Pardon the stereotype, but as a woman, I find that a case addiction can be likened to the craving for shoes. Consequently, I am in a perpetual search for the ultimate case for my most current handheld devices.

When I received my Centro in January of 2008, the only cases available for the device were the crystal and crystal hybrid cases by Seidio. So I purchased one and found it serviceable, but longed to have something a little less “sterile”, less plastic. While surfing one evening, I stumbled upon EBCases, where a number of leather cases were pictured in a myriad of colors. BINGO.

The eNOVO offered by ebcases.com is a solid, one piece slip-in leather case with an optional belt clip assembly. While they originally offered the eNOVO Centro with optional clip in six positively juicy colors (black, brown, red, lime green, light blue and pink) it is now available only in black, pink and red. (pssst…ebcases…it would be nice if you’d replace the original picture to accurately reflect your inventory!) As I often default to black for leather goods, I was determined I’d choose something brighter this go ‘round, in the interest of quickly finding my Centro in the darkness of a purse or suitcase. So I opted for pink - the brightest of the three remaining colors available.

The eNOVO case arrived in a well-designed plastic package, complete with crisp, professional graphics. The package included the case itself, the clip, clip attachment assembly and a clever color-coordinated leather disc to place in the back of the case when the clip and assembly aren’t being used. Another bonus is the inclusion of a rubber pad on inside of the clip so as not to rub a spot on your belt.

Without clear instructions (those provided were a bit obtuse), it took some fumbling to figure out how to install both the clip assembly and the optional disc, but once on, both were firmly in place and still easily removed when desired.

The eNOVO’s belt clip is the non-locking variety. Some belt-wearing device users may prefer this if they like their device to swing freely as they move. But if you are the sort who likes your device clip to keep your “precious” securely vertical or horizontal, regardless of your body’s orientation to the planet, you won’t be happy with the eNOVO clip.

I don’t use a clip when wearing my scrubs and uniforms, so I installed the pink leather disc to fill the hole in the back of the case, where it fit very smoothly. The case added a significant amount of bulk to the Centro, which served as an additional sensory aid for locating it in my purse, but if I wore it on a belt, I would have found the bulk distracting.

The eNOVO itself is rigid molded leather, with seams that are rolled and glued, rather than stitched together. All cut-outs for camera, infrared, microphone, earpiece and side buttons are in perfect alignment with the various device buttons with no shifting, and the case molds perfectly to the device. The case edge around the keyboard lies flush with the device edge and is not intrusive. When brand new, the case feels substantial, but I had some concerns about the durability of the seams over time. As I pushed my device up from the bottom of the case (the only method for getting Centro out as I saw it), the bottom became more supple, but showed no signs of damage, weakness or seam parting.

The leather color (vivid pink, in my case) is bright and well-applied. Being a nurse and a stickler for device cleanliness, however, led to the discovery that alcohol wipes will easily remove the color from the leather (I only use them on the screen, but they touched the edges occasionally). The colored leather also seemed to take a beating in the depths of my purse amongst my keys, pens and other sharp objects – the leather dye is not scratch resistant.

The feature that most impressed me about this case was the serious protection for the bottom end of the device. Many cases deliberately don’t cover this end, leaving it open and easily accessible for chargers, headsets or sync cables. One of the problems with this accessibility is the inevitable vulnerability of that area during a fall or other vigorous activity involving contact with another rigid surface.

My 650 sustained a number of dings to the plastic lip that surrounds this “business end”, so I was able to prevent the same damage to my 680 by using a silicone skin with my 680. But having a smartphone or PDA covered with a silicon skin is like being a woman who wears a one piece bathing suit to go swimming. Any time you have to do your business (for the human in the suit or the device in the skin), the whole thing’s going to have to come off, and that’s time consuming. The eNOVO is molded to offer significant clearance around and below the bottom lip of the Centro, which offers considerable protection for falls or other strenuous activity. You’ll note in the picture provided that the charging area is well inside the case, but yet still available to use. The Palm OEM sync charge cable that comes with Centro fits easily through the bottom of the case, but many others will not, including the Palm OEM cradle.

After a couple of months of use, I passed the case along to a family member to use on their first smartphone. I saw the case again after she had been using it for several months and it was quite tattered. The seams had begun to separate as I’d expected, and the color was fairly scratched up. The top of the case was torn and hanging. It’s safe to say now that despite this case’s positive features, it doesn’t hold up as well as others well known to the market. Perhaps they’ll improve the design moving forward, but for the time being, I’ll stick with tried and true.

Pros

• Excellent protection for “biz end” of device
• All cutouts align perfectly
• Snug fit, molded to fit device
• Clear access to keyboard, button panel, side buttons and IR window
• OEM HotSync/charge cable fits easily

Cons

• No “crash protection” for top end of device
• Overall craftsmanship mediocre, colored leather scratches easily, seams appear to be glued together – not stitched
• Vague clip assembly instructions
• Clip does not lock in position, for those who prefer that feature
• Bulky, as compared to slimmer fit leather cases (i.e. Sena)
• Despite colorful display images in site listing, case is now only available in black, pink, red.
• Many aftermarket sync cables won’t fit (Seidio, for instance) while case is on, despite the assurance that “Sync and charge with cable without removing from case”

Related Links

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Filed under: Accessory reviews