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Music Has The Right To Children
- Boards of Canada
- This one will haunt you. From the first notes to the last, their sound surrounds you. BOC has put out a fantastic catalogue, and this album is a great starting point for a new listener. Jump straight
- Belle & Sebastian
The Life Pursuit is a sort of Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. You get Belle & Sebastian's peanut butter (its wistful, often irresistible pop) dipped in a 'Have A Nice Day!' and glam 70s chocol
- Spoon
Gimme Fiction by Spoon is a terrific album by an Austin band that I was lucky enough to catch on an Austin radio station during a Christmas visit.
- Fantomas
Mike Patton may well be one of the hardest working men in showbiz these days, and his latest with Fantômas underscores just about how far out he is willing to travel.
Suspended Animation
- Mystics Anonymous
- Mystics Anonymous is the brainchild project of Jeff Steblea, a fantastic songwriter and good friend of mine, as well. In fact, I even played the drums on all but one of the tracks on this album. Jef
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In-Depth Review
Aluminum Case
Wednesday, March 29th, 2006 at 9:00 AM - by Misha Sakellaropoulo
If silicone and leather don't do it for you, the next most popular material for protecting your iPod is metal. Aluminum delivers excellent protection but often at the expense of size and cost. Such isn't the case (excuse the pun) with the aluminum offerings from PodsPlus, however.
![]() PodsPlus Aluminum Cases |
PodsPlus aluminum cases are about the same size as most leather offerings and sell for a reasonable $30. Flip one open, lay your iPod inside the soft lined interior, snap it shut, and you're good to go. Cut-outs for the screen, click wheel, hold switch, headphone jack, and dock connector are all well sized, meaning you might never need to take your iPod out of the case once it's in one.

An added benefit on the nano case is that the bottom is practically flush with that of the iPod nano itself, meaning some dock connecting accessories, such as Griffin's AirClick or XtremeMac's AirPlay2, can still be used whith the case.
While craftsmanship of the cases is excellent, including an integrated flush-mounted plastic screen protector, the low price means you get little in the way of extras. Both nano and video iPod cases include a very cheesy plastic-wrapped lanyard that you'll probably want to leave at home. The video iPod also includes a standard belt clip.

The Bottom Line
PodsPlus has done a fine job delivering an aluminum case to the market that doesn't cost any more than many silicone and leather offerings, giving iPod owners a true metal alternative.
The iPod nano case is available in anodized black or silver; the video iPod case is available in anodized black, silver, or gold. Through April 2, 2006 PodsPlus is including a free pack of film protectors for your iPod with any purchase, normally $8.99.
Just The Facts
Pros:great construction, built-in screen protection, access to all ports and controls, reasonable price
Cons:extras are minimal
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