AAUG Reviews

by Ron Schoedel, AAUG Member
iSkin Vibe is a colorful, anime-inspired line of iPod covers for both full size and nano iPods of the second generation. I tested the nano version with my wife’s pink aluminum nano.

Installation was a snap. The iSkin comes with a plastic removable screen protector that I peeled from its backing and applied directly to the screen of the nano. Getting the cover precisely into the recessed screen area was a challenge with my big fingers, but after having to re-situate it twice, I finally got it right where it needed to be. So far, so good.

The iSkin itself is a low-profile plastic tube, essentially. It’s not really rubbery, like many iPod cases, it seems to be either rigid rubber or soft plastic (I, not being an expert in synthetic materials, hope this is an adequate explanation of how it “feels”). It has the integrated but mostly removable plastic belt clip that other iSkin models have, and which rotates 90 degrees in either direction, making it really easy to position your encased iPod exactly where you’d want it. My only complaint about the belt clip is that when the clip is removed, there are two small hard plastic nubs that stick out from the back of your iPod.

Once the iPod was in the case, both my wife and I tested it for some days at a time to get a good feel for it. We both came back with the same “major” problem with this case: it was just too hard to accurately control the click-wheel through the solid plastic covering that protects it. iSkin has other cases which have a thinner membrane covering the click-wheel, but the thicker plastic on the Vibe left us feeling like turning the click-wheel was requiring more effort and was less accurate in its tracking through lists. (more…)

by Steve Nigl, AAUG Member

Cerulean is a product line by iSkin comprised of four high-end consumer electronic audiophile products. There are currently four products, three of which are basically headphones. The fourth is a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver pair to allow your iPod to transmit to a module which is plugged into an iPod stereo dock (allowing the iPod to function as the stereo’s remote, in essence). The X1 is the latest addition to the Cerulean line. They are high-end earbuds.

The X1’s come in black or white and sell for $99.00 US. The headphone market is becoming more and more similar to the camera market. In short you get what you pay for. Before I tried the X1’s, my collection of headphones numbered three. A high end set of on ear headphones for home use (Bose), a high quality pair of earbuds for the road (Extreme Mac FS1) and a surprisingly good-for-the-price pair of cheap earbuds (Griffin Earthumps). Each have their niche. The Bose are the hands-down winners in audio quality with the FS1’s in very close second place. Respective prices are $179 and $149. It came as no surprise to me that the iSkin Cerulean X1’s rank 3rd in sound quality. That said, I’ve found myself wearing them more than the FS1’s! More on that in a minute. (more…)

by Guy Okada, AAUG Member

I recently purchased a new iMac and it included an iPod nano. My silver nano is perfect for taking on walks or short trips as it is compact and light. I found the perfect protective case in the iSkin Duo.

The iSkin Duo is a silicone case that fits the nano like a glove. It comes in colors to match nano colors and includes a few handy accessories. Included are a dock adapter to allow the nano to fit into Apple’s Universal Dock, a port cover to keep dust from entering nano’s ports, a Hip Clip which allows your iPod to clip to a belt, and an adjustable lanyard which attached to the Duo. The Duo also has a clear cover to protect the clickwheel.

I especially like the feel of the Duo. It is sleek and the finish is not as slippery as the Nano itself. My nano feels much more secure now that it is snugly encased in the Duo and it isn’t bulky. In all, the Duo adds a mere l.65mm to the size of the nano. I took off the Hip Clip and I use the handy lanyard when I take my nano on walks. It took a few minutes to figure out how to take off the Hip Clip as the small instruction book with illustrations was not easy to follow (more…)

by Steve Nigl, AAUG Member

I’ve reviewed several iPod cases and at least two from iSkins. The eVo3 is the best silicone case I have yet seen.

The eVo3 is a one-piece stretch-over case. What makes this case unique is a clear Lucite front plate which serves as both protection for the screen as-well-as providing a structural frame for the case. The Lucite has a hole over the click-wheel area, exposing a thin membrane of silicone. You dial and click through this membrane.

Installation is straight forward enough, but the technique takes some mastery. Simply remove the front plate by stretching the silicone to allow it to fall free. Insert the iPod through the screen hole, and reinstall the clear plate. Easy right? The trick is getting the Lucite in the channel provided. I found it was easiest to work from the bottom up.

The fit-and-finish are high quality and all the controls and ports align without much trouble. If you use your iPod’s hold switch (and who doesn’t), you’ll need to cut along a perforation with an Xacto blade or similar tool. I also noticed that the docking port on the bottom is covered with silicone. It’s pre-cut to make a flap-like door. Bend the silicone away from the port before attaching the USB cable. I haven’t tried it, but the iSkin website claims that this case is slim enough to fit into an apple iPod dock.

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by David Enders, AAUG Member

The iSkin Cerulean TX+RX are bluetooth transmitters and receivers that allow your music experience to be wireless. The bluetooth specification is 33′ so you should be able to wander around most rooms and stay within that distance requirement. My informal testing confirmed that they work within the distance specified.

The TX + RX allow streaming of music via bluetooth. The system is capable of streaming from an iPod to speaker system with a dock connector (ie: Bose Sounddock) , and with the usb TX adapter , just about any audio device to any sound system. The TX is also a functional part of the iSkin F1 headphones operation reviewed separately.

I tried the TX installed in an iPod with a Logitech speaker system. i found it works better if you install the RX module first then the TX module to the iPod. After about 20 seconds they connect via bluetooth and you are up and running. We tried this with a 4G iPod, 5G iPod and 1G iPod Nano. They indicate that your iPod needs to be running the most current firmware. 2 of the 3 iPods needed updating to work with the TX + RX modules. So before you start just make sure you are current and everything should work as expected. It appears any iPod after the 3G is compatible with this system. Once you are connected via bluetooth , you can sit back in your chair and select your music very easily. (more…)

by David Enders, AAUG Member

The iSkin Cerulean F1 are bluetooth headphones designed to work in conjunction with another iSkin product TX+RX reviewed separately. Together they form a bluetooth solution that enables your iPod listening to be wireless.

The F1 headphones are designed to be used with the TX unit plugged into your iPod. Once the units are “paired” together, you have a bluetooth connection between the F1 headphones and your iPod. I like that there was no cord to get snagged or have to pick up the iPod when I walked around at home or work. The headphones can be charged from the included usb cable plugged into your computer or via an optional ac adapter (not included). I found that the same ac adapter that can charge an iPod will charge the headphones. However , this was not indicated in the product documentation. An email to iSkin provided the answer in a timely fashion. I found the sound quality to be very good from the F1 headphones. I have problems getting any type of headphones that have the ear bud design to fit properly in my ears. I experienced fit issues with the F1 headphones. iSkin may want to try and design the F1’s to have different types of adapters like those offered by Shure or Bose to achieve a better fit. I used the headphones on a flight from Anchorage to Seattle and although they are not noise canceling they provided decent audio quality. I let my co-workers evaluate them as well. Comments were they liked the bluetooth capability so they didn’t need an armband and headphone cable while exercising. (more…)

by Devon Peake, AAUG Member

I reviewed this MacBook case for a MacBook that I recently purchased. It is the “Sahara” color combination - black with orange stitching and padding. The black faux leather with contrasting orange stitching is nice looking and “city sleek” - it has that urban flair! The MacBook fits snugly inside, and is safely housed inside the reinforced case. The protective padded fabric inside the case is super-soft, with the iSkin logo very faintly visible. There are two elastic straps for the corners of the display which will wake the MacBook if you choose to leave it in sleep mode. The iSkin is perfect for tucking into a tote or a backpack, but is also professional enough to carry alone to a meeting or a conference.

The only thing I would change in the design for this case would be to add a couple nice looking clips so it could also be carried with a removable shoulder strap. An outside pocket for something like a thin document would also be nice, but I do like the very sleek design as it is currently made. If you are in the market for a case for a 15″ MacBook, this is a GREAT choice. It is a very well-made and good looking case.

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by Steve Nigl, AAUG Member

The current crop of full-sized iPods are highly susceptible to scratching. A case is a practical necessity! I’ve owned a boring black leather folio case for the past year and thought I’d try something different. The Vibes series by Toronto based iSkin Inc., come in a variety of bright anime-inspired designs. Just the ticket to liven-up my aging iPod! The Vibe case is made of molded synthetic rubber and comes with a thin inner sleeve made of silicone. It comes with a handy belt clip and retails for $29.99 US.

To use the case, the first step is to stretch the silicone sleeve around your iPod. The sleeve is translucent and has holes cut for the screen, headphone and docking ports, and hold switch. The iPod is inserted by stretching the opening intended for the screen. You could use this case by itself if you were carrying your iPod in a jacket pocket and space was an issue. The sleeve is adequate for avoiding scratches. So you’re almost getting two cases for the price of one. The iPod ’s screen itself is not protected from scratches, even when in the outer case. A minus.

The case was a snug fit. I think that part of the sleeve’s purpose is to provide a textured surface to move freely against the slick rubber of the outer case. I’ve tried the iPod directly into the outside case and it’s difficult to extract the pod. (more…)

by Yolanda Meza, AAUG Member

iSkin is a wonderful company in Toronto that makes accessories for iPods among other things, this fabulous case for my iPod Nano is perfectly created, and executed. And did I mention the ‘now’ color called Envy, a great green, somewhere between lime and celery, you’ll love it, and every-time i take it out, everyone smiles at it’s looks… cooooool.

The Nano fits perfectly into the lightweight case. The RevoClip on helps keep the Nano safely attached, so no dropping it! The best thing about it is that it seals it from water, dust, and wear. As we all know, iPods wear, so this feature alone is great. The lanyard that’s included allows the iPod to plug into the docking station for convenience.

Did i mention you can add the Cerulean XLR Earphones with matching Envy green color on the strings and ring by your ears. The sound of them is amazing, and there are only $ 19.99. Both are offered via iSkin’s website store.

To sum up an excellent case, it includes it’s own Dock, has a port cover, Clip, and lanyard for your neck, and it’s only $ 29.99, it’s clearly my favorite Nano case! Get one Now…

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by Mary Jo Burns, AAUG Member

My 10 year-old granddaughter liked the “Milky Time” design by artist Simone Legno of Tokidoki. She worked hard to get the clear skin over the Nano and then struggled with the “Milky Time” skin but did get it on. But when she tried to move the center wheel of her Nano, it didn’t work. She removed the outer “Milky Time” skin, put it into the product box and continued to use her Nano with just the clear skin on. She did try it with just the designer outer skin but it was loose and the Nano would fall out. This was a bit of a disappointment to her.

The skin is a good protection for the Nano. I liked her having a cover but the double thickness doesn’t seem to allow for using the controls. We all like the idea. It just needs one layer and preferably with designs to accomplish both appeal and function. The design is great. I can see her wanting several iSkins with different artwork as time goes by.