Review: RadTech PodSleevz

So, we’ve reviewed other cases in the past for the iPods, and we have another. There’s been much talk around the web about the new RadTech PodSleevz. We were rather impressed with this simple, inexpensive case.

The PodSleevz case is made of the same material as the other RadTech products – a synthetic super-microfiber fabric called Optex. In plain English, this means that it is very, very soft. The same material can be used to polish/clean CDs, laptop screens, everywhere on your iPod, and PDA screens. The PodSleevz case is basically a glove that fits over your iPod. Buttons and the scroll wheel are controlled through the material. There is a vinyl window that protects the screen from scratches as well. The thickness of the case is 0.8mm, and using the dock is still not possible.

RadTech PodSleevz

The case fits the iPod snugly, and fits inside the official Apple case (if you have one), to allow maximum protection. It is light and adds very little to the actual size of the iPod, and still fits easily in pockets (unlike the silicone ‘skins’ for the iPods). The case is also available in 6 colors (Indigo, Titanium, Light Purple, Ultra Violet, Red, and Black). There are two versions – one for fat iPods (30GB & 40GB), and thin iPods (10GB-20GB).

Care

To clean the PodSleevz case, you can wash it either by hand or with a washing machine. Mild soap is recommended, as well as air or low-heat drying. The instructions advise against ironing (it shouldn’t wrinkle anyway, as it stretches to fit your iPod.

The Good

We really like how the case allows the use of peripherals, such as iTrips, iTalks, and the Belkin Voice Recorder, since the top is open. There is also a slot of the bottom where you can cut out to reveal the dock connector (if you use the cable), or you can leave it on. We also like how the case is nice and slim – although it won’t protect from drops, it will protect from scratches. This is great if your iPod lives in your pocket. Did we mention it is one of the cheapest cases we’ve reviewed?

The Bad

There are two complaints we have about the PodSleevz case. The first is minor. We think that the markings on the controls look rather weird. They’re just too large and don’t necessarily give a clear picture (pardon the pun) on what the button does (although we have the iPod’s layout memorized). The other is more major – the vinyl screen protector sticks to the screen, giving the appearance of moisture between the screen and protector. The case does look somewhat home-made, but it does not look bad.

We got a response from RadTech about why the buttons are the way they are:

“To make them [the debossed buttons] work reliably, we had to create a pretty large depressed area. It was a bit of a challenge to come up with a shape that would be semi-descriptive of the function. I experimented with about 40 different shapes and configurations—which got a bit expensive (each experimental die cost $150). The only other option which gave us enough of a depressed area was circles or squares, and that seemed too lame.”

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