For the Sony CLI� 700 Series
by Judie Clark

Product Requirements:
Device:
Sony CLI� 600, 610, 700, 710, 750, 760 & 770

The PDA Pocket Armor aluminum hard case for the Sony CLI� 600 and 700 series is a marvel of precision engineering, and it sets an example of what happens when a company "gets it right." I can honestly say that I have never seen a better looking metal CLI� case!

Notice the little "bumps" on the front and back - while they are great for helping to give you a solid grip on the case, they also make the Pocket Armor look even more stylized.

Similar to a book style case - but infinitely cooler - the top is comprised of aluminum and the back is made of ABS plastic in a matching finish. The inside screen cover is lined in shock-absorbing neoprene for added protection.

The CLI� fits perfectly into the Pocket Armor, and is held in place by two plastic tabs that fit into the space left when you remove the CLI�'s stock flip-cover. There is also a tab that fits into the hole to the left of the syncing/charging port.

The Pocket Armor opens from the left side, which took me a short while to get used to, but I would imagine that any lefties out there would really like this. I believe that this method is necessary because of all of the buttons and ports on the left side of the CLI�: there would simply be no way to place a sturdy hinge on the left side of this case.

Once in the case, every one of the CLI�'s buttons, ports, and other slots is easily accessible, except the hot-sync port. Even though you can easily see it - the two side holes that most cables will clip onto are not accessible, until you pop the CLI� free from the bottom of the case.

I honestly wish that there was a similar case available for every PDA that I own, as this is definitely the nicest add-on metal case that I have ever had the pleasure of reviewing.

Price: $34.00
Available in black, gold, silver, and titanium finishes

Pros:
Perfect fit with very little added bulk or weight
All ports are accessible while PDA is in case
Best looking metal cover I have seen for the CLI�

Cons:
None

For Palm m500 Series
by Julie Strietelmeier

Product Requirements:
Device:
Palm m500, m505, m515

Similar to other metal cases that I've reviewed for the m500 series in the past, the m500 Pocket Armor case is made of aluminum. Available in black, gold, silver, and titanium finishes, I was sent the black version.

At 2 oz (55g), this case is strong while still being light weight. Although the case does flex a little bit if you try to twist it, for most people it should be sturdy enough to keep in your back pants pocket. I didn't have a problem using this case with my m505 while putting it in my back jeans pocket.

The features on this case are minimal. There is a cutout for the IR port and another for the stylus. Speaking of the stylus, you can even use 3rd party styli such as those from PDA Panache easily with this case.

The PDA is held in the case by a flexible plastic rail that fits into the left stylus silo. The rail fits snuggly in the silo, so there is no fear that the PDA will fall off accidentally.

The interior of the case is lined with a thin layer of neoprene on both sides. I did find it unusual that both sides of the case had button cutouts in the neoprene lining...

The exterior of the Pocket Armor case that I reviewed was a matte or powered black. I found that this finish tended to show fingerprints and grease marks more than I would like. I also personally didn't care for the feel of the case. It sort of has a dry primer paint feel to it. This is very subjective though on my part. It is available in other colors, which is a plus.

The case is held closed with a press fit latch. This latch isn't the most secure that I've encountered. I found it easy to open and close which is probably not an entirely good thing... It never came open on its own, but I don't am pretty sure that a short drop to a hard surface might cause the case to fly open.

So far, this is my least favorite Palm metal hard case for the m500 series. For the same price, I would be more likely to buy the Innopocket or the Kensington cases due to their more secure latches and overall feel.

Price: $29.00
Available in black, gold, silver, and titanium finishes

Pros:
Rigid protection

Cons:
Can't easily sync / charge with cradle
Latch doesn't feel very secure
Black finish shows smudges

For Handspring Visor Prism
by Julie Strietelmeier

Product Requirements:
Device:
Handspring Visor Prism

Visor Prism owners haven't had many choices for hard cases. The Rhinoskin Slider case has been the only one till now. Made of aluminum, the Pocket Armor Visor Prism case is available in black, gold, silver, and titanium finishes. I was sent the black version for review.

This case for the Prism is similar to other Palm metal cases in that the PDA is held in the case via a rail which is inserted into the stylus silo. Unfortunately, the rail is made of a flimsy plastic which does not look to be very sturdy. While attached to the case, the Prism can wiggle around in the case which didn't give me a very secure feeling.

When the case is open and in use, the Prism lays in the left side. A small cutout with a plastic lens allows access to the IR port. The glue used to affix the lens to the metal was smeared on the outside of my review case. There is also a plastic cap covers the springboard area of the case. This cap can be removed to allow for slightly oversized springboard modules to be used while in the case. This won't help with modules which are thicker than the standard module though. It's only for modules which are taller than the norm.

Because the stylus silo is needed to hold the PDA in the case, a secondary stylus holder is built into the right side near the latch. Two metal clips hold the stylus in place. However, you have to be careful how you position the stylus in these clips... If you place the 'flag' part of the stylus pointing to the side, it will cause the case not to close properly.

Speaking of keeping the case closed, this case doesn't do that very well at all. I had problems with it popping open all by itself. And if that wasn't bad enough, 9 times out of 10, when I'd open the case the Prism would be stuck face down in the right side of the case. I mainly blame this on the less than efficient way the PDA is held in the case.

As it stands, I would not recommend this case for a Visor Prism owner. Spend a few dollars more and go with the Rhinoskin Aluminum slider if a metal case is what you're looking for..
 

Price: $29.00
Available in black, gold, silver, and titanium finishes

Pros:
Rigid protection
Able to use some oversized springboard modules with this case

Cons:
Can't easily sync / charge with cradle
Latch not secure
Attachment method (rail) not very sturdy