OtterBox Armor for 4G iPod nano

OtterBox has long been the leader in waterproof iPod and iPhone cases, and just as the fourth generation iPod nano was only a modest revision of the second gen nano from a design standpoint, OtterBox’s updated Armor case for fourth gen nano is more evolution than revolution. But if a product got it right the first time around, then that’s not a bad thing.



But before I get ahead of myself: the Armor is a waterproof case that allows you to either submerge your iPod into a couple feet of water or simply use it in a wet situation. In other words you can go swimming in shallow end of the pool or wade a bit into the ocean, and as long as your iPod doesn’t go more than about three feet under, it’ll stay high and dry. If you’re going to actually submerge your iPod then you’ll need third party waterproof earbuds to go with it; using standard earbuds requires ensuring that you keep them dry even as your Armor-clad iPod gets wet.



In short, the Armor for 4G nano works as advertised (no surprise, as no Armor case has ever let me down over the years). And while it’s bulky by ordinary nano case standards at about two-thirds of an inch thick and about an inch taller than the nano itself, those dimenstions are fine for a waterproof case. Scrolling through the waterproof membrane is almost as easy as if you were scrolling on a bare click-wheel, the nano’s screen is fully visible, and the replicated headphone port is on the bottom where nano users expect it to be.



The $39 Armor comes with a detachable belt clip and neckstrap, which are both welcome. But I wish it came with an armband as some past Armor cases have, as strapping it to your arm seems the best way to keep it from being submerged more than three feet deep. But that aside, the latest Armor lives up to its predecessors nicely.