Brad Adrian
08-21-2002, 05:59 AM
When Axel Vorbauer at <a href="http://www.avoglio.com/">Avoglio</a> recently contacted us about his company's new leather Pocket PC cases, I wasn't sure what to expect. I kind of have an ongoing search for the "ultimate" case for my Pocket PCs, so I was eager to see just what it is Avoglio has to offer. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/avoglio1.jpg" /><br /><br />When I received a sample case from Avoglio in the mail shortly thereafter, I found out exactly what makes them different from anything else I had seen. <!><br /><br /><span><b>Avoglio Case Review</b></span><br /><br />I've owned or evaluated all kinds of leather PDA cases, but I had never seen any cases made from the kinds of leathers offered by Avoglio. Many cases offered by other manufacturers are actually made from cowhide or pigskin which is embossed to look like various exotic leathers, but Avoglio's are the real thing. Avoglio specializes in making cases of the absolutely finest farm-raised aligator and ostrich leathers.<br /><br /><span><b>The Details</b></span><br /><br />The design of Avoglio case is elegant and simple. In fact, it's probably more accurately referred to as a "slipcover" or "slip case," because it is really a single-pocket sleeve that holds just my Pocket PC. There are no additional pockets for CF cards, business cards or styli, but not everybody wants or needs those things. As a slipcase, though, it's the finest one I've seen.<br /><br />The leather is absolutely flawless. I received an ostrich skin case, and the characteristic stippling is even and the surface is completely unblemished. The leather is nonetheless fairly stiff, which is important to providing protection for the contents. In fact, the screen protection provided by the leather is probably rivaled only by rigid plastic or metal cases. In contrast, the inside surfaces of the case are soft and smooth and leave me with no fears that my Pocket PC's surface could possibly get marred while inside.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/avoglio2.jpg" /><br /><br />The stitching is just as nice as the leather. I have to admit that I don't always pay that close attention to such details, but in this instance it is worth noting. All seams are very nicely sewn and the seam width doesn't seem to vary by so much as a nanometer throughout the case. Yes, the attention to detail is impressive.<br /><br /><span><b>The Choices</b></span><br /><br />As I mentioned, Avoglio cases are available in your choice of two leathers: aligator and ostrich. The options go far beyond that, though, because each leather is also available in a variety of natural and distinctive colors, including:<br /><br /> Black<br /> Dark Brown<br /> Light Brown<br /> Yellow<br /> Orange<br /> Chimney Red<br /> Royal Blue<br /> Green<br /> Silvermetal<br /> Salmon<br /> Fuchia<br /> Beige<br /> Violet<br /><br />Don't let the "nontraditional" colors fool you, though, into thinking that the pigments are simply a novelty. The dying is first-rate and so even and smooth that you may honestly suspect that somehwere in Africa flocks of fuchia or violet ostriches roam the veldt.<br /><br />Because of the case's simple design, you don't need to order a special model for each Pocket PC. However, I found that the same case worked equally well with my iPAQ 3600, 3800 and Jornada 546 devices. <br /><br />The exhaustive list of compatible devices includes:<br /><br /> Compaq iPAQ 36xx,37xx,38xx,39xx<br /> Toshiba e3xx,e570,e7xx and similar<br /> Handspring Treo and Visor Deluxe<br /> Siemens LOOX<br /> Hewlett Packard all current models<br /> O2 Phone Edition<br /> Palm 505, 515 and m100<br /> Sony Cliι NR70V and N70c<br /> Sharp Zaurus SL-5000D<br /><br />The case is designed to be used on "naked" devices, that is, without any accessory sleeves attached. However, the Avoglio Web site mentions that other versions of the case may be available someday soon.<br /><br /><span><b>Gotchas</b></span><br /><br />Okay, now to the only real downside of this slip case: the price. There is no doubt that the materials and workmanship are top-notch, and that quality commands a hefty pricetag. The ostrich skin version costs $155.88 and the aligator version goes for $175.49. That's U.S. dollars, not pesos, so this case is clearly designed for the most discriminating Pocket PC user.<br /><br /><span><b>Conclusions</b></span><br /><br />If I've learned one thing in my quest for the perfect Pocket PC cases, it's that preferences are nearly as varied as users themselves. Heck, I probably use three or four different cases, depending upon my situation and mood. The style, colors and price of this quality case may not be for everyone, but if you have the desire and wherewithall to ensure that your Pocket PC case makes an unforgettable fashion statement, visit the <a href="http://www.avoglio.com/">Avoglio Web site</a> and order one of their cases today.