Otterbox 1900

OtterBox 1900

CW EVALUATION

A helmet for your electronic brain

A PDA THAT OFFERS GPS FUNCTION ality can be extremely useful. But if you want to use your expensive hand held for on-bike navigation without risk ing the loss of its priceless data, you should consider protecting it with a prod uct like the OtterBox 1900.

Designed to accommodate most PDAs, the rugged, molded-plastic 1900 is ideal for on-road duty. It provides two wire pass-throughs---a small access hole on top and a large port at the bottom-for charg ing and updating your PDA, plus an ex ternal stylus holder. Touch-screen inter action is via a clear, flexible membrane located behind a hard, flip-up faceplate.

Installing the OtterBox on a motorcy cle requires an accessory handlebar mount and cradle ($45). The mount is based on the universal ball-and-socket RAM system and works with bars up to 1 inch in di ameter. Though a bit ungainly, the design is intuitive to both install and use.

Once in place, our 1900 provided a sate harbor from insects, road debris and water. Screen taps registered accurately, and

iPod pressure-click wheels were easy to operate with I gloved fingers. Our only crit icisms are the unit's consider able bulk and that smaller PDAs and MP3 players slid around inside the case when we tried to access their SD ports

Otter Products,

www.otterbox.com

$100 or plug in a headset.

Though we don't recommend operat ing a PDA while riding, the OtterBo~ 1900 will keep it-and its valuable infor mation-out of harm's way.