Vaja #871 HP 560 Series Case Review

Product Requirements:
Device:
Hewlett Packard Jornada 560 series Pocket PCs

Ah, I love leather PDA cases…  There’s something so satisfying about
getting a new case in the mail, opening the box, smelling that wonderful new
leather smell, and then slipping my PDA into it to check the fit. You’d think
that after awhile, I’d be sick of reviewing cases wouldn’t you? Well, I must
admit that once in awhile I get that ho-hum feeling after opening a new one for
the first time. But, I’d have to say that I’ve never had that feeling when it
comes to Vaja PDA cases. Vaja is just in a league of their own and as such, they
remain my favorite.

When I found out that they had a new case specifically for the Hewlett
Packard 560 series Pocket PC, I was really excited. I was even more excited when
I saw the interestingly contoured cover.

As with their other offerings, the Vaja 871 slipper style case is made
entirely of leather. It is a play through case in that you slip your PDA into
it, and you can use it without needing to remove it. It is available in 2
versions, snap closure or magnetic closure. It also comes in 4 different color
styles: Vitelino Chocolate, Vitelino Azabache, Vitelino Passion and Vitelino
Sapphire. A choice of a belt-clip or non belt-clip case can also be made. I was
sent the Vitelino Chocolate snap closure without belt-clip.

First of all, I have to say that I love the color of this case! After green,
brown is my favorite color, and this case is a beautiful rich brown. The whole
case is this wonderful color except for the soft tan lining inside the holster
portion of the case.

Like other slipper cases, the PDA slides into a leather holster. The fit is
nice and secure, with no fear that the PDA can slip out accidentally. While in
this holster, you have access to all buttons. There is one large cutout that
allows for access to the screen, joypad and application buttons. Below that area
are two smaller cutouts. One for the power button, and one for the speaker. The
speaker cutout actually has a stainless steel mesh covering which gives it a
nice appearance without affecting volume levels.

The bottom of the holster has a hole for the microphone and a cutout for the
serial port. Although this case is play through, you will have to remove the PDA
if you need to sync or charge with the cradle. However, you can use a sync cable
just fine.

On the left side of the holster, there is a cutout for the rocker scroll
button and voice recorder button. And on the back of the case, there is a hole
to allow access to the reset switch.

I found that all of the cutouts lined up perfectly. The only problem that I
had was that I hand trouble using my stylus to activate the reset switch thru
the hole on the back of the case. The thickness of the leather on the back of
the case makes it hard for the stylus tip to make contact with the switch. It
can be done, but it takes some practice.

While in the case, you can also access the stylus and CF card slot without
problem.

The cover on the 871 has a unique style to it that I’ve not seen in other PDA
cases. It is molded and thicker than their previous cases. There is more padding
in this cover and it has an ABS plastic insert. I can tell you that it is very
stiff and from what I can tell, will protect your screen very well. On the
inside of the cover there are 2 card slots and one larger slot behind them. A
strap that wraps around the bottom of the case and snaps onto the back, holds
the cover closed.

I can’t find any complaints with the workmanship of this case. The leather is
gorgeous, and the stitching is perfect. If you don’t mind the price, and have an
HP 560 series Pocket PC, you will definitely want to take a closer look at this
case.

Price: $57.90 ($64.90 with belt clip)

Pros:
Beautifully made
Stiff padded screen cover

Cons:
Must remove to sync and charge with cradle
Hard to use stylus tip to activate reset switch