Vaja m100 Case

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Judie Hughes

February 14, 2001

Product Requirements:
Device:
Palm m100

As is often the situation, sometimes a product has to be out for a little while before quality accessories specifically made for it, start to show up on the marketplace. Sometimes, the accessories are truly worth the wait.

The Vaja m100 Case is a perfect example of an accessory made by a company that took their time, and really got a feel for the product; before they made what may be one of the most beautiful and functional PDA cases ever seen. 

I was presented with the Black on black case. The concentrated scent of leather was the first thing I noticed as I removed the Vaja from its box. I was pleased to see that the case uses a snap closure system. Vaja is very conscientious about not using Velcro on their products, and I think that it gives their cases a more "quality" feel overall.

The grained leather on the face of the Vaja m100 case reminds me of a Dooney & Bourke purse I once owned, made of what they call "all weather leather."  That leather was virtually indestructible, and as good as it looked when it was new - it got even better with age. This Vaja case seems to offer the same promise.

The front of the Vaja case has a sewn in plastic window so that you can still utilize the special time and date feature specific to the m100. Instead of putting a hole above the Palm's "up" button so you could access the clock feature, a metal Vaja logo plate was installed exactly where you need to push for activation. As a result, the front of the case is very clean, and the lines are unbroken by a round cutout over the button area.

The m100 slides into a compartment that has been lined with what feels like some sort of nylon. While the benefits of this may not seem evident at first, the more I thought about it, the more sense it made . The leather that actually holds your m100 is so thin and supple that the addition of the nylon should actually strengthen the case, and make it sturdier. The back of the m100 will be touching a padded wrap-a-round leather panel that  makes up the rear and front of the case.

The flip cover is supplemented with a thin ABS plastic insert. While this makes the cover a little more protective, it is still flexible and easily flipped to the back when writing.

The Vaja case is very form-fitting, and it remains true to the curves of the m100. Following in that vein, the button cut-out area is also slightly rounded, and in keeping with the m100's curvy styling. The power button cutout at the top is perfectly centered, as are the screen and main button area cutouts. 

The details of the Vaja m100 case are what truly set it apart.  In keeping with its low-key but classy looks, the case has black stitching to accent all of the cutouts and free edges. There is even an oval cutout over the reset button, so that you can perform a soft reset with ease. 

There is unhindered access to the stylus silo, and to the infrared port, when the cover is flipped open.

Due to the construction of the case, when the cover is flipped back, it creates a natural easel for your desk.

There is also a cutout at the bottom of the case to allow hot-syncing. When the case is closed, the tab of leather which snaps to the rear of the case for closure will cover your port-hole, protecting it. 

One of my favorite things about this case is that once your m100 is inserted, you will most likely never have to remove it again - except to change your batteries.

Unlike other cases I have seen by Vaja, there is no graffiti chart on the flip cover - and that is how I prefer it. Instead, there is raw tan leather lining on the inside of the flip lid - which should darken over time with use. 

There is no slot for an ID or business card, so that might be something you would want to take into consideration, if you are used to consolidating your wallet with your PDA case.

This case is slightly thicker than some of the other m100 cases I have reviewed, due to it's excellent protection from added padding. Here is a table of thicknesses, for those of you who might have an issue with that. These measurements are taken without the additional width of the belt-clip:

The Vaja m100 case only comes in a belt clip model, the belt clip is strong and removable. Attaching the clip adds 2/3" (1.68 cm) to the back of the case, and it allows 360° rotation. I have no complaints with the construction of the clip itself, or it's integration with the case; I just wish that the option were available to get it without the clip. Some of us carry gear bags or purses, and don't like a .30" x .20" (.76 cm x .51 cm) metal post floating around the inside of our bag. 

Personally, I think that this case is beautiful, and extremely well made. If it was offered in a version without a belt-clip, the Vaja would become my m100's everyday case.

Price: $42.90 with Belt-clip
Available in Black grained leather with Black smooth leather; or Green grained leather with Tan smooth leather

Pros:
Beautifully made with perfect fit for m100
Can still access time/date feature through case
Can hot-sync in case, with sync cable
Can hit reset button through case

Cons:
Expensive
Only available with belt-clip
No ID or Business card slot