iPod touch Case Review: Fitted for 4th Generation iPod touch

When the 4th generation iPod touch came out I broke one of my cardinal rules… I began using it before a case was released for it. I NEVER do that. Ever. Keeping my iDevices pristine is too important for me and the shiny metal back of the touch scratches far too easily. Unfortunately cases for the new iPod touch were a few weeks off. I immediately began using my touch and… as expected… within a few days the back was a bit scratched up. It is too late for me to keep my touch in perfect shape but if you are just getting one for yourself Speck now has some great choices. Larry has already taken a look at two of them (the Speck PixelShield HD and the CandyShell) and today we’ll take a look at the third — the Speck Fitted for iPod touch 4 Gen.

From Speck:

It feels really good, this case does. And it looks good, too. Sleek, stylish, a hint of sophistication and smarts; this hard-shell case with matte soft-touch coating becomes even more impressive if you match the fabric-backed panel to your outfit, scarf, or tie.

Original fabric-wrapped patterns give your iPod touch a fabulous tailored look * Form-fit two-piece hard shell case design protects from scratches and scuffs * Access to all buttons, controls, sensors and connections Usage: To remove this case, face the iPod with the screen towards you. Start on the right side of the case, about an inch down from the top. From the inside (over the screen, not the outside!) gently pop the front of the case up. Once you have a bit of separation of the two pieces on the right side, work around to the top next, then to the left side and bottom, and gently pull the two pieces apart. It is much easier if you start from the inside/screen side, than from the outside of the case! Use your fingers, or gently use a guitar pick or credit card to help pop it off. The trick is to start from the inside (screen side)- and it works best if you start on the right side and go counter-clockwise.

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The Fitted Case has a 2-piece hard shell case that is coated with matte, soft-touch coating. The soft-touch material feels great in the hand and does a great job of giving the case a bit of texture that ensures it won’t slip when you are holding the device. The back of the case has “tactile, stylin fabric, in original spexy patterns” or, to use my words, it has cloth glued to the back which adds additional grip and style.

As is always the situation with a case like this the screen is left open and unprotected. At the same time, a raised front bezel does help protect the screen if you place the device face down on a table. I strongly recommend using a protective screen film if using a case like this.

As you can see, the fabric on the back is perfectly trimmed and glue precisely to the plastic shell. The fit and finish are excellent.

The cutout on the bottom leaves the headphone jack, dock connector and speaker wide open. The extra bit of black case material helps keep it protected.

The same goes with the volume controls. The area is open enough that raising and lowering the volume isn’t an issue when using the case.

New to the iPod touch this year is the camera and microphone. These make it necessary for the case to have an additional cutout. The choice to separate the sleep/awake button and the camera/mic cutouts is a good one since it gives the case some extra strength.

The two halves of the Speck Fitted for iPod touch Gen 4 goes together with a satisfying “snap”. They fit so perfectly that it is, in fact, a bit of a challenge to remove the case. That is a good thing however since you do not want to the two pieces coming apart unless you WANT the two pieces coming apart. Speck recognizes the challenge and on their website explain how to remove the case.

How do I get the Fitted iPhone 4 case off? To remove this case, face the iPod with the screen towards you. Start on the right side of the case, about an inch down from the top. From the inside (over the screen, not the outside!) gently pop the front of the case up. Once you have a bit of separation of the two pieces on the right side, work around to the top next, then to the left side and bottom, and gently pull the two pieces apart. It is much easier if you start from the inside/screen side, than from the outside of the case! Use your fingers, or gently use a guitar pick or credit card to help pop it off. The trick is to start from the inside (screen side)- and it works best if you start on the right side and go counter-clockwise.

Easy enough!

The Speck Fitted for the iPod touch Gen 4 is a fantastic case. It feels great to hold, offers excellent protection and it adds some style to the device. I wish I had this day one! I have now seen a number of different cases for the current generation iPod touch and it is, by far, my favorite.

You can check out this case here on Speck’s site. While you are there you might want to check out some of Speck’s other cases too!

MSRP: $29.95

What I Like: Looks great; protects great; feels great; fantastic fit and finish

What Needs Improvement: Can be hard to get off; no screen protector included