I mentioned seeing an 8.9″ Asus Eee PC 900A netbook on display at a local Best Buy. I also happened to see some cases from Case Logic that appear to be designed for netbooks – they prominently mention 7″ – 10″ devices (the larger one will apparently go up to 12″). They are a part of the “e-sling” series. I did a photo comparison of the two (see bottom of this article).
Keep in mind that this appears to be custom made for netbooks (and portable DVD players, although it was on display with the 900A), and as such, it’s not a sleeve you fit inside a larger bag – it’s made to be the main bag for toting your netbook and accessories (mouse, A/C adapter, maybe spare battery). It seemed well made, and there is definitely an audience for it, but the prices seemed a bit high.
The model I saw was the XNTM-3 – 10.5″ x 7.6″ x 1.5″ and it looked like it would have no problem at all with the Eee PC 900A. There is a larger model, the XNTM-4 (11.8″ x 9″ x 1.3″ instead of 10.5″ x 7.6″ x 1.5) which can hold some 12″ ultraportable laptops. The XNTM-4 would definitely hold the Lenovo IdeaPad U110s and the Sony VAIO TT series.
Model: XNTM-4
– Best Buy – $59.99 (check link for “Store Availability”)
– Amazon.com ($51.91 shipped with Amazon Prime)
– Buy.com ($50.99 Shipped)
Model: XNTM-3
– Best Buy – $49.99 (check link for “Store Availability”)
– Amazon.com ($45.80 shipped with Amazon Prime)
– Buy.com ($44.99 Shipped)
Model: XNTM-1
– Amazon.com ($33.58 shipped with Amazon Prime)
– Buy.com ($32.99 Shipped)
– (Best Buy carries it online only)
I’ve posted some comparison photos of the XNTM-3 (medium version) with the 8.9″ Eee PC 900A that was on display. Unfortunately because of the packaging, you couldn’t really open up the e-sling for further inspection, but you can at least get an idea on size. The sling strap along with some packaging materials were inside, which makes the case look “puffed out” as it were.
Click “Read More” if you don’t see them:
I needed something at a local Best Buy this weekend and headed over to the closest one. They happened to have an Asus Eee PC 900A on one of the laptop endcaps (a display on the end of one of the laptop aisles). This is good from a visibility perspective, since it’s by itself and is highlighted, although I wonder if some people walk right past it without realizing what it was.