Protect your PDA for 1$

A Personal Data Assistant (PDA) like my Sony Clié (I did not update it lately, ain’t I), a Palm Tungsten E2 or a Palm Z22 includes a sensitive zone at the bottom of the screen where you can write with a stylus. But depending on your use (for example if you are an adept of Graffiti), you take the risk of simply wearing the zone. In some extreme case, it can go to tearing the surface of the glass that is actually made of a very thin plastic film.

If you get to that point, this is catastrophy and living nightmare: Damages will only increase with time and you may have to go and visit your prefered electronics store for a replacement. Practically, even going to that dramatic end, the normal everyday’s use will become more and more annoying.

Worst, this can happen faster than you’d expect if a small common incident happens depsite all your attention: If a hard micro-dust get stuck under the end of the stylus, it will scratch the glass surface in a split second.

Hre comes THE TIP to protect your PDA against nearly all the attacks and agressions: Scotch(R) Magic(MC) 811. You may not know this product from 3M. It appears like a traditonal scotch tape but it has three very interesting characteristics (very interesting for us, at least):

• The glue is of the same type as the one found on the back of Post-It(R) Notes and that made their success: You can glue and unglue it at will.
• The surfaceof the tape is translucent and slightly rough like paper (or tracing paper for those who know it).
• The width of the tape is nearly exactly identical to the height of the sensitive zone of the PDA.

Consequence: If you cut a small piece of this Scotch(R) Magic(MC) 811 and stick it onto the sensitive zone of your PDA, you will protect it. As the tape is very thin, you do not loose sensitivity at the stylus. As it is removable, you can VERY easily change it when ever you want to (if it is greasy, damaged, stained, etc.) Since its surface is very similar to paper, the stylus contact is less slippery/tacky and you get get the additional pleasure of feeling like you’re writing on paper when writing onto your Palm.

A very simple idea. And dirt cheap.