Pocket PC Thoughts: French Riviera Elegance - a Noreve Case Review

Cases, Cases, Cases...
Of all the accessories we buy for our digital companions, a protective case of some sort is usually among the first. For me, it's right after installing the screen protector :0 Fortunately, we now have a wide variety of styles and materials available for most models – from the very plain cloth ones usually shipped by vendors, to the much more expensive models in soft Spanish or Italian leather. To be honest, I hadn't heard of Noreve as a case manufacturer before they contacted us at Pocket PC Thoughts regarding their new lines. Upon checking out their web site (see above), I was pleased to see they had a case for my recently acquired Eten X500 and a large number of other devices as well. We ordered one up and it arrived in about a week.

Packaging
Noreve seems to understand the importance of 'presentation' of a quality product and it shows in the way the case is packaged. The case comes with a presentation box in a plastic bubble wrap enclosure. Fortunately, the bubble wrap is secured via snaps, rather than heat sealed, so you don't have to bring out a scalpel or a hacksaw to open it. The presentation box is a soft black matte colour with a foam insert to frame the case. The belt clip and mounting hardware are stored inside, so all you see initially is the leather case itself.


Figure 1: The case as it is shipped.


Figure 2: The presentation box. Nice enough to be wrapped as a gift...


Figure 3: Here's what the case looks like by itself. Note the only brand marking is the small silver Noreve logo in the top right.


Figure 4: There are three parts to the belt clip accessory provided with the case. The silver button (shown here inside the slot of the belt clip) replaces a flat button already on the back of the case. The small screw provided is used to hold it in place. Providing a screwdriver is a nice touch.