Reviews

Vaja Classic Case for the palmOne LifeDrive

June 22, 2005

I’ve had the privilege of reviewing several Vaja products over the years, so when I was offered the opportunity to review their latest case, I jumped at the chance. The PA51 is custom designed for the new palmOne LifeDrive, and I must say that once again the craftsmen at Vaja did an excellent job. This is a flip style case with a front flap that covers the device; it closes with a tab and a magnetic snap on the back of the case. The LifeDrive slips into a yoke of leather (lined on the inside with smooth black nylon) that holds it firmly. Unlike most leather cases, the sides of the device are almost completely covered by leather. The top 30% of the left and right side are left open, mainly to provide a good gripping surface for you to remove the LifeDrive when necessary. The voice recorder button is easily accessible, as is the screen orientation bottom on the left side. As you can see from the photos, a small graphic on the leather shows you just where to press when you want to switch from portrait to landscape mode and vice versa. I found the button to be very easy to press and had no problem at all using it. On the bottom of the case you’ll find cutouts for the headphone jack, sync/charge port, and the reset button. While the LifeDrive won’t work with a cradle, it will certainly work with a sync & charge cable. On the back you’ll find a small cutout right over the speaker, so you don’t have to worry about being able to hear alarms. You also don’t have to worry about your device getting damaged either, since the opening is covered by steel mesh.

The quality throughout is perfectly top notch, from the materials to the workmanship. The leather is exquisite, top-grain quality with the feel and the smell to prove it. As you can see from the photo, the stitching around the yoke that holds the LifeDrive in the case is perfectly even all the way around the screen and buttons, and there aren’t any gaps around the curves.

Since this a custom case, there are a number of different options you can choose. Color is the most obvious choice, but by no means the only one. The case I received had a nicely padded top flap for extra protection against screen damage, though you can also choose a slim flap with no extra padding. Either way, there will be a small metal Vaja logo on the front, close to the bottom. Under the flap you’ll find either a money pocket and two credit card slots or two SD card slots. You can also choose whether or not you want a belt clip attachment, and even whether you want a small companion case in the same style and color for your mobile phone. Personalization is also available, with your choice of your name embossed on the inside of the flap or a company logo on the outside of the case.

Prices start at $74.90 and go up depending on the exact style, color, leather, and options you choose. You may be thinking Wow, that’s a lot of money and that is true. But if you want the very best case for your handheld device, you can’t go wrong with Vaja. While other case options may be more protective (think Otterbox or an aluminum hard case), there’s just something special about the luxurious feel (and smell!) of a leather case from Vaja. If you’re ready to splurge, head on over to the Vaja Cases web site and start customizing your own mobile electronics-protecting work of art.

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