iLounge

Pik · 11-17-2003, 04:04 PM

When Speck introduced their new 3G model "Flipstand", I couldn't have been more impressed with the design and thought Speck had attached to their second generation product. Their inclusion of a redesigned dock to hold their case and iPod was both innovative and necessary, to retain the 3G iPod's original concept. It worked so well that once you slid your precious iPod into the Flipstand, you never really needed to remove it, even to charge it or update its contents. Simply brilliant.

Now... when I saw the original pictures of Contour's new "Showcase", I was so impressed that I immediately preordered one. Even though the Contour case is more expensive than the Speck Flipstand, I wasn't going to allow a few bucks to deter me from having one really cool looking, white tuxedo in which to clothe my iPod. Finally, after a delay of two weeks, the Contour case arrived, but included NO DOCK? I think Contour have made a mistake by not including a redesigned dock to fit their case and here are my reasons...

1. The 3G iPod was designed to use the originally included dock, for aesthetic and practical reasons, as well as keeping the iPod off a dusty and scratchy desktop. The Speck Flipstand thoughtfully retained this concept - Contour chose to ignore it.

2. If you still intend using your original Apple dock with the new Contour Showcase, you'll need to remove it from the case to place it "naked" into the dock. Otherwise you can remove the firewire cable from the Apple dock and shove it up your iPod's butt, leaving it inside Contour's case on top of your desk, contrary to Apple's 3G design concept. If you need to continually open and close the Showcase to take out your iPod for charging and changing the contents (using Apple's dock) then over time it's only going to increase the possibility of that funky case lock and flimsy hinge, breaking and rendering your $40 investment, useless. Either way, the situation is not perfect, all because Contour chose not to include their own dock.

I could go on but I think by now you'll be seeing the picture clearly, as I've painted it. I must point out that the Contour case is a beautiful and highly aesthetic product, which DOES enhance the original beauty of the 3G iPod. Contour have given a lot of thought to the look and feel of this new case, making form over function a priority. If they put function up there with form and included a remodeled dock to fit their product, the Showcase would have been almost close to perfection. "Show" is really all it's about and for $40 that's just a little too pretentious for my budget. How ironic that the Contour Showcase fits into Speck's dock, perfectly

In conclusion: I am keeping my original Speck Flipstand (with dock) and I've given the Contour Showcase to my little brother. Already he's annoyed that I've given him an "inferior" case, because he too has discovered for himself the Contour Showcase's design flaw. Alas - poor brother, it truly sucks being the youngest sibling

Check the "Specky" Case http://gallery.ipodlounge.com/source..._world1524.php

tech · 11-17-2003, 07:01 PM

I really don't understand peoples strong desire to use the dock and nothing but the dock.
My personal feeling is that the dock is one more piece I have to keep track of, and the only reason I need it is for the line out...which I don't use...so I really don't need the dock.
I don't spend time looking at my iPod...I select my album and play it...and get back to work...
Now, this is just my personal opinion, but I just use the cable, and never remove my iPod from it's case...I don't need to.
It sits wherever I happen to need it, or happen to be...one cable, one iPod, headphones, and that's it...

So, other than the line out...why do people need a dock?

T.

Pik · 11-17-2003, 07:51 PM

Apparently Apple thought we needed the dock, "tech". Otherwise, why include it in the 3G models, when it wasn't included in the previous models? Anyone choosing not to use the dock, is their prerogative, but those of us who do, we expect that the hard bodied, encapsulated case of our choice, will have a similar form factor to the original Apple 3G iPod concept. A reasonable expectation, in my belief.

Speckled Jim · 11-19-2003, 07:01 AM

I really like having the dock - it stays in the same place on my desk, rather than being a stray cable tangling around the place, and it's a nice way of displaying the iPod. I don't think it's essential by any means, but a nice accessory to the iPod.

I don't see why people are so against taking a case off to put the iPod in the dock - I have Marware Convertible, and quite happily take that on and off all the time, so that I can put the iPod in the dock etc.

loGan · 11-19-2003, 10:12 AM

Taking the Skin cases on and off can be a bit of a pain but with the Contour I will just be taking it out of the case to dock, thats if my order ever arrives. The pesky english posties have caused total chaos by going on strike and mine seems to be lost at the moment...Grrrr..

With regard to the docks I think they are great. I have one on my desk for simple synching and a tidy desk. I have another by the hi fi downstairs so I can plonk my Ipod in there and play tunes through the Hi Fi when i want to.

vanillamike · 11-19-2003, 10:18 AM

I am in agreeance with tech. I like the dock and how it works, but it is more convenient to just attach the cord at the bottom, especially at school. I think when you stop using the dock all the time then you eventually just get in the habit of not using it.

Mike

prototypechild · 11-19-2003, 01:50 PM

Eheuheuheu...

Any of you notice how the original showcase website featured a... let's say, less than drop-dead gorgeous female sporting an iPod in the case over her very business-like attire?

And yet if you look now, what's there but a younger, more "youthfully attractive" model showing off the iPod in the Contour case... not over her sophisticated clothing, of course not.

But on her faded jeans.

Oh marketing, you make me giggle so.

tech · 11-19-2003, 04:18 PM

New advert model, huh? I wonder if that is to go along a bit with Apple's recent adverts that are more youth oriented?

Marketing, yep....giggling here as well...

T

Brock · 12-06-2003, 06:01 PM

I have a 10GB model.....i dont have a dock in the first place lol. Perhaps it's just the fact your spoiled by the Speck case.

TrunksGoku · 12-06-2003, 06:31 PM

you know...i remember people saying in these forums when the 1st gen and 2nd gen ipods came out, "boy, i wish there was a dock for this thing, it would make syncing so much easier~!" Now the concensus is "screw the dock, i dont need it. why the heck should i use it for?!" People will always find something to complain about whatever is good at the moment...but then when you get your way you find fault in it. Watch when apple loses the dock...people will be like "WTF~!! wheres the #### dock!!"

true story

***jerrodh*** · 12-06-2003, 07:54 PM

To the original poster--- did you try using your Showcase-d iPod on the Speck dock? Several people here do that, and have posted pictures, IIRC.

Pik · 12-08-2003, 05:06 AM

To "azdude_15GB"... Yes and if you read the post properly you'd have seen the following... "How ironic that the Contour Showcase fits into Speck's dock, perfectly." The point I was trying to make was, why do you have to buy a Speck dock to fit the Contour case? Couldn't Contour have been imaginative enough to include it? What a pity they weren't.

jonmon · 12-08-2003, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pik
Apparently Apple thought we needed the dock, "tech". Otherwise, why include it in the 3G models, when it wasn't included in the previous models? Anyone choosing not to use the dock, is their prerogative, but those of us who do, we expect that the hard bodied, encapsulated case of our choice, will have a similar form factor to the original Apple 3G iPod concept. A reasonable expectation, in my belief.

Apparently Apple doesn't want us to charge/sync our pods in the dock while in a case as can be plainly seen by their included case.

Pik · 12-08-2003, 03:46 PM

Yeah good point "Jonmon", but who would want to have their dazzling 3G iPod sitting in a dock, hidden by Apple's contribution to "lateral thinking"? Getting back to the point of my original post... Contour neglected to take advantage of the "docking" concept. I was only comparing the Speck "Flipstand" concept with Contour's "Showcase" and nothing more.

The Contour "Showcase" is a brilliant design overall, disregarding the numerous tiny faults like the unfortunate aspect of the white rubber attracting grime, grot and scuff marks, but those are easily washed off. I actually love the look and feel of the "Showcase" and the ONLY disappointment I have is the "dock" issue already stated and done to death. There's nothing more to be said on the subject

11-17-2003, 04:04 PM	#1
Pik Junior Lounger Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: California, USA Posts: 27	The Contour "Showcase" When Speck introduced their new 3G model "Flipstand", I couldn't have been more impressed with the design and thought Speck had attached to their second generation product. Their inclusion of a redesigned dock to hold their case and iPod was both innovative and necessary, to retain the 3G iPod's original concept. It worked so well that once you slid your precious iPod into the Flipstand, you never really needed to remove it, even to charge it or update its contents. Simply brilliant. Now... when I saw the original pictures of Contour's new "Showcase", I was so impressed that I immediately preordered one. Even though the Contour case is more expensive than the Speck Flipstand, I wasn't going to allow a few bucks to deter me from having one really cool looking, white tuxedo in which to clothe my iPod. Finally, after a delay of two weeks, the Contour case arrived, but included NO DOCK? I think Contour have made a mistake by not including a redesigned dock to fit their case and here are my reasons... 1. The 3G iPod was designed to use the originally included dock, for aesthetic and practical reasons, as well as keeping the iPod off a dusty and scratchy desktop. The Speck Flipstand thoughtfully retained this concept - Contour chose to ignore it. 2. If you still intend using your original Apple dock with the new Contour Showcase, you'll need to remove it from the case to place it "naked" into the dock. Otherwise you can remove the firewire cable from the Apple dock and shove it up your iPod's butt, leaving it inside Contour's case on top of your desk, contrary to Apple's 3G design concept. If you need to continually open and close the Showcase to take out your iPod for charging and changing the contents (using Apple's dock) then over time it's only going to increase the possibility of that funky case lock and flimsy hinge, breaking and rendering your $40 investment, useless. Either way, the situation is not perfect, all because Contour chose not to include their own dock. I could go on but I think by now you'll be seeing the picture clearly, as I've painted it. I must point out that the Contour case is a beautiful and highly aesthetic product, which DOES enhance the original beauty of the 3G iPod. Contour have given a lot of thought to the look and feel of this new case, making form over function a priority. If they put function up there with form and included a remodeled dock to fit their product, the Showcase would have been almost close to perfection. "Show" is really all it's about and for $40 that's just a little too pretentious for my budget. How ironic that the Contour Showcase fits into Speck's dock, perfectly In conclusion: I am keeping my original Speck Flipstand (with dock) and I've given the Contour Showcase to my little brother. Already he's annoyed that I've given him an "inferior" case, because he too has discovered for himself the Contour Showcase's design flaw. Alas - poor brother, it truly sucks being the youngest sibling Check the "Specky" Case http://gallery.ipodlounge.com/source..._world1524.php Last edited by Pik; 11-18-2003 at 08:19 PM.

11-17-2003, 07:51 PM	#3
Pik Junior Lounger Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: California, USA Posts: 27	Apparently Apple thought we needed the dock, "tech". Otherwise, why include it in the 3G models, when it wasn't included in the previous models? Anyone choosing not to use the dock, is their prerogative, but those of us who do, we expect that the hard bodied, encapsulated case of our choice, will have a similar form factor to the original Apple 3G iPod concept. A reasonable expectation, in my belief. __________________ • 40Gb Photo \| Black Contour Showcase \| Anapod \| iTunes \| XP Pro SP2 \| Look beyond the invisible...

11-19-2003, 10:12 AM	#5
loGan Ipod therefore I am Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 559	Taking the Skin cases on and off can be a bit of a pain but with the Contour I will just be taking it out of the case to dock, thats if my order ever arrives. The pesky english posties have caused total chaos by going on strike and mine seems to be lost at the moment...Grrrr.. With regard to the docks I think they are great. I have one on my desk for simple synching and a tidy desk. I have another by the hi fi downstairs so I can plonk my Ipod in there and play tunes through the Hi Fi when i want to. __________________ Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings, they did it by killing all those who opposed them.

11-19-2003, 10:18 AM	#6
vanillamike Reclined Lounger Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 306	I am in agreeance with tech. I like the dock and how it works, but it is more convenient to just attach the cord at the bottom, especially at school. I think when you stop using the dock all the time then you eventually just get in the habit of not using it. Mike __________________ "Graphic Designers are the witch doctors of commodity fetishism."

12-08-2003, 05:06 AM	#12
Pik Junior Lounger Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: California, USA Posts: 27	To "azdude_15GB"... Yes and if you read the post properly you'd have seen the following... "How ironic that the Contour Showcase fits into Speck's dock, perfectly." The point I was trying to make was, why do you have to buy a Speck dock to fit the Contour case? Couldn't Contour have been imaginative enough to include it? What a pity they weren't. __________________ • 40Gb Photo \| Black Contour Showcase \| Anapod \| iTunes \| XP Pro SP2 \| Look beyond the invisible...

iLounge

Topic: The Contour "Showcase"

Topic: The Contour "Showcase"

		iLounge Forums » Accessories for iPod, iPhone + iPad » Cases » Cases for Discontinued iPods
The Contour "Showcase"

11-17-2003, 07:01 PM	#2
tech Junior Lounger Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Chicago Land Posts: 63	I really don't understand peoples strong desire to use the dock and nothing but the dock. My personal feeling is that the dock is one more piece I have to keep track of, and the only reason I need it is for the line out...which I don't use...so I really don't need the dock. I don't spend time looking at my iPod...I select my album and play it...and get back to work... Now, this is just my personal opinion, but I just use the cable, and never remove my iPod from it's case...I don't need to. It sits wherever I happen to need it, or happen to be...one cable, one iPod, headphones, and that's it... So, other than the line out...why do people need a dock? T.

11-19-2003, 07:01 AM	#4
Speckled Jim Junior Lounger Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 37	I really like having the dock - it stays in the same place on my desk, rather than being a stray cable tangling around the place, and it's a nice way of displaying the iPod. I don't think it's essential by any means, but a nice accessory to the iPod. I don't see why people are so against taking a case off to put the iPod in the dock - I have Marware Convertible, and quite happily take that on and off all the time, so that I can put the iPod in the dock etc.

11-19-2003, 01:50 PM	#7
prototypechild DeceptiPod Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 126	Eheuheuheu... Any of you notice how the original showcase website featured a... let's say, less than drop-dead gorgeous female sporting an iPod in the case over her very business-like attire? And yet if you look now, what's there but a younger, more "youthfully attractive" model showing off the iPod in the Contour case... not over her sophisticated clothing, of course not. But on her faded jeans. Oh marketing, you make me giggle so.

11-19-2003, 04:18 PM	#8
tech Junior Lounger Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Chicago Land Posts: 63	New advert model, huh? I wonder if that is to go along a bit with Apple's recent adverts that are more youth oriented? Marketing, yep....giggling here as well... T

12-06-2003, 06:01 PM	#9
Brock Senior Lounger Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PA, USA Posts: 119	I have a 10GB model.....i dont have a dock in the first place lol. Perhaps it's just the fact your spoiled by the Speck case.

12-06-2003, 06:31 PM	#10
TrunksGoku iPod Lover Join Date: May 2003 Location: Boston Posts: 105	you know...i remember people saying in these forums when the 1st gen and 2nd gen ipods came out, "boy, i wish there was a dock for this thing, it would make syncing so much easier~!" Now the concensus is "screw the dock, i dont need it. why the heck should i use it for?!" People will always find something to complain about whatever is good at the moment...but then when you get your way you find fault in it. Watch when apple loses the dock...people will be like "WTF~!! wheres the #### dock!!" true story

12-06-2003, 07:54 PM	#11
*jerrodh* Me. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,893	To the original poster--- did you try using your Showcase-d iPod on the Speck dock? Several people here do that, and have posted pictures, IIRC.

12-08-2003, 03:46 PM	#14
Pik Junior Lounger Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: California, USA Posts: 27	Yeah good point "Jonmon", but who would want to have their dazzling 3G iPod sitting in a dock, hidden by Apple's contribution to "lateral thinking"? Getting back to the point of my original post... Contour neglected to take advantage of the "docking" concept. I was only comparing the Speck "Flipstand" concept with Contour's "Showcase" and nothing more. The Contour "Showcase" is a brilliant design overall, disregarding the numerous tiny faults like the unfortunate aspect of the white rubber attracting grime, grot and scuff marks, but those are easily washed off. I actually love the look and feel of the "Showcase" and the ONLY disappointment I have is the "dock" issue already stated and done to death. There's nothing more to be said on the subject __________________ • 40Gb Photo \| Black Contour Showcase \| Anapod \| iTunes \| XP Pro SP2 \| Look beyond the invisible... Last edited by Pik; 12-08-2003 at 03:49 PM.

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