Sometimes you have to Do It Yourself

The continuing story of my iPod nano accessory-finding adventures . . .

As I reported yesterday, I am the proud new owner of an 2nd generation iPod Nano. I bought a case and headphones for it on the same day, but the case didn't fit! That was really too bad, because it was very nice-looking.

I really wanted to get a case for the Nano ASAP, so I returned the first case today. I bought another one, a little more expensive than the last, and it's pretty nice. It fits the Nano, which is the most important thing. It doesn't include a built-in screen protector, but it did have two little plastic covers. If put on an iPod, they would cover the whole thing, which means you wouldn't be able to access the headphone port or hold switch. Furthermore, I think this case was designed for a 1st generation Nano, not a 2nd generation like mine. I wish they'd make that clear!

But all is well, because I "hacked" the plastic cover to make it useful. First, I took off the top and bottom edges of the thinner cover, so that it could slide over the Nano. That worked pretty well, and the click wheel could still be used. However, the click wheel wasn't sensitive enough with the plastic cover covering it. I found it hard to turn on and off. So what I did was cut it so that it would only fit the screen itself. That works! Now I just slide the plastic in first, and the Nano behind it. The screen is protected, and I can still use the wheel. Here's a picture of the plastic cover over the Nano itself:



The case I bought is black, and has a Carabiner attachment so you can hook it to your belt. Most excellent! While I was out and about, I hooked it on my belt and put it in my jeans pocket. It was out-of-the-way, but still accessible and secure. Here's a photo of the case plus the hacked plastic cover:



Lastly, a picture of the iPod Nano inside of its new case, plus the headphones I bought yesterday. They're a little hard to get used to, but once you do the adjusting they work pretty well. I think I'd have an easier time of it if I didn't wear glasses.



I'm very glad I found a solution. I love this case too much to return it, protective cover or not!