Simply the best pouch-style case for the Treo
Written: May 16 '06 (Updated May 17 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Quick access to the phone, low profile case, great build quality, sharp looks, good protection
Cons: No phone protection when out of case, antenna exposed, can't see display when stowed
The Bottom Line: Of all of the Treo cases, this is one of the best as long as you are careful not to drop the unit when it's not stowed in the case.
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| esasaki's Full Review: Treo 700w Accessories: Palm Leather Side Case for ... |
After I bit the bullet a little over a year ago and spent a small fortune on a Palm Treo 650 smartphone, I wanted to get a suitable case that would protect this, um, productivity tool--at least that's how I justified the phone's lofty cost to my wife. I made the mistake of buying the incredibly overpriced "genuine leather case" that Sprint sold me for $34.95 at the time I bought the Treo. Yes, I hang my head in shame for paying too much for a case you had to tug on like a too-small pair of blue jeans. The padded flip cover on that case was okay, but it was a pain to unsnap and push it to the side to use the device.
Having experimented with several types of cell phone cases over the year, I knew that just about any case was going to add bulk--not a good thing when you're talking about a phone that's gargantuan in size compared to the ever smaller and slimmer models out there. So most of the case options, from metal shells to neoprene jackets, were going to be too bulky. I liked the protective nature of silicone skins, but they gave the phone a toyish appearance and tended to cover things that shouldn't be covered and not protect what needed protection (namely the screen).
So I ended up settling on the genuine Palm Treo Leather Side Case after reading a few interviews that praised the easy access to the phone, slim profile, and good protection.
Design
The side case is designed to be clipped on your belt (or a pocket, as I'll describe later). Unlike other cases, it doesn't use a slide-clip system that leaves the belt clip on your belt while you detach the phone from it. Instead, a stiff metal prong on the rear of the case holds the case securely when you slide it onto your belt.
As the name implies, the case holds the Treo in a sideways position instead of the traditional vertical position that other cases use. Think of an eyeglass pouch-style case, and this case is similar. To store the phone in the case, you hold it parallel to your beltline with the screen facing outward. Then you drop the phone down into the open pouch area of the case. Finally, to secure the phone, you cover the opening with an over-wrapping, 1.5-inch wide clasp that securely snaps about halfway in the front of the case. There's no way the phone will fall out of the case when the clasp is secured.
When the phone is in the case, for the most part only the left side of the Treo is exposed. The designers intentionally left areas of the case cut out to accommodate the headphone jack (so you can listen to MP3's or wear a headset while the phone is still in the case!) and visibility to the infrared port (presumably for beaming contact information). What aren't accessible may be annoying to some: the synch and power connectors, the camera lens, the SD port, the microphone, the side buttons, and the quiet mode switch. To use any of those features, as well as the phone or PDA functions, you must remove the phone from the case at least partway.
It's important to note that, once out of the case, the phone is completely naked--nothing is attached to the phone. The good news is that you'll have the unspoiled profile of the phone and full, unobscured access to all of the buttons and ports on the phone. The bad news is that if you drop the phone at this point, your Treo will be damaged--cosmetically at the minimum. This is something of a problem seeing as the Treo has a very smooth finish without any rubberized grips. Butterfingers need not apply here.
Fit and Performance
The Palm side case is a snug fit for my Treo 650 (it should also work with the Treo 600/700w/700p since they have similar form factors). Some people complain that the case is so snug that it presses buttons accidentally or moves the quite mode switch unintentionally. While I've encountered those things from time to time, I've never had a major problem. The most common issue I have is that if I press the snap too hard when closing the case, the pressure on the outside of the case will push a button on the Treo, turning it on. You may need to turn on the "keylock" function if this becomes a problem.
The case does an excellent job protecting the phone from damage, except in one place: the antenna. Having dropped my 650 once, I can tell you that the antenna's plastic may feel rubberized, but it dents permanently when dropped. The antenna sticks out of the right side of the case by about 1/2-inch., which means that even on your belt, it may get snagged on things and mar the antenna's finish.
I've found after more than a year of use, the case is fairly comfortable to wear--most of the time, I don't even realize I'm wearing my phone. The case may get uncomfortable on your belt if you've got "love handles" since the phone will likely push uncomfortably on your stomach when seated. That's usually when I pull the case off and set it on the table next to me. Or I clip the case to my front pants pocket, letting the phone ride mostly vertically.
Above all, it's really, really easy to get to the phone. You just need to unsnap the clasp, lift upward with one finger on the exposed antenna, and the phone pivots out of the case. You can definitely answer the phone or use the PDA functions very quickly without a lot of fumbling or fighting with the case.
Build Quality
The case itself is made a soft, finely grained, black leather over a stiff skeleton that resembles a taco shell. The open sides are closed with a webbing of black nylon fabric that prevents the phone from sliding horizontally out of the case. The whole thing is stitched with a white heavy duty thread (I would have preferred black thread, but I've gotten used to the look). Finally, the stylized Treo logo is embossed on the lower right front of the case. Sharp looking!
The case has stood up to almost daily use over a year with very little signs of wear. The thread and side webbing have not frayed, the clip is still as stiff and secure as the day I bought the case. And the leather is still in pristine condition. The only visible sign of wear is the slight tarnish on the silver metal snap button on the top clasp.
Overall Recommendation
In all, I'm really happy with this case. Although it only provides protection when the phone is stowed away, it does solve the problems of usability and access that other cases that are full-time coverings have. It looks sharp and doesn't add a lot of bulk to an already chunky device.
It's also one of the few Original Equipment Manufacturer phone cases that I think is worth the money. Palm seems to have done it right with the Leather Side Case, and I'm glad that I will be able to use it if I decide to upgrade to the Treo 700 series.
As a note, this case may work for non-Palm smartphones and "candybar"-style phones. I showed my case to someone last month, and he was able to fit his non-Palm Windows Mobile device inside perfectly. Obviously, you would want to confirm the fit of your non-Palm device before buying the case.
If I can answer any questions you have about the case, please feel free to leave a comment to this review and I will do my best to answer them. Thanks for reading!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
esasaki
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Member: Eric
Location: Long Beach, California, USA
Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 29 members
About Me:
35-years old, married with no kids, computer network manager, movie enthusiast, gadget lover.
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