Price:	60 Euros (inc VAT and Shipping)		Reviewed by:	Neil Brown
Supplied:	Piel Frama		Review date:	03/11/2004
Pros:	Looks (and smells!) good Good protection Able to listen to music whilst in case Easy to add or remove belt clip		Cons:	Covers reset hole

Cases are like screen protectors- invaluable, but hard to write about. Different cases appeal to different people, depending on required usage, styling, storage and numerous other factors. As long as I can have my PDA protected, with room for an SD card or two, then I am happy. If you are a regular reader of the site, then you will know that Shaun looks for considerably more storage, and most definitely no belt clip! This case from Piel Frama really offers the best of both worlds, offering storage for SD cards and three credit cards, as well as having a removable belt clip... If this sort of flexibility appeals to you, read on...

The case comes in some very smart packaging, consisting of a nice two-tone box, lined with good quality paper. Without a doubt, I would be happy to give this as a present, although I can't help wondering how much this adds to the cost of the whole product, bearing in mind that it will probably end up in a cupboard, or, at worst, in the bin. Looking at it from a purely objective point of view, however, it is very nice, and creates a luxurious impression of the case right from the outset.

Inside the box, there is the case itself, a small leaflet showing the history of Piel Frama, and a guarantee of quality, a small bag with a tool and some studs, and (avert your eyes, Shaun), a belt clip. The case comes with the belt-attachment in place, but, as I was planning on carrying the case in my pocket, I was swift to remove this. Piel Frama’s attention to detail shows through very clearly in this, as the tool to aid in the removal of the case part of the clip has the distinctive bull’s head logo cut out of it. A very nice touch indeed. Removing the belt clip attachment, as per the detailed, pictoral instructions, was very simple; it will come as no surprise to note that Piel Frama have supplied not one but three studs to slip into the hole where the attachment used to be. I have no reason to believe that one will fall out in a hurry (since using this case, I can’t see that it has shifted position at all), but, including spares is definitely a good thing.

The first thing that struck me about the case was, perhaps strangely, was its smell. There was the most amazing smell of leather, which remains after almost a week of keeping the case in my pocket. Upon opening the case and removing the protective packaging, I noticed the emblazoned message, confirming that the product was handmade. Again, a nice touch, which helps this case stand out from some of the mass-produced accessories on the market at the moment. The internal leather is a deep tan colour, and the external faces are black; this looks really good and appeals to me, although I am sure that some people will think that “black is boring.” The case can also be supplied in tan, or a bright red.

The case offers storage for two SD cards, and three credit cards, although I have not tried putting anything in the slots. The leather used is nice and thick, and the case feels substantial, but the downside to this is that it is not small. When the device is in this case, it does fit comfortably into my jeans pocket, and so satisfies my criterion. I think that “substantial” is a good way of looking at this particular case, as the leather is thick, and there are “strengthened” areas around the outside, which would help protect the device, should you happen to drop it.

The flip top of the case is secured by a magnetic clasp, which I think is considerably superior to some of the fastener offerings available. The magnet is reasonably powerful, allowing you to open the case easily when needed, but holding it shut in a pocket or bag. There is a slot cut in the top for access to the headphone jack, and the buttons and scroll-wheel on the sides of the unit are accessible too. This makes sense for me, as I like to listen to mp3s on my LOOX- by mapping the buttons so that the scroll wheel controls volume, pressing it pause / plays and configuring the button below it to select next (push) and previous (hold) tracks, I can control my music without needing to open the case.

Opening the case with the headphone jack in place is difficult, but not impossible. I would not want to try and keep things in that position for long, but, for quickly checking the Today screen, it is fine. It is not easy to remove the stylus, however, so I wouldn’t plan on trying to do much writing in this position. It would make more sense to unplug the headphones, open the case, and then use the case in an open position. I can not see this as a fault of the design, as it would be very difficult to get around the position of the headphone socket. There is also an L-shaped cut out for the camera and flash, meaning that you can take photos without needing to remove the machine from its case.

You will, however, need to remove the machine if you wish to sync via the cradle. Again, this is no fault of the case in question here, but simply an acknowledgement that the cradle is tight fitting, certainly leaving no room for a padded leather case twixt the PDA and the cradle. If you are happy syncing wirelessly, however, there is, of course, no problem. The only other occasion to remove the machine would be in order to effect a soft reset- the leather on the bottom of the case just covers the reset hole, although, if you were happy pulling the leather a little further than it was intended to go (I wasn’t!), you might be able to just reach the hole.

Overall, I think that this is a good case; it looks professional, but does not feel at all mass-produced. There are reassuring signs of attention to detail and quality from the packaging onwards, and I am more than happy to use this case in my everyday life, and thus have no hesitation in recommending it.