Reviews

Proporta Alu-Leather and Silicone Case for iPod Nano

October 19, 2005

Alu-Leather Case

The Alu-Leather case is similar in design to the other cases in this line from Proporta.The exterior is made of soft black leather and features white stitching, with a small Proporta logo embossed on the lower right corner. The case is secured with a tab that extends from the back of the case, underneath the Nano, and up to the bottom left corner of the front of the case, closing with a small magnetic snap. Open up the case and you’ll find a smooth leather lining underneath the flap, with a small cutout that shows the extra aluminum plate and the Proporta logo. The other side of the case has the feel of suede, and features two small “arms” on each side that hold the Nano in place.

Inserting and removing the Nano couldn’t be any simpler, just slide it under the arms on each side until you have it settled into the right spot. You can plug in your earphones and they won’t interfere with the tab closure—it’s obvious that the folks at Proporta carefully designed this case to work just right. From the side view photo, you can see that the Nano is completely protected, apart from the small portion of the sides that isn’t covered by the case. The chance for cosmetic damage is certainly there, but at least you don’t have to worry about the screen getting cracked or scratched when your player is in this case.

This case does add a bit of bulk to the diminutive iPod Nano, but it does a very good job of protecting the music player while still making it easy to use. The Proporta Alu-Leather Case for the iPod Nano is available in black for $34.95. That price is a bit high, considering the small size/material cost of this case, but if you get one quick you can get a free screen protector for your Nano (normally $9.95). You can get it at Proporta’s online store.

Silicone Case

This case is designed for the active user who wants to protect their Nano from damage while still having full access to all of the ports and controls. Like most skin cases, it doesn’t add much bulk to the Nano at all, and actually does a good job of making it feel a little less slippery and easier to grip. The Nano can be inserted either through the screen opening or the charge/sync port opening in the bottom of the case, and for the first time with a “skin” case is was a completely painless experience. I wouldn’t call the case loose, but it isn’t as skin-tight as some others I’ve wrestled with over the years.

Once the Nano is fully inserted, you’ll find that there is a small opening at the top for the hold switch, a screen opening, a click wheel opening, and the aforementioned bottom opening for the charge/sync port and the headphone port. The hold switch opening is a little small, but I didn’t have any difficulty moving the case over just a bit and manipulating the switch. The screen and click wheel openings line up very nicely indeed; because this case is rather smaller than its traditional counterparts there isn’t as much stretch involved so things don’t get pulled out of whack. On the right side of the screen there’s a small lanyard or wrist strap attachment that allows you to wear the Nano around your neck. A white “shoestring” style lanyard comes with the case, or you can supply your own. It works well, but I wish that the lanyard attachment had been at the bottom of the case, close to the headphone port—that would have made the case much more comfortable to wear and make it easier to deal with all of those headphone cables.

The back of the case features a round metal accessory attachment that is completely enclosed in silicone—no worries here about anything scratching your Nano or snagging on your clothes. The small screw opening allows you to wear the case on your belt, once you attach the small screw and black plastic belt clip, which are included with the case. I’m glad that they were included, but I won’t likely use them all that much— it feels a little awkward to wear something so small on my waist, and I worry about the screen getting damaged if I run into something!

I’ve tried several Nano cases so far, and this one is my favorite for everyday use. It makes the Nano feel a little more substantial in the hand, and less flimsy. While the screen isn’t covered, there isn’t as much of a risk that the sides, front, or back will get scratched. If you use reasonable care, you can even put this case in a pocket and not worry too much, just as long as the Nano is the only thing in your pocket—keys or pocket change would be a recipe for disaster. As with the Alu-Leather case, I feel that the price is just a bit high at $19.95, but you can get a free screen protector for your Nano if you act fast. Even better, you have a choice of four colors— translucent clear/white, charcoal gray, pink, and blue. You can get it at Proporta’s online store with fast shipping and great customer service.

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