Donka's Mobile Rambles

Things have and will be a little quiet here as I’m in the process of moving house and all that entails. I’m also waiting for the Acer n311 to make its UK debut so I can get a review online for you. Given the concerns over graphical and video performance, I’m thinking this would be the ideal candidate for a video review instead of relying on the unproven statistics related to benchmarking Windows Mobile 5. More news as soon as I have it.

Piel Frama, famous for their high quality leather cases, has announced a product for the Acer n300 series of Pocket PC. This product is available for order on their site now with shipping due to start in about 15 days. Head on over to the Piel Frama website for more details.

Case-mate, formely Case-ari is a new name to me when it comes to gadget cases and when they gave me the opportunity to take a closer look at one of their leather cases I could not resist. What sets this case apart from the more mainstream leather cases is the design – this case is almost like a precision moulded case made of padded leather. Precision moulded is a term better saved for plastic or metal cases however it seemed like the best descriptive phrase to use in this review. The case is a single piece that you slide the nano into – there are no flip covers or buttons in use here. This means you have easy access to the click wheel, screen, hold switch and data and headphone sockets which are at first glance unprotected. I say at first glance because once in place, the iPod sits well recessed into the case and largely out of harms way. I would say right from the start that there is excellent security should you drop your device with the padded leather over the moulded form fitting plastic ensuring a secure fit and safe landing. This doesn’t stop the potential damage from keys in your pocket as an example but in general use should bode quite well. The port connectors on the bottom are also recessed far enough to remain quite safe but still easily reached for connecting accessories or a power source. It is a similar story up top with good access to the hold switch. The two most exposed areas on the iPod naturally are the click wheel and screen; a necessity of course and Case-mate saw fit to include a good quality film protector for the front of the nano ensuring even these two components should remain scratch free. Also included in the package is a belt clip option that can be screwed into place on the rear as well as a micro fibre cleaning cloth and applicator card for the film protector. The included belt clip system does the job although it is a bit fiddly when it comes to unclipping the case and it isn’t on a par with the proper quick release types on other cases although it is certainly better than no belt clip option. It is also good to note that the case remains flush on the rear when the belt clip system is not being used. Fit is absolutely perfect and the soft felt lining holds the nano snugly in place ensuring it is safe from scratches. This case looks attractive with its embossed logo on the rear and soft napa leather which also ensures it is easy to grasp and there is a good selection of colours available.

The protection offered by this case is very good considering so much of the device is exposed although I would be wary of throwing the iPod into a sports bag without additional protection. If you need to remove your nano from the case on a very regular basis, say for using on a dock, then this perhaps isn’t the best offering due to the very snug fitting and the impact this has on retrieval however for everyone else this is definitely well worth considering.
For more details, please visit the Case-mate website.

One thing that has struck me about the Acer n300 is that it is easy to get a hold of one; just as long as it isn’t English of course! I have been trying to get a hold of one of these devices for a while now and I can get a Chinese, French or Spanish model but the English language version keeps getting pushed back. I just hope this is due to a newer, issue free ROM being installed as by all accounts, all the issues in Taiwan were ironed out after a few ROM updates. Are you interested in one of these devices?