DLO – Philips DLA57631/17 Genuine Leather HipCase for Zune 80/120GB, Black
Feb 05, 2010 in
Electronics
- Soft, black leather case gives your Zune an added layer of protection, with Zune Brown or Pink accents.
- Easy access to Zune controls, head-set jack and connector port while you keep your Zune protected.
- The leather-covered money clip style belt clip ensures easy, hip-side Zune access and transport.
Product Description
Digital Lifestyle Outfitters DLA57631/17 HipCase for 80/120 GB Zune, Soft, black leather case gives your Zune an added layer of protection, with Zune Brown or Pink accents. Easy access to Zune controls, head-set jack and connector port while you keep your Zune protected. The leather-covered money clip style belt clip ensures easy, hip-side Zune access and transport…. More >>
DLO – Philips DLA57631/17 Genuine Leather HipCase for Zune 80/120GB, Black
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3 comments
Marissa R. Manning on February 5, 2010 at 11:26 pm
I got this cover to replace one that came as part of a 120 GB Zune and gear pack combo. Bought this particular model based on recommendation from a co-worker who’s had his Zune for nearly a year. Leather looks and feels great. Unlike the original case, I can charge my Zune with the case on. There’s a card holder on the inside cover and I can flip the cover up with the headphones installed. I also love the belt clip, which the original cover did not have, though it does not swivel. The play/pause and back buttons are covered, but operate well. Enter button is open faced on this cover, as is the screen itself. I am very satisfied with this cover and recommend it to Zune owners.
L. Young on February 6, 2010 at 1:49 am
This is the best case for the Zune 80/120gb on the market. My Zune is my most precious electronic device, and therefore in choosing and selecting a case I have been as thorough and demanding as possible. I’ve spent countless hours sifting through youtube reviews of Zune cases, online images and reviews of every case I could possibly find, and trying to locate something to my liking. After owning this case for months now, I am sure that this is the best case available.
Here are the topics which I discuss in this review, and to simplify matters this is a brief summary of what I talk about in more depth in the review. The order of items corresponds to the paragraphs which discuss them.
1. Button coverage: excellent for protection.
2. Zune corners exposed, but still well protected compared to other cases.
3. Charger cable opening: AWESOME.
4. Flap renders hold button and screen protector unnecessary.
5. Small pocket in flap VERY small.
6. Clip irremovable: It is, however, VERY useful and doesn’t get in the way.
7. Headphone jack opening medium sized. Flap can be opened to about 160 degrees.
1. This case covers the entire plastic surface of the Zune, only exposing the squircle. Play/pause and back buttons are covered. They are marked clearly with the symbols for play/pause and back within a depressed circle in the leather. The feeling of the buttons is very tactile, and they fall directly over the buttons. It is not difficult to press the buttons, only because the leather is padded you must push a little deeper.
2. Compared to other cases, relatively little of the Zune is exposed. It is true that the bottom corners and top sides of the corners are exposed, but the amount exposed is much less than most every other case out there, and because the seams running along the back and front of the case stick out a millimeter or two, for the most part it prevents any flat surface from coming into contact with the corners and damaging them, such as the sides of a cup holder.
3. This case, unlike the official Zune case offered by the site (the brown one, with the pink lined pocket), has an opening in the bottom of the case for charger cables. This feature is perhaps one of the best about the case, as it doesn’t expose hardly more than absolutely necessary to have full access to the slot, and it enables you to leave the Zune in its case for as long as you like, without risk of dirt or scratches from repeatedly having to pull it out of the case each time you want to charge it. A huge hassle saver, and a must with a device that needs to be charged so often. Absolutely necessary if you plan on using either the Car Packs or a car charger.
4. The hold button cannot be reached when the flap is closed, and there is no built-in screen protector, but these two drawbacks are compensated for by the presence of the flap, which securely closes by two small magnets in the bottom. Because the flap is padded, it protects against any erroneous pressing of the controls, thus rendering the hold switch unnecessary, and it also protects the screen fully whenever the flap is down. Also, all other built-in screen protectors I’ve seen are plagued by glare and are ill fitting, instead floating loosely above the screen. If you really feel the need to protect the screen, anti-glare screen protectors can be purchased which stick securely onto the Zune and which work much better than built-in protectors, though I must warn you that sometimes they can cause more than a few headaches when trying to eliminate air bubbles between the protector and the screen.
5. The flap also has a small pocket on its inside, which is initially very tight and difficult to get things in to. It could not hold more than 2 plastic cards comfortably, and will hold about the same thickness of money. Putting anything more than a slip of paper into the case will bulk it up slightly and make the magnets less powerful. I personally found it too small to be of any real use as a wallet away from wallet, though it is still there if I ever need it.
6. The clip in the back cannot be removed, and though I at first considered this a drawback, I’ve now come to rely upon the clip and to be thankful for its presence. I always figured I would have no use for such a clip, but it can securely clip onto waistbands, purses, straps, backpacks, and anything else near you to save an extra hand. If your pockets aren’t big enough to fit the Zune, or if you want a more secure grip, this clip is invaluable. It’s excellent for times when I’m painting, and need to run back and forth between canvas, table, sink, etc. I used to forget my Zune was resting on a surface I was working near, and when I’d suddenly charge off the Zune would fall to the ground and risk injury. This belt clip has eliminated this problem entirely, even when I’m wearing pants without pockets. Also, considering how svelte the clip is, even if you don’t use it, it won’t present any kind of hassle.
7. The headphone jack is accessible through a large oval hole in the arching leather above it, which I have found to be amply large for fitting any kind of headphone cable into it. Even if your headphone cable is truly massive, the leather is malleable enough to accommodate it. The headphone jack is as large as it can be without compromising the Zune’s protection, though this does mean that any headphone plugs that are not L-shaped prevent the flap from going any farther than about 160 degrees. It’s not a problem, though, and I am not bothered by it.
As I’ve said, this is truly the best case out there. Excluding the extremely expensive official Zune case, this case offers more protection and area coverage than any other leather case, and unlike the official Zune case it has an opening for the charger cable and is a lot cheaper. This case also lacks the extremely annoying pink stripe of the official Zune case, and is a classy black. It looks great, feels great, works great, and is the best case on the market. It fits like a glove and is of a very high quality, and I would not be happier with any other case.
N. Lapiz on February 6, 2010 at 3:27 am
What is to say about this case, first I will start with the positive.
- Fits both 80gb and 120gb Zune beautifully
- The leather provides excellent protection, it protects about 95% of the Zune.
- Incredibly easy to put the Zune in (Just slide from the top)
- Easy to open
- Slot on the inside for cards or extra cash
- The case has magnets where the case opens so it locks and doesn’t flap around when closed.
- Belt clip in the back is easy to slip belts or anything you wish to hook it to for walking.
- Not bulky
- Back and Play buttons are accurately sown into the front of the case.
The negatives of this case.
- The 4 corners of the zune of revealed
- No screen protection
- Belt clip cannot be removed
- Must press the Back and Play buttons a little bit hard to get them to work.
- If the earphone jacks are a bit long where they stick up from the earphone jack, they will make it a little hard to close and open the case (I recommend using the L shaped earphone inputs)
The negatives of this case are extremely easy to fix or get used to. The screen protection missing was sort of a downfall for me, but I bought this iTouch anti-glare screen film that worked like a charm. I recommend you buy that by Power Support since it takes out ANY kind of glare. You will enjoy watching videos and looking at pictures and even cruising through your music without a glare getting in your way, and with this case it makes it 99.9% perfect (not to mention that smudge and fingerprint do not stay on the screen protector for to long, they are easy to wipe away). Like I said before, the play and back buttons that are shown in front of the case are extremely accurate and will not cause any problems for when you try to press them, you may have to use a little extra push though because the leather has a bit of stuffing in it, don’t worry, if you have any hand problems this will not cause you any pain.
Hope this helps you all who are interested in the product! I am very satisfied with this Zune case. It is stylish and gives great protection.