Have you recently bought an iPod? Or are you on the verge of buying one?

Take a look around next time your out and about. iPods are becoming as prolific as cellphones. Of course they are! The iPod is such a great gadget! Do you know the first thing you must do after buying an iPod?

You need to protect it! Most people don’t. Even though the iPod owner spends as much as $30 - $60 USD on iPod accessories. That’s 30 to 60% of the original iPod price.

The majority of people are buying fancy accessories such as fm transmitters, docking stations, wireless remote kits. Don’t get the wrong idea these are great gadgets BUT the first accessory you should be buying is protection for your iPod.

Get the basics before getting the fancy goods. iPod skins and cases come in a huge variety of styles and quality. Whatever your style - there is a case for you!

By purchasing a Skin or Case you’ll be protecting your iPod from these common problems:

* Click wheel scratches

* iPod screen scratches.

* Mirrored back scratches.

Despite the superiority of the Apple iPod, it still suffers from some major issues. Being easily scratched and short battery life. These issues lower the resale value of an iPod. This may not seem important but if you want to trade in your older one for a newer one, these things will matter. Aside from that, who wants their own pristine, beautiful iPod all scratched up? Every time you take your iPod out of your pocket it causes microscopic scratches!

There are many accessories out there but most do not fulfill the basic needs of your iPod. Protection. You need to protect your iPod before anything else. Make sure you first equip your iPod with a good quality case, skin, or sleeve.

The most popular iPod cases are as follows:

Cellphone sleeve converted to a case.

This is the most common and are most easily available. Unfortunately the mirrored back of the 3G and 4G iPod are easily scratched by the sleeve as the rub against it. If you can afford a 3G or 4G iPod then you can afford not to go this route. Protect your purchase and buy something specifically for your iPod.

iPod Silicone skin.

This is the most common case today. They come in every shape and size, color and texture. Be aware though there are mass produced low quality cases produced in China with questionable materials that tear easily. The cheap silicone skins also pick up dirt and lint easily. You can find better and branded products from the USA or Japan.

iPod Leather Cases.

iPod leather cases are also extremely popular. Unfortunately people have reported that the Apple branded one scratches the mirror back and does not have a cover flap. There are many quality leather case suppliers on the web. Check the stitching on the case for good workmanship. Belkin and Digital Lifestyle are a few that come to mind.

Water and Shock Resistant Cases.

There is an increasing need for these types of cases due to our active and mobile lifestyles. There are a plethora of cases in this market also but be forewarned that a case can only be water resistant not water proof. Water resistant means it can withstand water splashes certainly not to be immersed in water and definitely you would not bring diving! There are many aluminum cases available that offer superb shock resistance.

With the new knowledge you have, you are now ready to find the case that best fits your needs and most importantly your style! Happy case hunting.

Suzanne Allen is a lover of iPods and other nefarious gadgets. At her sister sites you can find iPod cases and iPod Mods.

Share This

iPod Articles | No Comments »

The iPod video is popular due to its huge memory and the video playing capacity of the longer life battery. However, there are still some drawbacks to the design but whether you regard them as important depends upon your own liking of the iPod range.

The screen is bigger than the previous models which is great, but the surface is still easy to scratch, therefore you will still need a case to ensure protection.

Although the video image is excellent and the screen clarity may be easily compared to your TV set, there are still some problems with freezing video images. However, the fact that interference from sunlight or other light sources has been eliminated is excellent.

Although the battery life is improved overall, people complain that it is short in video mode. However, this is true of any resource intensive device, just ask laptop owners. You just need to be aware and remember to recharge regularly.

Anyway, this complaint can be balanced by the fact that the video is played with no flaws and looks really detailed.

The best new features of the video iPod concern the sound quality. It is clearer and louder with a bass that is stronger, my particular favorite.

Another good feature is the easy control, the video feature is generally accepted as being superb, but minor criticisms concern the interruption of the sound when switching between tracks.

The definite advantages of the ipod video may be gathered together, people point out that ipod video has a superb, thin and attractive enclosure with a great display. It also has the best sound, 15-20 hours of music, new clock and even the time in other parts of the world.

Conversely, the drawbacks or criticisms can be summarised as being the incompleteness of the video integration that suggests the experimental project aspect, absence of any new games, no changes in the interface, the smaller than expected screen as regards the video features edition and slow transfer of photos direct from the camera.

All this being said, you will find that the majority of people see the ipod video as the best music player around that has superior quality of sound and is just simply the best looking device money can buy.

After all if this is not the case then why has the Apple iPod range reached a state of almost complete domination in the portable music player market?

As a screen for the photo album, the clarity of the screen may win the competition with any TV set’s screen. As a movie player, the iPod video is below the expectations, but it may be considered a great
step in the video technology.

Trevor Sadowski is an mp3 enthisiast and runs a website devoted to the features of the apple ipod video and other ipod models in the range.

Share This

iPod Articles | No Comments »

Many people when kitting out their iPod decide that their biggest angst with the iPod is its ability to pick up dust. Companies were rushing to make Silicone Skins in many cases before iPod cases were being prepared and designed. Unfortunately there have been a raft of products imported for a couple of pounds that are either ill fitting on the iPod or tend to break apart within a couple of months usage, not a great option for the long term! Luckily there is one company who has dedicated itself to the manufacture of Silicone Skins for iPods and they are so good at their job they deserve a medal from iPod fans worldwide. iSkin are a Canadian company who produce simply some of the most attractive options for accessorizing your iPod that you could possibly wish for.

For the iPod Nano they came up with the iSkin Duo for iPod Nano, a two colour Silicone Skin that even covers the click wheel as well as the rest of the iPod, all that is left is the screen for your viewing, they even managed to create covers for the ports so that when not in sue dust can not enter. If you find your Nano frequently exposed to dirt then you really have found what you are looking for to protect it, there are many imitations but imitation is the greatest form of flattery in this case as these Skins are unrivalled. In producing the attractive colours they even made three of them glow in the dark, there really is a colour option for everyone. The iSkin Slims now released allow you to mix and match the colour combinations of your iSkin Duo so it has become possible black and black, pink and red etc, any combination you can think of usig the five iSkin Slims and your iSkin Duo.

Video iPods provide a larger amount of space than the tiny Nano for getting some colour around your iPod and again iSkin come up trumps for the iPod Video. The Evo3 is available in 6 different colours all very vivid and noticeable when wrapped around your iPod. The protection against dirt is absolutely superb and the grip of the Silicone Skin is wonderful it is certainly one you are unlikely to drop and if you did there is some protection against impact damage when incased in an Evo3. The fit was made to be so form fitting that a separate model of each colour was released for the 30GB and 60GB 5G iPod. There is an included clip for clipping the iPod to your belt while in it’s Silicone Skin and this can be completely removed for just putting your iPod in its case into your pocket. Simply the best from iSkin, so far the rivals have not produced anything to topple it from its might throne!

For the Shuffle iSkin is not king. Tunewear managed in the IceWear Silicone Skin for Shuffle to produce something very unique in terms of appearance for an iPod case. The Silicone used to make these is the same as that used in diving masks and the fit to the Shuffle is so tight and perfect that you almost would think it is the shuffle and no case is on, the colour is a sort of shady clear and the side ribbing of the case helps to complete what is a fantastic and very attractive design, something that as yet has no challengers from those offered by the other brands, if you have a Shuffle and feel the accessories for the Nano and Video iPods leave you feeling you don’t get much choice then search out the Tunewear IceWear you will not regret going to great lengths to find yours!

MP3 Additions your online iPod superstore. http://www.mp3additions.co.uk

Share This

iPod Articles | No Comments »