PDA cases abound ranging in price from the low teens to well over a hundred dollars. I guess beyond providing protection for your PDA they can be somewhat of a status symbol. Materials can be as basic as nylon, vinyl, cowhide, and ramp up quickly to more exotic materials such as kangaroo, ostrich and aluminum.

Today I look at a leather case from HandheldPlanet.net (affiliate link) made of ostrich print leather. The print is quite a bit smaller than truly simulated ostrich - we liked the color and the feel of this much better than the normally bulky ostrich leather (or truly simulated ostrich).

I have been using this case now for about a month, In the past I have found that if a case can hold up to the abuse I put it through for more than two or three weeks it is on its way to getting a gold star from me. However durability is only part of the equation in today’s PDA case world; you have to have style and added functionality to stand out.

Let’s look at style first. The outside of the case is ostrich print leather finished in a deep rich cognac color and has a smooth firm feel similar to a fine Italian leather shoe. Why not real Ostrich you may ask; if this case were actual ostrich, the case price would bump up to well over $100. On the inside of PDA cases many manufacturers will save money by using a synthetic material or vinyl backing. Upon opening this case you will notice that the liner is a suede-treated exotic leather called Carpincho. It's very rare worldwide, except for in South America where it's locally prevalent. Carpincho is very pricy when purchased from Europe, but commonly used in production in South America. The outer rim sleeve that holds the XDA in place is of the same ostrich print leather and uses a print cloth backing.

How about added functionality? If you have been using the stock case that came with the Siemens SX56 you are lacking any place to put your business cards or extra SD Cards at least until now. I was happy to find 4 credit card slots in the cover flap of this case and just below those are two SD memory card slots to help you keep track of those extra SD cards. The earphone jack is easily accessible along with the soft reset and sync port. The belt clip nub in the back is well sewn in and seems to be very solid and the flip cover snaps into place with a Kane brand metal snap.

So what didn’t I like about this case? Overall there isn’t much not to like about this case. However this particular style of PDA case like most brands suffer from the added bulk of the leather rim sleeve that holds of PDA in place, but then again there isn’t much you can do about that right? It would be nice to be able to plug the sync or charge cable in while the flap was securely closed, however the tongue blocks access to that port. This is a problem with most cases of this style.

Overall this case has plenty of style, quality leather, and added functionality. As for the manufacturing, production is contracted out to a small manufacturing group in Santiago, Chile. Although PDA case design is relatively new to them (well, they've been producing PDA cases for over 2 years now), they've been around a long time making other leather products. They are currently on their fourth generation of leather artisans.

It’s priced at $34.95 with about $9.00 US shipping VIA UPS. When factoring price into the equation this case gets a solid 4 out 5 five stars and our recommendation.

HandheldPlanet Executive Leather Cases (affiliate link)


Bill Landon
Senior Editor

OK, you just got done reading this article and now you are saying, “What the heck is a Carpincho?” In researching this case I had to ask the same question. The Carpincho is the largest rodent to inhabit several regions of South America. It is very similar to the pig with its stiff, bristly hair and the general shape of its body. Tigers hunt the Carpincho along the banks of rivers, lakes and swamps for a tidy snack. South American locals hunt the Carpincho for the meat and skins to sell at the market, mmm…Carpincho on a stick.