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XtremeMac’s Iconz are rigid plastic cases for the iPod nano that provide full-body protection against scratches and minor bumps and shocks. Once inside an Iconz case, your nano is completely covered except for its bottom edge and the hold switch on top. The nano’s screen is covered in clear plastic; the area over the Click Wheel is thin enough that the iPod’s controls function normally.
Although the back of the Iconz is translucent like that of many skins, what makes the case unique is that XtremeMac has secured licensing agreements allowing the company to decorate the front of each case with one of a number of famous images. The standard Iconz line includes popular cartoon and comic characters such as Tweety, Scooby Doo, Batman, Speed Racer, Bart Simpson, and SpongeBob Squarepants. The Sport NBA line includes several NBA team logos, as well as images of individual players such as Dwayne Wade and LeBron James. And the Sport MLB line includes the logos of Major League Baseball teams — Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals, Giants, and Angels.
The open bottom edge of the Iconz allows you to easily connect your nano’s headphones as well as Apple’s dock connector cable. And although an Iconz-encased iPod nano won’t fit in most dock-cradle accessories designed for a bare iPod nano, it’s relatively easy to slide your nano just far enough out of the Iconz to allow the iPod to squeeze into a dock.
As a general case, the Iconz is a solid offering; for fans of these teams and characters, it’s also a lot of fun.–Dan Frakes