I got my first iPod — complete with 40 GB of storage to stuff all my favorite songs and albums into — in sixth grade. It didn’t have any apps, I couldn’t browse the web, and there were no red bubbles to constantly distract me. It was all about the tunes. I’ve long wished I could still carry an iPod with me everywhere so I wouldn’t have to pull out my notification-ridden iPhone every time I want to switch tracks, but my bag’s already packed with gadgets. Then I discovered the tinyPod, and I’ve been feeling like my sixth-grade self ever since.
The tinyPod is a case for your Apple Watch that makes it look like a mini version of the classic iPod, but it’s more than just a cute case. By turning the watch into a pocketable device rather than a wearable, it can act as a substitute for your phone when you’d like to reduce your screen time. That was one of the original selling points of the Apple Watch, but I’ve always found it tedious to use mine for more than a couple of seconds while it’s on my wrist, so I’d often reach for my phone instead. The tinyPod case, though, has taken away all of that tediousness. It doesn’t add any functionality to the watch, but it does let me hold it closer to my ear without contorting myself during a phone call and bring it up to my face more easily to record a voice memo or type on the tiny onscreen keyboard. I’ve lost the hands-free convenience of the watch, but I much prefer the functionality of a trimmed-down phone to a beefed-up watch.
Now I keep my watch in my right pocket, where my phone used to go, so when I feel the urge to aimlessly scroll, I’m either greeted with a bare-bones interface that encourages me to get in and get out or forced to reach into my bag to grab my phone. Usually, I just opt to focus on whatever I’m doing instead.
The tinyPod also turns the Apple Watch into a surprisingly fun iPod. Since the watch already has 32 GB of storage, you can download a fair number of playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks to play on the go, and you can pair AirPods directly to the device to listen without having to drag your phone along. Thanks to the tinyPod’s shape, holding it also feels just like holding an iPod Nano, except this one has a touchscreen.
There are two versions of the case. The flagship model is made of a plastic that feels just like the one used on Apple’s AirPods, and it even has a click wheel to complete the classic design. It’s a nice tribute, but because the tinyPod’s wheel works by turning gears around the Apple Watch’s digital crown, it’s somewhat clunky to operate; I found myself just scrolling on the watch’s screen instead. The tinyPod Lite is a streamlined version made of silicone that doesn’t have the click wheel (though I added an iPod click-wheel sticker from Etsy to complete the look). Other than that, it’s roughly the same experience.
Sure, you could get an old, refurbished iPod Classic in a custom color with more storage, but if you already have an Apple Watch, the tinyPod Lite gives you plenty to listen to — plus calling and texting capabilities — for a lot less money. And it’s more than just a fun dose of gadget nostalgia: It has truly helped me consistently cut down my screen time in a way that other “dumb phones” and the Apple Watch by itself haven’t.
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