The Buzz: Hand crafted modification of Compaq's Compact Flash expansion sleeve for the iPAQ 36xx Pocket PC; available in silver, black, and red
Developer: George Mosquera
Availability: email GGM685@Prodigy.net for pricing and additional information
Price: $65 (at the time of deVBuzz's modification)
Editor's Rating: 5 / 5

Disappointment at the thickness of Compaq's Compact Flash expansion sleeve was widespread as initial units began to ship over the summer, and George Mosquera, a PDA enthusiast residing in Chicago, decided to take action. He first stripped the entire sleeve down to the circuit board and connector, to which he then applied fiber-glass to completely seal off the board. By taking advantage of the space once occupied by the excess air and plastic of the original product, George succeeded in reducing the Compact Flash expansion sleeve to about half of its original thickness.

After he had posted his initial results on dalecoffing.com, the site's readers, along with readers of the discussion topics at Brighthand.com's Brightspot, took notice. With other members of the PDA community egging him on, George returned his creation to sleeve form by keeping the top portions of the sleeve's sides and removing the rest as he continued to prototype the slick fiber-glassed wafer of a Compact Flash slot that would become what is now known as the Silver Slider. As a result of persisting popular demand, George agreed to perform his modification for others under the conditions that they provide the Compact Flash sleeve, a fee of $55 (raised to $90 and then lowered to $65 at the time of deVBuzz's modification), and shipping both ways.

George has continued to tweak his procedures and the Slider's design, and this past December, deVBuzz sent in one of its Compact Flash sleeves to go under the knife. Two and a half weeks later, the surgically altered expansion sleeve was returned to deVBuzz, upon which time Associate Editor Upton Au immediately ripped it from the packaging and shoved it onto his iPAQ, only to experience what many feel comes close to 'portable bliss'.

In the latest iteration of the Slider's design, the bottom half of the sleeve casing that includes the rails that slide around the iPAQ's sides as well as the sleeve's internals are retained. A diagonal slope descending from the sleeve's front is formed when the bottom two thirds of both railings are removed. On the other side, the exposed circuit board is sealed with fiberglass surrounding the thin metal flap that encloses the Compact Flash slot. Several coats of paint and a sealing hard coat are then applied to give the Slider a smooth, hard finish that shines when held up in the light. The semi-circular piece of plastic molded with the Compaq logo is screwed to the back to provide a slot to guide the card towards its connector and as a finishing touch, the name Silver Slider is applied in black paint on the sleeve's front.

While the sleeve's size has been significantly reduced and its form streamlined, the iPAQ with the Silver Slider barely fits into the slipcase included with the iPAQ, but is too thin for Vaja's leather case designed for the iPAQ and the original Compact Flash sleeve. While users may decide to try out some of the present cases that adequately fit an iPAQ and the Slider, I've found that there is sufficient protection for both devices in my front pants pocket, without a case. There are also times when I carry my iPAQ in its slipcase solo as well, with my Slider safely tucked away into padded compartment in my Borealis backpack. As it is, the Slider still allows users to decide when to use a sleeve and when not to, as it was never George's intention to have a Compact Flash slot perpetually tethered to an iPAQ, but rather to improve the portability of the whole package when it is.

The Slider, like any hand crafted piece of work, is bound to have subtle differences from unit to unit, but happens to consistently carry a high standard of workmanship and attention to detail. Any problems or questions can be quickly resolved with an email, and prospective customers who can send in their sleeves anytime, would be well-advised to wait for a low price as George has been fluctuating prices recently to curb excessive demand, and at times, complaints, regarding his modification, so that he can ensure the quality of the sleeves that he does modify, albeit at times a reduced number. Ultimately, one will have to decide if the decreased size of the Silver Slider is worth the fee, and the wait associated with it. In regards to the quality of the handiwork and George's devotion to resolving issues raised by his customers, many have, and many more will continue to find themselves, and their Compact Flash sleeves, in very good hands.