Innopocket Metal Deluxe Case For HP iPAQ hx4700 /4705 With Extended Battery

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Judie Hughes

October 14, 2005

I've covered some great leather cases for the HP iPAQ 4500 series in the last year or so, but only recently have there been a selection of cases available for the iPAQ when equipped with its most useful add-on accessory - the extended battery.

Even though the extended battery takes an otherwise thin (0.6") PDA and expands its girth to 0.8", you won't hear too many people complaining. The reason being that the HP extended battery has a 3600mAh capacity - double the iPAQ standard battery's already sufficient 1800mAh - and the extended battery can power the iPAQ for over 10 hours depending on what applications are running. Sufficed to say, if one is constantly using WiFi,  or watching DVDs or reading for hours on end, such improved battery life is a fair trade for a slightly larger device.

Today we are going to take a look at the Innopocket Metal Deluxe Case For HP iPAQ hx4700 /4705 With Extended Battery, a 100% aircraft grade anodized aluminum case which may just be the ultimate in protection for an already tough PDA.

The Innopocket measures 5.34" tall, 3.38 (at the widest point) by 1.09" and it weighs 2.7 ounces.  When swaddling the iPAQ's  9.2 ounces, it creates a 12 ounce bundle. In hand, the PDAand case feel substantial, and it looks quite industrial. For such a little brick, this case actually manages to feel quite sleek - which is no small feat!

There are port and button access cutouts all around the case, and every corner but the side with the stylus silo is protected whether by a full cover of aluminum skin, or by close proximity to an aluminum corner that would absorb the impact upon a fall.

A small metal screw-in post and removable plastic belt clip are included in the package.

The entire interior of the Innopocket case is lined in springy black neoprene, which is a great cushioning material for drops and other sudden shocks.

Inside are two SD slots which accepts and secures the cards when they are slid in on their side rails. I don't personally like to carry cards near the screen of my PDA, though these seem to be far enough that they would not scratch the screen's surface.

 
A four-pronged piano hinge is on the right side of the case, so it opens similar to a Chinese book

Once inserted, the iPAQ seats very securely with no slipping or flexing.

 
Note the rubber anti-slip grips which are on the side

The bottom of the case has a cutout so that a sync/charge cable may be used, and it should go without saying that the PDA will not fit into its cradle when wearing the Innopocket.

There are also cutouts for the reset button on the bottom, as well as the microphone and speaker on the front of the case.

Note the rubber anti-slip grips which are on the side

The tension clip that keeps the case closed is located on the left side, as is the cutout for the voice recorder button.

The top of the Innopocket allows unfettered access to the SD and CF slots, as well as the headphone jack, stylus silo and power button. When the case is closed, a layer of protective aluminum wraps over the plastic top edge on the front of the PDA, one of the iPAQ's most vulnerable drop points.

One last thing worth pointing out is the hole in the center of the case's rear. I believe that it is there to help push the iPAQ up from the case when it is removed, but I have not used it at all. Instead, I have found it to be just as easy to tilt the iPAQ forward from the dip near the upper edge.

Overall, I feel that the Innopocket Metal Deluxe Case For HP iPAQ hx4700 /4705 With Extended Battery is a great case for those that want metal protection for their iPAQ when it is wearing the extended battery. The case does not add too much weight or bulk, and the degree of protection offered should sooth the mind of accident prone iPAQ users.