Proporta Aluminum Case for the Sony CLIÉ NR Series Review

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Product Requirements:
Device:
Sony CLIÉ NR 60 / 70

As most of you probably know by now, the Sony CLIÉ NR series comes ensconced
in a wonderful magnesium case. This might raise the question with some as to why
anyone might be interested in putting this PDA inside an additional metal layer.
For me, an obvious reason comes to mind: Protection. Protection from drops,
crushing, and scratches.

Of course, slapping an already generously sized CLIÉ into just any metal case
won’t do. The case needs to be one that adds as little possible weight and bulk
to the PDA, and it needs to be a case that manages to look good while doing it.
The Proporta
Aluminum Case
easily accomplishes this and more.

proporta nr case1   
proporta nr case2

Fashioned in a slightly textured matte finish, the Proporta is devoid of any
insignias or other branding.

proporta nr case3 The case opens like a backwards book, with its lid lying on
the right side. The Proporta is lined in shock absorbing neoprene.

The CLIÉ is held in place by three aluminum clips that fit into the
corresponding holes on its back. These clips hold the CLIÉ securely, yet are
easy to engage or disengage your PDA from.

A minimum of cutouts are employed, maintaining the integrity of the case.
But, you can easily access the following: the memory stick slot, the Infrared
port, the stylus, the camera button, the lanyard strap attachment, the headphone
jack, jog-dial, back and hold buttons, and the sync/charge port.

proporta nr case4   
proporta nr case5

While you can not use its cradle to sync and charge the CLIE while it is in
the Proporta case, you can easily use a sync/charge cable, such as the
Innopocket version I
show here.

proporta nr case6

Granted, there is some weight and bulk added to the CLIÉ when it is in the
case, but it is surprisingly little. Judge for yourself…

  Weight Height Width Thickness
Naked CLIÉ NR 70V 7.2 ounces (206g) 5.4" (13.6cm) 2.9" (7.2cm) 0.65" (1.6cm)
NR70V in Proporta Case 10.1 ounces (287g) 5.5" (13.9cm) 3.1" (7.8cm) 0.9" (2.3cm)

One of the great things about the Proporta case is that you can either keep
your CLIÉ’s screen either flipped up or flipped down in whichever method feels
more comfortable to you. Either way, when the case is closed your screen will be
protected.

proporta nr case7   
proporta nr case8

I have come to the conclusion that at least for me, Vaja is to leather cases
as Proporta is to metal. By that I mean that if you are looking for a
beautifully designed, sturdy metal case with the smallest possible form factor,
then there is no need to look any further.


This case
is also available from the
Innopocket
web store.

Price: $38.25

Pros:

Stylish, sturdy, and reasonably priced

Cons:

None

 

Product Information

Price:38.25
Manufacturer:Proporta
Pros:
  • Stylish, sturdy, and reasonably priced
Cons:
  • None

8 thoughts on “Proporta Aluminum Case for the Sony CLIÉ NR Series Review”




  1. Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
  2. Does anybody out there in Gadgeteer-land know what the deal is with Proporta, Rhinoskin, and Innopocket? I recently purchased a Rhinoskin for my T-665, and other than the shape of the cutout around the jog wheel (at least as pictured on the site), it’s identical in every way to the Innopocket. The Proporta for the 665 is the same, too (well, the 615 one is; the picture for the 665 on the Proporta site is actually of a 615 case).

    I looked at the NR-series cases on both the Innopocket and Proporta sites, and…gasp…they’re identical. Proporta’s website announces a pending Mem Stick case that…shock of shocks…looks exactly like the Innopocket one.

    So, what’s the deal? Is one company OEMing them for all three? Are two of them importers for the other? Are two ripping the other off? Or…?

    –Andy, aka Curious in Boston

  3. Andy,

    I think that Proporta and Innopocket are related somehow, but I don’t think there is a connection of any kind with Rhinoskin. I’ll see what Julie and I can find out…

    Judie :0)

  4. Thanks, Judie! That makes sense, since the Innopocket and Proporta cases were exactly identical, as best I could tell, but the RS is slightly (and I do mean slightly) different.

    That one minor change to the Rhinoskin case doesmake me wonder (specifically, the cutout on the IP case for the 665 is rounded on the back, following the whole shiny area around the jog wheel; the cutout on the RS case is rectangular and covers much more of the PDA), but otherwise they are strikingly identical, right down to the locking mechanism (which I know the review of the IP here mentioned was superior to the older RS cases, so…). Or maybe I’m just a silly little conspiracy theorist, LOL.

    –Andy

  5. I have an Innopocket case and compared to the pictures posted on the review I can’t see any difference.

    While I loved this case when I first got it, two functional issues came up that made me start searching for a new case. First issue is with the remote controller. Have you tried to plug it in while in the case? The case prevents it from plugging in completely (Mike Riegel had the same problem with the Extreme Limit case). The second issue, which is the main reason why I am switching, is that the book-style case combined with the smooth surface made me drop it TWICE 🙁 Luckly no real damage was done but that made me stop using it completely.

    So now I am looking for a new case, regrettably.

  6. Not to be a pain, but while reading the review (an excellent job as usual), I noticed that when you were comparing the Naked Clie to the Clie + case, the width of the Clie + case was incomplete.

    GG

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