Brando Eee PC Case Review

Eee PC owners have had to wait a while for the first cases to appear but finally they are starting to ship. The Eee PC is so portable that it simply must have a case because it is likely to be carried on a train, dumped in a briefcase and go through the rigors of it’s owners for a large proportion of the day. My ideal case must keep the portability of the Eee PC itself and thus act as a protective skin, without adding too much bulk.

The Brando case is designed to carry the Eee without adding any bulk, yet still affords good protection thanks to the fairly rigid leather structure. The front and back are protected well but there is little protection on the sides and back. To be fair, this is a logical compromise because the Eee has a lot of ports that the user will require access to and the Brando case leaves them all open for use when in situ. The ‘in situ’ ability of this case is what I like the most because I can use the Eee 100% with the case attached, as I am now, and I strongly suspect that the Eee will be spending 98% of it’s life shrouded in $38 of leather for here on in.

On the underside are 5 sets of air vents which is good to see. Those of you who own an Eee will know that it can get a bit hot during prolonged periods of use and thus ventilation is essential. The Eee is held in place by a strip below the keyboard that surrounds the trackpad with holes for the front LEDs, SD card slot and headphone/mic jacks. Fortunately this strip is thin enough to not interfere with the trackpad and actually feels more comfortable when resting your hands on it than the bare Eee PC.

When closed the case is secured by the now standard magnetic circular set up and is placed far enough in to stop accidental undoing when picking it up. It is difficult to write case reviews at the best of time because they are ultimately just pieces of leather designed to suit a particular device. If they are designed well, made of good quality materials and good value for money then they deserved to be recommended. In the case of the Brando case, I am pleased to say that it ticks all 3 boxes and would be a good purchase for any Eee owner. The inclusion of 4 SD slots and a slot for credit and business cards is an added bonus. I suspect my search for a case for my Eee is now well and truly over…

Available from http://shop.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=02253 for US$38.00

Brando Eee PC case

My Brando Eee PC case has just arrived- expect a review tomorrow. First impressions are good value at $38 and Brando is offering free shipping until 8th January.

Brando Workshop Leather Case is made of fine genuine leather. The leather case offers high protection for your device. It features a slim, perfectly fit and stylish design.

PC World now selling the Eee

Just received this from Jah- “PC World now has stocks of the Eee PC at £199.99 in the UK.  My local store in Farnborough only has white ones.” Link.

UPDATE- “As soon as I read this I ran to my nearest PC World (in Fulham, London). Well I am very disappointed, it is the usual PC World mess and incompetence:

1. The product is not on display.
2. You’re not allowed to look at it.
3. You can’t even see the box.
4. After I spent a good 10 minutes discussing with a sales assistant, he eventually and reluctantly agreed to go to storage to check the box: the one they sell is the basic model (2G, no webcam) for £200.

Although I really want one, I didn’t buy it because I want the one with 4G and webcam (+ I would prefer black). With some patience, you can get double the memory, an integrated webcam and the color you want for only £20 more!”