Product Requirements:
Device:
Sony CLIE T615C or T415

I take PDA cases pretty seriously.

I had no less than three different case options for my old Vx, and was always swapping them around.  A few months ago, I was certain that I was getting the m130, and bought a stylus and Vaja case for the thing before it had even been released!

Well, I got the T615C instead, and the Vaja had to go back; now I was left with a PDA without case � Oh, the humanity!

With every new PDA platform, there is period of time where the Gadgeteer world holds its collective breath, waiting to see what kind/how many cool little accessories will be available.  This situation is ten-times worse if you already own that new PDA�trust me.

I needed a case.

Of the cases that were out there, most either did not interest me, or were not yet available � then I found the Ishibumi Case, available from shop.brando.com.hk and whipped out my credit card.

Ultimately, it took 29 days to receive the case.  I have never ordered from Honk Kong before, so I have no idea if this is a normal wait or not.

The first thing about the case that struck me was that it was not leather�but a tightly-woven nylon � the pictures on the site can be somewhat deceiving.  Too be honest, I felt a little cheated at first; but after using the case for a few weeks I have come to like the material quite a bit.  It is strong, durable and very stain-resistant.

Okay, on to the case.  It is a tri-fold book style that features a flap to cover the credit card/MS slots (more on those later).  The case is held shut with a strap that snaps onto the front cover of the case.

The nylon surround of the screen is something of an odd fit, curving over the screen and obstructing a slight amount of the upper left corner.  The effect is minimal, but the cause seems to stem from a strap located just above the jog dial � directly over the lanyard mount.

For those who do not know, the lanyard strap on the Cli� 615 stick out of the site of the PDA for about five millimeters, and the strap seems to have not taken this mount into account.  I am toying with the idea of punching out a hole in the strap and allowing the lanyard attach point to pass through.  Making this mod might also keep the PDA in the case (more on that later�).

Your Cli� slides into the case through the top � which provides no protection to that side of the case, but leaves the IR and MS functions available at any time.  A cut-out is placed on the left side for the jog dial and back button, and another on the bottom for access to the sync port.  You can sync or charge with the cable, but the device will not fit into the cradle when in the case.

This situation is not a problem, as it is easy to remove the Cli� from the case, a little too easy, I think.  Only the friction provided by a felt backing holds secures the PDA, and it seems a little insufficient for the task.  Often, I pulled the case from my pocket to find that my PDA had slipped part-way out of the case.  Not the end of the world, to be sure, but the other day I was holding my case and gesturing wildly (I talk with my hands, so what?) and send my shiny-new Cli� careening across the room.

Caution may be advised.

In the case, the stylus silo is difficult to access, so there is a slot included in the fold of the case.  This slot is larger than the teensie stylus that ships with the Cli�, so I found a use for that m100 series stylus I purchased�cool.

The card holder area has two each of credit card and memory stick holders.  The slots are fairly basic, but hold all media and memory fit securely and do not fall out. 

Were there a money pocket behind this area, this case might work well as a wallet, but having only the two card slots (which can fit two credit cards each) would make such attempts difficult.

Despite my gripes, I like this case and will continue to use it as the best suit for my main brain � just forget about keeping it in your shirt pocket�

Price: $45 (From Brando)

Pros:
Very good front-back-side protection
MS and credit cart storage that will never harm screen
Durable, easy-to-clean material
Stylus holder opens up world of possibilities

Cons:
Bulky
Lanyard Attachment interferes with case
PDA can slip out easily
Have to remove to sync with cradle