hammerzuke

I have an interesting approach to carrying my handheld and I want you all to hear me out and then help start a movement to get someone to produce a different case for the TH55.

Do you know what the difference between a belt clip for a cellphone and a belt case for a PDA is? The cellphone case allows you have the thing out with one hand and ready to use in a fraction of a second. Most pda cases make you hold a velcro'd flap out of the way or undo some kind of clip and fling a flap out of the way. This often makes it hard to turn the unit on with the same hand.

I started out with a Handspring Visor and purchased a ridged plastic belt clip case made by handspring. It form fitted the unit very closely and gave a stylish appearance with most of the back of the unit exposed. The great thing was that you could have the thing out (and in) in an instant and even turn it on and off with the same hand.

I do a lot of manual therapy with pain patients so it is great for me to be able to check and dismiss an alarm while still keeping one hand busy working. I can also have the thing out and making a note just as fast as you can pull a pen out of your pocket and start writing on a notepad. This has made a world of difference in terms of continuous input of data throughout the day. I have not seen anyone use their pda as fluidly as I do and I think this fast access issue is a really unexamined area. I also glued black strips of emery cloth to top and bottom of my unit so I could easily grab it between thumb and third finger, use it and return it to the holster without fear of dropping it.

I think one reason the Handspring case idea never took off was that the clip was so cheap that it broke after a few times sitting down in the car with it. I got around this by cutting off the broken clip (very sharp knife) and glueing on a sturdy clip. It has worked great for more than 4 years now. Another downfall of the thing was no shock absorption at all.

I also tried a Rhodiana case and a Targus case but kept going back to the Handspring because I am totally hooked on having instant access.
Also think of this: the backing of the case was ridgid so it did the protection function of the flip cover- but when you pull the thing out the cover is already out of the way.
When I got a pocket PC I tried to make my own belt clip holster out of moldable plastic but it didn't work well and was just too freaking ugly! I ended up just jamming the PPC into the Handspring case and it worked pretty well (until I gave up on the PPC and went back to Dragonball/Palm OS).

I just pre-ordered a TH55 and I'm guessing I will take the (admittedly cool) lid off and try and find the fast draw option.
Any ideas out there?

evangel

I don't have any "ideas" for you, but I wholeheartedly agree. I look back with fond memories on my Motorola text pager that I used to carry back in the day. I felt like John Wayne slipping it out of it's holster and holding it up to check the time or message drop I had just received.

I wish there was some way to combine this functionality with security against dropping (I also recall dropping my pager a hundred times or so). I love the idea of being able to have quick access to the handheld like this, but don't want to risk dropping my new baby!

Icthus

If you really wanted you could try something along these lines.

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philipx

Ain't Krusell what you are looking for?
One of the reasons I keep buying Krusell cases is that I can attach it to my belt. Their MultiAdapt system allows the usage of simple clips, spring clips, twist clips, various swivels and even bike and car holders.

Check it out, it might be what you're looking for.
http://www.krusell.se/multidaptSystem.php?s=2

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evangel

I can't speak for Hammer, but I was referring specifically to the holster-type system that my old pager used. It wasn't housed in a "case" per se, but slid into a holster and could be whipped out in a second. Of course, as I mentioned before, this also led to the device being "whipped out" unintentionally on many occasions and the Clie is nowhere near as hardy as my little text pager was.

rolando

My cell phone (and pager before) gets hit so many times while hanging on my belt that I would never dream of hanging my pda there without a good case to cover it.

If quick access is important, you might consider one of these Nutshell cases. You can get them without the strap at the top, but personally, I'd take the strap for the extra security...

http://www.tuff-as-nuts.com/SONY_NZ...0-U,NX80-V.html

Rolando

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nutshell

Thanks for the accolade Rolando ... at Nutshell we have put a lot of thought into creating a simple but effective range of belt holsters and carry cases to provide that important 'extra protection' when you need it most, which is always when you least expect it!

Our industrial strength stainless steel belt clip and our strong leather belt loop let you keep your PDA close and handy on your belt, without any pieces to break or get lost... and without adding any extra bulk to the device when it's in your hand.

As new models and form-factors emerge, at Nutshell we look forward to designing and delivering product that continue to meet, and even exceed, our users' expectations.

Your continued comments are very important to us; without all you guys we would not be in the game.

All the best

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Rossi01

The Krussel idea looks nice.

I have a problem with my PDA and cellphone mostly when travelling. I have the be able to remove everything from my belt easily to go through security in the airports. So far I have been sticking with the Targus PDA velcro case despite it does not give me one hand access. However, it is very easy to remove and drop in the X-Ray belt.

However, another problem arises when I have to sit and fasten the airplane's seat belt. It's a struggle between the belt, the phone and the PDA cases. I end up having to remove them and dropping them in my suitcase. I could not find any solution for this problem yet...

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Palm OS is the best!

Current PDAs: Clie TH55 Euro, Nokia N800 and N810
Former PDAs: Pilot 5000, Palm III, Clie N760C
Phones: iPhone 3GS and Nokia N900

nutshell

Hmmmm...I'll suggest that the Nutshell belt loop model may well be an answer - the belt loop lets you slide the case around on your belt, and because it does not limit you to a vertical position (you can slide it onto your belt sideways or angled as well as vertical) the whole shebang presents a less bulky profile to a seat belt. PLUS there's the added advantage with a Nutshell that because it has a fixed loop or clip, your case (and PDA) are snug, right up against your body.
Oh...and one other thing...because the Nutshell with the loop is ALL leather...you don't have to remove it to go thru the scanner.
Hope that helps ...

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Rossi01

Thanks for the suggestion. It looks good.

However, the shell design posed a concern for me. As the top is not fully closed the pen might slide off and fall. My N760C's pen does not "click" securely in place, what demands for a flap cover that closes all of the PDA's top plus some safe extra width. Also, a closed shell would offer some protection in case of rain. Sometimes the weather reserves some surprises...

And I would suggest making the memory storage a closed compartment. I would not trust leaving a spare memory there. Sometimes I have to rush because of late connections, etc. and must have everything securely attached.

These are just suggestions. The products seem very well made but the design could benefit of a few tweaks. :-)

Cheers!

__________________
Palm OS is the best!

Current PDAs: Clie TH55 Euro, Nokia N800 and N810
Former PDAs: Pilot 5000, Palm III, Clie N760C
Phones: iPhone 3GS and Nokia N900

Mark29

The best belt case I've used for a PDA is the E&B Slipper on my Handera 330. It releases from the belt clip with the touch of a button, and it's accessible with a flip of the front cover. With the Handera, they put openings so pretty much everything is accessible w/o removing the unit from the case - all buttons, reset, and even the sync port. I did have to buy a different stylus that was easy to get in & out.
They don't sell the Handera 330 case anymore, but here is a case for the Sony T615 to give you an idea.

Mark