The case question 5500

[pointydog]

I don\'t know how many other people are looking for a good case for their 5500.
I\'d really like to have a nice thin hard case (like Rhino) but no one seems to make one.

There\'s the Extreme limits one made in Japan with aluminum plate on the front ($83 or so + shipping) and the Piel Frama which has no hard protection, and forces you to leave off the little plastic screen cover (+/- $50).

After TONS of hunting, I\'ve found what appears to be a decent compromise. Also $50.

http://www.seidioonline.com/ProductDetails...de=OCCUSHZA5500

This case uses a stainless clip to hold the Z, and allows you to leave the plastic cover on. Doesn\'t appear to have any armor, but at least you can keep that little bit of protection the plastic cover provides.

I think I\'m going to order one, I\'ll post in a few days and tell you what I think of it.

C

[pointydog]

Just an update..
The case is really pretty, the plastic screen protector can stay in place, and the stainless clip is covered with leather that matches the inside of the case.

The only complaints are that there\'s not much room for a CF card that sticks out more than about 1/4\", and you have to slide the Z down in the case to dock it.

There are little slots for cards in the top, but I doubt they\'re really useful.

[lenk]

That Looks pretty good....quite similar to the covertec ones. Does it fit the 5600? coz the covertec doesnt
The extreme limits are nice but very expensive. I am about to give up looking for a case for 5600.

[klrussell]

I too struggled with the case decision, and the lack of product selection for Zaurus 5500 did not help.  I ended up searching for other less customized options.  Not sure if this might be what you are looking for, but this Otter case has worked great for me.  It definitely does not fit in a shirt or coat pocket, so I primarily use it for travel when I need a hard case.

http://www.otterbox.com/product.cfm?produc...uct=133&code=NA

[pointydog]

Lenk- I doubt this case would fit your 5600.
If I understand the differences, the 5600 has a thicker battery and the back of the case is sorta \'bumped out\' over the battery compartment.
If this is correct, then the clip (which wraps around the device from behind) will not be deep enough.
The clip is very inflexible, and I don\'t think there\'s any way it could be modified to work.

[lenk]

I guess then there is no choice for me besides the extreme limit case. That will put me down £50!! The battery bump is not much bigger just about 0.4cm thicker. But there are 2 legs on top the 5600, I guess its used for balancing the battery thickness. Maybe I can get a covertec case and slit two holes for the 2 legs, then it will fit into it. But then it might not close properly coz of the battery. Anyone here got a modded case for a 5600? Thanks

[lenk]

I found another case.

http://xigma.jp/en/showcase/pda/zaurus_e21/index.html

If I am not mistaken it is the jp model for 5000/5500. It cost $69

[zaurusbs]

From that page:
\"It is passion of the making hand and the PDA case which designates prejudice as shape.\"
Oh, I agree. :-)
I\'ll ask, but I think I know the answer - anyone found a hard case that will fit the 5600?

[V-Man]

If anyone know of a hard case similiar to the rhino skin aluminum cases, please reply.  I haven\'t found anything that works and I hate carrying my precious Z around naked (the Z, not me).

Thanks
V-Man

[n8a]

I just grabbed a case at my local Micro Center for $10 (lost box), which is shown here:

http://www.casedirect.com/product_detail.a...0+BLACK&menu=02

and

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_...duct_id=0158794

It\'s a great fit, very protective, and just $15.  I like it MUCH better than the book-shaped cases, as the 5500 slips in and out easily.  It has an elastic cord that slips over the top.  It\'s pretty nice for simply protecting the 5500, while not taking up too much extra space (it still fits in the inside pocket of all my jackets).

[n8a]

Also, if you want the Covertec leather case that is designed for the 5500, they are regularly available on eBay for $37.95 + $7 for shipping:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=15029

Just go to eBay and type \"zaurus\" in the search and you\'ll easily find one.  These are rarely bid on from what I\'ve seen, but constantly appear.

I know it\'s not similar to the rhino aluminum case for protection, but it\'s not too different from some of the leather cases referenced above for much more $$.

[Anonymous]

The CaseLogic \"Strongman\" cases are good for safe transport,  but not as convenient as the \"playthrough\" cases like the Piel Frama and Covertec if you\'re using the Z as your everyday PDA (mostly because of battery life issues,  I\'ve stuck with a Palm for PDA purposes,  and use the Z as a \"super-portable Linux box\").

They\'re especially nice if you have an irrational prejudice against gluing Velcro to expensive objects  ;-)  I like their \"Strongarm\" bracket enough that I just bought a second case to rip it out and use it in building my GPS console.

The first one I bought was made of fake leather,  but the new one is that semi-hard expanded foam stuff (\"EVA\",  iirc).  It has a nicer,  easier-to-grip texture than the first EVA case I got for my Palm III,  and has a molded-in depression for your thumb to further improve its holdability when closed.  It also seems a bit thicker,  and roomier inside (which might be important for 5600 owners).  It looks like it\'ll be a nice case for my digital camera after I steal the bracket.  A word of warning:  I had to buy the longer model of the first case to accomodate the Z,  and I don\'t remember whether the new style comes in multiple sizes.  I *think* they do,  and that I bought the one that\'s uncomfortably short for a Z either because it was cheaper,  or the long one was out of stock.  But I\'m not sure about this.

They\'re much cheaper than the leather cases (about US$15-20).

The Piel Frama case has two layers of leather on the front,  stiched to form a huge \"pocket\".  It should be possible to slip a sheet of metal or Lexan into it to provide some impact protection for the screen.

Ran

[Anonymous]

Ran[/quote]

The Piel Frama case has two layers of leather on the front, stiched to form a huge \"pocket\". It should be possible to slip a sheet of metal or Lexan into it to provide some impact protection for the screen.  

There is a similar pocket in the covertec case, and also in the one from sedio
http://www.seidioonline.com/ProductDeta ... CUSHZA5500 .

The reason I choose the sedio ( actually xigma is the brand on the case) is because it was the only one that allows you to leave the stock plastic cover on the Z, which seems pretty tough.
There\'s a little padding in the case, and with the cover left over the screen, my Z seems pretty well protected...(an otterbox it isn\'t, though!)

C

[zaurusbs]

I just bought a MadCatz case for a new Game Boy Advance, and with a little cutting of the interior foam, I think the Zaurus will fit in it. It\'s not perfect, but it was cheap. I\'ll post a link and some pics if I do it.

[ran]

I just got my hopes for another case dashed:  I found one of the \"portfolio\" style cases where the front cover flips over the top,  instead of the side,  that appeared to be roomy enough for a 5600,  with a clip that appeared to be a little less secure,  but a lot more convenient for inserting and removing,  than the Strongman.  It has a pair of clips on the sides that come straight up and over,  and one of them slides in and out (with a spring to keep it under tension).  Slipping the Z in and out one-handed would be easy,  which is not the case for the Strongman.

Unfortunately,  the 5500 is too thick for it:  instead of coming over the top,  the bent-in parts of the clips press against the sides of the Z,  and don\'t hold it well at all.  A 5600 would be worse,  unless you were willing to do something to the clips (like,  say,  filing down the bent-in parts,  and attaching some kind of angle brackets to make them taller).  Which is too bad,  because it\'s one of the few cases I\'ve seen that\'s big enough to wrap around a thick PDA.

The brand name is \"Icon\",  and it was  $15 at Circuit City.  They gve me a refund,  but I thought I\'d save others the trouble of finding out the hard way about the non-fit.

Ran