While there are some nicely done hybrid products available, there aren’t a whole lot of pure armband options on the market for use with the iPhone or iPod touch – and for a simple enough reason: how many users really want to go jogging with a device that bulky strapped to their upper arm anyway? In fact a number of iPhone and iPod touch users also keep a nano or shuffle around specifically for exercise purposes. And so the lack of demand for such an armband leads to a lack of options, which generally means far too few good options. Which is why those iPhone and iPod touch users who really do want to wear their device on their arm may view XtremeMac’s forthcoming Sportwrap as more of a relief than anything; it’s not particularly flashy and isn’t perfect, but it gets the job done well.



Neoprene is generally the most comfortable material when it comes to armbands, so it came as no surprise that the Sportwrap felt plenty comfy on my arm once I adjusted the strap to the appropriate size. And the almost-clear material over the screen is easy enough to use the touchscreen through it. I say “almost clear” though because for some reason the chosen material is a bit grainy when you look through it. Not so much a big deal, as it’s not like you’re going to be doing heavy websurfing or reading the fine print of an email while you’re jogging and your device is mounted to your arm, but the blurry screen cover did cost the Sportwrap what otherwise would have been a four and a half star rating. Of course star ratings are comparative, and so the argument for the Sportwrap is helped by the lack of competition in general.



The single biggest issue when wearing an iPhone or iPod touch on your arm remains the fact that the auto-rotation can’t be turned off during music playback, causing the device to go into and out of Cover Flow mode every time you move your arm – but that ongoing fiasco is entirely Apple’s fault. The only real thing that armband fans are likely to fault XtremeMac for is the fact that the Sportwrap isn’t yet shipping.

Learn more about the Sportwrap at XtremeMac.com.

by Bill Palmer

Marware’s multi-function Convertible cases have taken on a number of incarnations over the years with various iPod and iPhone models, but they’ve generally centered around the idea of a case that comes with a belt clip and an armband, and can be used with either or neither, depending on the scenario.



The new SportShell Convertible comes in the form of a two (technically three) piece hard plastic dark grey shell that slides onto the iPhone which, while it would be “just another iPhone case” if not for the included attachments and functionality, is well done in its own right; for instance the cut-out for the volume buttons and silencer switch is done perfectly, which is still not always a given, even with the iPhone having had the same identical body style for more than a year now.



But you buy this case because of what it can be converted into. The third grey plastic piece on the back can be substituted with a frosted clear piece that has a vertical belt clip attached. And the belt clip can then be slid onto the included adjustable armband in a way that locks it into place and allows it to feel a lot more comfortable than you might expect for something that sounds potentially cumbersome until you see (and feel) for yourself that it does work well.



Using an iPhone on an armband presents two quandaries, of course. The first is whether you want something that bulky on your arm while you’re active (some iPhone users keep an iPod nano or shuffle around for just this reason), and the other is the fact that Apple has inexplicably still not included a setting that allows you to turn the auto-rotation off in the iPhone’s iPod app, causing the screen to keep rotating back and forth as you try to twist your arm to get the iPhone out of that useless Cover Flow mode. But I digress – and that’s Apple’s fault anyway, not Marware’s.



In all, the SportShell Convertible is a very impressive product. As long as you actually look at the directions first, assembling and removing the various components is easy. My only complaints center around the belt clip, which is oddly large to begin with. And while it can be turned upside down, it can’t be used horizontally, which many users find more comfortable. That aside, this is a great multi-function value.

Learn more about the SportShell Convertible at Marware.com.