Darius Wey
01-28-2005, 06:30 PM
<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-nsignia-00.jpg" /><br /><br /><b>Product Category:</b> Protective Case<br /><b>Manufacturer:</b> <a href="http://www.n-signia.com/">nSignia</a><br /><b>Where to Buy:</b> <a href="http://www.n-signia.com/">nSignia</a><br /><b>Price:</b> Variable. Products are backed with a <a href="http://www.n-signia.com/store/cart.php?page=guarantee">lifetime guarantee</a>.<br /><b>System Requirements:</b> PDA.<br /><br /><b>Pros:</b><li>Sufficient padding (front and back);<br /><li>Room for additional memory cards and business cards;<br /><li>Well-designed push-through buttons;<br /><li>Tight-fit.<b>Cons:</b><ul><li>Buttons may be a little "vulnerable" to accidental pressing in certain scenarios.</ul><b>Summary:</b><br />n-Signia is an Australian company that prides itself on the high quality that comes with each of their handmade cases. Sporting a few unique features rarely seen in cases offered by other manufacturers, we'll see what makes nSignia's cases special!<br /><br />Read on for the full review!<!><br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><span><b>There's Nothing Like That Fresh Leather Smell!</b></span><br />My HP iPAQ h1940 was looking a little lonely the other day, so I introduced it to one of nSignia's exotic leather cases. They get along well with each other and are now the best of friends. In this review, I look at nSignia's kangaroo book-style leather case, but that is not the only style offered by the company. Their product range is offered in two designs - a book-style and a flip-top design. The cases are also sold in different sorts of exotic leathers. <a href="http://www.n-signia.com/store/cart.php?target=category&category_id=295">Exotic</a>, you ask? nSignia use leathers from various animals - namely, the Kangaroo, Ostrich, Barramundi, Shark and Crocodile. Some of you are now probably pondering on the issues associated with the use of these so-called exotic leathers. Graham Walker, of nSignia, had a few words to say on this, so if you'd like a bit of clarification on these issues, please feel free to read up on it <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-nsignia-statement.txt">here</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-nsignia-01.jpg" /><br /><i>Figure 1: A view from the top - the case in all its glory.</i><br /><br /><span><b>It's a Good Fit!</b></span><br />The first thing I'll talk about is the tight-fitting of the case. I've come across many cases before, but none have fit as "tightly" as the ones offered by nSignia. When I first tried it, it seemed like my Pocket PC wouldn't fit in the case... but it did eventually! So is this a good thing or a bad thing? Well, I'd say it's a good thing. The leather and stitching used by nSignia is always made to provide a tight fit at first to take into account the natural flexibility and stretch of leather. With time, it relaxes a little and gets "worn in" to fit the specific shape of the device. The up-side? This tight-fit helps prevent the Pocket PC from accidentally slipping out. I even gave it a "shake test", and the device refused to fall out! I'm sure many of you have otherwise encountered that unfortunate problem, and thankfully, nSignia's cases help prevent it. After a month of solid use, the device still fits tightly within the case. This helps provide a sense of reassurance that my Pocket PC is being kept well-protected, and while we're on the topic of good protection, it's also worth noting that the cases are well-padded on the front and the back. A secure button-lock strap helps keep the case closed when it is not being used.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-nsignia-02.jpg" /><br /><i>Figure 2: A side-on view of the case.</i><br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><span><b>Just Another Leather Case?</b></span><br />So what makes nSignia's PDA cases unique? Not all leather cases available in the market are handmade, but nSignia's cases are! With that in mind, you can expect a higher level of quality and care put into each case that comes off the production line. This is one of the main reasons why nSignia back their cases with a lifetime guarantee against defects in materials and workmanship.<br /><br />You will notice a feature of the case (as seen in Figure 3 and 4) that make it stand out from most others. Instead of the typical application button cutouts you would expect in most cases, nSignia have adopted small metal rivets which "push-through" and activate the buttons when they are pressed. This is great for people who have larger fingers and have trouble fitting them through typical button cutouts. I had one problem with these innovative rivets though. Apart from personal information management, I, like most others, also use my Pocket PC as a personal media player, and because of this, I like to keep my Pocket PC in the case, closed, and in my pocket. Within the first two weeks of use, the case was still relatively new meaning the leather was still very tight. As a result of this, when I closed the case, some applications buttons were prone to being accidentally pressed and if you're like me and you map your application buttons to specific functions in your media player, you can easily see where this might be a problem. Thankfully, as I gave it a couple more weeks, the leather started to wear in, thus adopting to the contours of the Pocket PC. The final result? The problem disappeared! I can now close the case and leave it in my pocket without having to worry about my media stopping halfway. I spoke to Graham about this and he recognised it as being a potential problem. He spoke of possible changes to the shape of the case to help prevent it from occurring in the future, so we'll see how these changes develop over time.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-nsignia-03.jpg" /><br /><i>Figure 3: The case allows for painless cable connectivity.</i><br /><br />The case also has open spaces for the D-pad, infrared port, card slot, stylus and even the soft-reset button meaning that you don't have to take your Pocket PC out just to use those specific features of the device. There is also room at the bottom of the case for the synchronisation cable to insert into (as seen in Figure 3). I'd lament over a PDA case that only holds the device itself, and thankfully, nSignia's products don't fall in that category. The case I reviewed had slots to house two additional SD cards and three credit/business cards. It also featured one multi-purpose slot that's great for storing a mini-notepad. All-in-all, there's not much to fault in the design of the case.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-nsignia-04.jpg" /><br /><i>Figure 4: Open wide. Come inside!</i><br /><PAGEBREAK><br /><span><b>I Want a Case that Defines Me! Can It Be Done?</b></span><br />It sure can! Type of leather? Book-style or flip-top? Colour? A removable belt clip? The choice is yours. In addition to that, you can also choose to have your initials embossed on the case. Now that's personalisation!<br /><br />Actually, the belt clip option itself is rather interesting, so I better elaborate on it. While many cases in the market only allow for single clip orientation, nSignia's cases allow for two (both horizontal or vertical). A metal mount, which inserts into one of two holes located on the rear of the case, allows for secure attachment of the clip in an orientation of your choosing. If you need to change to the other orientation, it's a simple remove-and-attach process.<br /><br /><span><b>Win a Case of Your Own!</b></span><br />nSignia are always looking for ways to improve their products. Because of this, they are currently conducting an online <a href="http://www.n-signia.com/phpsurveyor/index.php?sid=2">survey</a> to assess the needs and wants of consumers who are looking to purchase a case for their PDA. By completing it, you not only help contribute ideas to make future products better, but you also go into a draw to win your very own exotic leather PDA case. The competition ends on February 28, 2005.<br /><br /><span><b>Conclusions</b></span><br />I'm always unbiased in my reviews, so I always try to spot the positive and negative aspects of every product I look at. With that in mind, nSignia decided to make my life a nightmare as I found very few faults in the case. The button-pressing vulnerability was gone within a matter of weeks, and my case is still in one-piece after subjecting it to a number of somewhat harsh environmental conditions. The tight-fit helps secure my Pocket PC in place, and the wealthy number of slots on the left for my cards is a bonus! Also, I can't let the high quality of the leather and workmanship go without a final mention. They really add to the durability of the product. So, the final verdict? This one's a keeper!