Play It Safe

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday March 27, 2006

Rod Easdown

Protection for portable digital devices is worth the investment, writes Rod Easdown.

How many times have you dropped your mobile phone? Most keep on working despite the scars. How many times have you dropped you portable digital music player? Chances are it's never worked again. Dropping, of course, is not covered by the warranty and nor is forgetting it's in your back pocket when you sit down.

These are fragile devices. Non-fatal damage is even more common and the top of the pops here is scratching. Screens are particularly vulnerable to scratching, making it hard to read the display. The internet is full of cures for this but there are none

we'd recommend. Good-quality CD/DVD scratch repair kits do a passable job but self-adhesive protective films, changed regularly, are the best way to prevent scratches.

Broken screens, fried hard drives and detached earphone sockets are also common and often the damage is entirely preventable. Earphone sockets, for example, most commonly come out of line as a result of the earbud cord being wound tightly around the player before it is shoved in a bag. It puts tension on the socket that can eventually break its mounting. It's not good for the cord either.

Drowning is another biggie, most often when the player slips from a pocket as its user bends over a sink, basin or (shudder!) the toilet. One hopeful we know tried to have a drowned portable repaired under warranty by explaining that he sweated a lot.

As water poured out of his player the repairer decided not to believe him.

Sub-zero temperatures can crack a player's LCD screen, which is worth noting if you're a skier.

And if you work out or jog you'll find players with solid-state memories are more robust than those with hard drives.

The most obvious protection is a good, shockproof cover and there are dozens out there. Some are splashproof, even waterproof, a great idea if you spend a lot of time on the beach, boating or fishing. They keep dirt out, too - another common source of problems.

Keep your portable long enough and you'll have to replace the rechargeable battery. In some players it's as easy as slipping the old one out and sliding in a new one, but replacement of batteries in iPods, current Sonys and a few others can only be done

by technicians, although there are kits available on the internet to change iPod batteries. This is worth considering if you're buying a portable for long-term use.

Gecko Shuffleart protective film for iPod Shuffle

The pack contains two self-adhesive film sets for the front and back of an iPod Shuffle, with various designs available. The film is generously thick and has cut-outs for control areas. It can be finicky to apply but it's worth taking your time because it really works, even against a vicious attack. It peels off easily for replacement, too.

RRP: $14.95

XtremeMac Microshield for iPod Nano

This is a hard plastic case tailored for the iPod Nano to protect it against scratches and impacts. It provides access to controls while encased and has a belt clip.

It looks a good proposition on display but the clipping joints loosened quickly and, dropped from waist height onto tiles, it burst apart often as not. We also managed to split it when taking it apart.

RRP: $29.95

Case Logic MPC4 MP3 player case

The best protection comes with a good shockproof case and Case Logic makes them well - weather-resistant, light, well padded and with good zips. There are as many features as you want, including compartments for batteries and memory cards. This bare-bones case for a small player comes with an armband and is great value.

RRP: $18.50

Infofile

Gecko (03) 9464 4999www.geckogear.com.au

XtremeMac (03) 9464 4999 www.powermove.com.au

Case Logic (03) 9558 9666 www.musicway.com.au

Verdict

We didn't like the XtremeMac Microshield at all - a more substantial case such as the Case Logic is a lot less sexy but provides much better protection. The Gecko protective film was the big surprise here, providing brilliant scratch protection for a modest outlay.

Next week: We compare DivX-compatible DVD players.