Okay Geek Farm
Speck CandyShell for iPod Touch (4th gen) review
Jason Tsay
There are plenty of choices when it comes to getting protection for your iPod. You can either get a silicone case, a hard case, or even use film. The Speck CandyShell combines a rubber interior with a hard shell exterior for double the protection without adding too much thickness. After spending some time with the CandyShell on our iPod, we’d have to say it’s our favorite case. Why?
Features
- Hard shell. Soft center. Sweet Looks.
- Glossy hard shell exterior provides your iPod touch cover and protection
- Rubberized interior and button covers
- Patent-pending one-piece design
Our Impressions
The CandyShell comes in the typical Speck milk carton style box. The unit we received came in MoonSuit White - a combination of glossy white plastic and grey rubber accents. The CandyShell is one of the nicest iPod Touch cases we’ve seen in a while. The case is designed in California and made in Taiwan.
Installation was simple enough; we simply slid in our iPod (surprisingly, we didn’t have to remove our protective film or screen protector). The CandyShell features a nice dual layer design - a rubber coating on the inside and hard plastic on the outside. Something interesting to note about the inner rubber coating - it’s covered with random holes to let the iPod breath and it looks pretty cool but you won’t see it after you actually put the case on. A rubberized Speck graphic and engraved Speck text logo reside on the back. There is a nice raised border around the screen. If you look closely, the rubber rim actually slants outwards and meets perfectly with the edge of the screen. This way, the border won’t get in the way of your finger when you’re gesturing towards the side and no particles will get in between the case and the screen. Due to the border, the case makes the iPod slightly wider and more comfortable to hold. Rather than leaving cutouts for the buttons, Speck decided to just integrate the interior rubber coating for raised buttons.
Compared to a naked iPod Touch, these buttons are much harder to press but after a while, they don’t present as much of an issue. Plus, the extra force needed to activate them helps prevent accidental presses. In addition to the buttons, Speck also extended the rubber to a strip in each corner. We’re pretty sure this is more of a stylistic element than for extra drop protection but every little bit definitely helps. The border is kept very minimal so it doesn’t affect your interaction with the home button. The camera cutout is pretty deeply recessed so you don’t have to worry about it getting scratched; the interior layer of rubber even prevents dust from getting in. Ample room is left for the dock connector area; the headphone port area is slightly wider to accomodate larger jacks.
The main concern we have with the CandyShell’s design is that the bit of plastic between the home button and dock connector seems pretty flimsy. Over time, we suspect this will snap. On the note of build quality, the case is very sturdily made although the glossy finish is bound to pick up some scratches and smudges over time.
Overall
Of all the cases we’ve tried for the iPod Touch, the Speck CandyShell has to be our favorite one yet. It looks great, feels great, and protects the iPod well. The CandyShell feels very nice to hold in the hand - the thickness, contour, and overall feel of the case are all excellent. Although it doesn’t come with any accessories for additional value, we still think it’s a fantastic value simply because of the level of design that went into perfecting a case like this.
Pro’s
- looks great
- good protection
- great feel
Con’s
- flimsy bottom area
Where to buy
This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the CandyShell by Speck.
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