Palm LifeDrive Luxury Leather Case Review: Vaja and Piel Frama

Vaja Classic Case

No doubt about it, Vaja makes some of the most classy and colorful cases on the market. We literally mean colorful: when you buy a Vaja case, you'll select your own color(s) from a palette of over 100 pantone colors. Not only that, the Classic case is available in Vitelino leather, Vaquero leather (both of which are smooth with a definite sheen) and the Floater, which we received for review.

The entire case is handmade from fine leather, and the front panel has a distinct wide pebble grain that makes the case more interesting and attractive. The remainder of the case is finished in a very lightly grained low gloss leather and you'll have the case made to order in the colors of your choice (delivery time is approximately 20 days).

The case has that rich leather smell and looks absolutely elegant. Each cut out is positioned perfectly and is just the right size. There are cut outs for the headphone jack, reset hole, rear speaker and sync port. There's a cut down on the upper left side for the mic and voice recorder button and the top of the case is open, allowing easy access to the SD card slot, power switch, stylus, IR port and the front LED. Rather than making a cut out for the landscape/portrait orientation button, Vaja used very soft leather and marked the spot on the case using the same symbol found on the LifeDrive. It's quite easy to use the button through the case. You can sync and charge the LifeDrive using its included cables while the device is in the Vaja case.

The case is supple, and the leather is thick enough to protect the LifeDrive from bumps and bruises. The front cover has two slots for credit cards and a larger compartment suitable for cash. The front flip is reinforced to protect the delicate display and it closes with a magnetic snap. You can order the case with or without a belt clip, with SD slots rather than credit card slots (or no slots at all), with or without extra cover cushioning and you can have it personalized as well.

A very nice case that makes an elegant gift!

Web site: www.vajacases.com

Price: Starting at $74.90

Piel Frama Cowskin Leather Case

Piel Frama's handmade leather cases are made from top grade leather and are aromatic, classy and professional looking. Their cowskin case is available in black, tan and red, and the have a two tone black and tan combo available as well.

The case fits the LifeDrive perfectly, with leather wrapping around the sides, offering near complete protection. The bottom corners have only the smallest openings, which is a good idea since PDAs tend to hit the ground on their corners. The back panel has extra padding and is reinforced with ABS.

The inside of the front cover holds two SD cards and has a large pocket suitable for cash and three credit card slots. The cover has an ABS insert and is quite rigid to protect the LifeDrive's large display. The case has a snap closure and includes a removable belt clip.

There are cut outs for the record button, mic, landscape/portrait orientation button, headphone jack, reset hole and sync port. Leather wraps around the LifeDrive and a small cut down allows you to see the LED. The top of the PDA is uncovered, allowing easy access to the SD card slot, IR port, stylus and power switch. There is no rear cut out for the speaker.

All holes, curves and panels match the LifeDrive perfectly and the case offers a good deal of protection without adding much bulk. Inside the case on the back panel you'll see the embossed Piel Frama logo and a short piece telling you that the case is hand made and each is unique. Another lovely case from the folks at Piel Frama that speaks of elegance and understated style.

Web site: www.pielframa.com

Price: 60 Euros, approx. $73 US