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- Accessories (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=3)
-- Targus PDA/Stowaway combo case (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=10681)

Anyone using this? A few e-retailers carry them for $29.99. Computers4Sure.com sell them for $18.99.

Got one, taking it back

I picked one up last week at a local Best Buy while i was getting my discounted Stowaway. Took it home to try it out and:

1) the keyboard is a tight, though not impossible fit.
2) you must use velcro on your Visor (very icky, IMHO)
3) it is really bulky - think overstuffed dayplanner; kinda defeats the purpose of getting portable stuff (still smaller than a laptop, tho ).

BTW, it sucks that the Visor Stowaway doesn't come with a case, as I believe the keyboard for the Palm V does.

I got one a few weeks ago, and I'm still on the fence about it.

I placed the velcro strips on the Visor snap cover and use that to secure it to the case, but it adds more bulk. To further complicate things, I just recently put a Flip-Clip on the thing (with Palm III lid), which adds even more thickness to the unit and thus makes the PDA flap harder to close securely. I tried to solve this by using my own small velcro strips on both the closure belt and the loop, but it doesn't work all that well.

The keyboard side of things is a little better. The Stowaway fits well. It seems tight at first, but it gets easier. The padding on the case is good for the keyboard, too.

But as mentioned before, the overall bulk of the case is a hindrance. It is no longer pocketable (even in my oversized trenchcoat pockets), so you have to carry it in your hands (or in a pouch/bag of some sort). Always carrying your PDA and keyboard together gets a bit bulky, especially since one isn't likely to use the keyboard everywhere he/she goes. I find that I detach my Visor from the case whenever I use it nowadays (carrying the unit around 'naked'), which sort of negates the purpose of a case.

So, in conclusion: If you don't mind the added bulk, and are willing to either put the velcro directly on the Visor or work with the added thickness that the snap cover adds, then this may be a good case for you. If, however, you want the best portability/protection for BOTH the Visor and keyboard, look somewhere else.

__________________
-Richard Powell

"Nice guys may finish last, but you know, the company's much better back here."

Thanks for your replies, mromano33 and raptor. I was thinking of getting the combo case for my spouse. She might not have major problems with the bulk (she used to carry her Toshiba Libretto inside her oversized purse). The velcro on the snap cover is a neat idea. I do have the keyboard for my Palm Vx and it does have a case.

Reverse palcement?

Can you fit the Stowaway in the front (Visor) compartment and the Visor in the back? They are rebating the full cost at Staples when you buy a Stowaway , and I thought it may be a convenient way to carry the two when travelling.

Ken

Picture?

It Would be great to see a picture of this thing before I bought it. I have been looking for one for a while now...

Here's an update on my spouse's Targus PDA/Stowaway combo case. With her Visor, she found the whole package too think (even thicker than her cased Libretto!). I ended up using the combo case because--surprise, surprise!--it has a center rail for my Palm Vx. (This important information should be part of this case's ads.)

Here's the Targus page
http://www.targus.com/case_pda.asp

Re: Reverse palcement?

quote:

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Originally posted by kepstein
Can you fit the Stowaway in the front (Visor) compartment and the Visor in the back? They are rebating the full cost at Staples when you buy a Stowaway , and I thought it may be a convenient way to carry the two when travelling.

Ken

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__________________
-Richard Powell

"Nice guys may finish last, but you know, the company's much better back here."