Reviews

OtterBox 1900 Rugged PDA Case

October 19, 2006

The OtterBox 1900 is no standard case. You won’t find any leather here; no fashionable accents or color choices (though I do think yellow and gray are cool). What you will find is awesome industrial design and a “can-do attitude” that will protect your delicate electronics in any environment. It’s obvious that the OtterBox folks have thought of everything, and I do mean everything—you can still use headphones or sync with a cable while the device is in the case, and optional add-on accessories add some very interesting options.

The case measures 4 1/2” wide, 6 1/2”, and 2 1/4” thick. The material is mostly plastic with some rubberized areas and Velcro straps. It’s very substantial in the hand, and of course rather heavy as well, since it’s made to take abuse. The sides curve in slightly in the middle, making the case easier to hold, but unless you have large hands (mine are rather small) you may find it a bit uncomfortable to hold for an extended period of time. Continuing the tour, you’ll notice that there’s a flip-up cover on the front that covers the screen of the device (there’s a separate membrane underneath the flip lid that is integrated into the case), as well as a very handy stylus holder on the front. The top of the case has a 1/2” round opening that provides a headphone cord passthrough; the opening is sealed by a rubber plug that thankfully has a retaining tether fastened inside the case so you won’t lose it instantly. There are also two side latches that allow you to take the top of the case completely off, which is perfect for swapping out memory expansion cards, etc. The back of the case features a hand strap that can be adjusted with Velcro fasteners to accommodate large hands, if you’re wearing thick gloves, etc. The bottom of the case has a large opening that will allow you to charge/sync your device with a travel cable without entirely removing it from the case.

That’s a good thing, because actually inserting/removing your device from the case, while not difficult, does take a bit of time and effort. Full instructions are included (with illustrations) and the process takes just a few minutes. In brief, you unsnap the two latches on the back of the case and slide it apart, into two separate halves, and then loosen the Velcro strap inside so that you can slide in your device and secure it in the case, then close it up again. The design is simply brilliant, because no matter which exact model of PDA you have, this “universal fit” case will work. Securing the device inside the case also protects it from cosmetic damage like scratches and scrapes and saves just a bit on weight, since there’s no reason to have extra foam or Neoprene padding.

This arrangement also makes the device easier to use while it is inside the case by ensuring that the screen of the device is flush against the interior membrane. That’s important because the OtterBox 1900 is meant to be used as a playthrough case. In my testing I found that it worked very well indeed, though there were a few instances where I would have to tap twice on the screen to get my Axim to respond to what I was doing. I also had a little trouble turning my device on and off, because the power button was right at the top of the screen opening. All of the other buttons worked well, though again pressing down on the 5 way navigator at the bottom of the device could sometimes be a bit tricky. The only controls I couldn’t use were the two buttons on the side of the Dell, plus the soft reset button on the back.

In all other respects, the OtterBox 1900 exceeds my expectations in every way. It protected my device just fine when I shipped it out and back, just to see what would happen. Not only did my Dell survive, there wasn’t even any cosmetic damage to the OtterBox itself, even though the shipping box got pretty smashed on the way back to me! Even better, a full range of accessories is available, from belt clips and neck straps to larger tops that accommodate GPS add-on units and car/boat/motorcycle(!) mounting kits. Replacement latches and screen saver membranes are also available, in case your OtterBox 1900 is damaged in some way and you need a spare. That isn’t very likely to happen though, considering how tough this case really is. If you need ultimate protection for your PDA, I can’t recommend it highly enough—whether you’re a perennial klutz or need to use a PDA in up to 100’ of water.

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