Customer Reviews

PalmOne Zire 72 Hard Case P10968U

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This case is quite sturdy, nice-looking, and the zire fits very snugly. The sliding cover over the camera is very nice.

However, the thing is practically impossible to hold in your left and hand and use. The cover swings to the left, leaving nowhere to put your hand to hold it. Fine if you just use it at your desk (or if you're a leftie), but then why do you need the hard case?

The other problem is there's no way to attach a belt clip. Again, great if you're only using it at your desk... Why couldn't they just have a screw point on the back, so you could attach a clip or not if you need it?

My husband bought this for work, where his pda receives rough treatment in an industrial environment. It does provide the necessary protection, but little other practicality. He had to buy a separate case (a bulky Targus universal case/pouch with belt loop, which the hard case fits into) to carry it around with him. He still hasn't worked out the problem of how he's supposed to hold it.

Basically, it lives in the case at work, but comes out as soon as he leaves--not exactly ideal.

The good thing about this hard case is that it'll protect the handheld. Those who are left-handed will have no problems, but us right-handed will find it very unconfortable. Since it does not fully open,(the picture above that displays as open as it can be) the case will be in your way to hold it. An other thing that I didn't like was that in order to retrive the expansion cards held in the hard case, you have to take off first the handled in order to be able to get the cards.
I wouldn't recommend this hard case if you are right handed

I was very eager to get this case for my new Zire 72. It's certainly a beautiful case, but not very functional. The front cover doesn't flip all the way under, so that if you're holding it with your left hand, it's difficult to reach the control buttons with your left thumb, as you should be able to. You cannot access the voice recorder button or the slots for the expansion cards unless you remove your zire from the case. Also, the top and bottom are completely open, which provides ready access to the slots, etc, however it does nothing to protect my zire from debris, etc, from the bottom of my purse. Also, the cradle impedes my access to the stylus slightly.

I do like the sliding window in the back that opens so that I can take pictures and video, though.

The hard case is an excellent product. Since this case was built specifically for the Zire 72, it will fit snugly. While I'm sure the hard case is easier for lefties to use, I have not had any trouble cradling it in my left hand and using the stylus in my right. (Hint: When the hinges open up, there are gaps in the outer case. Place a finger or thumb in that gap and the hard case is easier to cradle. If your hands are too big to do that, then you probably won't have any trouble cradling the hard case anyway.) The hard case has many excellent characteristics with few shortcomings:
Pros:
(1) Case is quite sturdy and will protect your Zire 72 casual drops or just the normal hazards of a commute on a subway or airplane.
(2) A sliding port on the back to allow one to use the camera without removing the PDA from the case.
(3) An open top to provide access to the card slot, on/off button, earphone plugs, and stylus.
(4) An open bottom for the power cord and mini-USB cable.
(5) The case is small enough to slip into a shirt pocket or the breast pocket of a suit.

Cons:
(1) The voice memo button is covered up by the case. You may want to consider reprogramming one of the other buttons to take that role.
(2) No storage for the Palm's WiFi card.
(3) You must remove the PDA from the hard case to put it into any other holder such as a car cradle or belt carrier. On the positive side, the Zire 72 slides in and out of the hard case with little effort.
(4) While the hard case has storage for two additional cards (normal sized, not WiFi), you must remove the PDA from the hard case to get at them.

Overall, I really like the hard case. It is classy enough that you can use it in a roomful of CEO's or college professors, but also tough enough to protect your PDA from the hazards of a daily commute

I bypassed many universal cases to wait for this one. I chose it mainly because my Zire 72 fits snugly, it offers excellent protection, and the inclusion of the camera door. I do agree that the left-swinging cover takes some getting used to, but I don't think it's as much of a problem as the other reviewers. I got used to it fairly easily.

I have two problems with this case. One is the lack of access to the voice memo button. The other problem is the expansion card holders behind the handheld; you have to remove the handheld from the case to get to the holders. Other than these minor problems, this is an excellent hard case. If you don't use the voice memo function often or use a lot of expansion cards, I would recommend it to anyone with a Zire 72.

Overall, I have adapted to holding the case in my left hand. I slide my index finger thru the top door right indention and my thumb around to the opposite indention (kind of like holding a pistol). With my other fingers extended, it supports the back of the hard case and keeps it a secure writing surface. It took a little getting used to, but it works and is comfortable. Having the door open the other way would have been better. I used to clip my zire 71 on my belt and have broken it by doing so. So when I got my Zire 72 and hard case, I decided to just keep it in my pocket anyway and would not have used the belt clip if offered. The thing that I can't accept is that I have had my case for 2 months, and the sliding door to the camera lens has already worn out. It now slides freely back and forth with no resistance. It does not have a spring in it so when the plastic wears down, (boom!) the door "flies solo". I am worried that I will scratch the lens so I keep it in my left pants pocket with no keys, pens, coins, etc. for that reason. Except for the lens door, I would have been completely satisfied. If the warranty covers this issue, I am sticking with this case.

Overall, if you're looking for protection beyond the provided soft case, this is a decent pick. I'll break down the "goods" and "bads"...

1. Great protection. I'm an "average" Palm user--maybe an hour or less of use each day in the office and at home. I take very good care of my Palm, but if you could see how many dings and scratches are on the outside of my hard case, I think I could convince you that you need a hard case to protect the Palm. I can't imagine what mine Palm would look like without the hard case to protect it.
2. Storage for expansion cards. Unfortunately, if you have a wi-fi card, it won't fit in either of the slots provided.
3. Made for lefties. It's a little awkward to use because the cover opens to the left, where a rightie would hold it. I'll leave it at that since everyone else has already complained about this.
4. Nice, classy design and a very sturdy, solidly built case. Enough said there.
5. Relatively inexpensive.
6. Case covers voice memo button and Palm covers expansion card slots when using. Not a big deal for me, though.
7. Sliding camera cover--to me, this was a flaw in the basic design of the Zire 72, there's no cover to go over the camera lens, thus providing an opportunity to get the lens scratched up. The case does a great job of protecting the lens, and you can simply slide the cover over to use the camera--no need to take the Palm out of the case.
8. No belt clip. Design would be a little too bulky to carry on belt anyhow.

Well, that's about all I can come up with. I would recommend this case overall--it does a great job of protecting the Palm! Mine still looks like it came out of the box, since the case is taking all the dents and dings from everyday use.

I am not sure why people are whining about this case so much. It isn't the most ideal fit in your left hand, but it can still be used. The cover opens past 180 degrees, so the picture is not as far as it opens. The protection is great!

It may not have a belt loop, so if you need that feature look elsewhere.

The protection that this case provides is perfect. I throw it in my bag and don't worry about it. I know this case will protect the screen and entire unit. As noted in other reviews, the sliding camera door lets you take pictures while still in the case and protect the lens when not in use.

Overall, this is a great case. I would definitely tell you to get this if you want some more protection for your Zire.

Sorry, I can't share the experience of the pre-reviewers. In my opinion this hard case is perfectly designed, very handy, and protective for the zire.
I like the fact that you can store two extra cards and protect the tiny lens of the built in camera. And, I love its looks and feel!

As protective cases go, this one is a tough S-O-B, very attractive, and very convenient (has top and bottom openings and a sliding door for the backside camera). The case makes my Zire 71 more enjoyable, b/c I know I don't have to be 'sensitive' with it. My only nitpick issue is that I'm a lefty and this case is designed for righties. If you like the good looks, you'll love the functionality of it.