Welcome, to the first part of our serialized review of protective cases for the Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket LOOX.  In this first Part we take a look at one of the leading case manufacturers, from Spain - "Piel Frama"...




 

From the moment you unwrap the shipping package, the presentation box puts a smug smile on your face;  Instinctively you know that you have purchased a quality item and you cannot wait to open up the box and see if the case itself lives upto this initial expectation.   The simple answer is yes it does!  The individually handmade Piel Frama follows the outline plan shape of the Pocket LOOX (PLX), and protrudes slightly around the IRDA and thumb jog wheel.  The overall size is 3mm larger on each side than the LOOX.  

The case hinges open from the bottom in the "Flip up top" style.  The 6mm thick back and flip front are well padded and look very solid when in fact they are flexible. The rear panel padding exerts just the right amount of pressure to hold the PLX in place without the need for any additional straps.  We feel that in the case of flip up cases overall rigidity for PDA protection is paramount and with the Piel Frama this is adequately achieved through turned and stitched edging. Whilst we did not perform drop tests for the review we did drop the LOOX when inside the case and the edging protected it from damage, thankfully! The case is too large for shirt pocket use and for most rear trouser pockets.

The flip front is held shut via a press studded strap which passes onto the back face of the case.  We found the arrangement of the strap most beneficial to enabling easy access and LOOX removal when worn on the belt.  In addition, and we do not know whether Piel Frama designed it this way, we found when the flip front was folded back the strap could also be fastened, which meant that the case then formed a complete loop which pushed over the hand, as shown in the video clip opposite.  On larger hands this allowed for a less tight grip on the LOOX and gave a feeling or added security.

Moving then onto the open case;  The inner of the lid provides storage for 3 credit cards and a larger full plan shape pocket for a driver license, cash, etc.  There are two pockets for your SD media.  There is no CF size pocket however, but this may not have been practical considering the added thickness of the CF and the likelihood of contact with the screen.  On the issue of screen contact the fully closed case with, additional items such as cards, pressed up against the screen.  If you really stuffed the case, closure could prove difficult and this may apply too much pressure for piece of mind. Whilst the card storage is positioned such that exposed edges of cards will not touch the screen, we cannot say the same for the SD cards.  In the event of SD cards being present we would recommend the use of screen protectors, other than that the Piel Frama shaped up pretty well in terms of screen protection. 

The case inner is beautifully lined with supple leather and in a contrasting colour.  Of course there are a number of colour combinations available in this case style. The PLX can be inserted into the case without the need for excessive force.  As mentioned previously the rear panel padding provides all the necessary grip and this usually would translate into preserving the metallic finish on the beloved LOOX.  We use the word "usually" here since, despite the fact that the front and sides are of the case are felt backed, the stitching comes through the felt here, and around the CF opening, and as this is very hard/tough thread this may abraid the metallic surface of the LOOX over time.  That said, this is a common concern in the cases featured in this review and only time will tell with use of them all, and its simply too soon to.

The sides of the case are of course inset to hug the PDA and a single skin of leather is used which makes them very flexible, aiding insertion of your LOOX.  Cut outs are provided for the Bluetooth switch, record button, IRDA, thumb jog and Speed menu buttons.  There are also cutouts for the CF slot and earphone socket top side and at the base the interface port an power adapter connector.  The CF opening is larger than necessary but this is probably "by design" such that CF peripherals are not fouled or prevented from seating properly.  Strangely though, the SD slot has been omitted. We would also like to see an opening in future versions for the speaker, notification LED and the soft reboot pin hole in the back panel.  The screen is surrounded by a sturdy leather border and this is recessed in parts for the microphone and the on/off switch.  The top boarder is necessary to hold the side parallel and it prevent contact of credit cards against the LOOX surface.  The sizing and positioning / alignment of the openings could be improved in terms of accuracy, but importantly none of the button operation was hindered at all.  The attention to detail in manufacturing ensured that the contours of the LOOX were nicely followed in the case reviewed.  The excellent quality of leather used by Piel Frama is "cowskin 1A" and is soft and subtle where necessary, but thin enough to be made into double skin where strength is needed.  As a result weight is kept to a minimum.  All single skin overlaps are seam edged which smacks of extra refinement and all exposed edges are nicely lacquered to reduced roughening and fading over time.

The feature we really like with the Piel Frama was the belt clip and release...  On the rear of the case there is a plastic button which is well fitted into the case back, top centre.  The case is supplied with a sprung belt clip which is slotted to accept this button when slid from the top down. This clip can remain on your belt whilst you have the LOOX, inside the case, removed.  When you replace the case it has a small snap catch so that the case cannot fall from the belt clip.  This audible snap means you don't have to visually check the case is seated, each time.  There is a sprung button on the clip body to release this snap catch so the case slides upwards and away. The video opposite shows this in action and you can hear the positive snap & see how the retained case can rotate freely.  The ability to freely rotate greatly reduces the chance of the clip being knocked of your belt if the case is fouled i.e. When sitting into a chair or getting in and out of a car.  If the case becomes uncomfortable you can simply rotate the case into a more suitable position.  This is an excellent design feature in our opinion.  There is also an extended case available which allows for the extended battery or GPRS/GSM jacket.  As this is a newer model the secure digital slot also has a cutout.  

Click here to view/ download the movie of the belt clip operation...
 

As for durability we can see the quality of materials and workmanship should result in longevity beyond the life of the PDA. 
This is not the cheapest case but represents excellent value in terms of protection, looks, and versatility of use. Visit Piel Frama directly by clicking here.

Click here to see how the Piel Frama compares in Part 2 of the review...

Copyright LooXuser.com 2002