Don_S

Just got my Innopocket magnum case for x50v. Ordered it on the evening of the 8th and FedEx delivered it today at 10:30 AM. Not bad at all for an item shipped from Hong Kong to the U.S.A.! Here's a brief review of the case. Hopefully it will help someone trying to decide if they want to buy this case.

The case arrived in a Fedex Tyvex envelope, inside a brown box with the Innopocket logo on it. The case was well packed in bubble wrap and placed inside a small white box. The belt clip was in a separate plastic bag inside the brown box. Upon picking up the case, it felt solid and well made. The case is a dull black color (not the dark violet or purple hue you are led to believe from the pictures on the website). The case is lined by a neoprene lining. The lining is quite uniform through-out the case with no lifting whatsoever and no uneven areas - I liked that. The front cover clicks nicely into retaining notches on the bottom part of the case re-assuring you that it is closed and not liable to open unexpectedly. Opening the front cover requires a little more force than I expected, but probably with repeated use it will "soften" a little bit. The top of the cover has two cut outs for the mic and the LED and is attached to one of the two hinges in the case. On my case the front hinge (the one the front cover is attached to) moves freely without much friction so the cover will not stay propped open partially. I think this is intentional so that the front cover can be moved freely about the hinge. The back hinge, on the other hand is stiffer and can hold the hinge assembly in any position you place it in - again a nice feature. There are cut outs on the left side of the case for the keylock button and the wireless and recording buttons. On the back is a cutout for the reset button which will easily allow the stylus to pass through. Inside the front cover is a single slot for an SD card.

Now to put the x50v in!. You open the cover and rotate the hinge assembly out of the way and just slide the x50v in. It is a snug fit and once inserted, I was not able to detect any freeplay. The contoured body case perfectly matches the contours of the x50v. The stylus and headphone jack are easily accessible with the front cover closed. The wireless button and the recording button are also easily accessible through the cutouts. The key-lock button is somewhat more difficult to access via the cutout, especially for those with fat fingers. The bottom connector is well exposed and easily accessible as well. Overall, the case does not add much bulk to the x50v (as a frame of reference, it adds less bulk than say the slip-case that comes with the x50v). It doesn't add too much in terms of weight, but certainly more than the slipcase, obviously. The case measures 25mm thick and weighs in at 2.6 oz (The Axim x50v weighs 6.1 oz and the slipcase provided by Dell weighs 1.3 oz). It feels comfortable to hold, whether the front cover is open only 180 degrees or a full 360 degrees. Even with the belt clip post screwed in, it does not wobble when placed on a table (this had been one of my concerns when I placed the order). Also, the front cover can be opened a full 360 degrees even with the clip post screwed in.

Pros:

-Well made, solid case that contours the x50v beautifully.
-Front cover latches/clicks into place nicely, giving both a tactile and audible cue that the cover is latched in place.
-nice neoprene lining with storage for a single SD card.
-No problems with scratching of the x50v by the case (unlike the Rhino cases)
-Hinge mechanism seems to be solidly built and appears durable

Cons:

-Dull black color. Would bave preferred a brushed aluminum type finish
-Keylock button somewhat difficult to access, especially for those with thick fingers
-Black finish not anodized and seems prone to rub off at friction points (indeed some areas along the inside edges had already rubbed off, revealing the lighter metal underneath - these areas had been touched up with some black permanent marker and were not really visible unless you looked closely)

Overall, I am quite pleased with the case and was also very pleased with the smooth transaction on Innopocket's website and the lightning fast shipment and delivery. I would give this 4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

P.S. I have no affiliation with Innopocket and purchased the case for my personal use.

IAM_CDN

Any wifi or bluetooth issues? Will magnesium shield the signal at all?

Don_S

No issues with WiFi... can't comment on Bluetooth because the only bluetooth device I have is a GPS receiver and I haven't had a chance to test it with the case. In the car, I'd have to take the x50v out of the case anyway because I don't think the x50v with the case will fit in the vent pda holder that I have in my car, but I'll try that too...

lvgdgts

Thanks for the review. Now if they'll just release a version with for the extended battery...

maddmatt

I wonder how a clear coat paint sprayed over the case would look. It would probably help keep the paint from rubbing off.

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Mtbrider

First of all, thanks for the very thorough and informative review. I also ordered the case and received an e-mail on Wednesday that it had shipped via Air Mail. I paid the $6 shipping. Did yours arrive so quickly because you paid extra for faster delivery?

Thanks

e-powersellers

Mine is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow, thanks for the review.

Estimated delivery
Mar 11, 2005 10:30 AM

:)

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Don_S

Originally Posted by Mtbrider

First of all, thanks for the very thorough and informative review. I also ordered the case and received an e-mail on Wednesday that it had shipped via Air Mail. I paid the $6 shipping. Did yours arrive so quickly because you paid extra for faster delivery? Thanks

Yes, I decided to cough up the extra $11 for FedEx because on Innopocket's website, they state that regular shipping would take 3-4 *WEEKS* for delivery Vs. 3-4 *DAYS* by FedEx. I got mine in 2 days. :approve:

Don_S

Originally Posted by maddmatt

I wonder how a clear coat paint sprayed over the case would look. It would probably help keep the paint from rubbing off.

Hmmm...never thought of that. But I would think that it would make the case glossy and perhaps more slippery?

raptor13

I also received my magnesium case yesterday and pretty much agree with this review, so I don't want to repeat things. I do want to ask about something however. I noticed that connecting the sync/charge cable with the case on was not very secure. It could connect, but did not seem to go in all the way. So with a little jiggling you could lose your connection. Perhaps I did not have the axim in the case all the way, so I thought I would ask and see if anyone else noticed this same problem? Otherwise I do think this is a great case, only time will tell how the outside of the case holds up to paint loss. Another option might be to order the silver case, but the black does look very nice. Mike

Kenwario

To my surprise, mine came Fed Ex to my office this morning. I ordered it on Tuesday late night. I did shell out the extra $11 bucks but to me, it was worth it. I ordered a Sena case early last month, but it was backordered so I canceled and ordered innopocket right away. So far, I agree with everything that was posted before, but I really like the look of the case. As for the key lock. I don't really find the need to use it when it's in the case since the case is pretty secure. It is kind of difficult to get to. I will know if I really need it or not once I continue to use it. All in all, VERY PLEASED with everything... quick delivery, good communication, very good product.

e-powersellers

I posted a series of photos here:

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=75608

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Don_S

Originally Posted by raptor13

.... I noticed that connecting the sync/charge cable with the case on was not very secure. It could connect, but did not seem to go in all the way. So with a little jiggling you could lose your connection. Perhaps I did not have the axim in the case all the way, so I thought I would ask and see if anyone else noticed this same problem?.....

I had no problem connecting the sync/charge cable connector to the connector on the x50v. Do check to see that you've pushed the x50v in all the way. The top edge of the case should be perfectly aligned with the top edge of the x50v if it is properly placed.

Mister Tip

Thanks for the great reviews and pics i just ordered My X50V
Mar-11-05 hope to see it Mar-16-05 (overnight Del.)And seen a Rhino and X50V combo (In person)and the case was not as attractive as the Innopocket pics.
I will order my Innopocket case today. (overnight Del.)
Nothing else metal looks as good. I do wish they had a Bulletproof clear case for us. Also If WIFI works well Bluetooth should work being it is radio signal. I have Dell Bluetooth GPS :approve:

raptor13

There is a bulletproof clear case available now...well at least soon. See "crystal case" forum. Mike