Treo Case | Reopening the Treo 650 Case

Since my last big case of Treo cases back in May I’ve continued to keep a watchful eye on new products and so after collecting an additional number of Treo cases from our Treo Accessory Shop  I decided that this might be a good time to reopen the case (all puns intended…).

To quickly recap, the three cases that I’ve now latched on to for good are:

1. Seidio’s vertical Shield Holster which continues to be my favourite for its simplicity and protection with my Treo screen facing inwards and the only one that I can use easily to listen to music while mobile at work, home or outside.
2. The Foofpod fabric case wich is pretty much always the funky alternative to Seidio’s when I’m wearing a suit, jacket or coat.
3. Covertec’s Horizontal Pouch Case is my preferred ‘elegant’  (but not luxury) case for those occasions where Seidio’s plastic case just won’t do.

So, let’s see if any of the new cases that I have on hand might make it to my personal collection…

Nutshell Natural Leather Case $54.95 (Top Loading Pouch Case)
I had been curious about the Nutshell case for a while as the pictures that I had seen conveyed the image of a very high quality leather case.

Upon inspection I certainly wasn’t disappointed.  The leather is indeed very thick yet smooth and feels great in your hands.  The inside is lined with a fine soft black suede which caresses your Treo and makes it easy to insert and remove once on your waist (but not easy enough that it might fall out).  Lacking in Nutshell’s case is a headset jack cut-out which means that you won’t be able to listen to your music.

Additionally, the industrial strength steel belt clip is so strong that it takes a little effort to actually attach it to your belt and once it’s on there’s pretty much zero chance that it would accidentally fall off.  However, be prepared to leave some scratches on the inside of your belt – something which you’ll probably want to avoid if like me you have a reversible belt.  Also, the belt clip is completely fixed and does not have a rotating mechanism which Treonauts used to driving with their case attached may find bothersome.

It’s hard to dismiss Nutshell’s case as it is truly extremely well built but in my case the slight scratch issue on the belt and the lack of a rotating clip make it a no go for me.  Nevertheless, I am very tempted to go for the version without the clip (next on my list to try) as it really provides a very snug fit and protection for my Treo.

Smartphone Experts P6 Pouch Case $19.95 (Side Loading Pouch Case)
While it’s one of the most economical cases available, the P6 case is nonetheless extremely well built with a good quality leather exterior and soft velvet interior.

Supported by two very strong front magnets, the leather flaps closes shut and stays shut without any risk for your Treo to take an unwanted exit.  The leather covered belt clip is also robust and grips strongly to your belt without risking any scratches.  Also, although the belt clip does not rotate the vertical case is much less prone to be in the way sitting down while driving.

There’s very little not to like about the P6 case.  It’s practical, cost effective, has a slim form factor and great build quality.  I would definitely consider it if I didn’t already have the Covertec.

Mobo Wallet Organizer Case $34.95 (Top Loading Pouch Case)
Currently the only Treo case that I know of that also holds up to four of your credit cards, Mobo’s Wallet Organizer is an interesting but somewhat bulky, unrefined and ultimately fairly useless first attempt.

The overall build quality is good with a magnetic leather flap over the top loading section.  However, whereas other cases allow you to insert your Treo with the screen facing inwards or outwards this one can only be used outwards which means that you’ll need to (somewhat awkwardly) rotate the Treo in your hand every time you remove it to answer a call.

As you will notice in the picture, holding four credit cards is evidently too much and notwithstanding the fact that adds another 1/4” the velcro strap barely closes once you have done this.  Furthermore, the rotating belt clip is OK but for the metal end which will again likely scratch your belt and it also does not provide a tight grip unless you’re wearing a thick belt.

I won’t be adding this Wallet Organizer case to my collection anytime soon.

Vaja PA31/32 Flip Top Case $74.95
Like its other more popular T65 case, Vaja pride themselves in the high craftsmanship of their products with excellent quality leathers used throughout.

However, the company still has a little way to go is in the area of “form follows function” as with the T65 case the borders of the leather case surrounding the keyboard are too high and therefore provide cumbersome access for typing.

Leaving this aside, the case (no clip on mine) as always makes a splash of elegance.  Cut-outs at the bottom provide easy access to the headset jack and I was able to fit and charge the Treo in this case on Seidio’s INNODock cradle as well as the retractable S&C cable without any problems.

There are also two convenient slots for SD Cards and another larger slot under these that could accomodate a few business cards or a credit card.  The closing flap however is a push button instead of a magnet which makes it just that little bit more annoying to close.

If Vaja could sort out the issue of the high leather borders around the keyboard I would most likely again switch to using one.  In the meantime however I want a case that not only looks good but that also serves its function well.

Smartphone Experts S650 Skin Case
Skin cases appear to be growing in popularity and I hadn’t tried one since the days of my Treo 600.  At the time I wasn’t too impressed because I found the rubber material to be a magnet for dirt and for me at least not a terribly elegant solution.

Although this is still not the case for me, the latest incarnation for the Treo 650 has nonetheless left me fairly impressed.  The quality of the material, build as well as the parts covered and cut out have all much improved.  Leaving aside the open screen and keyboard this skin case provide an almost hermetic protection against scratches for your Treo.

Additionally, although not perfect, access to the covered navigation keys and keyboard are surprisingly easy with this thin (about 2mm) latex envelope.  It may not be for me, it may not be pretty but overall it works and this type of case will undoubtedly appeal to a particular audience.

Conclusion
My top votes in this roundup must go to the Smartphone Experts P6 Pouch Case and Nutshell Natural Leather Case (albeit ideally a version without the clip) – both of which I could envisage adding to my collection.

I’m curious about your own choice of cases…

Treo 650 Case Opened

1. Do you have a case for your Treo? Yes No 2. What type of case do you have for your Treo? (Check all that apply) Form-Fit Case Holster Flip-Lid Case Hard Case Pouch Case Skin Case Wallet Case Fabric Case Click Here to View Current Results

Treonauts never rest their case…