Product Review:
OtterBox 1900 PDA Protector
(See pics below)
This is the first OtterBox product I have had the chance to review. Although I have worked with them before, I have never before actually been encouraged (let alone inclined) to put one through it's paces. A lot of the products I get to do the reviews for, are given to me because I have a reputation of being *ahem* "less than kind" to my gear (doing Security and Private Investigation work, I have been in some interesting situations over the years, and it tends to lead to a LOT of wear and tear on my equipment), so when something is supposed to stand up to a lot of hard handling, it usually gets sent to me.
My initial thoughts on the product when it arrived: Simple instructions, sturdy, easy to use. Even the most average user could pick this up straight out of the box, and (depending on the PDA they are using it with) be up and running in 3-10 minutes. I tested the Model 1900 with 2 different PDA's. My own personal Dell Axim X5 (Which is NOT on the list of units it is recommended for, but with a bit of nursing, it DOES fit with the standard slim-line battery) and an old Casio BE-300 (which I swear this product was designed with in mind, it fits like a glove). Set up was easy, intuitive, and VERY straight forward, look at the instruction sheet, look at the unit, and follow the illustrated directions, no fuss, no problems.
I chose to concentrate on 3 main areas of testing with the Model 1900. All of these areas were tested over a 2 week period of common everyday use, plus some "extra torture" that I threw in for testing.
1) Durability under Slightly Higher than Everyday Stress.
2) Water resistance.
3)Ease of Use (face it, if you can't use your PDA easily, your not gonna bother with the using the Product)
Durability: The product itself is VERY well constructed, and durable. All hinge points and clasps are inter-locking and snap in place, and they can also be screwed into place to ensure a secure fit (all necessary hardware to screw-down closure is included with the box). You mount your device, ensure all connection points are secure, and away you go. On to the durability test: The stairs. I personally have lost 2 PDA's to being dropped down a flight of stairs (either from the device falling out of my pocket, or from me dropping it while using it).
This was perhaps the simplest test there was for me. I walked to the back stairwell of my apartment building, held the device (in the case) at shoulder height (I'm 6'2" so that gives you an idea of the height it was dropped from), and released it down a flight of nine stairs. Simple enough. (
PLEASE NOTE: I DO NOT recommend taking these steps to ANYONE, the entire point of this exercise was to torture test this case, under worse than everyday conditions, neither I, nor anyone else, will take responsibility if you damage your PDA, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED). As a side note, while I was conducting this test, my landlord walked out to the stairwell to see what all the noise was...when I explained to him what I did and why, he didn't believe me, so I did it again in front of him...and then proceeded to direct him to the OtterBox Website (
www.otterbox.com/products/pda_cases/1900/) He is currently awaiting delivery of his Model 1900.
After the second stairwell drop, just for good measure, I gave it a kick down the hallway (again, I have done this in real life, so I figured why not) Again, the device worked perfectly, the case was intact and everything was great.
Water resistance.
The next day, Mother Nature gave me the perfect opportunity to start testing the water resistance and durability under wet and weather (I think 85 km/hour winds and 55mm of rain in 12 hours qualifies as wet enough) so outside I went (incidentally, the sound is fairly good when in use while the device is inside the case. It is slightly muted obviously, but still carries through very well) and started my mp3 software, and walked around using the device in the rain with no issues. After about 45 minutes of use, I decided to see what else the case would take, so I dropped the device into the 9 inch deep puddle in my back parking-lot, and left it floating there for 10 minutes. With much trepidation, I fish the device out, and lo-and-behold, not a drop of water inside, device is still working perfectly. I'm impressed. I would actually go out and buy one of these things.
Ease of Use: This will be the determining factor. You could have a device that would withstand a direct nuclear attack at ground zero, but if it makes the device difficult or awkward to use, you are NOT going to bother with it. The device is set-up so that most of your controls are still accessible, all face mounted buttons can be accessed (although with the Axim X5 you cannot access the SD slot, or side buttons with the device in the case) and the top and bottom have ports that can be opened to connect the device, and access your top mounted slots(please note, with these ports open, the case is NOT waterproof. DON'T TRY). It IS a bit bulky (you are not going to be carrying your PDA in your pocket while it is in this case). But if you are working in an environment where you need this level of protection, you will not see this as a deficit. The screen is usable, but takes some getting used to as you have to press a little bit harder in some areas to access functions and features (most notable in the corners of the screen, such as where the "New" menu is on the X5) but with use, this becomes less and less of an issue. The screen does not noticeably increase glare (leaving the device easily usable indoors and out), and the adjustable hand strap on the back will help prevent droppage, and it WILL FIT OVER WINTER GLOVES (I was hoping for snow before I submitted this product review, so I could add another test, but no such luck).
All things considered, if you are a traveler, an outdoors type, or work in an environment where your PDA will face the potential dangers of physical shock, water, and/or dust, dirt, and debris, then buy an OtterBox, you will NOT regret your choice (You will however need to find an excuse other than "I dropped it, and now it doesn't work right, so I need a new one" to justify your upgrades).
Ratings out of 5:
Durability 5
Water Resistance 5
Ease of use 4 1/2 (it was a bit bulky to carry for everyday use, but this is honestly the ONLY downside I really found to this case).
Bottom Line (Would I go out and buy one) YES! (Now I wonder if they'll send me a laptop case to test
)
Hybrid Mode
