The Palm Air Case with Holster for Treo 750, 755p and 680 ($24.95), available now at the TreoCentral store, is a light-weight, form-fitting, almost-invisible polycarbonate case that provides tough-as-nails protection as well as the option to wear in the included swivel holster. It is a great option for protecting that soft rubber-finish paint on your Treo 750! Keep reading for the full review!
Out of the Package
I have always liked Palm's branding and packaging, and this product is no exception. You can clearly see what you are getting before you even open the package. Inside, you'll find the Palm Air Case, made of hard polycarbonate, the plastic swivel holster to secure your Treo 750 to your belt, waistband or purse, and an included screen protector for application to your Treo 750's precious touchscreen. Also, Palm has provided instructions on how to assemble the two-piece Air case around your Treo. Easy instructions always makes for a better user experience!
Design of Case
As I just mentioned, the polycarbonate Air case is clear and snaps together, front to back, around your Treo 750. The front of the case provides easy access to the touchscreen and all of the front buttons. It is crafted in such a way that there is minimal interference with the keyboard. A cutaway is also present for the ear speaker. Being clear, the case allows full visual access to your Treo 750 as well. Turning your Treo over to the back, the case has cutaways for easy access to the stylus on top and exposes the external speaker and camera lens also. The top, bottom and sides of the case have cutaways for the ringer switch, the connector, mic and headphone jack on the bottom, and access to the side buttons and memory card door as well.
With the case installed, your Treo 750 fits snugly into the swivel holster and snaps into place, screen facing in for a safe and proper fit. The plastic wraps around all four corners of your Treo to hold it securely. The plastic and metal-spring clip is one of the better designs I've seen. I have notoriously been very hard on plastic belt clips in the past. It is common for me to destroy them when I get in or out of my car. Previous phones I have owned will invariably catch on the seat due to lack of swiveling, and after a brief explosion of plastic and metal and a curse under my breath, it's back to the store for a replacement. The swivel holster included with this Air case seems very durable and shouldn't suffer from the design flaws of other, lesser belt clips.
User Experience
The Air case and swivel holster have been a great combination for me. The polycarbonate case is very protective while allowing access to the functionality of my Treo 750. The two halves forming a protective whole has drawbacks, however. First, you want to avoid dropping your Treo. It's never a good idea to drop your phone, but with this case, a drop on a hard surface results in likely separation of the two case halves and possible scratching and/or other damage to your Treo. Second, the case allows no access to the battery door in case you need to swap batteries. You have to remove the case, requiring an almost Herculean effort because it snaps together so tightly. Third, this kind of case design adds some size to the already-chubby (by today's standards) Treo 750, but it's not too bad. And finally, removing your Treo from the swivel holster takes a bit of practice to accomplish one-handed.
Conclusion
Palm's Air Case with Holster for Treo 750 ($24.95) is a great choice if you are looking for solid protection for your Treo 750 without sacrificing accessibility. The inclusion of the swivel holster and the screen protector is a nice added value. Although the case limits accessibility to the battery and adds size to your Treo, the protection that's offered is above average. Other than the screen protector, the screen and keyboard are offered no protection by the case, but that's the trade-off for having unfettered access to both.
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| Pros |
Strong polycarbonate construction
Included screen protector and durable swivel holster
Cutouts provide access to just about everything on your Treo 750
Snug fit and good protection
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| Cons |
Battery access requires removal of case
Keyboard and screen offered little to no protection |
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