Since I recently got an Electric Blue Centro, I was wondering what kind of case I might get for it. I wanted a case that would go well with the blue color and I've recently been hooked on cases that have pockets for extra storage.

I was browsing around on the Palm Store website and saw a nice looking Dooney & Bourke case that looked to be a pretty good match in color for my new Centro. So I ordered the case and it arrived in just a few days.

Packaging

I'm not usually too fussy about the packaging of products unless the packaging is so poor that the product can easily be damaged during shipping. I always appreciate getting a product that is packaged with care and style, and The Dooney & Bourke Centro Wristlet was one to appreciate.

The case came in a sturdy, white cardboard box with the company name on the lid. The case and the detachable leather carrying strap were both wrapped in white tissue paper, which was a nice touch. Very nice packaging. I've received more expensive items that were just flung inside a cardboard box or stuffed inside a large envelope.

Design

The Dooney & Bourke Centro Wristlet weighed in at a feather weight 0.20 oz so it hardly adds any weight to your Centro. The case is made with a light blue, woven fabric with the Dooney & Bourke signature logo in white all over it, except the two sides, which are a natural vegetarian leather trim. The woven fabric is soft and makes me think of denim. The case has a cotton lining, which is a darker shade of blue.

The case is stitched along the edges with a light blue thread that matches the woven fabric. The leather trim on the sides of the case has white stitching. On the right hand side of the case is a gold colored ring to which you can attach the leather carrying strap. This ring and the leather that it's attached to are both riveted to the leather trim and looks very nice.

The leather wrist strap looks very nice too. The leather on the wrist strap matches the tan colored trim on the case, plus the edges are a pretty blue color that matches the cotton lining of the case. The lining is soft so I'm sure that my Centro won't get scratched when putting it in and taking it out of the case.

There's a gold colored carabiner like clip attached to the strap that clips to the ring on the side of the case. I'm glad that the wrist strap is detachable because I usually carry cases without those attached. But it's nice to have the wrist strap in case I do want to wrap it around my wrist for safety.

I think that my Electric Blue Centro looks great with the case. I doubt if I could find a more perfect color match. The case also looks good with my Obsidian Black Centro.

Usability

The Dooney & Bourke Centro Wristlet has a flap pouch that snaps shut on the front. Palm's Store description says that the snap closure is magnetic but I've found no evidence of that. Most of the magnetic snap closures that I've used have very apparent magnetic strength and the snap on the flap will pull itself against the hole and stay there. They close easily and on their own most of the time. I can't even get the snap and the little hole on this case to stay together when touching. The snap closure seems to be just a regular run of the mill snap closure, but it does stay closed so I'm happy with it.

Besides the main pouch where the Centro goes, there are also two pockets, one on the front of the case and one on the back. My Centro fits nice and snug inside the case and with the case snapped shut, the Centro is safe and there's no worries about it falling out.

The front pocket is hidden beneath the flap closure. The pocket is about as wide as the case itself. You can carry coins or SD cards in the pocket. The back pocket is a little deeper than the front pocket. I was able to fit my driver's license, credit cards, and my grocery store card in the pocket.

The Dooney & Bourke Centro Wristlet is the sort of case that I love because I can carry my Centro and other essentials inside and not have to lug around a purse. The wrist strap is an extra bonus because I can wrap it around my wrist and not have to worry about dropping the case. Also, the case is small enough that I can easily slip it into my purse if I need to go somewhere and have to carry more stuff like my checkbooks and cosmetic items.

Of course you'll have to remove your Centro from the case in order to use it. Well, you could answer calls with your Centro in the case if you have a bluetooth headset. You could also use a wired headset since there's a small opening on the left side of the case. You could insert your Centro into the case with the headphone jack facing the opening and you'd be all set to use a wireless headset.

Conclusion

I really like the Dooney & Bourke Centro Wristlet. I find it to be stylish, yet casual. I think the case would go great with dress pants and blue jeans as well.

I like the color of the case and the material feels sturdy and long lasting. My Centro is well protected inside the case and is safe from dings and scratches. The pockets in the case are very rigid so that's extra protection. There are small openings on the sides of the case so your Centro could possibly get wet in a downpour, but it's not very likely.

If you're looking for a nice looking, compact case for your Centro, the Dooney & Bourke Centro Wristlet is a good choice. If you have an Electric Blue or Cobalt Blue Centro, the color of this case is a nice match. Of course the case would also look good with a Black or White Centro. And heck, probably even the Red and Pink too.

You can get the Dooney & Bourke Centro Wrislet at the Palm Store for $39.99. I didn't see the case at the Dooney & Bourke website.

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Criteria  Rating Design 5 Usability 4 Protection 5 Cost/Benefit 5 Overall (not an average)	Pros Looks great Durable material Pocket on the front and back Detachable leather wrist strap Lightweight
	Cons Snap closure does not appear to be magnetic