If you’re particular about keeping your investment in smartphones safe and protected from accidental drops, the accessory market for cases is wide open for your particular functional style and tastes. I?m rather obsessed with keeping things in mint condition, such as my collection of seven thousand albums, with inner dust sleeves and jackets to protect the artwork of the covers. I even keep my small gadgets in Ziploc bags; thus I?m peculiar with keeping my phones in good condition whether it?s a basic Motorola Razr or Palm Treo 650 or 680.
Prima Cases offers up a full line catalog of cases made from genuine stingray leather, ballistic nylon to clear Lucite for any make or model of PDAs and even the new iPhone.
I received two cases to check out from Prima.
First up is a Motorola Razr Crystal Clear Lucite Case, which is pretty straightforward.
It comes in two parts that snap on securely while keeping a low profile.
There are nice clean molded lines that frame the screen, camera, speaker and even the Motorola logo on the front of the phone.
I like this case a lot as it reminds of custom painted cars with several clear coats. For the list price of $14.95, it?s an inexpensive way to protect a Razr. I?ve seen cheap knockoff versions that yellow with age and pop off easily.
The other case received is for the Palm line of Treos in a vertical holster style.
Made of Italian aniline leather and lined inside with soft ribbed felt, the case was snug enough to firmly hold either model of the Treo 650 or 680 in place. The front and back inside the leather of the case is stiff – lined with a backing with the sides being flexible makes pulling the phone out easy.
The magnetic snap flap completes the fit of the case.
I?m wary of cases with clip on belt holders as the majority of them have the holding power of a wide body paper clip or potato chip bag holder. This particular model reviewed has an excellent griping tension due to the flat metal spring at one end and the teeth at the other end.
The grip is so tight, I?m in the habit of removing the Treo out of the case first before I place the case on my belt.
Both of these cases offer a good value with nice construction for the money spent. The cases come packaged in a box for thoughtful gift giving. At these reasonable prices, you owe it to yourself to check out the selections to protect your investment. I’ve seen grown men nearly come to tears over a cracked screen on a Treo. Not a pretty sight.
MSRP: $14.95 for the Motorola Razr Crystal Clear Lucite Case
$24.95 for the Palm Treo Vertical Holster
Available from Prima Cases
What I like: Good value for the price points; wide selection and variances for a variety of phones.
Needs improvement: None.