Everytime TreoCentral sends something for me to review I get a tingle of excitement. I get some new toy to try out. The downside is, of course that the older tech has to be tossed in a box inside a closet – and sometimes that tech is very good and you’re forced to test an inferior product.

There is pleasure in reviewing well made, low tech items as well as higher end ones. The Monaco flip lid case for the Treo 680/750 is a perfect example. A case is an essential accessory and Treo owners are very particular about finding the perfect case for their baby. When I received the Monaco case, my first reaction was that this was a sweet case. And testing bears that out.

Design

I love flip-lid cases. IMHO, a case should protect a device and that means front, back, sides, the works. For day to day use, I want something practical and functional. The Monaco Flip case fits the bill. The Treo easily slides into a front pocket. It’s a horseshoe shaped affair with a cross bar between keyboard and screen. The bottom of the case is cut out for all of the bottom connectors and microphone. The 'U' shape only goes up 2/3rds of the way, leaving the IR and side controls available.

The miniSD port is covered, and although the Treo is snug in the case, it is simple enough to take it out for access should you need to swap memory cards or reset. For road warriors who toss an extra battery into their bag, the battery exchange will be simple and painless. The flip lid itself has two folding spots: one for basic cell phone use and the other allows you to bend the lid further down the back to reveal the camera, self portrait mirror and expose the back speaker. When this piece is up, however, there are seven small holes over the rear speaker itself.

The case clasps in front with a magnetic snap that holds the lid firmly in place. One last feature: this case has a small slot for a miniSD or SD card located inside the flip cover. Right now I have my Spectec miniSD WiFi card in that spot.

This case converts from clip to clipless – there is a removable rivet. Simply screw this bit securely into the back and it works perfectly with the enclosed plastic clip. The case has 360 rotation for those of you who care. Take out the back rivet and you have a low profile case to slid into a jeans pocket or purse.

Day to Day Use

This is a fantastic case. It simply gets all of the details right. The device is safely protected on all sides while offering easy access to everything you need: screen, ports, keyboard, camera and the rest. It is a smart design decision to cover over the miniSD slot as most users will rarely need to access it. It is quite easy to slide the Treo out for the odd time when you need to get to it or change the battery should you carry a spare.

With the case snapped shut, you are able to charge, but not sync the phone. Simply undo the snap for access to the multi function port as well. If I have one quibble with the phone it is the bottom snap strap. It dangles in an unsightly manner while you’re on the phone. I find I can use my pinky to hold it out of the way without a problem.

The leather is soft and comfortable, the case I got is a lovely black (or dark, dark brown, it’s hard to tell) offset by white stitching. Holding the case is comfortable and using it against your ear works well as the top flap flops comfortably towards the back of the phone out of the way.

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