The EGO Waterproof Sound Case Allows iPods to go Swimming

When the mercury starts to rise, we all gravitate to the beach or the pool. If you have become addicted to your iPod, it can be painful to leave it behind, but ruining it by exposing it to water would be even more painful- and costly. If you just can't bear to leave your music behind, the EGO Waterproof Sound Case offers both water and shock protection for you iPod along with built in speakers and decent sound..

The EGO Waterproof Sound Case is made of clear polycarbonate plastic, so it will withstand some rough and tumble treatment, and the iPod cradle is cushioned to help absorb any shocks while you are out and about this summer. But you can get shock protection with a number of cases. What sets the EGO Waterproof Sound Case apart is the way it helps your iPod withstand water.

The cases closes around your iPod with a rubberized seal. The EGO Waterproof Sound Case then floats on the water's surface while you lounge in the pool. It's not made to be submerged, so taking it diving isn't a good idea. I was a little skittish about taking by iPod Video in the pool with an untested product, so I used my daughter's SanDisk Sansa for the first test. The speakers attach through any standard 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, making it compatible with almost any mp3 player. After playing in the pool for half an hour, I removed the Sansa and it was completely dry. I felt confident enough to try it with my iPod, and it worked fine.

The speakers themselves worked fine, but weren't exceptionally impressive. There was very little bass response, but the mid-tones and higher were crisp and the sound was sharp and clear. Audiophiles might be a little disappointed, but regular listeners will find that these speakers are perfectly adequate. The click wheel is designed for use with iPods, so you may have a hard time controlling an non-iPod media player.

The speakers take 4 AA batteries, and they drain pretty quick (I didn't get any where near the advertised 30 hours), so invest in a set of rechargeable batteries and keep a spare set with you when you're away from home. The EGO Waterproof Sound Case is about the size of a small textbook, and is a little heavier than you would expect, but it's not overly cumbersome. It comes with a wrist strap and a shoulder strap for easy carrying. It also has a kickstand so you can use it out of the pool.

The EGO Waterproof Sound Case retails for $149.99 and is available at Amazon, Best Buy and CompUSA.