Review: Vaja T65 for Treo 650
Having reviewed their the iVolution T65 for the Treo 600, my expectations
for the T65 for Treo 650 were high. The T65 did not disappoint. It offered superior protection, full access to the Treo and uncompromised style. It earns our highest ranking.
What’s in the box
The Vaja T65, not unlike it’s breathren, ships in a slick black box with orange
piping. Popping the lid on the box was akin to driving a new car with all of the options off the lot. One thing you’ll notice is that these guys take their cases seriously â?? and so should you. In the box, you’ll find:
- Vaja T65 Case
- Catalog
- Guide for care
- Clip (this is optional â?? Vaja offered us a choice when sending us a review model and we opted for no clip)
Protection
The Treo is a $500 smartphone, so you want to be sure that a case will protect it. Add to the fact that most wireless providers do not offer insurance and that makes it ever so important to get a case to protect your investment. The T65 is made of the finest leather. The screen and the keyboard are exposed, but the lip of the case is slightly higher. If the Treo was dropped face down, the lip of the case would take the brunt of the fall. A screen protector is necessary with this case. All of the ports are accessible, making it easy to access anything on your Treo including the sync port. A word of caution, the T65 will not fit in the standard Seidio InnoDock. A testament to the popularity of this case, Seidio has made a Vaja specific InnoDock. Without actually dropping the Treo 650, the Vaja T65 is the most solid Treo case I’ve seen outside of the iVolution T66 (see our T66 review).
Style
You can choose to customize your case from hundreds of color combinations and we’re talking very cool Pantone colors. Vaja’s understanding of color is on par with a graphic designer. The color reproduction from the website to sample was spot on. In our iVolution T66 review, we thought Vaja could improve upon the case selection process. Having choices is great, but someone could spend hours pouring over the color combos. We were pleased to see the introduction of Vaja Choice. It’s a real-time flash “paint shop” that allows you to choose colors and seem change on the fly. One thing is for certain, “there is no mistaking a Vaja case. The Vaja cases ooze style. The LED is covered with a transparent piece of plastic, so you can still see the phones status.
Fit and Function
Using the Treo 650 while in the case is excellent. I had no trouble accessing the screen, typing on the keyboard and side controls. If you’ve read any of my reviews, you’ll find that I have an affinity for Starbuck’s and found myself writing this review while enjoying a Grande Traditional. I noticed a woman sporting a purple/pink combination Vaja T65 with belt clip and thought “what perfect timing“. What better for a review then to get feedback from an actual Vaja customer. I introduced myself and asked her opinion of the case. She said that she was very happy with the case, although she had to replace the plastic clip once. She mentioned that there was a very small gap between the bottom of the Treo 650 and the Vaja. I noticed this on our review case. I’m not sure if Vaja intented this or not. At first, I thought perhaps it was a new case and needed a breaking in period. Further introspection revealed the “real reason” for the case construction. If the bottom of the case were flush to the bottom, it would completely cover the microphone. The Treo 650 not being flush to the bottom was not an oversight, but rather Vaja’s insistence on perfection. The Vaja T65 has a snug fit on the Treo 650. Perfect to be honest. Easy to remove the Treo and I didn’t have any concerns about the Treo slipping out of the Vaja.
Overall
The Vaja T65 is an elegantly styled case that offers solid protection in a wide array of custom colors. There is no other case on the market that offers the ability to create a truly custom personalized case. I wouldn’t be seen dead carrying a Purple and Pink case for my Treo 650, but in Sam’s case it fit her perfect. The introduction of Vaja Choice makes it fun to create a case that fits your style and more importantly offer maximum protection for an open faced case. The cases are expensive, but it’s no different buying a nice Coach or Kate Spade bag. More importantly, from opening the box to everyday use, the Vaja earns it’s keep.
Customized Vaja T65 cases are avaiable at Vaja. Personalization options start at $10. Black Vaja T65 cases can be found in our store and retail for $99.95 with or without clip.
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