Product Requirements:
Device:
Casio E-200 Pocket PC
It seems like only yesterday…I had first received my
Casio E-200 and I was lamenting the lack
of aftermarket cases. Well, okay – it was actually December! So that means for
almost two months I had to make do with the cheesy stock slip-cover that came
with my Casio. If you know me at all, then you’ll understand that I was very
dissatisfied with that! I wanted to see what some of our regularly reviewed case
manufacturers would come up with, and now the contenders are beginning to
trickle in…
Extreme Limit,
a leading Japanese manufacturer of bags & cases for mobile computers and PDAs,
has released the
Body-Suit for the E-200. This case is made of pebbly black leather in a
play-through wallet style.
Because this is the fifth Extreme Limit Case I have had the
opportunity to review, I am in a position to tell you that their quality and
craftsmanship only seems to improve over time; and these features were already
very good to start with. If you have read my previous Extreme Limit Case
reviews, then you will realize that this review is once again, more of the same.
Once again, the first thing you will observe
about the Body-Suit is the contrasting white stitching that goes around all of
the case’s edges. The Body-Suit uses a tab closure system, which also features
the contrasting stitching. The black pebbly leather is thick and stiff, and has
an expensive look to it.
As with the other Body-Suits I have reviewed,
located on the rear bottom right is a discreet embossed Extreme Limit logo. The
model I was presented to review has a removable belt clip; however, you can also
order the case without the clip should you prefer.
The E-200 Body-Suit is a case that either a man
or a woman would be comfortable carrying. It has neither too masculine nor too
feminine of a look, with only one possible exception which I will discuss a bit
further, later in my review.
Just like Extreme Limit’s other cases, once the
Body-Suit’s wallet flap is covering the screen of your E-200, it seems to offer
quite a bit of protection. Because it is reinforced with what feels like a stiff
plastic insert, it should shield your screen from any sudden knocks or dings.
All of the Extreme Limit Body-Suit series cases
are very rectangular, and once again, the E-200’s case is no exception. As with
the other’s in this series, you can carry this case as a clutch, if you were so
inclined..
When the Body-Suit is closed, it will cover and
protect the entire E-200 – except for the areas that would need easy access,
namely the jog dial, recorder button, and the top surface of the PDA. Because of
this case’s design, you will have easy and instant access to the stylus, compact
flash slot, and the infrared (IR) port.
The left side of the Extreme Limit case allows
full exposure of the headphone jack, power and reset buttons, the jog-dial, the
SD/MMC slot, and the charging port.
There is also a ring on the right side of the
case for those that like to attach lanyards or wrist-straps.
When the tab flap is closed, it will cross the
top of your PDA, safely holding everything in place. Even with the tab fastened
– you still have access to the IR port.
This Body-Suit is a top-loading case, and you
will find that once the E-200 is inserted it will nestle in a holster lined with
a fabric similar to the softer side of Velcro. This holster has cutouts that are
lined up to provide easy access to all buttons and the screen.
As on the outside of the case, there is
contrasting white stitching around every edge, which lends to the Body-Suit’s
custom feel.
Remember me mentioning earlier that there was one
feature to the case that some men might not like? Well, now I am ready to talk
about it. It pertains to the cutout surrounding the E-200’s buttons.
Is it only me, or does this cutout resemble a
butterfly to you? This may or may not bother anyone (men in particular), I am
just pointing it out…
butterfly
The bottom half of the opened case has three
slots for IDs & credit cards. Unlike some of the earlier Body-Suit cases, there
is no deep pocket behind the card slots.
The wallet portion of the Body-Suit is situated
so that you can hold the E-200 in your left hand, and whip out your credit or ID
cards from the bottom portion of the wallet with your right. This is a great
feature, as long as you are right handed. Perhaps a way to make it more
ambidextrous would have been to make cardholders that went across the flap,
instead of along the flap. Similar to the way that Vaja makes their cardholders.
There is a rectangular cutout at the bottom of
the holster designed so that you can use the travel charger. Otherwise, you will
have to remove the E-200 from the case to synchronize, but it is very easy to do
this: you simply use a finger to push your PDA up from the bottom cutout, and
then grasp the top of the E-200 as it exits the top slot.
The cutout around the E-200’s screen seemed to be
just slightly off center in the sample that I received. By this I mean that it
seemed like a little bit more of the silver railing on the right side of the PDA
showed through the cutout. I know, picky-picky… but I can’t help but be that
way with Extreme Limit cases. It is also highly possible that the case I
received is an early sample, and that future retail versions will not have this
flaw.
As with their other Body-Suit PDA Cases, you can
fold the wallet portion of the case underneath, and stick the tab into its slot,
instantly creating a handy easel for your desktop. This also fully exposes the
charging cutout that I referred to earlier, for when you are in the car or at
your desk.
Overall, I feel that the Extreme Limit Body-Suit is a great case for those
that don’t mind adding a bit of bulk to their PDA. For those that are
interested, here are the measurements of the case in relation to the naked Casio
E-200:
| Weight | Height | Width | Thickness | |
| Naked Casio E-200 | 6.8oz (194g) includes stock stylus and CF slug |
5.15" (13.1cm) | 3.2" (8.2cm) | 0.7" (1.8cm)
|
| Casio in Extreme Limit Body-Suit | 9.8oz (278g) includes stock stylus and CF slug |
5.4" (13.7cm) | 3.4" (8.7cm) | 1.3" (3.3cm) |
So yes, yet again, Extreme Limit has put out an excellent product that should
appeal to the consumer that needs a wallet style case that offers a higher
degree of protection and insulation.
Price: $39.98, depending on Yen / US Dollar
Exchange Rate. Also available in a belt-clip model for approx. $42.22
Pros:
Openings for every button & slot
Beautiful, slightly custom look
Offers excellent protection to E-200
Cons:
Will make E-200 bulkier
Must remove E-200 from case to sync in cradle
Product Information
| Price: | 39.98 |
| Manufacturer: | Extreme Limit |
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| Cons: |
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