PalmOne Treo 650 owners that are looking for maximum protection
for their smartphone, have two hard case options right now. There’s the Aluminum Innopocket
Metal Deluxe case
which I reviewed not long ago, and now there is the new Magnum case from Innopocket as well.
Like their HP iPAQ 4700 Magnum case which I reviewed in the past, this one isn’t constructed of 100% anodized aircraft grade aluminum like their Metal Deluxe cases, the Magnum is made of… wait for it… Magnesium! Was that a surprise? I didn’t think so. And like all of Innopocket’s cases, the interior is lined in black Neoprene to serve as a shock absorber for protecting the Treo
from everyday abuse.
The Magnum case and the Metal Deluxe case are very similar to each other except for the material that they are made of and a couple other small differences. Before I get to the differences, I want to revisit their similarities.
This case comes with a plastic pinch style belt clip, for those of you
that like to wear your case around your waist. Fortunately this post can be removed for those of you like myself that don’t care belt clips.
The hinged cover opens left to right and has a perfectly clear plastic window
protecting the display, along with cutouts for the main navigation pad and
application buttons.
I have the same grumble about the cutout area in this case as I did with their Metal Deluxe case.
I found the size of it to be adequate when using the directional
pad, but a little cramped when trying to access the call buttons on the outside
edges of the opening. I would need to angle the tip of my thumb into the cutout
in order to press these buttons. I would much prefer that this opening expose
the entire keyboard. Having to open the cover to type is not very convenient in
my opinion.
I had the same problem with the long cutout on the side of the case for the
volume buttons. It would be nice if the opening were wider for the entire length
of the cutout, instead of just the middle section.
The top of the Treo is exposed so that oversized SD cards can be left in the
phone while the cover is closed and that the ringer can be turned off easily at
any time.
The bottom of the case allows for easy hotsyncing via a cable and easy earphone jack
hookups.
Ok, now for the differences. First of all, this case feels bulkier than the Metal Deluxe case even though there is only a slight size difference. The dimensions for the Metal Deluxe case are 116 x 69 x 32 mm and the dimensions for the Magnum case are 117 x 68 x 34 mm. See, not really much of a difference at all. The Magnum is definitely heavier though. A little over 20g heavier.
The biggest difference with the Magnum is the addition of 2 SD card slots that are built into the back of the case. The slots are snap in, and not spring loaded like Vaja’s current card slots. While the cards don’t feel like they will fall out, they do rattle around in the slots when you shake the case. In my opinion having the ability to carry 2 extra memory cards outweighs the rattling though.
I’ve come to the same conclusion about the Magnum case that I did with the Metal Deluxe case… it’s just doesn’t work for me as an everyday case. It is too big and bulky. That said, the Magnum would be great for someone that needs maximum protection for their smartphone. Also, for me it is just too masculine. If you are the macho type and don’t mind the bulk, this case will keep your Treo safe from just about any type of knocking about that you can bestow on it.
Price: $39.90
Pros:
Hard shell protection
Clear display window
Play through access
Cons:
Cutouts might be smallish for some people
Bulky
Product Information
| Price: | 39.9 |
| Manufacturer: | Innopocket |
| Pros: |
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| Cons: |
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I’ve had my case for a few weeks now and have a few comments.
1. The case, while durable, will lose finish if you are rough with it (which I am). The whole reason I bought the case is that my Treo is starting to look like it’s been dragged behind an angry Yak.
2. The swivel clip has become hard to release and I’d replace it if it was a standard size. Most of the belt clips I’ve seen have a much larger “barrel” so the Innoppocket case wouldn’t stay in it.
3. I wish the case had some sort of projection that curved over the top of the Treo’s antenna. This may be a personal preference sort of thing though.
Overall though, I am very happy with the case.
Hi! I am a user of Treo 650. I bought a case from http://www.nsecorporation.com and they only charged me $29.50!! This case is selling at $39.50 from Innopocket Site. I thought I share this information with everyone so you guys can save some money.
I have two, and would NOT recommend it. The first was the one with the pockets for the 2 SD cards. It was bulky, so I got the slimmer one with no pockets. I’ve gone through 6 clips, and the slimmer one easily revolves so that the antenna is pointing down. It won’t stay horizontal, so it is easy to get leverage against the phone, and snap the very thin plastic on the clip. I got them from Treocentral, and they weren’t able to recommend a heavy duty clip that would fit, so I’ve stopped using it and am shopping for another.
If you sit down a lot (who doesn’t?) it’s going to break. The last straw was a broken clip in Istanbul. I put the phone in my pocket, tripped on a sidewalk crack, and cracked the screen.
Update:
I’ve had two Magnum cases now and I really like them, with two further gripes.
1. The belt clip is useless. They break within weeks so I’ve just given up on them.
2. The door hinges are too weakly attached. After a few months the plastic hinges give out and the door falls off. I’ve been able to glue them back on for a few more additional months of life, but I’ve wound up buying a new case about once a year.
I’ve found the case a bit heavier than my Innopocket Deluxe Metal (aluminum) case. Yes, I agree that the paint comes off quite easily and I am one who takes good care of my cases and there are a few scratches where the paint comes off and it doesn’t look as nice.
I’ve found that I can’t hear the other caller if I answer the phone with the case closed, and even if I did, it was very faint. The magnesium material seems to block a lot of noise. It was better when I open it up first and answer the call.
The hinge is like other Innopocket case hinges in that the inner rod will likely fall out over time. With the deluxe metal case, I just fitted in a very small and tight elastic to keep it in. I’ve mentioned that trick in my review on this case (search my Palm Discovery site for the reviews). I have not yet experienced the same problem with the Magnum case but agree that using super glue will work on the non-moving part. It’s a good case regardless but I am now using Proporta’s crystal case which I like a lot. The Innopocket Metal Deluxe, the Innopocket Magnum and Proporta’s Crystal case are three of my favorite hard cases that I prefer.