Expert's Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Tunewear’s Prie TuneWallet for iPod nano is a sleek, good-looking case that takes advantage of the small size of the nano to throw in a few features of a wallet, hopefully saving some space in your pocket. However, though convergence may be golden, there are some shortcomings to consider before you press this case into double duty.
The TuneWallet is made almost entirely out of leather and looks more like a wallet than a case. When you unfold it, one side holds a space for a couple cards and some bills, while the other provides a harness for your iPod nano. Sliding the iPod in is easy enough and, once in place, its screen and controls are visible and usable through clear plastic protectors. On the other hand, I found it somewhat difficult to use the Click Wheel; I had to push down on the clear plastic quite firmly for the controls to function. This isn’t really a problem when depressing the Click Wheel’s buttons, but when trying to use the touch-sensitive elements — for example, to scroll through menus or adjust volume — it proves annoying.
To remove your iPod, you pull on a small tab of leather which in turns pulls the iPod free. This works fine, but a firm shake of the case will also cause the iPod to slide out of its pocket. Likewise, although there’s an opening for the hold switch, trying to operate it one-handed can also push the iPod out of its harness. The ease with which the iPod can slide out left me concerned about how secure the nano is.
Beyond that, although I like the idea, in principle, of a wallet that also holds my nano, I would be reluctant to put this in my back pocket; unlike most things you put in a wallet, the nano is less than flexible. And unless you’re one of those people who pride themselves on keeping a slim, clutter-free wallet, you’re likely to need more capacity; trying to jam more than two cards (ID, credit card, etc.) and a couple bills into the TuneWallet makes it bulge in an unseemly fashion.
In the end, the TuneWallet does not make a particularly good iPod case or wallet and you’re probably better off sticking with different tools suited for what are, in the end, two different tasks.–Dan Moren