.KEYWORD ondatacase
.FLYINGHEAD ACCESSORY REVIEW
.TITLE The Ondata luxury leather case
.OTHER
.SUMMARY Can you combine the sleek, sexy contours of a Palm V palmtop with a sumptuous leather case? Sure, especially if it’s the luxury leather case from Ondata. Mark Asadoorian recently acquired one of these cases, and says it’s beautiful. Hand-stitched by craftsman in Riola, Italy, this case is simply a work of art.
.AUTHOR Mark Asadoorian
Can you combine the sleek, sexy contours of a Palm V palmtop with a sumptuous leather case? Sure, especially if it’s the luxury leather case from Ondata. I recently acquired one of these cases, and it’s beautiful. Hand-stitched by craftsman in Riola, Italy, this case is simply a work of art.
This beauty arrives nestled in a hinged box, complete with its own production number embossed into the back of the case and a signed certificate of authenticity. Each Ondata case carries a lifetime guarantee. The fine workmanship is immediately obvious, as you can see in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A The fine workmanship on the Ondata luxury leather case is immediately obvious.
The case is a play-through design, with a flip-up screen cover that’s secured by two small magnets. The screen cover is padded and has an inside pocket, probably designed to hold a business card or two, but not much more. The Palm V is inserted into the case through an opening at the top that’s secured, after installation, by two small button snaps.
.H1 High quality and a perfect fit
Obviously, the craftsman in Riola took great pains to ensure that the fit was perfect, and it is. There are cutouts for each of the face-mounted buttons and for the power button. There’s also a cutout for the serial port at the rear of the unit. The cutouts are exact. The stylus slips out easily with the case open or closed, regardless of the stylus silo you use.
One unique feature of this case is the finger strap, shown in Figure B, supplied in the back. It’s also made of leather, but it’s secured to the case at three points with elastic. The idea is to slip a couple of fingers through for added security.
.FIGPAIR B One unique feature of this case is the finger strap supplied in the back for added security. You can also see the exactness of the cutouts.
I don’t use the finger strap, personally, but with my big mitts I don’t need to. Perhaps someone with smaller hands would find the additional security a plus. The manufacturer claims the strap can be used for right- or left-handed people. I wonder, however, if the elastic will stretch with continued use, possibly even becoming saggy?
The Ondata case is available in black, burnished, blue, green, and red. There’s also a version available for the Palm III series.
.H1 A sign of weakness
There does seem to be one weakness with the case’s design. Using the docking cradle while the Palm V is in the case is problematic. The case prevents the contacts from aligning properly. I believe the slight additional bulk of the finger strap may be the problem. I’ve heard that some people have had luck in applying pressure to the top of the unit to force better contact. I tried that and it does work. However, the second you relieve the pressure, contact ends.
Placing a weight, such as a book, holds the Palm device in place in its cradle, but it seems like an inordinate amount of maneuvering to me. I just remove it from the case when it’s time to charge and Hot Sync. Some people find removing it from the case to be a nuisance, so be advised. The manufacturer says they’re aware of this minor flaw.
So, is this the case for you? If you appreciate fine, old-world craftsmanship, excellent materials, and a well-designed product, the answer may very well be yes. But be prepared to pay for all this luxury. The Ondata case is offered for $119.95 at the Ondata Web site. You can check it out at http://www.ondata.it/. Unfortunately, at this price, some buyers may be excluded from owning this luxury.
Personally, I also own the leather belt clip case from Palm. It cost $24.95. There are times when I need the belt clip case for obvious reasons, but the luxurious Ondata case is where my Palm Vx lives most of the time.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
Admire and order the Ondata luxury leather case at http://www.ondata.it/.
You can check out the leather belt clip case from Palm at http://palmorder.modusmedia.com/P5/P5-10407U.htm.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO Mark Asadoorian is a computer and electronics hobbyist and an avid gadget collector from New York.
.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?13@@.ee6ddf8
