Today we’ll be taking a look at Griffin‘s iClear case for the 1st-generation iPod touch. The play on words I took in the title of this review describes exactly what this case is: impressive. In fact, the guys over at iLounge gave this case their Best of the Year award for 2008.

This case is a two-piece case made of clear hard polycarbonate plastic. Griffin is offering this case at a discounted holiday price of only $9.99, a savings of $10, online at their website. And thanks to Jackie from Griffin, we’ll show you why this case is considered “best of the year”.

Continue reading for the full review of Griffin’s iClear case.

Griffin’s iClear case is a hard shell type case, that provides great protection because of it’s durable, strong polycarbonate plastic design. The case covers the complete aluminum back of the iPod touch, the top, sides and partially the front. The only things that are left exposed are the screen, dock connector, headphone jack and Sleep/Wake button. The two piece case snaps together, holding the iPod touch in place. Opening up the case at a later time is easy, and can be done quickly by using a penny or even your hands. It will become easier to open the case after time, because it is very tight at first.

If “iClear” wasn’t obvious enough, this case is made of clear (transparent) plastic, which displays your iPod touch while at the same time offering solid protection. This hard shell clear plastic does not touch the iPod, but it has the potential to scratch the back of the iPod touch after time. Like many other cases, it’s about a 1/4″ (1/2 cm) away from the iPod. A con to this clear design though is that, just like it makes your iPod visible, dust is also visible. Dust can get trapped under the case and because it is clear, you can fully see it.

The front piece of this case is clear, while the back piece has a frost effect to it. By that I mean that it is not completely see through, but clear enough that you can see “iPod” and the Apple logo on the back of your iPod.

Included along with this case is a screen protector and microfiber cloth. The screen protector has details on how to apply it to your iPod touch, and covers the complete front of the iPod. The microfiber cloth is grey and displays the Griffin logo across the bottom right. This cloth is very static and is useful for removing any dust off of the iPod and/or case that may collect after time.

The hard plastic shell that this case has is impact resistent, and great for protecting your iPod touch. Wherever you may be you don’t need to worry about denting, scratching or even breaking the device that you, or someone else, payed alot of money for. Face it – when you’re on-the-go things can happen very quickly and before you know it you’ve dropped your iPod. But with the iClear case, there’s no need to worry because the hard shell is resistant to impact.

A pro to the iClear case is that it isn’t obtrusive to your everyday use of your iPod. The case leaves plenty of room for the Sleep/Wake and home buttons, as well as the bottom of the iPod. This case works fine with a dock and other accessories, and doesn’t get in the way of the headphone jack either. When watching videos or using an application, this case isn’t a problem.

Overall, any type of clear case showcases your iPod while protecting it. But, the good design features and durable plastic are both pros to this case. And the addition of a screen protector and microfiber cloth only contribute to the positive’s of this case. The cons to this case are that dust can get trapped under the clear plastic and that the case can scratch your iPod slightly after time. A skin such as a Best Skins Ever, invisibleSHIELD or BodyGuardz can help protect that from happening, so it’s not the biggest deal ever. Still, it’s easy to understand why iLounge rated it one of the best of the best for 2008, and that said this case is deserving of a 9/10 for design and 9/10 for protection.

Summary:

• Hard shell case
• Clear
• Affordable price of $20 (and half price for the holidays)
• Includes screen protector and microfiber cloth
• Dock/accessory compatible

This guide was written by Kiks52 and may not be used without permission. kiks52@gmail.com