UPDATED: March 2, 2009
Works with
3rd-generation iPod nano
The Good
Protects screen
The Bad
No clickwheel protection
Debris can get into case and onto screen
Styling is slightly plain
The Price
US$19.95
UPDATE: While this case seemed like a solid, but not spectular choice at first, I've substantially downgraded its rating due to new concerns about the case's durability. I've been using this case with my nano for months and was basically happy with it, until I dropped it. After one drop, the case had bent out of shape such that the slider no longer stays closed and can either slip off or let the iPod fall out. A case that can't take even one drop without damaging its function isn't sturdy enough for me - and may not be for you, either.
Original Review
Core Cases’ Aluminum Slider for the third-generation iPod nano case is a decent case undermined by a crucial flaw: The lack of clickwheel protection and a slight opening above the clickwheel allows debris and moisture into the case where it could cause problems.
Like its bigger sibling for the iPod Classic, the case is made up of two anodized aluminum pieces — a soft-foam-lined tray that the nano rests in, and a cover that slides over the tray and locks into place. Unlike its bigger brother, though, the fit isn’t quite as snug. Still, you won’t worry about the case coming open or iPod falling out.
Also like the other cases in this line, its styling is a bit plain, with the case coming in flat silver and black, as well as pink and red.
The case protects the screen with a piece of hard plastic and provides access to the headphone jack, hold button, and dock connector.
What it doesn’t cover, though, is the clickwheel – a key omission in modern iPod cases in my eyes.
What makes this omission particularly serious is that because there’s a small space between the iPod’s face and the clickwheel, there’s an open path for debris or dampness to get inside the case and onto the screen.
I use my iPod nano most often when riding my bike and so put the iPod, in this case, in my pocket. At the end of nearly every ride, I find the clickwheel covered in sweat (gross, I know, but also true. Often, I also find that lint or similar residents of my pockets have lodged themselves between the case and screen.
The point of an iPod case is to keep the iPod safe during use and storage. The Core Cases Aluminum Slider for iPod nano does this in some cases, but the lack of clickwheel coverage, and the greater risk it brings, makes this a case I can’t recommend more than half-heartedly.
