The Armor 2600, Dell Axim, and Armor 3600

Their Armor by OtterBox line is designed to protect PDA’s and PocketPC’s from water and dirt, while still allowing use of the touch screen and buttons. Their latest model, the Armor 3600, has optional accessories that provide through-the-case access for power cables and other connections. Other accessories include a deep box kit that will handle iPAQ sleds, large batteries or other electronics; a belt clip; a neck lanyard; and a customizable POD for special-purpose connections. A variety of mounting kits are available for bicycle, marine, and industrial applications.

The basic Armor 3600 is a two-piece shell that is locked together with four clamps. The clamps are replaceable and they are designed to firmly compress a silicon gasket that makes the case waterproof. Threaded inserts are provided for installing tamper-resistant locking screws if security is a concern. While capable of surviving rain, splashing, and dropping into water, the box is not rated for underwater use. Access to the PocketPC is through a recessed, transparent, flexible sheet that allows button presses and stylus actions. The sheet is easily replaceable should it become worn. There is a clear, hinged door over the sheet to further protect the PocketPC’s screen. The PocketPC is secured inside the case with Velcro straps, a significant improvement over the foam padding used in earlier models. Foam padding is included with the 3600 should you need it. An external slot is provided for holding a stylus, but the slot is not sized for the flat Axim stylus. I would want to figure out some way to attach a lanyard to a cheap plastic stylus to minimize the potential for stylus loss.

The modular design of the 3600 allows you to build up a custom case solution with interchangeable parts. You could have one configuration for hand-held needs, and a second that hard-mounts to your boat console. The idea is to provide protection that allows you to use your PocketPC in whatever challenging environment you find yourself. An elastic hand strap comes standard with the 3600, and you can add a belt clip or lanyard for more convenient handling and security. The accessories are attached with stainless steel cap screws and the various pieces have molded-in bosses that provide rigidity to the assembly. The accessories can also be mixed and matched to solve most any attachment need. OtterBox even includes Allen wrenches that match the screws.

Be forewarned that this case is BIG. You will not slip it into your shirt pocket! Without accessories, it is 8.5” long, 5.2” wide, and 2.6” deep. The deep box kit adds another half-inch to the depth. This is for serious outdoor, marine, or industrial applications that produce a demanding environment for your PocketPC.

OtterBox’s smaller case, the Armor 2600, can easily hold a PocketPC. If the PocketPC is Bluetooth enabled, you could house the PocketPC in the 2600, and your Bluetooth GPS in a separate case. Problems arise, however, if you have a mouse-style, or CompactFlash GPS. There is no room in the case for either, and there is no way to get a cord out through the case. Likewise, there is no way to use an external power source, such as a car charger or AC adapter, to power the PocketPC for extended use.

The 3600 can accommodate cables through the optional Through the Box Connectivity Kit. This device attaches to either the top or bottom of the 3600 and provides six watertight openings for various sized cables. The ingenious design allows you to insert cables without having to do any modification to the cable or its connectors. A common application would be for a 12-volt power adapter so that you could use the PocketPC for extended periods on a boat.

I’ve never been one who could simply accept being told that something wouldn’t work. Since I already had a CompactFlash GPS, I was determined to figure out a way to make it work. Careful examination of the case design and my Dell Axim X5 revealed that there was some unused space between the rear of the Axim and the back of the 3600. What I needed was some way to extend the CompactFlash socket so that the GPS could be behind the Axim.

Semsons sells a CF to PC Card adapter that is designed to hold network adapters, or other similar-sized devices. They also sell a PC Card to CF adapter. If you plug them together and then plug in a CF GPS card, you have a flexible extension that allows the GPS to wrap around the back of the Axim. Now comes the fun part. This Rube Goldberg assemblage actually fits into the 3600! If you have a PocketPC that requires a sled to get a CF slot, you will probably need the Deep Box Kit, but my Axim fit just fine in the basic 3600.

Hikers, mountain bikers, skiers, snowmobile riders, and anyone else wanting GPS data in the great outdoors, can now use their PocketPC by just adding one of these cases and the appropriate adapters.

Mounting a $300-$600 consumer-grade PocketPC into a case like the OtterBox 3600 may be a viable solution for companies who don’t want to invest $1,800 to $2,400 in an industrial-grade PocketPC. The case would also be useful for someone who had only occasional need for outdoor use. The various mounting options would allow attachment to forklifts, workbenches, or other places where data is collected.

Now that marine navigational charts are available for the PocketPC platform, a recreational boater could use a PocketPC as an alternative to a dedicated marine chart plotter. Only a software change is needed to convert the PocketPC/GPS from a driving assistant to a marine navigational device.

The first group includes the standard hand-strap, the neck lanyard kit, the belt clip, and the mounting kits. All of the these items attach to the 3600 with stainless steel cap screws to one or both of the two molded-in points on the rear of the case.