From reading the other reviews on this product, it seems that some poeple were expecting one thing and recieved another. To that end I hope i can clarify a bit.
What it does:
*Protects your Palm Tungsten E
*Looks good. Sleek brushed aluminum with black plastic trim (not all plastic as has been mentioned)
*Holds 2 expansion cards
What it does not:
*Provide quick access to stylus, power button, expansion slot, or hotsync, power, headphone jacks
*Provide storage for anything other than Tungsten E or 2 expansion cards
This case is for PROTECTION of the Palm Tungsten E. It is a hard shell. Period. People argue about whether it is plastic or aluminum, it is aluminum outside with a plastic interior. With the case closed, there is no access to any part of the Tungsten.
If you are a person who like to flip out the Palm for a quick second and stow it away again, or needs a case to be able to carry things other than your Palm, or if size is an issue then this is not the case for you. You would be better served with one of the leather cases with minimal padding, but with holes to access things like stylus, expansion slots, or power button. Just realize that those cases are not as durable.
I use this case because i am very clumsy with small objects like PDAs and needed the extra protection to keep my shiny new Tungsten free from dents and scratches which the included flip cover could not provide. I accepted that it is significantly thicker (about a half inch thick instead of a quarter inch) and that access to certain items was not immediate.
I have never had a problem opening the case, but it is secure in that it won't open accidentily. It clicks open with a slight push on the arrow on the lower half of the shell. Some have said you can open with one hand... I tried, and while it is possible, I wouldn't recommend it unless you're trying to impress friends. I always use 2 hnads (one to hold, the other to open) and it never occured that it was an issue until reading some of the posts here.
I use one of those combo stylus/pens and so i never have to get the stylus out of the case. it also gives me a nicer writing instrument.
I do take it out of the case when charging and syncing. It seems to me that the weight of the Tungsten is propped on the jacks if you leave it in the case. Since the Tungsten is light, it is probably not an issue, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I usually take it out at night when i get home, and place it back again when i walk out the door in the morning. Once again, it didn't occur to me that this might be an issue until readin some of the posts here.
I also don't listen to MP3s using this so not being able to access the expansion port while the case is closed isn't an issue for me.
Long story short... if you want protection for your Tungsten, then this is for you, otherwise get a leather case that has more convenience features
I went over many of the reviews posted here before placing an order for a Tungsten E and its accompanying hard case. Admittedly, because of the many negative and mixed reviews, I had my doubts on the quality of the case, but since I didn't like any of the alternatives, I went ahead and purchased it.
I've been using my Palm on a daily base for a month now. During this period, I've dropped it around 5 times, once in a stream of water in a roadside. Not a scratch on the PDA, it looks exactly as it did on the day it arrived.
Despite my best efforts, I am careless and forgetful (hence the need for a PDA), thus I find this case to be perfect for my needs.
CLARIFICATION. Many of the mixed or negative reviews here are from people that haven't learned to use the case properly. As another reviewer pointed out, the hard case has a hinge that matches with a slot on the PDA, a perfect fit. The PDA doesn't flop or shake around at all. The cover is most definitely NOT made of plastic, but some type of aluminum. The inside is plastic, and has 2 slots for memory cards.
Opening the case is extremely simple and takes 2 to 3 seconds: you hold the case in your palm, top cover facing outward, press the bottom lid in (there's a small triangle that indicates exactly where) with your thumb, the case then clicks open, you then use your free hand to open the lid (which rotates 360°), swing the PDA and pull the stylus out and voilà ... brand new Tungsten E. I hardly ever use the power button to the unit on since I have 4 alternate power keys on the front.
By the way, you do NOT need to pull the PDA out to charge or hot-sync it, I do it daily and haven't had to do this once. On the other hand, as one reviewer pointed out, you won't be able to listen to mp3s while the case is closed. Is this important? There are excellent mp3 players out there, with up to 30 GB storage, so I find buying expensive memory to play mp3s on your PDA ridiculous.
For it's elegant appearance, slim fit, unequaled protection, and relatively cheap price (on Amazon) this case deserves 5 stars.
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I read some of the reviews here, but went ahead and purchased the hard case. I was pleasantly surprised how nice it was given the very negative reviews here.
First, the case exterior is most definitely aluminum, not plastic as one reviewer mentioned. Only the interior is plastic. As for the difficulty some folks mentioned on opening the case, all I can say is they are opening it wrong. Although this is a clam-shell type design, the latch mechanism works by sliding the lower half of the case toward the hinge. I have no difficulty opening the case with one hand, using my thumb to slide the lower half. If you try to open the case like a book, you won't be able to open it. I believe that's why folks are complaining about "how difficult" it is to open. It's not so don't believe it.
Lastly, regarding the issues of not being to access the power switch or stylus, that's kind of a nonsense issue. The design of the lower half of the case surrounds the Tungsten E. To access the power switch or stylus, just swing the unit out slightly to gain access. The unit is attached to the case via a hinged rail that your Tungsten E slides onto.
Again, all I can say is I'm rather pleased with the hard case. It's stylish and protects the Tungsten E like an armored car, which is what I was looking for. If you want a quick access case, you're probably either better off with the Palm zip-case or one of the generic flip or holster type cases
Read Best Reviews of Palm Hard Case for Tungsten E and Tungsten E2 Here
I agree with some of the gripes other reviewers have about this case but I've dropeed my Palm three times so far (yes, careless me)twice on a tile floor and once out in the parking lot and the case did a good job of protecting my Palm.
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I bought this case because I take my Palm with me everywhere and I thought the hard case would keep it safe. Unfortunately the hard case CAUSED my screen to crack!
Here is why: On the inside, opposite the screen, are brackets for keeping extra memory cards. They stick out higher than the rest, so if you push on the case from the outside, they go right into the screen and crack it! It doesn't take much presure either.
Palm does not consider this to be a design defect and won't pay to fix the damaged screen. If you buy this case, be very carefull not to let anything ever push against it. Actually, you may want to consider a protective case for the protective case!
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I don't care for the Stylus's that come with the score boards I have and someone recommended this one....and it is superior to any of the others...
