Sonix Snap Slim Case for iPod touch 4G (Black) Review. Sonix Snap Slim Case for iPod Touch 4G Black...
"EXCELLENT case! Don't buy an iPod Touch 4g without buying a Sonix Snap Case to protect it!" 2010-09-30
By David C. Franklin (Sonoma County, CA)
I received this product today, along with my new iPod Touch 4g 64GB.
I wanted to put this case on right away so that my new iPod Touch will stay in pristine condition persistently. I selected this case because it offers protection for both the back and front of the iPod, and is the slimmest case I could find that offers the most coverage of the easily scratch-able surfaces of the iPod Touch.
CONS:
The first thing I noticed is that THIS COMES WITH NO INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATION!!!
So, without any guidance from the manufacturer, I decided that I should apply the FRONT screen protector first, before snapping on the back part.
The screen protector comes sandwiched between two protective films. It was kind of hard to figure out which side was the sticky side from the labels they attached. The label on one side says "(1) Ultra-Clear: Please peel off this mask before application". The label on the other side says "(2) Ultra-Clear: Please peel off this protective film from the membrane."
Rather cryptic of them, but it seemed the best thing to do was to peel off the one labeled "(1)" first. This turned out to be the sticky side. So, I immediately attempted to apply this to the face of my brand, just out of the box iPod. I first blasted the face of my iPod with some canned air just to make sure their were no particles on it that would create bubbles under the film.
Unfortunately, getting the alignment JUST right turned out to be VERY challenging. I had to pull back and re-apply the film 7-8 times before I got it aligned just right, and by this time, the mask lost some of its adhesion, and somehow managed to attract several small dust particles to itself, in spite of my efforts (that film is like a dust magnet, and once the dust is on there you can't get it off). The final result is pitiful. There are now DOZENS of small to large bubbles under the skin that cannot be removed, even if I pull the film back and re-apply it. It is now totally ruined and useless and will have to be thrown away.
Disturbingly, all 4 sides of the front protective film seem to touch the sides of the back case, causing the edges to be pressed upwards. It seems like it should have been cut slightly smaller to prevent this from happening. In retrospect, I should probably have attached the back part FIRST before attempting to apply the front, as it would possibly have helped me guide the screen protector film into place. Too bad no instructions were included that might have suggested this to me before I ruined the screen protector film...
PROS:
The quality of the back piece on the other hand is VERY nice! It's much better than I expected! It has a nice feel, and snaps on very easily if you slide the top end into the case first. It looks and feels great, and doesn't add much bulk to the iPod Touch. (Getting it off again is much more difficult!) I don't think anyone could possibly design a better case than this to protect the back of the iPod Touch 4g.
Incidentally, some of you might be interested to know that the iPod Touch 4g WITH the Sonix snap case attached to it, fits perfectly into my Sena Elega protective leather case with belt/pocket clip! (The Sena Elega is another iPod Touch accessory that I HIGHLY recommend: Sena Elega Pouch for the Apple iPod Touch 1G and 2G (Black))NOTE: My Sena Elega case was made for the iPod Touch 2g, not the 4g, so I don't know if the new 4g version of the Sena Elega would still fit on the iPod Touch 4g WITH the Sonix case attached, but as I said, the Elega made for the iPod Touch 2g fits perfectly on the iPod Touch 4g WITH the Sonix case attached.
So, I rate the Sonix Snap Case for the iPod Touch 4g 3 stars overall. 5 stars for the back case, and ZERO stars for the protective film that will now have to be thrown away.
I have uploaded several photos of the front, back, and sides to the image gallery for this product so you can see how both of the pieces look on my iPod Touch 4g.
UPDATE: I continue to be so impressed with the quality of the rear portion of this case, that I have decided to increase my rating to 4 stars, in spite of the screen protector problems that I encountered. (I ended up throwing my screen protector film away because it got ruined when I tried to install it) This product would get 5 stars if they had bothered to provide instructions for how to properly apply the front screen protector. That being said, the rear portion of this case is so well designed that it almost makes up for the other issue. This is the case you want if you want your iPod Touch to look good for a long time, while still staying nice and slim. It's worth paying $20 for this even if you end up having to throw the screen protector away as I did. I can't imagine anyone could design a better case than this to protect the rear. With the case on, it looks really good, and has a nice feel to it. The overall size of the iPod Touch 4g WITH the Sonix snap case on it is roughly the same as the iPod Touch 2g, and not bulky at all.
UPDATE 2 (Oct 25, 2010): Lenntek (the maker of the Sonix Snap case) has just sent me 2 replacement films for the front of my iPod Touch. I haven't tried them yet, but they seem to be cut slightly smaller than the old one, and thus, I expect that these will work better. I must say that Sonix tech support is very attentive and considerate. For this reason, I have elevated my rating to 5 stars. My iPod Touch continues to remain in perfect condition due to the protection afforded by this case. I believe that this case is worth 5 stars even if you have to throw away the screen protector film! (Be sure to get a new protector film if you do... You don't want to scratch the glass screen!)
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you want to be able to take your iPod out of the case repeatedly, this case is not for you. Once you get it on, it is hard to get off. However, taking the case off is a BAD idea anyway. All it takes is ONE time of setting your iPod down on a table or other surface that has just a little bit of grit on it, or into a pocket with keys/dirt, and your iPod will become seriously and permanently scratched. My advice is to buy this case, and leave it on at all times. Sure, it's fun to show off how neat and thin the iPod Touch 4g is without the case on, but it's NOT worth the risk!
"Perfect." 2010-09-16
By Jean Laporte
This case is perfect. It feel like there no case at all when you are holding the ipod tocuh 4. It's perfect for people like me who hate cases because it change your experience with the product. The screen protector is OK not the best but it's a cool extra.
BUY IT
"One of the better cases!" 2010-09-22
By jaredf
When I bought this case from Amazon a week ago, there were only two reviews posted, so I was a bit nervous paying over 20 bucks for a case with just two people saying its good. Anywho, this case is GREAT! Its a very thin and tight fit to your iPod. The tight fit is good so dust wont get in between the ipod and the case, leaving scratches. On the downside to the nice tight fit, you probably wont be able to use the invisible shield with it. The fit is so perfect that adding the thickness of the Invisible Shield may somehow warp your case so if in the future you take the invisible shield off, the case might be slightly too big for your iPod. As someone said in a review before, the hole for the camera in the back kinda looks weird since the case doesn't go perfectly around it..its kind of off centered BUT everything else is perfectly centered and the case does not block any part of the actual camera.. If you're looking for a case that will protect your iPod from falls, you better keep looking. This case is meant for the person who does not want to know they have a case on their iPod but still wants it to be protected from the everyday scratches you'd get if you put it in your pocket. I work at Best Buy, and we only have 3 cases out so far, and this one is far better than the rest of them. To give you perspective, I turned down a case I could get with my Best Buy discount for 3 bucks to spend 20 plus bucks on this case, and I don't regret it! Totally worth the buy in my opinion!
"Sharp looking and smooth handling!" 2010-09-26
By No Nonsense
This is a great case. It's slim, form fitting and comfortable to the touch (no pun intended). It is a very attractive case as the amazon photo's depict, and the rubberized hard shell skin which is much thinner than my wife's iPod touch 3G rubberized hard shell, provides good scratch protection. My wifes 3G skin is much thicker and provides more drop protection than this case, but I carry it inside a quality black leather carrying case on my belt. My only criticism is the cheap screen protector. After carefull application, I still ended up with bubbles along the edges that I couldn't get out. I've ordered new quality screen protectors from another seller. Overall, this is one of the best cases out. Also, the shipping time was fast and I could use the USPS tracking number to track the shipment.
"Great slim fitting case, and bonus screen protector!" 2010-09-30
By Mark Harrison
This is great for one of the first cases available for the 4g touch, looks like it belongs on the device no bulk at all, semi rubbery coating helps with grip which is great for games, screen protector is of good quality but maybe a bit thick. i choose to use a different set of protectors, but this one looks fine. recommended just for the case though!
By David C. Franklin (Sonoma County, CA)
I received this product today, along with my new iPod Touch 4g 64GB.
I wanted to put this case on right away so that my new iPod Touch will stay in pristine condition persistently. I selected this case because it offers protection for both the back and front of the iPod, and is the slimmest case I could find that offers the most coverage of the easily scratch-able surfaces of the iPod Touch.
CONS:
The first thing I noticed is that THIS COMES WITH NO INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATION!!!
So, without any guidance from the manufacturer, I decided that I should apply the FRONT screen protector first, before snapping on the back part.
The screen protector comes sandwiched between two protective films. It was kind of hard to figure out which side was the sticky side from the labels they attached. The label on one side says "(1) Ultra-Clear: Please peel off this mask before application". The label on the other side says "(2) Ultra-Clear: Please peel off this protective film from the membrane."
Rather cryptic of them, but it seemed the best thing to do was to peel off the one labeled "(1)" first. This turned out to be the sticky side. So, I immediately attempted to apply this to the face of my brand, just out of the box iPod. I first blasted the face of my iPod with some canned air just to make sure their were no particles on it that would create bubbles under the film.
Unfortunately, getting the alignment JUST right turned out to be VERY challenging. I had to pull back and re-apply the film 7-8 times before I got it aligned just right, and by this time, the mask lost some of its adhesion, and somehow managed to attract several small dust particles to itself, in spite of my efforts (that film is like a dust magnet, and once the dust is on there you can't get it off). The final result is pitiful. There are now DOZENS of small to large bubbles under the skin that cannot be removed, even if I pull the film back and re-apply it. It is now totally ruined and useless and will have to be thrown away.
Disturbingly, all 4 sides of the front protective film seem to touch the sides of the back case, causing the edges to be pressed upwards. It seems like it should have been cut slightly smaller to prevent this from happening. In retrospect, I should probably have attached the back part FIRST before attempting to apply the front, as it would possibly have helped me guide the screen protector film into place. Too bad no instructions were included that might have suggested this to me before I ruined the screen protector film...
PROS:
The quality of the back piece on the other hand is VERY nice! It's much better than I expected! It has a nice feel, and snaps on very easily if you slide the top end into the case first. It looks and feels great, and doesn't add much bulk to the iPod Touch. (Getting it off again is much more difficult!) I don't think anyone could possibly design a better case than this to protect the back of the iPod Touch 4g.
Incidentally, some of you might be interested to know that the iPod Touch 4g WITH the Sonix snap case attached to it, fits perfectly into my Sena Elega protective leather case with belt/pocket clip! (The Sena Elega is another iPod Touch accessory that I HIGHLY recommend: Sena Elega Pouch for the Apple iPod Touch 1G and 2G (Black))NOTE: My Sena Elega case was made for the iPod Touch 2g, not the 4g, so I don't know if the new 4g version of the Sena Elega would still fit on the iPod Touch 4g WITH the Sonix case attached, but as I said, the Elega made for the iPod Touch 2g fits perfectly on the iPod Touch 4g WITH the Sonix case attached.
So, I rate the Sonix Snap Case for the iPod Touch 4g 3 stars overall. 5 stars for the back case, and ZERO stars for the protective film that will now have to be thrown away.
I have uploaded several photos of the front, back, and sides to the image gallery for this product so you can see how both of the pieces look on my iPod Touch 4g.
UPDATE: I continue to be so impressed with the quality of the rear portion of this case, that I have decided to increase my rating to 4 stars, in spite of the screen protector problems that I encountered. (I ended up throwing my screen protector film away because it got ruined when I tried to install it) This product would get 5 stars if they had bothered to provide instructions for how to properly apply the front screen protector. That being said, the rear portion of this case is so well designed that it almost makes up for the other issue. This is the case you want if you want your iPod Touch to look good for a long time, while still staying nice and slim. It's worth paying $20 for this even if you end up having to throw the screen protector away as I did. I can't imagine anyone could design a better case than this to protect the rear. With the case on, it looks really good, and has a nice feel to it. The overall size of the iPod Touch 4g WITH the Sonix snap case on it is roughly the same as the iPod Touch 2g, and not bulky at all.
UPDATE 2 (Oct 25, 2010): Lenntek (the maker of the Sonix Snap case) has just sent me 2 replacement films for the front of my iPod Touch. I haven't tried them yet, but they seem to be cut slightly smaller than the old one, and thus, I expect that these will work better. I must say that Sonix tech support is very attentive and considerate. For this reason, I have elevated my rating to 5 stars. My iPod Touch continues to remain in perfect condition due to the protection afforded by this case. I believe that this case is worth 5 stars even if you have to throw away the screen protector film! (Be sure to get a new protector film if you do... You don't want to scratch the glass screen!)
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you want to be able to take your iPod out of the case repeatedly, this case is not for you. Once you get it on, it is hard to get off. However, taking the case off is a BAD idea anyway. All it takes is ONE time of setting your iPod down on a table or other surface that has just a little bit of grit on it, or into a pocket with keys/dirt, and your iPod will become seriously and permanently scratched. My advice is to buy this case, and leave it on at all times. Sure, it's fun to show off how neat and thin the iPod Touch 4g is without the case on, but it's NOT worth the risk!
By Jean Laporte
This case is perfect. It feel like there no case at all when you are holding the ipod tocuh 4. It's perfect for people like me who hate cases because it change your experience with the product. The screen protector is OK not the best but it's a cool extra.
BUY IT
By jaredf
When I bought this case from Amazon a week ago, there were only two reviews posted, so I was a bit nervous paying over 20 bucks for a case with just two people saying its good. Anywho, this case is GREAT! Its a very thin and tight fit to your iPod. The tight fit is good so dust wont get in between the ipod and the case, leaving scratches. On the downside to the nice tight fit, you probably wont be able to use the invisible shield with it. The fit is so perfect that adding the thickness of the Invisible Shield may somehow warp your case so if in the future you take the invisible shield off, the case might be slightly too big for your iPod. As someone said in a review before, the hole for the camera in the back kinda looks weird since the case doesn't go perfectly around it..its kind of off centered BUT everything else is perfectly centered and the case does not block any part of the actual camera.. If you're looking for a case that will protect your iPod from falls, you better keep looking. This case is meant for the person who does not want to know they have a case on their iPod but still wants it to be protected from the everyday scratches you'd get if you put it in your pocket. I work at Best Buy, and we only have 3 cases out so far, and this one is far better than the rest of them. To give you perspective, I turned down a case I could get with my Best Buy discount for 3 bucks to spend 20 plus bucks on this case, and I don't regret it! Totally worth the buy in my opinion!
By No Nonsense
This is a great case. It's slim, form fitting and comfortable to the touch (no pun intended). It is a very attractive case as the amazon photo's depict, and the rubberized hard shell skin which is much thinner than my wife's iPod touch 3G rubberized hard shell, provides good scratch protection. My wifes 3G skin is much thicker and provides more drop protection than this case, but I carry it inside a quality black leather carrying case on my belt. My only criticism is the cheap screen protector. After carefull application, I still ended up with bubbles along the edges that I couldn't get out. I've ordered new quality screen protectors from another seller. Overall, this is one of the best cases out. Also, the shipping time was fast and I could use the USPS tracking number to track the shipment.
By Mark Harrison
This is great for one of the first cases available for the 4g touch, looks like it belongs on the device no bulk at all, semi rubbery coating helps with grip which is great for games, screen protector is of good quality but maybe a bit thick. i choose to use a different set of protectors, but this one looks fine. recommended just for the case though!
