.FLYINGHEAD A CASE FOR KLUTZ-PROOFING
.TITLE The Rhinoskin Titanium Cockpit: klutz proof!
.OTHER
.SUMMARY Sometimes you just need all the help you can get. The PalmPilot’s a wonderful device, but it’s far from indestructable. Until now.
.AUTHOR Jason Perlow
Most PalmPilot owners are amazed of how light the device is and how its tiny size makes it so easy to carry around. For most people, that’s a positive experience. For the coordination-impaired person like myself, it can be a recipe for disaster.
I’m a klutz, and I freely admit that I break things easily. Neat little electronic toys like the PalmPilot recoil in fear when I hold them in my hands, as it’s certain they’ll be dropped on a concrete sidewalk and have their high-tech innards shatter to pieces. You can laugh at me now, but other klutzes who are reading this article know exactly what I’m talking about.
.H1 Klutz proofing
To deal with these problems, I’ve klutz-proofed my entire life. Instead of the smart-looking leather attache all the other New York City professionals are carrying, I’ve outfitted myself with a Zero-Halliburton equivalent, made out of aircraft aluminum, like the kinds you’ve seen Colombian drug lords carry on old episodes of Miami Vice. Instead of a nice thin dress watch, I wear a bulky stainless steel Omega Seamaster, designed to resist crushing pressures 1000 feet under the sea. I’ve even added a large lithium-ion battery to my StarTAC cell phone, just so that it gives it some extra heft and I can feel better when I’m carrying it.
As a freelance writer and a computer consultant, I depend on my PalmPilot to store all of my valuable contacts and schedule information. When I heard that Rhinoskin made a case out of space-age Titanium alloy for it, my interest was piqued. I had already dropped my PalmPilot a few times, and the results were nearly disastrous. On one occasion it landed on the floor so hard, the memory card popped out and I had to scramble to get the card back in — only to find that I had to do a hard reset and I lost all of my data. My advice to the PalmPilot Klutz — hotsync frequently.
.H1 The metal
Titanium, atomic number 22 on the Periodic Table of Elements, is the ideal material to use in a case for the klutz. It’s lighter than stainless steel or aluminum, it’s extremely strong , and it feels and looks just plain cool. My attitude was, if it’s strong enough for the Space Shuttle or the B-2 bomber, it had to be strong enough for me. I went to the Rhinoskin web site, pulled out my credit card and ordered it via their secure transaction server, and about a month later, it arrived. The cases are in very high demand and the manufacturing process is difficult, so you’ll have to be patient (and real careful) until it arrives.
.H1 The case
The Rhinoskin Titanium Cockpit, as shown in Figure A, is a real piece of solid workmanship. The product is completely hand-made and uses aircraft rivets to hold it together. Its color is sort of a polished tan metallic, similar to that of the heads on titanium golf clubs. You know by the look and feel that you’re getting a quality product here.
.FIGPAIR A The Rhinoskin Cockpit is a real piece of solid workmanship, if a bit clunky.
The Cockpit is opened in clamshell fashion, as if it were a book. While closing it makes a loud clanking sound, which is bound to attract attention at any meeting. Some people may find this characteristic to be a bit obnoxious, but being a loud person, this appealed to me.
Other neat features of the case are a clip on the inside cover for a few business cards, and a cutout in the neoprene lining for storing a hidden credit card or two. I also ordered the Clip-Pak accessory, which is made out of cordura fabric. It looks nice, but it’s a bit difficult to stuff the Cockpit into and the metal clip is a little too tight when clipping the case to your belt, but this may have to do with the fact that I’m kind of a big bulky guy. I find myself using the Clip-Pak more as a cover to prevent scratches to the Cockpit when I put in my metal attache case.
The case, of course, is heavy, and at $99.00 it’s also a bit pricey for the casual PalmPilot user. Sure, it costs 1/3rd of what a PalmPilot Professional costs, but if the information on your PalmPilot is more valuable than the PalmPilot itself, it’s a bargain when you consider the protection you’re getting. The only other downside besides the case’s weight and expense is that it adds bulk as well, so you can’t exactly slip it in your shirt pocket. I never carry my PalmPilot that way for fear of damaging it, so it’s not really a problem for me.
The Cockpit is lined with neoprene foam, and my PalmPilot Professional fits in snugly and is removed for hotsyncs and modem sessions quite easily. The buttons and stylus are unobstructed from use, but you do have the hold the case on the flat of your palm when it is opened — you can’t just grasp it in your hand. The case is also designed with right-handed people in mind. Lefties can change the orientation by inserting the PalmPilot inverted, but this blocks access to the stylus.
Palm III owners can be assured that the newer unit fits just fine, although to gain access to the stylus, which is now in the back of the unit, you’ll have to lift your Palm III slightly out of the case to reach the stylus with your finger. Being that the Cockpit was designed originally for the older form factor, you won’t be able to use the IR beaming functionality when the Palm III is inserted in it, but it’s a small price to pay for klutz-proofing your prized toy.
All in all, I’d say the Rhinoskin Cockpit is an ideal accessory for those who want the ultimate in protection who don’t mind compromising some of the Pilot’s portability, or use their Pilot in hash environments — in my case, that’s my desk or my coat pocket.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
The Titanium Cockpit and Titanium Cockpit bundle with ClipPak is available at http://www.rhinoskin.com
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO Jason Perlow is a computer consultant and freelance writer living in the NYC metro area. He can be reached via email at the incredibly cool address of jason@argonautsystems.com.
.DISCUSS http://www.component-net.com/webx?13@@.ee6bc5e
