Product Requirements:
Device:
Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC

The iPAQ Pocket PC is a very cool PDA. It is the smallest, sleekest, and sexiest unit currently available. But, if you want a compact flash card slot for it, you must purchase a CF Expansion sleeve which turns your iPAQ into the heaviest and thickest Pocket PC currently available. Eck! 

Enter the Silver Slider by George Mosquera. George is an iPAQ user that also did not like the size of the stock CF sleeve. He used his experience of doing body work on limousines to come up with a solution to make the sleeve more compact. George takes an original CF Expansion sleeve and turns it into a much sleeker version which he calls the Silver Slider. 

When I first heard about this modification, I knew I had to get one. I waited a couple months while George perfected his modification process. I then contacted him and was told that I would need to send in my original CF sleeve for the mod. Although I didn't want to be without my sleeve, I went ahead and sent it in. 2 weeks later, I received the Slider.

It was a very cold day when FedEx delivered it, and my first impression after taking it out of the box was that it was a brand new sleeve made entirely of metal. But, it only felt like metal due to the fact that it was really cold and painted in a silver metallic paint.

The new sleeve fit the iPAQ like a glove and worked perfectly. I had absolutely no problems inserting or removing my iPAQ from the sleeve or with inserting and removing CF cards from the sleeve.

This sleeve feels quite a bit thinner than the original sleeve but of course it still adds some bulk and size to your iPAQ. Check out the stats below:

What is involved in the modification? George basically cuts out the sides of the original sleeve, and strips the back to make the new sleeve as thin as possible. He then first paints the modified sleeve with primer and then with 2 coats of silver paint. He allows the paint to dry thoroughly between coats. He finishes with several clear coats which gives the paint job a nice hard finish. During the whole process, he has to be very careful with the amount of paint that he uses as this could effect how the iPAQ slides into the sleeve.

The quality of the paint job is really terrific. It was better than what I had expected. It is very smooth and looks very professional. I've had my Silver Slider for over a week now and so far I have no scratches on it at all. It really feels very durable. If it does scratch, touchup paint can be used to fix small scratches. Such paint can be found at auto supply stores. 

As you can see from the pictures above, the original sleeve on the left is quite thick. If you look at the Compaq logo, you can see that on the original case, the plastic near the logo is the same thickness along the whole backside of the sleeve. On the Silver Slider, the back is cut out and is quite a bit thinner. This really makes a difference with the way the sleeve feels in your hand. It is much more comfortable and easier to hold.

Here's a close up of the page job. As you can tell, it is quite smooth. There were absolutely no figure prints or smudges on my Slider. The silver paint also perfectly matches the iPAQ's silver color case so that the two blend together. 

The iPAQ would almost be perfect if the CF slot were built into the PDA, but the Silver Slider is the next best thing. Even though the mod for this sleeve costs about twice as much as the original sleeve, I think it is well worth the price. George does a great job, you won't be disappointed.

Price: $75.00 (Shipping included)
Serious inquiries can contact George via email.

Pros:
Much thinner CF sleeve design
Terrific craftsmanship

Cons:
Must send your original sleeve to George for modification
2 week turn around