Contour Design Showcase for iPod Touch
Price: $34.95
www.ContourDesign.com


One of my favorite companies for the hard skin type of case has always been Contour Design, and my favorite of their cases has always been the Showcase. So without further delay, here is our look at the Contour Design Showcase for iPod Touch!

Design 9/10

The Showcase has always had an interesting design. It is a hinged case with a sliding lock on one side. All the edges are a matte black with the back and front comprised of a clear plastic. This lets you show off your device while keeping the edges good looking (where the scratches usually accumulate if the edges are clear).  The front face on the Showcase Touch actually is depressed just a little (the surrounding edges are higher) which is very nice as it helps to protect the screen of the iPod Touch which is not covered by the Showcase. Another interesting feature is the top standby button, where instead of a cutout Contour Design decided to use a button integrated into the case that presses the actual iPod Touch button.

The back of the case has a circular piece that can spin to be removed and then can be replaced with the belt clip.

On the bottom are cutouts for the dock port and headphone port, but they actually have a two piece cover that allows you to cover up both, the dock connector, or neither. This should help to keep the connectors clean when not in use.

Build Quality 8/10

Overall the build quality is pretty good on the Contour Design. Everything is put together well and looks great. I did notice the plastic is a bit thinner than on some of the past showcases I have used which leads it to feel a bit cheaper, but it still overall is sturdy and a nice piece of kit for a hard skin case.

Looking at the belt clip, I was very impressed with the build quality. It is a sturdy piece that has a nice strong spring. There even is a shiny metal insert that makes it look classy along with the iPod Touch.

Usage 9/10

Inserting the iPod Touch into the Showcase is as simple as could be with the hinge and sliding lock setup. It is much nicer than snap together cases and still provides a secure closure so the case will not accidentally open.

When you want to use a belt clip, you simply spin off the plastic cover piece, and spin on the belt clip. This works well as you do not have to remove the iPod from the case to put the belt clip on, but one negative is that this in turn makes the belt clip a static version instead of the type that can spin freely.

Price 7/10

One little sore point with the Showcase is that it is $35 which is on the high end of hard skin type cases, but I must say it is well worth it if you want this type of case. There really is nothing better in the plastic hard skin arena in my opinion (at least as of right now).

Overall the Contour Design is my pick for a hard skin case right now and does a great job of working well and showing off your device. The price is a bit premium for a hard skin case, but still it is quite a bit cheaper than good leather alternatives and thus a great option for many.

Pros:

• Great asthetics
• Integrated Port Covers
• Removable Belt Clip

Cons:

• Plastic thinner than previous Showcase models
• Belt Clip does not spin

Thanks to Contour Design for the review sample!