Price:	$28.00		Reviewed by:	Neil Brown
Supplied:	Brando		Review date:	15/03/2005
Pros:	Looks stunning Secure grip on PDA Feels great in the hand Protects as much as possible, whilst leaving access to most ports  / buttons Adds virtually nothing to size of machine		Cons:	No access to reset hole SD card holder requires touching contacts to remove Scratches quite easily

Introduction Slim, sexy and unique. But enough about me- Brando's new aluminium case for the LOOX 720 is all of these and more. There are a variety of leather cases available for the LOOX, but Brando is the first manufacturer to release a metal case, although others may or may not be in the pipeline. This release is important for a number of reasons- firstly, a metal case tends to add far less to the overall size of the PDA than a leather case, and, secondly (and something which did not occur to me until reading a thread on FirstLOOX), vegans and vegetarians are not able to use leather cases, because of their obvious animal derivation. So, bearing this in mind, what is the case like? The Case The case is made of aircraft-grade aluminium, and is lined with black neoprene- this really does look incredibly good, in my opinion, as the black and silver look very classy together. You simply slide your PDA into the case, and it is held firmly in place by metal clips, lined with neoprene- it is very secure, without a doubt. To me (and perhaps only to me!) there is a very nice feeling which comes with having a PDA in a metal case- I can't put my finger on what it is, but, it just feels good. The PDA is secure in it's place- as the photo shows, even holding the case upside-down with the machine in place caused me no concern whatsoever (although I will admit to testing this over my bed before taking the photo over a solid desk). The detail level on the case is really superb- there is a small grill to protect the lower speaker on the front, and the SD slot features a plastic retaining device, which is something that I have not personally seen in a case before- when I read that it had an SD storage slot, I was expecting simply a gap in the neoprene. The SD slot is very secure- you slide the card in from the top, with the ridges in the sides being contained under the plastic protrusions, whilst the vertical movement is prevented by the clip at the top. This is a great arrangement, with my only concern being the exposed contacts of the card- in order to slide the card out, I found myself pushing upwards from the bottom, with my thumb coming close, if not resting on, the contacts. Not a huge problem, but noteworthy, I feel. Cutouts   Likewise, the cut-outs are sensible positioned, to allow access to all the important ports. The photographs say more than any commentary really can, although I shall add a couple of notes. In normal LOOX fashion, it is not obviously not possible to use the cradle in conjunction with this case; however, the adapter slot is left uncovered, allowing synchronisation or charging with a cable. As with all cutouts, the downside is that this is left open to the elements at all times- whilst the surround metal should protect the adapter should you be unfortunate enough to drop the machine on its base, there is nothing to prevent sand and dust getting into the connector. As you look at the rear of the case, the right hand side has a substantial (although nicely industrial looking) cutaway, to allow access to the camera, the scroll wheel and the button below it. The size of this cutout allows you to use the camera without opening the case, let alone having to remove the machine altogether. However, it does have the side effect of giving the camera very little protection from a focussed impact- the surrounding metal will, once again, protect the LOOX should you drop the case flat, though. Likewise, the top of the case is left open, to facilitate access to the cards and audio jack, but the metal once again extends past the level of the PDA, to give drop-protection. There was discussion as to whether the case permitted access to the right-hand side button, and, I am happy to confirm that this is the case- no button is obscured by this case, although, pressing the button whilst the hinge is open is not easy at first. It is not possible able to access the reset hole without removing the machine from its case. Whilst I rarely need to use this, it That having been said, allowing access to the reset hole would have left more of the base of the machine unprotected, and, as I rarely have to reset, I cannot consider it a huge problem. The only time I need a physical reset (thanks to SPB Pocket Plus' software reset ability) is when things lock-up completely. The front of the case has holes to allow users to see the status of power, wifi and Bluetooth, as well as access to both speakers. I was surprised, in that music playing whilst the machine in the case was not as distorted as I was expecting. This is obviously some loss in quality, but, I found this to be more than acceptable- and if you use the machine to stream radio, or other voice-based media (such as e-books), I think that you will be more than happy with the output. Hinge The hinge itself is positioned on the right hand side of the case, so that the lid flips over to the right. As my last metal case (back in my Clie SJ30 days) flipped over to the right, I am used to this, and think that it makes sense. I hold my PDA in my left hand, leaving my right hand free for inputting text, and, I find that my hand rests naturally on the inside of the lid, supporting it. I find it easy to hold the case firmly, which I think I would struggle to do if I had the lid flipping over to the left. Indeed, I found holding the case in my right hand to be awkward, although this could be simply due to the fact that I am not used to holding my PDA in this manner. Clasp The clasp which holds the case shut is quite firm- there is little chance of the case accidentally coming open. Unlike some cases, which feature a recessed closing mechanism, Brando's clasp is on the outside, clipping in place over a ridge with a most satisfying “click”. Whilst this means that the side of the case is not flap, it does make it easy to open when required, as there is something to pull on. I have found the easiest way of opening the case is the pull on the clasp with my right hand, and exert a slight pressure on the panel at the top of the left hand side. Personally, I like this method, but, I guess it will be a matter of choice as to whether you wish to see the clasp or not. Belt-Clip The belt-clip is something which I have not used extensively, but which is there should you wish for it. It comes in two parts- the belt-clip, and the toggle, which screws into the case. Screwing in the toggle is an easy operation, as the rear of the case permanently houses the necessary screw-thread. Once in position, all you need do is drop the toggle into the groove in the belt-clip, and you are away. This belt-clip does not require the toggle to be inserted in a particular orientation, making it easy to attach the case without thinking too much about it. Once in place, the case is “locked” there, requiring a push of a button on the top of the clip to release it. Conclusion My overall reaction to the case is a very positive one indeed- its styling is superb, and this is, to my mind, probably the sexiest case on the market at the moment, adding very little to the pocketable size of the device. Unlike leather cases, metal cases do not crease and wear in usage, so you do not get the “personal” feeling, but, they are prone to scratching- something which is certainly not Brando's fault. However, I came to the conclusion some time back that I would rather the case got scratched than my PDA. My only advice would be to be realistic in handling this case- if you put it in a pocket along with keys and loose coins, you are going to scratch it. Some users will not like this case, as it offers nothing in the way of additional storage, save one SD card slot. That suits me absolutely fine, as I do not use the credit card slots, but, it comes down to a matter of preference. If you prefer a leather case, or a case with credit card slots, you might be interested in reading my review of Brando's Deluxe Leather Case for LOOX 720. Personally, I love to feel of the LOOX in a metal case, and think that it really looks the part. The case will offer good protection for most knocks and bumps, but, just because the case is metal should be a reason to mistreat your PDA- it is not invulnerable because of a metal hide. At $28, this case is a phenomenal price – I waxed lyrical about Brando's leather case, and, whilst I mean in no way to diminish this, I think that the metal case is even better- and is $4 cheaper to boot. Brando has not only managed to be the first to market with a metal case for this machine- he has produced an first class case to add to his range, and should be rightly proud of it.