front of the iPod, and the SeeThru case holds it in place. Also included is brief instructions in many different languages, but the cleaning cloth that Speck mentioned was included on the case’s product page was nowhere to be found in either of the cases I received.

Placing this case on to your iPod touch can be done so by following these instructions:

1. Take the back piece of the case and put it onto the back of the iPod, making sure it is covering the Sleep/Wake button.
2. Place the screen protector in a good position that covers the iPod’s screen.
3. Take the front piece of the case and put it over the bottom of the iPod, and then clip the top of the front piece to the back piece.

If you’re the type that likes looking at the shiny aluminum on the back of your iPod, then this case is for you. With clear plastic casing you can see right through the front and back of the case, while at the same provide protection. Personally, I’m not the type that likes clear cases but it’s all personal preference. I give this case a rating of 8/10 because of the lack of an adhesive screen protector and my personal preference of cases that aren’t clear.

Summary:

• Clear / See Through
• Durable Hard Plastic (Polycarbonate)
• Available in 9 colors for $14.95 USD
• Includes a holster and screen protector

This guide was written by Kiks52. You may not use this guide without prior consent from myself. kiks52@gmail.com