Belkin brushed metal case--my new favourite! (With PICS)

[ArcticW]

A four month review of the Belkin case:

Like it . A lot. Easy to use, no weird kickstands or cheezy flaps, just a solid, form fitting, cool case. That said, Ill be buying an agent 18 case. Here's why.

The belkin doesn't have a belt clip.Not a big deal, but the real issue is durability. Part of the reason I bought this case is that it was pretty snazzy, being brushed silver against black, but that works against it over time. After four months of my admittedly abusive stewardship,the brushed metal front face not only attracts scratches, it advertises them. Every little cut, nick , scrape, and gouge is etched into the brushed pattern like a lunar crater. And Belkin doesn't (yet) sell the brushed faceplates separately.

With that, this is a good case,well designed, easy to use, and protects the iPod well, but after four-six months,your faceplate's gonna look like a scarred panel truck.

Did I mention that the agent 18 has a belt clip?

[udonluvr]

I'm curious how effective the snap latch on the case. Does the metal plate stay in place if you drop it?

[Menzoberranzan]

Guys this case may be all smiles for some but I have something people will find quite important.

I have an 80GB Video Ipod along with Sennheiser CX300s.

First off, when you put in the ipod and close it up, the Sennheiser CX300 audio jack DOES NOT FIT through the gap in the case body. Its like 2mm out and affects the sound quality. Falls out easily too. If you use Sennheiser CX300s or any headset that has a L shape audio jack, this case is NOT for you (Unless you want to chisel the hole bigger).

Secondly, getting the entire ipod OUT of the case is near impossible. (The top plate is easy as pie but who cares about that?) Once you push it inside its pretty much concrete-stuck.

I just bought the case and its no where near worth the money for the inconvenience. Definitely gonna try get it traded it for a different case tomorrow.

For normal ipod users or those that use the straight audio jack its okay. Otherwise, very bad design.

[Sakura]

Originally Posted by Psyc

Hey, anyone interested in buying this case make sure you use code 12345 at belkin's site for an extra $10 off.

now this code give me $12 off

Edit: My Pink version http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/5489/ipodpicswo8.jpg

[Sparky_92]

Originally Posted by Menzoberranzan

Guys this case may be all smiles for some but I have something people will find quite important.

I have an 80GB Video Ipod along with Sennheiser CX300s.

First off, when you put in the ipod and close it up, the Sennheiser CX300 audio jack DOES NOT FIT through the gap in the case body. Its like 2mm out and affects the sound quality. Falls out easily too. If you use Sennheiser CX300s or any headset that has a L shape audio jack, this case is NOT for you (Unless you want to chisel the hole bigger).

Secondly, getting the entire ipod OUT of the case is near impossible. (The top plate is easy as pie but who cares about that?) Once you push it inside its pretty much concrete-stuck.

I just bought the case and its no where near worth the money for the inconvenience. Definitely gonna try get it traded it for a different case tomorrow.

For normal ipod users or those that use the straight audio jack its okay. Otherwise, very bad design.

Yeah, that's the disadvantage of this case. They made the headphone jack too small -- you are forced to either drill out the hole to make it bigger, or shave down the male headphone jack itself.

The other disadvantage is that the case won't work with most docks because the hard plastic is too thick. You found out that the ipod is a b$tch to pull out of the back case so that's not an option.

However, I don't see another full protection case out there. (Suggestions?) If you don't use a dock and have a small headphone jack, then this case is great.

Note: I just tried the 12345 Coupon code at Belkin's site and it doesn't work anymore. Now the price of $29.99 is the same as offered in the Apple store.

[spacemanspiff77]

Just a few counterpoints here:

Some of you may remember my photos on this thread back on page 2 when I had my 30GB. I now have an 80GB that I purchased last week and liked the case so much that I bought a new one for my 80GB. I went so far as to only handle the new one with a soft cloth and place it into the case without touching it by hand!

Anyways, the 80GB case is not defective. The iPod fits like a glove and it can come out and go in just as easy the 8th time as it did the first time.

I do not have any problems plugging in my Sony EX51's. No modifying the headphone hole was necessary.

I plug it in nightly to my IH6 alarm clock stereo - case and all. In my earlier posts I was worried about this contributing to bent pins, but so far have encountered no problems.

[Soup]

I can't speak for anyone with the problem with a right angle phone jack, but I am having the hardest time imagining any trouble getting the ipod out of the case. Mine does not stick/get stuck at all. It could not be any simpler. I so not use a docking station, so I will not make any comment on that. I do use a JBL Ostage, but I have always removed the ipod to use it.

[paranoidxe]

They make this case for the 2G Nano now and it sucks compared to the video iPod case..the headphone jack is NEARLY too small for even the stock headphones and my Koss KSC-75s have a hard time getting in there too

I disgree with the "4-6 months your face plate will look like crap", it looks like the day I bought it..the back on the otherhand is a scratched up mess.

[huangers]

hey guys, for those who say it scratches could you please post pictures up?

oh and im just wondering how the clickwheel protection works.. is it a plastic cover? and if so how are you able to push it in? especially the middle button, that seems to be one piece with the rest of the wheel from the pictures posted earlier.

thanks,
huangy

[Death of Rats]

After four months of my admittedly abusive stewardship,the brushed metal front face not only attracts scratches, it advertises them. Every little cut, nick , scrape, and gouge is etched into the brushed pattern like a lunar crater.

Dammit. I just put my iPod into my case, which arrived from amazon.com today. (By the way, it was only $20 at amazon.com.)

When you say "abusive stewardship," just how abusive are we talking? Can you give us examples of how you tend to handle and store your iPod?

The weird thing for me was picking my iPod up after putting into the case. It's so much heavier now.

[Sparky_92]

Originally Posted by huangers

hey guys, for those who say it scratches could you please post pictures up?

oh and im just wondering how the clickwheel protection works.. is it a plastic cover? and if so how are you able to push it in? especially the middle button, that seems to be one piece with the rest of the wheel from the pictures posted earlier.

thanks,
huangy

There's a thin plastic overlay over the wheel and center button. It works just fine, and keeps your wheel from getting scratched up as well.

I've abused the case pretty well -- I often have my keys in the same pocket as the ipod, and while it will get scuffed up, it's not a disaster.

I mean, you need a little perspective -- christo! the other guy really wants a case for his case! I bought the case for $15.00 -- it protects and ipod that cost me $270. If the case gets scratched up to all hell, then I simply blow another $15.00 and get another case.

[chetau]

is this available for ipod classic?