Last year one of the most popular cases for the iPhone 3G was the Solar Powered case, it was a huge success and demand was so great that stock dried up very quickly and we were unable to source any more, forcing us to discontinue it just a few months later. We’ve been working really hard with our suppliers ever since then to find a replacement and are pleased to announce that it’s finally here – the all new Solar Powered Charging Case is now available for the iPhone 3G & iPhone 3GS.
iPhone 3G Solar Powered Case
The case design is different to the previous model – it’s now made from a tough polycarbonate that will help protect your phone from knocks and scrapes. The whole of the back cover is a solar panel and can generate enough energy to fully charge the case in around 3 hours in sunlight. Built into the case is a powerful 2100mAh battery – that’s 50% more than the iPhone’s built in battery.
The case can be charged using either the solar panel, or if you need to charge it faster, you can connect it to a USB port on your computer or laptop using a Mini USB cable. Once fully charged, the case can more than double the standby, talk time and audio playback times of your phone. It has a separate on/off switch, giving you the choice to keep the extra power until you need it or to keep your battery topped up through out the day.
iPhone 3G Solar Case Charging Ports
Another new feature over it’s predecessor is that with the Solar Power Sleeve you can now charge any other device by connecting it to the USB output on the bottom of the case.
Brodit are the leading manufacturer of in car cradles, making a wide range of holders that are specific to your phone to make sure that it’s held securely in place in your car. You’ll notice from the product listings that there are two types available – Active and Passive, and that there are a couple of mounting options too. This quick guide will explain the difference between the different types of Brodit Holder.
Passive Holders: Passive Holders are a standard straight forward holder for your phone. They are moulded to the shape of your handset and are secured to your car using the self adhesive pads or by screwing into your dashboard.
Active Holders: Active Holders are the same as the Passive Holders, but include a car charger or have one built in. The charger type will vary by phone, but the holder will generally have a moulding to hold the charging tip in place. On most phones you can simply slide your phone into the cradle and the charger should connect straight away, others may need you to manually insert the charging tip into the phone (normally where the charging port is on the side).
Tilt Swivel: Tilt swivel refers to the type of mounting plate fitted to the holder. Brodit holders without the Tilt Swivel will sit flat against the dashboard/ProClip and is not adjustable, so once its in place, its not moving. Tilt Swivel devices give you more flexibilty on how the phone is positioned in the car. They can be rotated through 360 degrees and can be adjusted in all directions to improve visibility and to reduce reflections from bright light. Tilt Swivel mounts are ideal if your phone has a landscape view and is used for Sat Nav & Media playback.
Mobile Phone holders get handled a lot and can become loose over time, especially if they are mounted with the adhesive pads. Although the adhesive pads are quite strong, we’d recommend using a screw fixing to reduce the risk of it falling off your dashboard. If you don’t want to screw into your dashboard, you can purchase a Brodit ProClip.
ProClips:
Brodit ProClips are special brackets that are designed to attach to your dashboard without the need for drilling holes. They normally clip into your dashboard between fascia panels or sit at the side of your stereo. ProClips provide a flat solid surface for you to screw your car holder to and are available for almost all vehicles. We stock a wide range of Brodit ProClips, but if your vehicle isn’t listed, please request it and we’ll order one in for you.
Fed up of cables trailing across your desk? Do you find yourself constantly crawling under your desk to find the end of your charger? Well this Wireless Charging Pad from WildCharge could be the answer that you’re looking for.
Wireless Charging has been floating around for a while, but never really taken off until now. WildCharge is a simple concept. You have a charging pad that is connected to the mains, and a protective skin for your phone that has built in contacts to supply the power to the battery. To charge your phone, simply place it on the pad. It doesn’t matter how your phone is placed on the pad, as long as its facing upwards. The pad is completely safe and can be touched with no risk of getting a shock.
Now, I have to admit I was a bit weary of wireless charging, but was extremely surprised at how well it works. As soon as your phone is placed on the pad it starts charging, and charge times are the about the same as they would be using a standard charger.
The WildCharge is available now for the BlackBerry Pearl and BlackBerry Curve and is priced at £49.95. Replacement charging skins will be available to purchase separately, so when you replace your phone, you’ll only need to replace the skin. Wireless charging for the iPhone and iPod Touch are coming very soon.
Check out the Video below to see the WildCharge in action.
These days we’re all trying to reduce our carbon footprint. Turning things off when they’re not needed, getting more efficient cars, recycling waste, but what can you do to reduce the footprint of your mobile phone?
The one source of power that is all around us, completely free and has no damaging effects on the environment is the sun, and thanks to a new range of accessories, you can now harness the power of the sun to help reduce the power your mobile phone uses.
Solar Powered Bluetooth Car Kits LG and Iqua have both released a Solar powered Bluetooth Car Kit.
LG HFB-500 Solar Car Kit
The LG HFB-500 sits on the inside of your car windscreen and charges itself using energy from the sun. While its in sunlight it will charge constantly, and can provide upto 16 hours of talktime, and 1100 hours stand by time from a full charge! LG also provide a car charger, just in case the battery does run out, but as you’ll no doubt be leaving this in your windscreen all day, everyday you’ll probably never need it! If you have an LG handset, you can use the HFB-500 as an emergency charger and charge your phone from it.
Iqua Vizor Sun Solar Car Kit
The Iqua Vizor Sun is a slightly different concept and is designed to be mounted on your sunvisor. You’ll need to have your sunvisor down in order for it to charge, but its clear keypad makes answering calls easy. Talk time is even more impressive than the LG Handsfree, and it has unlimited standby times when in sunlight.
Iqua Sun BH-603 Solar Headset
Solar Powered Bluetooth headset Iqua are certainly leading the field with environmentally friendly mobile accessories – In addition to their Solar Powered Bluetooth Car Kit, they also offer the worlds first Solar Powered Bluetooth Headset – the Iqua Sun BH-603. Despite having a solar panel built in, the headset weighs just 14g and provides upto 9 hours of talktime in darkness, even more in daylight. As the Iqua Sun draws its energy directly from the sun, it gives you complete freedom from wires.
Solar Chargers
Solar Chargers:
These are a must have accessory for anyone with an MP3 player, Mobile Phone, Handheld games console, or any other gadget that can be charged using a USB Charging Cable. The Solar Chargers have an inbuilt battery that draws its power from the sun. A range of charging tips are included for most devices. Solar Chargers are ideal for trips away, days out or down on the beach!
Using the Sun to charge your mobile phone and accessories may not be the biggest change you can make, but its certainly a step in the right direction. To help you save more energy, read our post on How to extend your Mobile Phone’s battery life.
Please note that this product has now been discontinued and replaced with the iPhone Solar Power Sleeve. We’ve also got a great range of cases for the iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS:
I’m sure most iPhone 3G users will agree that the battery life on the iPhone 3G is pretty poor at best. I can just about manage a whole days usage if I turn off 3G, which defeats the whole purpose of having the phone.
To combat this power problem, we have just released a range of Solar Powered cases for the new iPhone 3G. As well as protecting your iPhone 3G from everyday knocks and scrapes these energy saving cases can charge your iPhone. Each case has its own in built 1500 mAh battery, can provide one full charge for your iPhone and will recharge itself through the solar panel mounted to the front of the case, or via Mini USB if you’re in a badly lit area.
The iPhone 3G Solar Cases are available in Black and White and are due into stock mid August 2008.
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Passive Holders:
Active Holders:
Tilt Swivel:
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