I've just recieved a Piel Frama case for my new 3100. (By the way I just found out that I could have purchased it from Streamline rather than direct from Piel Frama for about the same amount I paid for it. I really hate that as I could have gotten it sooner while supporting a company that supports it's users. Everyone should take a few minutes to go browse through Streamlines product line!- my apologies Stephen) I purchased it to replace the PDAir case that I bought for it originally, and while I liked how it actually mounted to the bottom of the case I was totally unimpressed with the rest of it. As a matter of fact my experience with the PDAir case is what drove me to order a Piel Frama.
For me (can't speak for others) the whole purpose for getting a case to begin with is PROTECTION. Not just to keep it from getting scratches and nicks on the physical body of the Zaurus, but more importantly- to protect it from breakage if it falls. Most specifically, to keep the DISPLAY from breaking if it falls. In these regards I feel that the PDAir fails miserably.
With the 3100 open the Piel Frama case obviously provides more protection for the bottom half of the unit, yes it may degrade usability a bit but remember I'm just dealing with the primary and most important reason we get a case at all - for protection. So unless it simply makes the device unusable to me the Piel Frama wins here. A good argument could be made that it keeps trash and hand grease/oil out of the keyboard I suppose. I really don't feel that's a truly worthy argument since I've never heard of even a single person on the boards here report that his Zaurus had died due to that issue.
The screen however is VERY succeptible to breakage if it's in either case and opened. The Piel Frama wins out here narrowly only because it's cover hinges the whole length of the back instead of just a small portion like the PDAir does. This provides more hope that the edge of the top leather cover will land first and cushion the fall- but notice I said "more" hope and not a "LOT" of hope. In this regard there is no slam-dunk (pardon the pun) winner here for protection if the Zaurus is opened. I would be much happier if some case manufacturer would find a convenient way to keep the leather up and around the display when in "mini-laptop" mode, but if it were that easy and simple to engineer around this problem then it would already have been done and this thread wouldn't even exist.
But the big money in this issue (imho anyway) is the protection that the case gives when the Zaurus is CLOSED. ANY case for ANY pda should give near 100% protection when the PDA and case are CLOSED. At first glance these two brands may look pretty even- but if you think so then you should look a little closer. The PDAir leaves the edges of the base of the Z, the edges of the Z's screen both open to be scratched and scuffed. Now with their case closed and buckled you would think that it protects at LEAST the top and bottom of the Z- but it doesn't. It's the fault of that skinny little connecter flap that hold the top and bottom of their case together. With my C3100 I can easily slide the top of the case cover in one direction or another when it's buckled to expose the top and corners of the screen with my pinky finger. For this same reason, the Zaurus is completely vulnerable to screen breakage when dropped EVEN IF THE PDAIR CASE IS CLOSED AND BUCKLED! The cover is just so malleable as to not provide that protection.
Most ppl don't realize that over 80% of all LCD screen breakage occurs in PDA's and Laptops because the BEZEL is struck rather than something directly impacting the glass of the screen. I've killed 2 pda's (my first sl-5500 as a matter of fact- happened less than an hour after I took it out of the box) this way to my great shame. It is for this reason that the PDAir case offers so little protection for the display. Sure if you drop the case directly upside down then it should more than suffice, but again- remember our 80% statistic. Because of the small leather hinge issue if you drop your Zaurus and it strikes on the SIDES of the screen/zaurus then the case affords almost no protection at all to the screen even when the case is closed and buckled. That top cover when buckled just doesn't have enough rigidity becasue of the little leather hing to keep it where the top cover- and the top cover alone- will impact and prevent the screen bezel from impacting as well.
So in my opinion (and it's not right or wrong just simply mine) the PDAir case for the Z SL-Cxx00 series fails in it's primary duty. It does not offer good protection for the Zaurus opened or closed. The sad part of this story is that I'm sure they worked very hard to make the case convenient for the user. In THAT area I believe they offer a superior product. From that perspective the bottom mount offers superior accessability not only to the drive bays etc. but also to the keyboard. The little leather hinge that I'm so unimpressed about makes it easier to get the top conveniently out of the way when using the Z in either screen position.
So my point is it's always a give and take when you engineer protection devices. It's like setting up a firewall- everyone has to decide for themselves how much security they are willing to sacrifice at the alter of the god of accessibility. In this case Piel Frama decided to be conservative and give as much protection as was humanly possible while still allowing the user to access and enjoy his Zaurus. The PDAir designers chose the opposite and engineered as much ease-of-use and maximum ease-of-access into their case and in doing so greatly lessened the protection that their device afforded the user's prized possession.
Everyone has to make their own choice from there, but as for me- I buy cases for PROTECTION. If they can't protect my device well, then there is just no need for me to proceed to "ease-of-access" issues. I am very willing to put up with minor issues such as the clear plastic cover of the keyboard in order to be able to not have to worry about breakage. I suppose if we were buying these things from SHARP USA instead of SHARP Japan and it were easier to get them serviced in my country I might be more flexible in this area.
A final note- unless you choose to go with the croc or ostrich skin from Piel Frama the user should find both cases to be fairly equally handsome in design. I personally like the Piel Frama more for "looks" but it is also about $30usd more in price as well. I also believe that both Companies could improve upon their designs and in so produce a better device and I seriously hope they will continue to make product adjustments in the future. First on my list of additional improvements would be to find a way to protect the screen and bezel when the Z is in "mini-laptop" mode and opened. If they could accomplish that and merge the protection of the Piel Frama with the accessibility of the PDAir this topic could easily be closed.
I think the only reason this hasn't been achieved already is that the case makers don't feel that they'd be able to sell the cases at a high enough price to be profitable. I'd be VERY willing to pay up to $150 usd or so for such a case. My usual extreme upper price limit for a case is about 25% of the price I pay for the PDA itself. In my case I paid $550 for the C3100 (but had to do all the language conversion etc. myself) and about $83 for the Piel Frama. I don't feel a price tag of $150 for the "perfect" Cxx00 case to be outrageous. If they make it- I'll buy it. I think others would too, not everyone certainly, but enough to make them marketable and then some.
There's my 2 cents worth- maybe not a good opinion but it's the only one I have.
Yet another marathon post by yours truly. *sigh* Sorry guys.
Be Good!,
-NeuroShock
