Customer Reviews

RhinoSkin RhinoPak 2000 PDA Case for Palm III, IIIc, V & VII

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

How I use it: I've had this case for several months. I use it to carry around a somewhat bulky leather wallet and a Palm III on the 'right-hand side' with the elastic straps. On the 'left-hand side' with the pouch, I have a Swiss Army Knife, 3 keyrings (about 10 keys total), a mini-Maglite, and a pen. In the front zippered mesh pouch (easy access) I put a Nokia 6190 cellphone. Finally, in the thin back pocket (also easy access) I have some access cards and various pieces of paper.

How it looks: As a guy, this is definitely a 'geek bag'. I sometimes get compliments/interest from peers; other people occasionally joke that it's my 'purse'. Still others think I'm carrying a videocamera. It is not inconspicuous, and generally not a subtle thing to have in hand. If you're uncomfortable with the mere suggestion that you need a 'bag' to carry your stuff around, keep your gadgets hooked to your belt. As suggested in the title, I wish there were a more formal version of this bag, something in leather or microfiber, with a better method for one-hand carrying. (BTW, the bag isn't substantial enough for me to ever want to attach & use the included 'shoulder strap'. Plus that makes it a little too much like a purse for my taste.)

How it works: So, it carries plenty, but not too much. The front mesh is almost too opaque to really read the cellphone screen, but I try anyway. The zippers & zipper pulls work well. I nearly always slide my hand through the long side strap and carry it with one hand, fingers tucked in the loops on the back. The strap isn't adjustable, and not really tight enough to make this completely comfortable, but it's ok. I'm not sure what the multiple little loops on the front next to the mesh pouch are for, but they don't bother me.

Overall: This is an excellent piece of equipment, certainly the best bag of this size I've found for carrying the list of items mentioned above. Even so, I'm always on the lookout for something classier than nylon and easier to handle with one hand. Of course, with gadgets getting smaller and converging (Nokia 8890, Palm Vx; Handspring VisorPhone; etc.), my need for a bag of this size may diminish over time.

I purchased this item based on the recommendation from another reviewer that "the Ipaq fits perfectly." While the case is clearly ideal for certain situations (such as the Palm V with Minstrel wireless modem), I would not recommend it for the iPAQ as yet. Simply put, the case is far too large for an iPAQ (with or without an attached Style Pack or CompactFlash Expansion Pack). The elastic straps do not secure the iPAQ in place, allowing it to move about freely. As a result, the screen could become damaged by other items inside (such as an extra stylus or pen). The iPAQ can also fall out unexpectedly when you unzip the case. Even with the Pretec modem attached, the unit still does not properly secure the device. Perhaps this case will be more appropriate for the iPAQ when wireless modems become the norm. Although the construction of the rhinoskin seems solid, it is still thin enough to allow the device to be accidentally turned on (or the voice recorder activated) while the case is completely closed. That happened to me the first time I zipped the case closed. The hard part is, I really like the case and *want* it to work. I've just had to accept that, unlike my Palm Vx, the iPAQ doesn't seem to have a perfect case yet.

I recently purchased a Jornada 545 hand held PC, and wanted a case that would hold the computer securely and also other items. I did a lot of research on the internet, and made my decision to purchase the RhinoPak 3000 case.

The case is made very well, and has a lot of pockets and places to stuff different items. I am able to place my PC underneath the elastic straps and also place a modem and AC power unit next to the PC. I have found the elastic strap will stretch a bit, and conform to the size of the unit it is holding down. Once you make your choice where you are going to place your unit, you should probably stick with it. Also there is a spot for credit cards, but you need to place several cards there as it is a bit loose. If you put only one or two in this area, they will move around as you transport the unit.

There are also two pen holders which are nice, but by placing pens in them they will extend into one of the mesh pockets located on that side of the case. This really isn't a problem, but does cut into the space of that pocket a bit.

I am being very picky in my review of this case, but really am extremely happy with my purchase of it. I highly recommend this case, especially if you are looking to transport your accessories along with your hand held PC.

As soon as it arrived and I grabbed it I was dissapointed. The fit for my Aero 1550 was tight which is a good thing BUT, the easy access to "ALL major buttons and functions..." is a bit of an over statement as the zipper covers all of the side functions which include the stylus, function buttons, voice recorder and the headphone jack. ALSO, the plastic insert (if that's what they call it) is soooo weak that all buttons, including the power can be accessed when unit is zipped shut. The protection for the screen I'm sure doesn't work BUT I'm not going to find out as my Rhino is being returned the same day I received it.

I recieved my Rhinoskin RhinoPak 1100 case about a month ago and I am thrilled with it. First of all, I have the HP Jornada 548. I did not want a case that velcroed the unit in, and with the 1100, there is no velcro. If you have a casio or compaq, there are 4 straps on the inside that easily fit around the corners of the unit to keep it attached. Or, if you have the Jornada, then I just like to pop the unit in with the flip cover still attached and just pull the whole thing out when I need it. As for protection, the 1100 has a firm, form fitting interior with soft casing. I have dropped it twice on concrete and nothing happened at all...great protection! Finally, the 1100 is compact, and on the inside are 2 very thing pouches for compact flash cards, stylis, etc. This is the perfect case for me and I think that youll like it too!

I bought this case after reading it was highly recommended for Compaq iPAQ's, its a complete rip off in that respect. Any case so poorly designed as to allow your $500 unit to fall out when you open it should be recalled. The straps that are supposed to hold the pocket PC in place are a complete joke, any moron can see that. As a consumer I rely upon a fair and resonable evaluation by a reviewer. Task #1 is what? Holding the unit in place right! This case is so poorly designed it actually increases your chances of damaging your Pocket PC. Added salt in the wound is the price, as complete a rip off as I have seen in a long while.

I've used my RhinoPack 2000 for an iPAQ, a Cassiopeia and a Visor Prism. In each case the secure straps did not safely secure my handheld. Ultimately, I sewed the straps closer to the center and it works much better. However, imagine having to pay forty bucks and then needing to have sewing skills! As for the rest of the RhinoPack 2000 its storage capacity is somewhat minimal and it is bulky for everyday use. It's best use was in my suitcase on vacation.

I bought the RhinoSkin RhinoPack 2000 PDA Case for my Compaq Ipaq and I can't help but feel that I should warn people agianst the purchase. I say this for two reasons; 1) it doesn't provide much if any proctection, and secondly it is not useful for carry much of anything else which is hard to believe because of its size. This is due to its lack of internal pockets that were designed properly. The pockets on the outside of the RhinoSkin are practically useless. Also it doesn't even hold my ipaq in place, the straps within are misplaced and unuseful.

If they redesigned it which would be easily done and if they provided better padding on the sides for protection and used better material it would be a great buy, but as it is I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

I had read that this cover works well with the iPaq PocketPC computer, and bought it on that recomendation. Althought the case itself seems solid enough, it is worthless as a iPaq cover. The elastic strips are too loose, and it was very easy for the device to fall out when opening the case. Having any of the iPaq jackets on doesn't make any difference. The same was true for a friend's Jornado device: he tried it when I was trying to get rid of it. Don't buy this product if you are looking for a PocketPC case!

In theory, I really liked the idea of this PDA case. Pleanty of room for your cell phone, modem card, cables, PDA, Pens, Paper, Keys, etc. When I actually received the case however, I found there was really no way to securely fasten my iPAQ except with the included rubber band straps. To hold the PDA even semi-securely you need to pass the bands over the top of the screen making it ineffective to use unless you remove the PDA from the case. This defeats the purpose for me. The photo's are deceiving! I finially purchased some industrial strength Velcro to attach it to the left side. The rest of the case features I really like, however, if it wasn't for Velcro, I would have returned this product.