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[Sean]

I have been a big fan of Proporta cases for a few years now, these guys have a tough product that has protected my precious devices through many hits and falls and not once have they failed me. These cases made from "Aircraft Grade" aluminum are available for a very wide variety of PDAs including dozens of PocketPCs (almost every iPAQ, Toshiba, and Dell are on the list).For this review, I will use the case for the HP iPAQ 4150 for the example however I have used Proporta cases for an XDA, Toshiba e755, iPAQ 2210, and Toshiba e805 as well.Almost all of the cases include several key elements, a fully encompassing aluminum case lined with neoprene, a hinged cover, openings and slots for access to key features like the stylus, sync/charge connections, memory card slots, IP ports, and other commonly accessed pieces. Some cases also include a mount on the back for a swivel clip, SD card pockets on the door, or openings for the reset and voice recorder buttonsShown above, this case is hinged on the right side (some are hinged left, some at the top, I am not sure why this changes from model to model). On the neoprene lined door you will see that this case houses a single SD card holder. Some people find the case slightly clumsy to hold with the door location as it limits where you can grip the unit. If this is a concern to you, once the door is opened, you can easily slide the PDA out the top of the case. There are always retention features to stop the unit from sliding out accidentally but when you want it out, it is a easy task to remove the PDA.When closed, the case is a fairly slim package, adding about 5 mm to the total height, width and thickness on the average PDA. This isn't such a big deal when you are talking about the super small iPAQ 4150 but may be a consideration if you are looking to house the colossal Toshiba e805. Note on the bottom surface here is an opening for the IR port and the Sync/Charge port (big enough for a cable but you can not cradle it with the case on.)The left side has an opening for the voice recorder button so you would not have to open the case to make that vital note. Also seen here is the small round hole for the reset button and the closure for the cover. I have always been pleased with the closures on these cases, they stay shut (even when you drop them) and if they ever do loosen up, being aluminum, a good tweak and they are just like new.Above is a good look at the back and bottom of the case. Note on this model there is a bump near the top of the back, this is a threaded hole to mount the belt clip button. A word of caution, no matter how hard I hand tightened these buttons on in the past, they always seem to work themselves loose so I would highly recommend getting some thread locker and using that to keep this button in place or you could be testing the protective properties of the case when you least expect it. Yes, this is experience talking... I used a droplet ofLocTite 222 on mine, this would be the hands down best choice when you go to buy some.On the top, you can see a cut out for the stylus on the right of the picture above. The remainder of the top is very open to allow for access to the SD card and head set jack.The funny thing about these cases is that I have yet to find one that I did not modify in some way or another in the machine shop at work. I seem to always find just some little thing that I would like different. A few examples of this are on my case for the XDA, there was no cut out for the reset button (highly needed for that device) so I drilled a new hole on that one. For my old Toshiba e755, the top of the case covered the status lights and I wanted to be able to look down and at a glance see my flashing green light for an appointment so I notched the cover on the Bridgeport to allow for this. It is always something simple that I feel the need to tweak and I find that the aluminum is a great substance because it easily allows for this type of modification. Don't think you need a fancy machine shop to do it either because you can use tools as simple as a nail file to make these modds.Here are dome comparison shots on this case, Proporta on the bottom, a Javo Clear case in the middle and the Javo Skin on the top.Side by side below, Javo Clear - Javo Skin, and Proporta Aluminum.Overall I am very pleased with Proporta Aluminum cases, they have saved me through at least 6 drops on various devices including falls to concrete and pavement. After I make my modds I find them to be about perfect for everyday use and keep my mind at ease about the safety of my precious devices.