Otter Box Defender for iPod Touch
Price: $29.95
www.OtterBox.com


Coming from the masters of keeping your device safe in any environment is a new light version of their Armor Series, the Defender for iPod Touch from Otter Box

Design 10/10

The Defender is a unique combination of hard case and rubber soft case. Looking at the internal clamshell part of the case, it is made from Otterbox's standard tough plastic.

Going around that tough internal frame and hooking into the extended peg like portions you see above is the soft rubber cover.

Together the two pieces form a case that provides awesome protection while at the same time feeling good in your hands and looking pretty darn good in my opinion. There also is an integrated screen protector that covers the screen and protects it from dirt and debris.

The design has a pass through for the brightness sensor (above the screen on the front) and has special pass through buttons for the home and standby buttons that are built into the rubber. Looking at the back you will also notice a pass through window for the Apple logo which is covered by the same protector as the screen.

On the bottom, you will find the ports covered by rubber port covers that are separate from each other.

Now unlike the Armor series, the Defender series does not actually seal your device from the elements, but it still provides a ton of protection and the nice thing is that vs. the Armor, it is quite a bit less bulky and more everyday friendly.

Build Quality 10/10

Like all Otterbox products we have used, the build quality is perfect. All the components are perfectly formed and made and the quality of the materials is excellent.

Usage 7/10

Inserting your iPod Touch into the Defender is a bit interesting. First you put the clamshell on that snaps together, it has a separate front and back section. Then you slide the soft outer rubber over the case and get it lined up with the protruding pegs. What I found interesting is that the rubber actually has tabs that fit into these pegs so that it stays put and in place.

In using the case for awhile, I found it was a great mix of protection and usability. It is obviously much more sturdy than most other cases, yet is not too bulky or rugged looking for everyday use.

Now the one part of usage that really let me down was the integrated screen protector. It sat quite a ways above the screen (only a few mm, but still enough) and that leads to touches being a double touch, you press down and feel the screen protector, then keep pressing and finally touch the iPod Touch. This is a complaint I have had with other PDA Otterbox cases and it reigns true here as well. I would much rather just remove the screen protector and have an open screen, which one could do but it would most likely void the warranty, plus offer less protection.

Another small note is that the headphone port is deep and somewhat small, so some headphones with a larger headphone connector may have a bit of trouble. The standard iPod Headphones work great though, as do a few others I tried.

Price 10/10

The price is outstanding in my opinion, past Otterbox cases have been up to the $100 mark, so at $30 this case is a steal and will give you a smile on your face.

Overall the Otterbox Defender is a wonderful case with only one flaw, and that flaw is the screen protector. If one got adventurous they could probably easily remove it and if they did so, this would be one of the best cases for the iPod Touch on the market in my opinion.

Pros:

• Great protection (combines soft rubber and rigid plastic protection)
• Great aesthetics
• Not bulky

Cons:

• Screen Protector makes the touch screen a bit cumbersome.
• Headphone port could be a bit tight for some headphones.

Thanks to Otterbox for the review sample!