PalmOne IIIc Snap-On Leather Case

Rating:
Summary: A good case for the money.
Review: A nice leather case, especially for the price. The ability to clip it on to a belt, etc., is a nice feature. The IIIc is held in by simple friction, but firmly: the roughness of the IIIc's body and the tightness of the frame it slips in to will keep it well in place.

The only bad thing which might be said is about water resistance: it is questionable whether there is any. For the most part it should be all right, but don't expect to be able to keep your palm safe in a deluge without an umbrella. Also, the life of the snap for the belt strap has yet to be proven. For the price, though, this may not be a real concern.

Rating:
Summary: Current Version is a High Quality Product
Review: The current version of this case is, in my opinion, a high quality product unlike the negative reviews above. (Maybe someone at Palm read complaints like theirs and improved the product - just guessing.) I just bought it this past week, and was very pleasantly surprised. For twenty-some bucks, I expected a very basic case, but what arrived was made of a soft, supple, cushioned leather, very well sewn and constructed. I like its design and the way it cushions and protects my Palm IIIc. In addition, the belt-snapon strap is designed so that the snap is at the bottom and therefore bears no weight. In addition, for extra safety, the design permits you to thread your belt through the center of the strap as you get dressed, so that the snap isn't even involved and the case and your Palm is then suspended by a strong, continuously sewn leather strap, which is ideal for me. The leather quality was of the type that you would find in a case selling for $75-80 if found in a leather shop or bridlery. (Even the pungent smell of the leather suggests quality.) I highly recommend this case for persons like myself who prefer to keep their Palm at their waist.

Rating:
Summary: Bulky But Provides Good Protection
Review: This case essentially has two things going for it: (1) It provides quite a bit of protection for the Palm and (2) no velcro is required.

I suspect that this isn't the most protective case on the market, but it surrounds the device in a decent protective layer of thick leather. I've dropped mine a couple of times from a few feet up without any trouble. It protects much better than the cheapy plastic flip cover that came with the device.

As for the velcro, I knew when I was looking for a case that most of them require you to put velcro on the back of the IIIc. For some reason that idea didn't appeal to me ($300 electronic device with a velcro sticker on the back?). This case holds the Palm in a tight leather sleeve. It seems to work well, although I've noticed that in the 9 months that I've had my Palm the leather sleeve is starting loosen it's grip. It doesn't seem to make a difference though because of the way the case is constructed -- when the case is open, the other side will prevent the palm from sliding out.

There are a number of drawbacks to the case. For one, it has this silly strap on the back. I think the idea was to have it double as both a carry strap and, if you wanted, a way to fasten it to your belt. Well, the latter idea is a joke; don't even bother trying. You'll just end up either with the case falling off your belt or swinging stupidly from your pants (Depending on how you fasten it). As for the wrist strap functionality, it works fine but I never have the need to carry my case this way. I always carry it in my pocket. They should have never put the strap on.

The second main drawback is that the case is pretty bulky. Considering that the IIIc is the monster of all modern Palms, this is an important consideration. Unless you wear gigantic shirts, you can forget putting it in a front dress shirt pocket. It fits alright in an inside suit pocket or in baggy slacks or jeans, but forget about those skintight I'll-love-the-80s-forever stonewashed denims.

The stylus holder is dandy. There's also a place inside the case to put cards (credit, business, etc.) which works fine, but I wouldn't expect to put a lot in there since there's not much room.

Rating:
Summary: Poor design for Palm IIIc
Review: To use this product, you have to remove the plastic hard cover from your Palm IIIc organizer. The leather case fastens with a snap so you could attach it to a belt,purse,or brief case, etc. But, it flops around and is not easily accessed for quick use. I wanted a product similar. And, I sure wish I could design my own. I want a clip on leather case - (secure fit like ones used for pagers). I want to be able to open the leather case easily, then, raise the plastic cover and use the orangizer. It would also be nice to have a place to store an extra stylus and credit cards or name cards. Thank you. I will keep searching.