Scribble Neoprene PDA Case

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Judie Hughes

December 10, 2001

Product Requirements:
Device:
Almost any Pocketable PDA

Scribble, longtime makers of hard cases and accessories for the Psion line of PDAs, has created a slightly different than usual case that uses neoprene and comes in bright cheerful colors. If you are still looking for an inexpensive Christmas gift for a PDA lover, you might want to consider this soft case.

   

I was presented with the festive red (with black trim) version, which makes the Scribble perfect for inclusion in this holiday recommendation. You can also purchase this same style case in purple, blue and charcoal gray, each trimmed in black.

The Scribble has a clean and simple design, uncluttered by anything other than a metal logo plate on the front, and not one, but two rather large matte silver zipper pulls. I thought the zipper's size as a whole was a little excessive, but otherwise I am pleased with the form and function of this case

As you can see, this is a book-style case. Your PDA will attach with a huge strip of Velcro (my only major objection) to the inside right of the cover, while the left side is available for keeping your ID and up to four business or credit cards handy. A long slash pocket behind the ID area is perfect for stowing away receipts or bills. There are also two elastic loops in the case's spine, perfect for storing two batteries if your PDA requires them.

The left side, which also forms your PDA's screen protection when the case is zipped shut, is reinforced with a plastic insert. While this does not make the Scribble crush-proof by any stretch of the imagination, it does offer suitable protection from ordinary knocks and dings that might occur. I would have to advise against dropping your PDA while in the Scribble, although it should be adequate for short drops (like from a foot or two) at the most.

The Scribble does not add much weight to your PDA at all - only 4 ounces (113g). It will add a little bit of bulk if you are carrying a smaller PDA, such as the Palm m500 series, but on the more standard sized PDAs, you shouldn't be too bothered by the size.

I tried putting several PDAs in the Scribble, including the iPAQ 3600 and 3800 series, the Sharp Zaurus, the Hewlett-Packard Jornada 565, the Palm IIIc, the Sony Clie 710c, and the Palm m505. I found that they all fit quite well, although it was not possible to include a sleeve with the iPAQ while in this case.

Here are some pictures of the new Zaurus SL-5000 in the Scribble case. Of course, when you have the keyboard extended, the case is no longer quite long enough! ;0)

  

The Scribble Neoprene PDA Case is a good gift idea for someone that likes a splash of color and doesn't mind adding a chunk of Velcro to the back of their PDA.

Price: $23.95 (depending on price fluctuations of US Dollar to British Pound)
Available in red, purple, blue and charcoal gray, each trimmed in black

Pros:
Fun, bright colors that help take the monotony out of carrying a protective case
Adequate screen protection from dings and dents
Fair price

Cons:
Uses Velcro to attach case to PDA
Double Zippers seem excessively large