Zune Tips Weblog

With my upcoming business trip I wanted to make sure my new Zune is well protected from bangs and bumps in my carry on bag. I didn’t want to get a traditional leather case or silicone case, because I don’t want to add bulk to my Zune. So I looked around and opted to buy a simple digital camera case from a local Fred Meyer store. The picture below shows my travel case next to my Zune 80, and as you can see it’s a perfect fit.

The case is well padded and has a soft felt liner so the screen should be well protected from bumps and possible scratches. There’s even a small pouch in the front for stowing earbuds or a sync cable, so I’m all set! Best of all, this case was priced at only $9.99 US, so it was a bargain compared to the Zune-specific cases. Of course, someone may think my solution as being big or ugly, but it does exactly what I need and doesn’t break the bank! I still want to get a nice slip cover case for my Zune, but this should be adequate or my immediate needs.

I’ve been waiting for a good slip cover case for my Zune to come on the market, but I haven’t found anything that I really like (and is reasonably priced). I considered using a slip case for an iPhone or iTouch device, but those devices are just a bit too thin in comparsion to the Zune 80 and I don’t want to risk having too tight a fit. In the meantime, I’m using an old Pocket PC slip case to protect my Zune from scratches, etc. Now, I got my Zune 80 as a gift for Christmas and believe-it-or-not, it hasn’t left my house yet! I’ve used it in my home office, family room, and bedroom, but I haven’t taken it outside of my home. That will change soon with an upcoming week-long business trip. So, I’m going to need a better case than the current oversized Pocket PC cover that I’m using.

Today, I realized that that unlike my previous Pocket PC devices, I’ll need a way of storing my earbuds along with my Zune. Normally, I just roll up my earphones for my Pocket PC device and dump them in my travel bag, as I can continue to use my Pocket PC without them. For the Zune, the earbuds are essential and renders the Zune useless without them. So, I really do need a small case that can house both my Zune and one pair of earbuds.

I also noticed that my Zune is about the same size as a modern digital camera, so that got me thinking that a small case designed for a digital camera may be sufficient for my needs. Since there’s so many digital camera accessories available, I’m bound to find something that will work at one of the local stores.

Online, I found lots of different web stores such as Newegg.com (my personal favorite) and caselogic.com selling nice, small cases for under $15 US. I really want something to be padded and protect my Zune while it rides in my travel bag on my business trips. I don’t need a fancy belt-clip model, or leather flip case, so I think a simple digital camera case or PDA case will do. I’ll post some photos and give my recommendations when I do find the perfect cover for my Zune!