TPU cases are becoming more common these days, and that's not a bad thing because the material is a good compromise between shock protection and a grippable material. The Belkin Grip Vue has been a popular case, and today we take a look at the new updated iPod version. The Grip Vue is a simple design, being a single piece of TPU made to hug around the iPod's body. Of course, there's all the port cutouts and covers over the volume rockers. In case you don't know what TPU is, it's material that's best described as harder than silicon but softer and more flexible that plastic.

The case itself looks very nice, with a simplistic and stylish look. It's thin enough that you won't feel as though you've doubled the thickness of your iPod, but also thick enough that any small drops won't affect the iPod. The cutout for the camera and mic on the back is rather large, but surprisingly, there was still close to no dust. However, a bit of dust did make its way under the bottom cutout. There are many colours available, including the Metallic black, purple, white and frosted clear shown below, as well as other designs such as patterned ones. The frosted clear case gives the back of the iPod a look very similar to the aluminium back of the iPad, which I found to be a very nice look. What was unusual is that the frosted clear case felt slightly softer than the others, despite being made of the same material.

Functionality wise, the iPod can still be used with no troubles while in the case. The sleep/wake button is easy to press and responsive, and you can feel the pressure of pushing the button. However, the volume rockers are quite stiff, and although the buttons can still be pressed, the same pressure on the button can't be felt. The exception to this is the frosted clear case, which was noticeably easier to press. The case also has a slight lip going around the screen on the front, and although not quite as deep as some other cases, it leaves the iPods screen slightly off the ground when placed face down on a table. What I love about the Grip Vue is that it hides scratches very well, and after a full week of heavy usage, it still looked like it just came out of the box.

There is also a variant of this case called the Grip Edge, which is similar in that it is also made of TPU and has the same basic design. However, on the majority of the back, there is a piece of leather integrated into the case. This is designed to be stylish and also to be easier to slip in and out of pockets. This is another case of love it or hate it. It's a quite unusual design, so you may find it attractive and stylish, or you may find that it's too different for you. However, as a case itself, it's quite good. The leather is stitched on well, feels nice, and slips in and out of pockets easily. It's especially handy when you wear jeans, as pockets are often very small and tight.

The Grip Vue and Grip Edge are both nice cases offered by Belkin. The Grip Vue continues to be a winner with its simple, stylish design, as well as good scratch and shock protection. The Grip Edge is also of great quality, although it may not appeal to all readers. Strangely, the Grip Vue's prices vary between $24-34.99 depending on the pattern/colour, while the Grip Edge is available for $29.00. The Grip Vue is available in many different colours and patterns, while the Grip Edge is only available in black. If you're interested, links are below!

Belkin.com

Grip Vue (frosted clear)

Grip Vue (others)

Grip Edge