Proporta Introduces m500 Series Hardcase

Posted By: Ed Thursday, May 9, 2002 11:59:34 AM

Proporta, a new British webstore, has begin offering an aluminium hardcase for the Palm m500 series. At just 4.6 by 3.3 by 0.67 inches, the company claims it is the world's smallest. The Proporta Palm m500 Series Aluminium Case is made from 100% aircraft grade aluminium with an impact-protective neoprene lining and an anodised finish to match the handheld. It weighs 1.6 ounces and is available now for $31.

The company is also developing a version for the Sony Clié line, which it expects to be available soon. It has not yet specified which models this will fit.

Two PalmOS related companies, PalmTec and Scribble, have merged to form Proporta, which provides both software and hardware solutions.

The company offers numerous other accessories for Palm handhelds, including an emergency charger for the m500 series, a USB charger for the m500 series, the Chameleon line of hardcases, and much more.

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Proportia Introduces m500 Series Hardcase

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 1:40:23 PM #
Proportia or Proporta !?? :-)

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USoff

RE: Proportia Introduces m500 Series Hardcase
Ed @ 5/9/2002 2:00:53 PM #
Yeah, there was an extra "i" hiding in there, wasn't there? Thanks.

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News Editor
RE: Proportia Introduces m500 Series Hardcase
ardee @ 5/9/2002 2:28:23 PM #
Next product: the ProPortaPotty? -)


RE: Proportia Introduces m500 Series Hardcase
USoff @ 5/9/2002 8:04:32 PM #
no problem )

Welcome to the http://palm.com.ua/ - «Palm to the Sun!»

Can you access/use the SD slot?

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 2:32:41 PM #
Can you access or use the SD card slot on the m505 when it is in this case? Can you leave an SDIO card like the Bluetooth card in the m505 when the case is closed?

Thanks

RE: Can you access/use the SD slot?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 4:42:18 PM #
yes, a spokeswoman there told me the reason why they cut a hole there for acess is because of I/O cards. Some people prefer is fully closed (I prefer that way), but because of the nature of I/O cards are longer, hence the need for a cut-out
RE: Can you access/use the SD slot?
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/21/2002 4:19:43 PM #
Yes. Just got the case today (delivered from England in only 4 business days) and there is ample cut-out allowing complete access to the SD slot when the unit is closed. By the way, this case is AWESOME !!! It's thinner/smaller than either the Palm or Rhino-Skin aluminum cases, has a better closing mechanism, and it's in the same "gunmetal" greyish color as the Palm m515 (unlike the shiny silver-color of the other 2 cases). Buy it NOW, you will not regret it... - Ravi

Aircraft Grade Aluminum

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 3:04:47 PM #
Is there really anything besides aircraft-grade aluminum? It seems that everything made out of aluminum seems to be aircraft-grade. Maybe if someone made a case out of soda-can grade aluminum, it would cost two dollars and we could buy a pack of six and throw them away when they got scratched up enough.
RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
rdl @ 5/9/2002 3:54:43 PM #
Not here in Massachusetts. You would have an extra 5 cent deposit on each one.

I have the Palm brand m500 series metal case for my m505, but when I use it, it seems to press buttons when it is closed. I don't think it is just the act of opening and closing it that presses them (although that certainly does). I experience unusually high battery drain when I use it, so I think the Palm tends to stay on. Am I the only one?

If I'm not, does anyone know of a slim metal case (including the Proporta that probably no one has tried yet) that doesn't have this problem?

Rick

RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 3:56:09 PM #
>Is there really anything besides aircraft-grade >aluminum?

Yes, and most aluminum products are made from softer material, but the cost difference on the relatively small amount of metal used in a pda case wouldn't amount to much.

RE: Button Problem
scouter075 @ 5/9/2002 4:10:45 PM #
Rick

I had the same problm with my M515. I would open the case and find it on, or worse yet, the battery drained. I just ordered one of these cases. Let's see what happens.


scouter075@attbi.com

RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 4:43:40 PM #
you wont have the same problem, trust me.
RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
Dearman @ 5/9/2002 5:13:19 PM #
try the kensington case it wont push the buttons

RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
big_raji @ 5/9/2002 5:45:03 PM #
Why not use a Stay-Off hack. That's what I used when I had a T415 for a short while, and the default cover would always press the buttons.

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What's Wrong With This Picture?
http://raj.phangureh.com/picture.html
RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
scouter075 @ 5/9/2002 6:10:17 PM #
Stay off hack won't help because it's the power button that's being pushed. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Dennis G. Esler
scouter075@attbi.com
RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
Liljeberg @ 5/9/2002 7:00:59 PM #
StayOffHack lets you "disable" the Power button too. To start the Palm you have to press a "wake button" (for example page down) while pressing the power button.

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http://www.retroglobe.com
RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 8:02:36 PM #
Where do you get this stay off hack?
RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
IanJD @ 5/10/2002 6:49:22 AM #
>I have the Palm brand m500 series metal case for my
> m505, but when I use it, it seems to press buttons
> when it is closed.

I had this problem when I changed over to the m515 my solution was to gouge a little of the plastic out of the casing where the power button protrudes. (I know according to the specs the m515 and m505 are exactly the same depth, but for some reason my m515 doesn't quite fit into my old m515 cases.) Compared to some of the thinner cases I find the Palm one tends to stay closed more reliably on dropping. Plus no-one I hand it to can work out how to open it :)


RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/10/2002 9:57:05 AM #
I'm so glad that other people are having this problem.. I had this same problem with the Palm case last January and was told I was insane (by folks here on the PIC boards as well as by Palm Customer Support .. well, maybe not in those words). I tossed that case to the side and have been using the hard plastic Scribble PDA case.. its a little big, but at least it hasn't turned my m505 on. :)
RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
Altema @ 5/10/2002 10:32:17 AM #
I've seen a few cases that have dimples or notches for the hard buttions, but not the power button, which protrudes on the M5xx series. The Palm will turn off automatically even if the hard button is held in, but if the case flexes and keeps pressing it...

I've never had a hard case before, so I ordered this one last week. We'll see how it goes.

We have all seen the drop test, which usualy reveals how good the clasp performs. What I would like to see is a crush test using live PDAs (IN a case, of course!)

RE: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/10/2002 12:54:29 PM #
Re:What's Wrong With This Picture http://raj.phangureh.com/picture.html

Do you think people have died from that?
---------------------------------------------------

I used to have a Palm V and now changed to m505.

I really miss the time when I was useing that Palm V hard case, its really not bad, looks good, and the buttons doesn't get pressed when put into pocket.

But I have been using this leather case for my m505 since I bought it, and I hate the leather case. Its so sad that there were no hard case for the 505 when it first came out.

ScribblePDA

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 4:34:38 PM #
Proporta used to be called ScribblePDA & Palmtec. ScribblePDA deals with the PalmOS PDAs whereas palmtec deals with psion stuff. They now merge to become Proporta. I have been using the m500 series hardcase for a few months now (when they are still known as ScribblePDA). It's really good, but essentially a Innopocket clone. The T615C case they are selling is in fact a Innopocket case. They produce their own cases as well as selling others. They are also the makers of tomeRaider, the famous e-book reader program. I know this cuz their office is near my girlfriend's house and have been there three times to buy stuff. Really professional and friendly. Answered my e-mails in a day or so. If you really do active stuff, get their scribble hard cases, made of super hard plastic. Another Palm website, (can't remember the name), once tested throwing a PalmOS PDA out of an aircraft inside the hardcase, i think it was abou 300 feet, and the Palm survived!
RE: ScribblePDA
Altema @ 5/10/2002 1:16:13 PM #
Not sure if it's the same stunt, but there was a Palm in a Scribble Cameleon case (ABS plastic) dropped from an airplane going 75 mph at 500 feet.

Visor Case

Romanov @ 5/9/2002 5:51:37 PM #
When I spoke to a representative from Proporta at the last UKPUG meeting, he stated that they were also developing a Visor version.

Nic Hughes

Looks like Innopocket's m500 hardcase

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/9/2002 8:42:25 PM #
It sure looks a lot like Innopocket's m500 aluminium hardcase. Maybe Proporta just bought them from Innopocket and rebrand them?

RE: Looks like Innopocket's m500 hardcase
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/10/2002 1:30:11 PM #
Yah, sure looks like it. If so, it's quite expensive. I bought my Innopocket case for 30 Singapore $$, about 14-15 USD.

Targus - m500 series hardcase

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/14/2002 7:26:33 AM #
Has anyone used this? I am planning to order from www.targus.co.uk (not listed on the US website).
RE: Targus - m500 series hardcase
I.M. Anonymous @ 5/21/2002 4:24:27 PM #
Take some good advice... BUY the Proporta case for the Palm m500 series PDAs. It's only $33 and change which includes delivery from England. I just got it (4 day delivery from England) and the case is simply AWESOME! Much smaller/thinner than the Palm or Rhino-Skin cases out there and it's a "gunmetal" greyish-color like the Palm m515, not the shiny silver-color of the Plm and Rhin-Skin. Also, the closing mechanism on the Proporta is much better. Buy it now, you will not regret it. I've never endorsed a product, but 2 friends at work saw the case today and both ordered it right away. The only drawback with the Proporta case is that it does not fold all the way back, out of the way, like the Palm case, but the sheer small size of it will blow you away.

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