SmarterCase

Want a personalized case that doesn't look nerdy? SmarterCase has the case for you. These cases come in a large variety of coverings, from several colors of leather to denim, to ever-trendy fuzzy animal finishes like leopard and zebra. There are even floral prints, American flag prints, business tweeds, and patterns just for kids!

How sturdy are these stylin' cases? They're make of steel, with a robust 3" piano hinge along the left side. I stood on one, and didn't put a dent in it. How affordable are they? At $19.95 you can't beat the value. How big are they? Well, not small at 6" tall, 4" wide and 1" deep, but the size does fit most any handheld (Palm or Pocket PC format) PDA, and perhaps a few credit cards, cash and etc.

We examined samples in blue leather and dark leopard and found both to our liking. The leather case has a classy look and feel, reminiscent of those cigarette cases you see in 40's movie. The leopard case is perfect for matching to your purse and wallet. The snap closure is welcome: it closes with a secure snap and doesn't screech like velcro when you open it (have you even opened a PDA case with a velcro closure during a meeting?).

Inside the case you will find velcro for holding your PDA firmly in place (we don't mind this, as one rarely has to remove the PDA from a well-designed case, so noise is less of an issue), an elastic to hold an extra stylus in place, and a paper notepad on the left side. The pad is a common size and easily replaceable-- good going, SmarterCase! You can also get your case with an Ultra Clip belt clip.

The bottom line: this is one stylish case and you can't find more protection for you PDA at this price.

www.smartercase.com price $19.95

SmarterCase Saddle leather

inside the Zebra SmarterCase

RhinoSkin

One of the most well known and popular cases on the market, RhinoSkin made their name with the first cool looking nearly indestructible case for the Palm Pilot. Now they make cases for all kinds of PDAs-- popular Palm models, the Visor and Visor Edge, iPAQ and Jornada to name a few. Their slider case allows you to slide the front cover up and over the PDA so that it rests behind the back cover. The more traditionally designed flip cover cases are form molded for a snug custom fit on your PDA.

There are aluminum models for very good protection and titanium cases for those of you who tend to step on, knock around or otherwise accidentally abuse your PDA. The aluminum case is very stylish looking and has a (surprise) bright aluminum finish that's the perfect companion to the Compaq iPAQ among others. The titanium case is a bit darker and may tend to show some moisture and sweat marks because that's the nature of titanium (these will clean off). Whichever you choose, be sure your PDA will be well protected in these hard cases. However nothing can insure that your LCD won't crack if you drop you PDA a few feet to the floor. If you're a PDA-dropper, you might want to look at the less sexy but most insulated case around, the Otter Box.

www.rhinoskin.com prices vary with model, aluminum ~ $34.95 and Titanium ~ $69.95

If you are looking for a hard case that offers protection both inside and out while allowing access to all ports and slots, you should definitely check out InnoPocket’s aluminum hard cases. These cases are 100% aircraft aluminum with a thin neoprene lining inside to protect your PDA from scratches. The benefit of using aluminum is that it’s both sturdy and lightweight. The outside surface of these cases feels very hard and strong. You can be sure the case will protect the PDA if you drop something on it. Of course, we didn’t throw sharp knives or drive cars over it . The edges of these cases are very smooth and don’t feel sharp, so you won’t have to worry about it cutting or scratching your hand. The inside lining feels rubbery and will help to protect your PDA and its screen from any scratches, and it should absorb a bit of shock. Even though the metal feels very strong, the cases are actually very thin and lightweight. Their weight ranges from 45g (Palm m500 case) to 80g (Sony Clie NX case). InnoPocket hard cases are designed for specific PDA models, which insures a good fit. The design is both sleek and user friendly. There are a variety of aluminum finishes that will fit the look and feel of specific PDAs, and none of the cases shows fingerprints. For example, the Titanium grey goes well with the Palm m500 series finish, while the shinier bright aluminum case goes well with the iPAQ design. If you have a Sony Clie T615 in blue, you can even get a metallic blue case to go with it. Since the cases are molded to fit the PDAs, you will notice the curves closely follow the PDA’s shape. The cases all have cutouts to give you access to Stylus, IR, Speaker, Headphone Jack, Memory Slot and Hotsync Port on your PDA.Without adding much weight and size, InnoPocket’s cases provide good protection to your PDA inside and out. The sleek design and easy access to everything makes the cases attractive to a wide range of PDA owners. They start at $29 and are available for most Palm and Sony brand PDAs including Tungsten T, NX and SJ/SL series, as well as iPAQ Pocket PCs and Genio. Check InnoPocket's website for the complete list. Update, March 2003

Metal Deluxe Case for Dell Axim X5
After having seen a few of InnoPocket's metal cases in the past few months, it seems that each new case adds some new features that make them look and feel better than the last one. The Metal Deluxe Case for Dell Axim X5 is one of the newest addition to their collection. Built with 100% anodized aircraft grade aluminum with shinny silver finish, Dell case fits the PDA unit like a glove. With a neoprene lining inside of the metal cover, the Dell case gives you an opening on top so that you can slide the Axim X5 into the case. There is a bottom cover with cutouts for all ports, that holds the PDA securely in place. Not only are the bottom ports such as power and serial connector exposed for easy access, but also the speaker on the front cover, SD card slot, jog dial, record and reset buttons on the left hand side as well as the top CF card slot, microphone jack and IR port are also exposed with cutouts from the case. The case cover opens from the left and has a hinge that bends over on the top to prevent the unit from sliding out when in the case. It weighs about .90g and sells for $39.95 US.

www.innopocket.com

Left: Case for Palm V and m500 series. Right: Sony Clié T665 case

Dell Axim X5 case