One of the first things I think about when purchasing a new gadget is finding a safe means of carrying it around. Having just bought a new Palm m505, I began to take a look at all of the cases out on the market, both Palm and aftermarket. After searching, I settled on the flip-style PDA case by Kensington.

While I really like a lot of the leather and nylon cases that are available, in my mind they have several drawbacks. Some of them allow buttons to be pushed if your device is packed in with a lot of other gear, and many also tend to let a lot of dirt and grime get onto the screen. Also, I personally don't care as much for the bi-fold style case, as it just seems a little awkward to hold open while trying to use the device. The Kensington case solves all of these little problems. And while it's not without it's share of quirks, it more than makes up for them with it's rugged protection of your device.

One of the many reasons I went with the Kensington is that it's slim and trim just like the m505 - the case is not a whole lot bigger than the Palm itself - and it fits the Palm Vx and m500 models as well. It's formed out of Aluminum, rendering it extremely lightweight, and is available in three different color schemes: Blue-Ice/Silver, Platinum/Silver, and Graphite/Silver. The case is hinged on the back, and the entire inside is lined with a thin felt-like material - even under the tabs that hold the Palm in place - which prevents the unit from being scratched when being slid in and out of the case.

Inserting and removing a device is a snap by sliding it past the tabs on the sides. My m505 moves around a little once in place, but not enough to make it a hassle while using it. One great feature is the magnetic enclosure that keeps the lid snapped shut and foreign objects off of your screen. When open, the lid opens just past half way allowing easy access to the power button and the stylus, as well as a clear path to the Infrared port for beaming to and from the device. Beaming to a laptop IR port may prove a little difficult, though, unless you set your laptop up on a book as the lid props the Palm up slightly hindering the line-of-sight.

While I found this to be the perfect case for my device, there are a few small drawbacks. One of the pluses of other cases is their additional storage capacity; many offer pockets for business cards, money, and/or expansion media. With the Kensington, there's only room for the device. Along with the lack of space for additional cards, the Kensington case makes it difficult to access the expansion card slot of the m500 and m505 units - but you can get to the slot by sliding your Palm up a little in the case - removing it entirely is not necessary.

Non-IR HotSyncing in the case isn't possible, either. Removal of the device is necessary to access the Universal Connector on the bottom of the Palm. Thus syncing, charging, or utilizing expansion devices such as keyboards will require you to remove your device.

One other interesting benefit is the inclusion of an optional program through STUFFBAK. With the service from STUFFBAK, you attach a sticker to the back of your device or case which displays a serial number and a means to contact STUFFBAK should someone recover your lost unit. You then log on to their website to register your serial number to your name and device. The service is free until your unit is lost and reported as recovered. You then pay only $14.95, plus applicable shipping charges.

While having to remove your Palm to access certain features may seem cumbersome, the case more than outweighs the pain, because of the great protection this case offers. Its rugged shell and compact footprint, along with its $29.95 price point, make it a terrific choice. If only they'd make one slightly larger to accommodate a backpacked Minstrel Modem.

Join a discussion about this article

If you would like to join others in chatting about this article or sharing a similar experience, join our discussion board at this thread: www.pdare.com/vertical/forums/read.php?f=3&i=20&t=20

Michael Bauer is an independent consultant specializing in the design of applications. See Bauer Software for more information. Mr. Bauer is also a freelance writer and an admitted gadget junkie.