Customer Reviews

PalmOne V Hard Case

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

The Palm Hard Case will keep your Palm V protected, without adding much to it's size or weight. Since I have the Slim Leather Case, and tried the RhinoSkin case, I'll try to address some of the complaints others have posted.

It's only plastic -- True, but the outer metal shield adds quite a bit of protection.

The spring is weak -- Part of the problem with using the Palm V hard case is installing your Palm. If the rail is not centered in the stylus holder, either the front or the back of the case will not close properly, giving the impression that the springs are weak. True, they could be stronger, but if you use your Palm a lot you want it to open easily. There is a line and a flat side on the rail to help you center it. It may take a few tries, but keep at it.

You have to remove your Palm to use the HotSync cradle -- Not true. Just move the cradle to the edge of the table or desk and let the case hang over the edge. Just be careful you don't knock it off the desk accidently. Others have suggested placing a book under the cradle. Either works fine.

Let's face it. You bought your Palm V because of it's size, and you probably use it a lot. If so, this is your best option when it comes to cases. Pretty good protection, easy to carry (very slim and trim), and easy to open and close. This case also solves the problem of your Palm turning itself on accidently, a problem with the leather cases and covers, although the leather cases are far more elegant and sumptuous. Also, because this case does not press on the scroll button, if you forget to turn off your Palm, and close the case, your Palm will will turn itself off and not run down the battery.

The RhinoSkin case does offer better protection, however I did not feel it was worth the money (See my review).

Don't be mislead by the pictures. This case is made of cheap-looking black plastic, and part of the outside has a thin layer of grainy (not smooth) aluminum. If you're looking for class look elsewhere. The cover that comes with the Palm V looks better.

The biggest problem I have with it has been mentioned but not emphasized:

YOU CAN'T HOTSYNC with the case on.

If your Palm use is very Palm-oriented this might be ok, but mine is very desktop-oriented, and that means I have to repeatedly take the case on and off.

Another minor annoyance: the case itself is just slightly larger than the Palm V. But there's a largish (cheap black plastic) hinge outside the case. In addition, the pin slowly slides out the top of the hinge as you open and close the case (at least mine does).

If you are looking to keep your plam pilot in your jeans pocket then this is a great product. If you want looks, go for a nice leather case. A good leather cases is far more elegant and better designed (also more $$$) than the hard case. I would give this case 2 stars if you want to show off. A couple of notes.

1. The case closes (it won't suddenly pop open by itself) but doesn't close tightly. This is just fine if you plan to keep it in your pocket or a brief case.

2. Hot sync is slightly more complicated but doable. If you keep the cradle on top of something (coffee cup, books, in my case ISDN modem), hot sync is fine.

3. The case is not made of the same material as the Plam Pilot. It is made of plastic and with two pieces of cheap metal. It looks just OK. I give it a 7/10 where the Palm V is 9/10 in terms of looks.

I bought this product because it fulfilled my two most important criteria - it's by far the best protection for my Palm V, and it had the best aesthetics. However, as a left-handed person, I was very disappointed by how the cover gets in the way of entering information. A Note to Industrial Designers and Engineers: Don't forget about 25% of your users! I also agree with the reviewer from Lake Oswego - there's no really satisfactory way to HotSync with the cover on.

The Palm V Hardcase is beautiful, except for one small feature. It extends almost an eighth of an inch below the Palm itself. You have several Choices when you want to put it in the cradle. 1) Take it out of the case. Not really acceptable. 2) Close the front and open the back 180 degrees, push/hold the Palm in the cradle until the Hot-Sync is complete. If you let it go, it will disconnect. Passable but annoying for HotSync, useless for battery charging. 3) Put the cradle on the edge of your desk or table and open both front and back ninety degrees. Let the hard case hang over the edge. It works, but maybe a pillow on the floor would ease your mind.

The initial appearance of the case is striking, but, as another reviewer commented, the case is basically a piece of plastic. And, most importantly, the case provides absolutely NO PROTECTION for a unit dropped onto a hard surface. The hard case will not absorb the shock from even a moderate fall where the unit lands on an angle, resulting in a cracked screen (which is a $100 problem). My RECOMMENDATION is to purchase a soft case (Coach makes a good one) if you intend to be a frequent user of your unit.

This case has worked great for me! It protects your Palm V from falls, spills, and related "accidents" I also like the look of the case a lot. It blends well with the design of the Palm V. The only "cons" I could find to this case is that It will add weight and size to your palm. Nonetheless, it is well worth the protection you get (Plus, this will fix the problem the Palm V has with its regular cover of turning itself on). Sure, you'll have to pull the Palm V out of the case to HotSync, but that will only take 2 secs. I love my hard case, and it has certainly lived up to its job of protecting my Palm.

I agree that the material used in this hard case is kind of cheap... but the other reviewers who have said that this case saved their Palm V from certain destruction have convinced me to use it. here are my other thoughts on this product:

CLOSING THE CASE: At first, I couldn't get the case to close all the way. After removing it and replacing a couple of times it finally worked and now it closes nicely. The spine on the case must not have been centered when I inserted it into the slot on my Palm.

HOT SYNC: Very very easy...just put your cradle on an upside down coffee cup (note to morons: please dump out your coffee first) and then open the front and back so the Palm V is completely exposed. This works just fine and won't crowd your desk.

Overall nice product design but I wish the "anodized aluminum" surface felt like metal rather than coated plastic. You may not want to pay $30-$40 for this case, but think about the alternative if your Palm takes a spill!

When I first reviewed this product back in January 2000, I gave it only two stars because I was disappointed with the construction of the case which, I still believe, is kind of cheap considering the cost. But I have been using this case to protect my Palm for almost a year now and it has never been damaged in all this time, even despite the fact that I have dropped it at least 6-8 times. I even dropped it on a concrete floor in a parking garage!

While I certainly don't want to give anyone a false sense of security - I'm sure the Palm would break if it falls hard or often enough - this case has been well worth the money and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to protect their unit but doesn't want the bulk of a leather case.

Here are some other comments on functionality:

1. The inside front cover of the hard case is the perfect place to put the graffiti stickers that come with the Palm. They actually look like they belong there.

2. The inside back cover is the perfect place to stick a business card in case the unit gets lost and is miraculously picked up by an honest person.

3. The case can sometimes get in the way of beaming. I have had no trouble beaming to other Palms, but I have had to open the back of the case in order to beam to a Handspring. This may be due to the weird placement of the Handspring IR port.

4. I have only experienced once or twice the problem that others have described involving the accidental pressing of the contrast button on the top left of the Palm. I don't consider it an issue.

5. Even though the case doesn't *snap* shut, it should still shut securely and both front and back should be flush with each other as long as the case's spine is placed precisely centered in the Palm's stylus slot. If your case does not shut correctly it is because the palm and case spine are misaligned.

Happy shopping.

I read through as many reviews as I could before I selected the hard case --- and the bottom line is, it's perfect!

My needs are simple: a compact case that will easily fit in a purse or pocket; a hard cover that will protect the entire Palm , front and back; easy hotsynching (yes, it IS easy to do); functional, utilitarian, and sleek design; affordable protection for a major investment.

I don't always need to bring my Palm Pilot everywhere I go, so it wasn't important for me to have a case that functions as a wallet. Besides, I want to store secure information in the Palm concerning my accounts (credit cards, bank accounts, passport number, etc.) so if I lose my wallet, I know where to report a lost credit card, etc. If all my cards, money, etc. are with the Palm in one case, then I have absolutely no recourse.

Hence, this case perfectly suits me, and that's what's important.