PDAir C760/860 Case
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While I was waiting for my C860 to arrive I did some research on cases for the Z. I found that, other than some universal pouch types, they are rather thin on the ground.

I did check out the case review that was done over at PDA Buyers Guide and found that one of the three they tried can be purchased from the US. To be fair, it had to come from Hong Kong, but heck at least it was possible.

So I ordered my new case from Brando and, sure enough it arrived in the mail a few days after the Zaurus. I also took the opportunity to buy a stylus from them at the same time – let’s face it, the stock one is not very good.

Anyway, the case came packed in the usual blister pack, which I was able to open without hurting myself.

My first impressions of the case were pretty positive. It’s nice smooth grain leather with white stitching. Looks rather classy. Inside there are three credit/business card slots, two SD card slots and one larger slot. There is also a removable ID card thingy.

Fitting the Zaurus.
The C860 is held in place by a number of plastic clips. To fit the Z into the case, the clip that holds the battery in place must first be removed. It’s a good idea to store this in a safe place in case you ever need it. After this, the Z just clicks into place and is held securely.

The closure is one of those magnetic ones. At first I hated it, then noticed that it’s actually covered by a small piece of tape. Removing the tape, it works just fine.

One thing I’m not sure about is the removable ID wallet. When it’s in place, it makes the package thicker, which I don’t like too much. On the plus side, it protects the screen when in tablet mode and the case is a better fit when it’s there. Remove it and it’s a bit floppy.

Protection.
The top of bottom of the case offer excellent protection for the Z. The leather is well padded and the ID thingy is good additional protection for the screen.

All four sides are pretty much open. Good for access to all the features, but not good for protection. The case is slightly larger than the Z all the way round though, so the case should hit the ground before anything breakable does.

In conclusion, it’s a shame that Sharp doesn’t provide any kind of case with the Zaurus, forcing anyone wanting to keep their Z looking like new to seek out third party offerings.

The PDAir case is a classy package and good value.

Pros:
Good quality
Good fit on 760 and 860 Zaurus. (There’s another version for the 700/750)
Excellent value for money
Brando service was excellent – their stylus is good too.

Cons:
Sides of Zaurus somewhat exposed
Limited availability in the US
Have to remove battery clip to install.

Added:  Friday, May 14, 2004

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