The biggest problem with all of the great new portable electronic gadgets is that there are too many of them. How can you carry them with you? Many of you now carry a telephone with you all of the time. Many of you also would also carry a PDA but gave up because they are not quite small enough to be convenient.
One exception is the REX, a credit card device now made by Xircom. It is small enough for a shirt pocket. I have carried a REX with me every day since I got mine. There is even a version that clips onto the back of your Motorola flip phone. Milt uses one of these. The downside is that the REX does not have the power of a full-blown PDA.
PDA Carrier
I found a novel way to carry a palm-sized device in comfort. The upside is comfort and convenience. The downside is I still can not use it all of the time. The product is a device called e-Holster. If you came to the May meeting, you saw me model one.
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| The e-Holster. |
| Click the thumbnail for full image. (29K) |
The e-Holster is composed of an adjustable shoulder harness called the "e-Harness™", and two soft, durable pouches that hold your personal electronics, called "e-Pouch™" units. Although the e-Holster was designed for personal electronics, it looks like a gun holster. I guess that is not surprising since e-Holster has been designed by two of the leading "concealment experts." The e-Holster can be worn under a coat for business without noticeable bulges, or can be worn casually over any shirt as a fashion statement.
One pouch is designed to hold a cell phone. The pouch is 7.325"h x 2.6"w x 1.0"d , big enough for the current generation of cell phones. The other pouch is designed to hold a PDA. The pouch is 5.5"h x 3.5"w x 1.0", big enough for most, if not all, of the palm-sized devices. The two pouches fit under your arm once you adjust it to your size. The pouches snap onto the harness so you can switch sides or even change pouches. They have just added an optional new pouch that is 7.75"h x 5.0"w x 1.5"d; it is intended for a handheld PC but might also work for a CD player.
The pouches hang the devices horizontally, with the opening in the front. They seal with a Velcro flap. It seems very secure and yet it is easy to use.
The problem is that the e-Holster does look like a gun holster, and that will get you lots of looks as you go out in public. If I wore a coat all the time, I could wear it all the time (with a possible exception of one or two locations). Since we are in California and I am a programmer, there are very few occasions that I don a suit and tie. That means that the only time I would have the e-Holster concealed is during the winter months. Actually, I like the look without a coat but I am still too self-conscious to wear it very often yet.
You feel weird when you first put one on. Initially, it felt like wearing a backpack. However, it is so light that you do not even feel it after about an hour. You can actually forget you have it on until you need your PDA or the cell phone rings. However, you know you have it on when someone sees it for the first time.
There are some locations where I suspect it is a bad idea to wear an e-Holster (especially if you do not have a coat covering it). Wearing it as you are rushing to catch a plane is probably a bad idea. Wearing it to the bank to make a withdrawal will probably get you a lot of attention. I suspect you will get an interview when you visit a casino. It will take many people wearing them before they are accepted without suspicion.
The e-Holster Leather Professional is made of high-grade leather with two high-grade leather e-Pouch units for $99.95. The e-Holster Basic Professional model is composed of a leather e-Harness with two e-Pouch units constructed of high quality ballistic nylon materials, selling for $79.95. The e-Holster Neoprene Professional model is composed of an e-Harness made of durable synthetic holster material, and two neoprene (wet suit material) e-Pouch units, selling for $59.95.
I have the e-Holster Neoprene Professional model and find it to quite durable and attractive. The price is comparable to the cost of a cell phone holder by itself. Even the higher priced all-leather units are a good value based upon my research on alternative holders.
If the harness is too much for you, check out their web site for the e-BeltPouch. This uses the same pouches found on the e-Harness but they hang from your belt. Nothing controversial about a belt holder. I suspect that it is much more comfortable than a normal belt case because of the orientation.
The e-Holsters are currently only available through the Web site (I guess you could order by telephone if you wanted). Orders are shipped by priority mail unless you pay for faster delivery. This gets it to you in 7 to 10 working days. Go to their web site for more details and to see the 360 degree display.
I do not expect to use my e-Holster on a daily basis but I do expect to use it occasionally. I will use mine in places where I need a PDA- which means trade shows and other computer events. If I go to Comdex this year, I will be wearing mine during the show. (We will see how casino security reacts.) I recommend this to anyone who wants a convenient way to carry their personal electronics and does not mind a few stares.
e-Holster
Leather [$99.95]
Basic [$79.95]
Neoprene [$59.95]
Personal Electronics Concealment
904-808-7313
[Ken Hopkins is an active member of the Sacramento PC User Group and currently serves as the Meeting Coordinator. You can reach him by email at ken.hopkins@sacpcug.org]
