Giving That iPod Some Style - iStyles Review

Luxury, class, and exclusivity all at a low price.

Add to that a design that prides itself on incredible detail to the most minor of issues including awe-inspiring graphics, and we have ourselves a product worth much more than the mere $6-$8.

From an innovative, reusable vinyl film (adhesive backing) to the protective coating, iStyles really do go far and beyond to provide a quality product lasting you, the consumer, for many years to come.

The Skin

Design

iStyles are a brand of skins, self adhesive vinyl coverings.
(silicone or hard rubber are a faction but the term is usually directed toward those such as iStyles -adhesive)
iStyles products are quite minimal and less invasive than most of the other skins/cases available, so accessibility to ports is not affected whatsoever. The front and the back of the iPod are covered by the skin, while the sides are left bare due to it’s genre of being a vinyl skin (practical sakes and as not to affect use)
The adhesive backed vinyl is known as “cast vinyl” due to the higher quality of material which allows a higher gloss point (improvement on appearance) and lack of discoloration as well as shrinking (the latter are two issues which plague other skins, but not iStyles). This allows the your purchase to last on average 7-9 years looking as if new.
The cast vinyl cost a bit more on the manufacturing end, but iStyles is known for striving for long-term customer relationship and satisfaction so they sacrifice lower profit margins in order to benefit the buyer.

Graphics

iStyles has a Designer Program which brings together talent from all across the globe to provide their skins with one of a kind designs. Bringing alive an exclusive feel, eye-striking images which will make your iPod the victim of envy and bitter admiration

Here are a few samples of the diverse spectacles available spanning from sheer artwork to realistic images that will definitely garner some attention (Wallpapers are included).

Protection

While a main purpose of iStyles skins are for appearance (as is the case with skins), they also do quite a bit on the practical side. Obviously protecting areas (front and back) covered from light to moderate scratching, which are synonymous with iPods, the skins available from iStyles also are undergone a thorough “Battle Armor” treatment which reinforces the cast vinyl by protecting against smudging, smearing, fades, and more. All this via a high quality gloss rather than cheaper laminates which diminish the value and practicality of the case itself.

This also ensures your iStyles Skin will last at least 5 if not 10 years. Quite an investment to say the least.

iStyles even goes the extra step on the off-chance your iPod does succumb to smudging, smearing, fading, blurring, etc then the company replaces the skin free of charge (except shipping of course :p).

Application

iStyles design and application are pretty straight-forward, for the adhesive is pre-cut. It is simply just removing the skin and placing on the iPod.

The innovative design (diamond pattern) with the skins allows air bubbles, wrinkles, and other issues to simply be pushed “down and out” with a simple push of the fingers.
Reapplication (a key to the skins’ reuse) is also allowed by this patented cast vinyl design by the brains at iStyles without the adhesive losing its effect, damage to the skin, or any residue left afterward.

iStyles

iStyles, a Singapore based company, is quite a diverse company with accessories spanning from music players, mobile phones, laptops, gaming devices, and much more.

With worldwide shipping, an open forum for resellers, and intercontinental consultants, iStyles seems determined to expand its roots and reach across the aisle to consumers all over the world. All of which is quite impressive for an institution which began as a humble web development firm in 1997 before taking off to new markets and platforms.

Customer Relations

iStyles has shown a dedication to the consumer by incorporating fair business practices into a competitive market. Here is an excerpt displaying their different methods and commitments.

Company Goals

The goal of the company is to create Quality, Innovative, Functional, Stylish and Affordable (QIFSA) products that will attract users from a broad market segment. Everyone will find something that they like. Each segment of QIFSA is just as important as the other and is emphasized strongly throughout the entire development cycle of each new product.

Quality - First and foremost, there is a strong emphasis on quality. Quality, whether be it the stitching on a leather product, or the build of a case, is always kept at a high standard. Quality is emphasized throughout the manufacturing process, right from the start where the raw materials are selected, to the end where the product is packaged.

Innovation - In today’s overcrowded market place, products have to stand out and offer something different and innovative that will not only enhance the products’ value, but will also solve real problems that people have with other accessories. Some of the results from innovation are silicone cases that do not attract dust or become sticky and ultra-clear protectors that feature an underlying layer of silicon for additional protection.

Functionality - Accessories have to work. It’s as simple as that. At iStyles, not only must the accessories work, they must also have a certain value-added component that will enrich a user’s experience of the device. Examples include iPod 4th Generation Silicone cases with foldable bottoms that allow docking as well as smooth silicone on the iPod Video and nano Silicone cases to enhance clickwheel usage.

Style - People come to iStyles to dress up their gadget. The dress obviously has to be nice. Much emphasis has been placed in making products that are Desirable, Attractive and Trendy (DAT). Desirable such that people will take one look and say “That looks nice and I want one.”. Attractive as products are designed by or designed based on feedback from designers and consultants worldwide with the aim of offering comprehensive and attractive product “collections” that will appeal to different people. Trendy as new collections are launched frequently to keep up with the latest fashion trends.

Affordability - There seems to be a general misconception that accessories, and especially iPod accessories, have to be expensive to be of any good. iStyles has always been working on bringing cost to the lowest possible levels and passing the savings on to the customers, while still maintaining the highest possible standards. Affordability is never achieved at the expense of quality. Affordability is usually achieved through economies of scale and refinement of processes. A search on the web will reveal that the efforts are paying off as customers refer to iStyles accessories as “cheap and good” and “of amazing value”.

Overall

• Diverse, Elegant Designs
• Exclusive Skins
• Treated for Extra Protection
• Long-Lasting
• Reusable
• Straightforward Application
• Fair Corporate Policies
• Affordability - Averaging under $10

Bottom-line: iStyles introduces a new line of one of a kind designs to produce eye-catching  results worth every penny.

From high quality materials used to inclusive programs furthering the exlusivity of skins, iStyles certainly offers an innovative product that will last the years to come.

Links:
iStyles
iStyles FAQ
iStyles Support

Note: I’d like to thank iStyles for their generosity and cooperation.
Truly has been a pleasure.