Note: click on any picture to open full screen
For those of you unfamiliar with skin cases, imagine a thick balloon stretched over your device. Then of course there are cut outs for all of the important functions including screen and keyboard. The trick to designing a successful skin case is the accuracy of the cutouts and functionality of the device where the Treo is covered.
Design
A skin case is not about protection. As far as I can tell, it has two main functions: to protect against the minor nick or scratch and to offer a reasonable surface for gripping. This case, like the few I’ve tried before it is a bit too slick. I’d prefer something with a higher coefficient of sliding friction.
As for the cut outs, they are perfectly accurate on the Smartphone Experts UltraSlim SkinCase for Treo 750. It’s probably easiest to describe what is not exposed: all of the function buttons and the side buttons. The rest from small LED light to keyboard and screen are ready for action. This case takes into account the new side loading SD/miniSD slot and has a cut out for that as well, so switching cards and resets are not a problem.
This case comes in four adjective laden colors: Frosted Clear, Lady Pink, Executive Grey, and Future Blue. As you can see, I’m using the Future Blue color for this review. I think your best bet is the frosted clear as the other colors seem to give the Treo a sickly hue. At least you have the choice.
Function
For every day use, this case does its job admirably. I especially like the attention to detail as there are ‘wells’ for the buttons so the case lives snuggly around them. The skin case doesn’t interfere with any functions. The only quibble is that the phone/windows key and the ok/hang up wells are not distinct. They could use a small line between them as there is on the side rocker switch.
There are cut outs on the back of the case providing easy access to the stylus, speaker, and camera.
If you have a spare battery or charging cradle however, this case may not be the best choice as you’d have to take the skin off to get it into the charging cradle and peel it back partway to get a battery in. Stretching the skin case over the device is an exercise in worry. Every time I do it, I am convinced the thing will rip and tear. Fortunately, the material is extremely elastic, so you stretch out the bottom part and manipulate your Treo in. The rubbery material then snaps back around the device.
I tried this skin case in the Palm Cradle but alas it did not work. You should have no problems with the Seidio sync and charge cradle though.
There is also a Smartphone Experts UltraSlim SkinCase for Treo 680.
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